Spurs have dispensed with the man once thought Europe’s hottest guru manager (don’t believe in guru managers). Villas Boas was a failure as manager but he was a mere symptom of their problems. Splurging circa £100m on vagrant misfits should be enough to disguise the fact that you don’t have a sustainable strategy. For a while. But primary responsibility lies with whoever authorised the budget in the first place.
Selling that chap with the funny hair to Madrid went some way towards offsetting the cost of this summer’s acquisitions, but Spurs wage bill for the new arrivals will dwarf the money paid to those who departed. This is the more serious problem.
They are left with players on long and expensive contracts who look like they auditioning for a West End show. Forget about Spurs recouping their ‘investment’, the chances of players attracting contract offers which match the cash the Cockerel coughs up each month is zero.
The Bale money is gone and those new contracts written in the summer will inhibit the club for years. What next: downsizing, or another visit to the roulette table, gambling with even bigger stakes next time?
Here’s what happens when you sell your star player: everyone and their grannie wants the money spent. “The [Insert club name] board need to show their ambition”. This comes from fans, the media, the manager, scouts, family members and every taxi driver in a 30 mile radius. And why wouldn’t they spend an apparent windfall, that’s what the money’s there for, after all.
It’s at this point clubs lose all self-awareness. Reinforced by the success which led to the development and profitable sale of a prime asset in the first place, the organisation’s view of its reach, not to mention competency, is obliterated. “We have spent money well in the past, look, here is the evidence, therefore we can spend this even larger amount of money well now”.
With this belief now orthodoxy, every pore in the organisation secretes an intoxicating scent attracting the club to market. Unfortunately, the rewards for spending big are heady and instant, though they seldom last as long as the hangover.
Directors are celebrated, ticket and merchandise sales get a short-term kick. The manager and coaches get to play with more expensive toys; quite literally, everyone is happy. This is narco-football, only accommodated by ever-bigger hits. For some, this narco-football offers proof that management share wider stakeholder aspirations. I contend otherwise.
The heresy to this orthodoxy reads differently:
Clubs should mistrust their successes, they are evidentially more random than most are prepared to accept.
Windfall transfer income is more likely to draw clubs away from the part of the market they are most competent in. It is an acknowledged fact that sellers and agents literally see them coming.
Don’t go searching for the instant hit, you’re more likely to miss. If necessary, take some short-term pain while using resources to enhance recruitment infrastructure.
Heresy in any area of life is seldom met with quiet contemplation. Narco-football heresy is more likely to be met with a rationalisation that the heretics don’t share orthodoxy’s core values – sustainable success of the football club – no matter how many references to “sustainable success of the football club” they make. It’s Salem-esque.
The orthodox-heretic analogy is evident where three or more are gathered in any club’s name. The first club who manage to unite everyone behind the heretic’s charter will clean up/reach nirvana/find salvation/achieve ultimate enlightenment/do lunch with Tom Cruise.
CQteN St Patrick’s Day Dinner is now FULLY BOOKED. Many thanks for everyone who responded so quickly. We are well on the way to raising the money to build a kitchen and shelter at the Kholoni Primary School in Malawi (for details check here).
Just a few posting days left to order your CQN Annual before Christmas, £5 from every sale goes to the Malawi appeal:
Sean Fallon: Celtic’s Iron Man:
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Did Celtic appeal that ridiculous booking that Pukki got for diving in the box last week?
proudbhoy ‘13.13 hrs.
Sorry about the delay in reply.
Too late for the Republic, unfortunately.
Billy McKay has already played for Northern Ireland, his last international game was on the 15.11.2013. under Michael O’Neill against Turkey..
HH, Always in Celtic.
yorkbhoy
15:08 on 17 December, 2013
Proudbhoy
Whats the deal with mcgregor at notts county ?
Anyone see him play yet for us or them ? Attacking midfielder by sounds of it…
10 goals for a team that were bottom of the league before Saturday. I know it’s a lower level than SPL but he has scored some very good goals. I would recall him and give him a run out to see what he can do for us.
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I would let him stay there for the rest of the season or if another team at a higher level asks for 6momth loan deal id allow that.
