10 years ago today Jimmy Calderwood was manager of Aberdeen. If a nostalgic journalist troubled the Tanned One on what his old club could do to prevent Celtic disappearing further over the horizon, can you imagine him saying: “The board need to bridge the gap with Celtic, spend big and put Aberdeen back where they belong”?
It would be a ridiculous suggestion. Celtic turnover circa £65m more than Aberdeen, trying to match the champions in any meaningful way would jeopardise the club’s 112 year history.
Calderwood, isn’t so daft. But Walter Smith, who 10 years ago was Rangers manager, now advises Newco to spend big in order to catch and stop Celtic. Newco will turnover around £50m less than Celtic.
Football clubs who are engaged in a competitive struggle, either cut their cloth to suit their circumstances, or are destined for insolvency. Of the tens of thousands of registered football clubs in the world, Newco, more than any, should be wedded to a strategy of matching expenditure to income. They should know better.
Live within your means, pay your bills, build up a track record of responsible trading. Develop youth talent to the best of your ability, plan seasons in advance, and you have an excellent chance of improving as a football team year-on-year. Whip up unreasonable expectations, become a serial loss-maker, crave short-term hits like an out of control addict, and your chances of sustained development are zero.
It beggars belief that in 2017, not five years since the shadow of liquidation walked up