We have mcgeouch, rogic, henderson, biton, george who all should be given game time and are already at parkhead.
Hopefully a full season under mcgregor belt will have him ready to fight for place next season.
My biggest gripe with lenny is his refusal to play young bhoys.. Or give them 1 or 2 games then doesnt play them for another 6/7. We have talent their but it isnt being used properley.
NegAnon2
I don’t think buying McKay for instance would make us money. Except in trophy wins.
Gauld is a gamble. He is a kid but if he plays like he does at United you may have 5k to 10k extra punters in to see him. If he does leave he makes the club money. Such is life I’m afraid. I have never known Celtic not to be a selling club. Broke my heart when Charlie, Judas, McClair, McAvennie, etc left Celtic. Perfectly used to it now.
LB
Neganon:
don’t you have Ramie’s details?
leftclick Together we will get justice for the Dam 5
15:46 on
17 December, 2013
If it turns out the case it’s one of the few decisions the board will have made that I couldn’t find a reasonable explanation for.
Normally even when I don’t agree with them I can usually come of with a coherent, logical explanation. This one would defy that. Unless the financial reward was off the scale.
greenpinata
15:49 on 17 December, 2013
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Cheers for info.
What`s this about playing Ajax?
JJ
Kitalba I am sure you gave me them before but a reminder would be welcome
Celtic Mac
Not confirmed by Celtic and not clear whether they’ll face Ajax, wouldn’t be surprised
if we’re reluctant to publicise, – but we’ll wait and see.
Think the ticket office demolition is a single fan tweet, at the moment.
Mncelt, @ 1549
I don’t think they can.
Livibhoy I actually agree with the scottish buying approach. But your general point about not spending because of past failures is nonsense. Our past failures are largely down to parsimony.
Kitalba
Irradiated it as
Subliminal message – don’t expect any real striker signing in January.
Orthodox is never mind the cost spend big
Heretic is only spend what you can afford
Narco is leading to disaster
But this could all be complete pash (except my first point)
HH
Really….if that’s true about playing Ajax.
What a slap in the face to Celtic fans, sheer contempt.
You can Keep yer Ajax, yer old firm, and ram it where the sun don’t shine.
Disgraceful.
HH
NegAnon2:
I’ll send them through tomorrow if that is okay.
How’re you handling the heat over there?
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Till later all
Begoodcsc
The Turkey Carve Up Cup fixtures will be announced when the TV companies find a gap in their schedules
Come on bhoys! Tell me what this Ajax story is and where it has come from.
JJ
JJ
I think the organisers have blubbed it, Sky running it now so it must be true.
Proudbhoy
I would let him stay there for the rest of the season or if another team at a higher level asks for 6momth loan deal id allow that.
I would agree with that..
Long term I would like to see him given a chance before a new “project”
Mncelt-can’t appeal bookings mate,stupid system.
ROW Z:
Your first point is what I took from it too. What has me so confused is the words that were used (strong words) and people coming on and saying how great an article it was and I couldn’t understand the words in any given nice way relative to Celtic Supporters and nobody who said how it was such a great post has come on and explained how it was such a great post, in words that I could understand anyway.
ROW Z:
Your first point being… if anything it’ll be a sardine, not a salmon, if anything at all?
So what i think we could do this january..
Sell or release
Kayal, Sammi,Bangura, Derk
Ledley (if he turns down deal)
-Loan out-
Henderson
George
Johnstone
Mcgregor
I think with those we sell we could easily bring in Young Gauld and allow him to stay at dundee utd for the rest of the season. Also maybe offer them another player or 2 on loan.
If the right striker comes available sign him if not hold out until summer and make a striker our first and main signing.
From january to may we have to find space to play atajic , fisher, balde and rogic as much as possible. We dont need loovens either. Rather see young player tried .
In the summer id be quiet happy if we got decent bids to let forster and jamsey move on.
Maybe a smart bhoy can do one of those Survey Monkey polls,and have a vote about playing Ajax in a bounce game.The bigger injustice is postponing a Saturday game because of this,guys who have distances to travel ,can’t make the re-scheduled midweek game.
No need for us to play Ajax. We can just wait to see the outcome of their match and not match it. If they win, we must lose to avoid them. If they lose, we have to win.
Still a truly stupid idea.
From Eurosport:_
The Hoops have signed up to take part in the Antalya Winter Cup, which runs between January 8 and 12, alongside Turkish sides Galatasaray and Trabzonspor, while their recent Champions League opponents Ajax are also involved.
The Parkhead outfit have already postponed their Scottish Premiership meeting with Kilmarnock on January 11 so they can take part in the event, which will be staged at the 7,100- capacity Akdeniz Universitesi-Stadion in Antalya.
Celtic will face Trabzonspor – whose squad includes former Hibernian defender Sol Bamba and ex-Chelsea winger Florent Malouda – in the second semi-final on Thursday, January 9.
Ajax and Galatasaray open the competition the day before.
The two losing semi-finalists will meet in a third-place play-off on Saturday, January 11, with the winner to be decided 24 hours later when the final takes place.
If Neil Lennon’s side match Ajax’s result, it will set up their third meeting of the season. Celtic registered their only group stage success when they beat the Dutch champions 2-1 in Glasgow but they lost the return 1-0 in Amsterdam.
Celtic, and the Celtic ticket office demolished inside a week.
Ramblas CSC
yorkbhoy
16:03 on 17 December, 2013
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100% mate. If we cant give youth a chance when huns are not a worry we never will be able to.
BSR
Thanks but I am none the wiser! What was blubbed? That we are in a pre-season tournament that includes Ajax or that we are playing them in a friendly or what?
JJ
Big Nan
14:36 on
17 December, 2013
—Wee stout giy 3rd from the left…..looks like a young fella a worked with at G/Mouth (Kinneil) 1974ish……Initials B.W. (first name Brian)
—Were you ever involved with Kingdom Eng (fabshop at Carriden)? your name rings a bell….
Paddy T (not my real name)
SFTB
Thanks for that,
JJ
Hiroki Yamada – trains at Lennoxtown today
Kitalba I think I would say I’m kinda coping – but inly kinda :)
BSR @ 16.12
Is that true?
BSR
I’m taking kid no.1 to her athletics at the Emirates tonight. I have a hi-vis jacket in my boot so I’ll make a point of marching across London Road and if I find any breaches of H&S rules I will immediately stop the job. And if I happen to catch a glimpse on Mr Lawwell behind the controls of the wrecking ball I’ll wring his bloomin’ brass neck.
setting free the bears supports Resolution 12 & Oscar Knox
16:08 on
17 December, 2013
I find it a little odd the every news outlet has used the same press release and not one of the clubs has it as news or in their fixture lists.
I’m clutching at straws a little for this to be not correct.
Paddy Turner
16:10 on 17 December, 2013
Big Nan
14:36 on
17 December, 2013
—Wee stout giy 3rd from the left…..looks like a young fella a worked with at G/Mouth (Kinneil) 1974ish……Initials B.W. (first name Brian)
—Were you ever involved with Kingdom Eng (fabshop at Carriden)? your name rings a bell….
Paddy T (not my real name)
………………………………….
PaddyT I posted this on Wiki and only know the ones I name. Brian my son in law might know or young John Jobson who isn’t on the photo.
Yes I formed Kingdom Engineering in 1978 after working as a supervisor for a company in which I was doing just about everything so decided to have a go for myself. I had taken the supervisors job as my name was on the blacklist of big companies and I had to do something other than work on tools.
The place at Carriden was an expansion from our HQ and main works at Cowdenbeath but it never made money. Did lots of work but not profitable.
Did you work there?
Hi Bhoys The Fallon,Wallace and CQN books all arrived in Vancouver yesterday ,thats the wife lost me for the next 2 weeks until I am finished reading.We attended a Service yesterday for a great Celtic supporter who passed away ,John Gielty (originally from Paisley)rest in Peace.That was the first time I have ever heard the Fields of Athenry sung at a Church Service.John would have loved it.
Thanks to the Bhoys who are running the sales of the books keep up the good work
Cheers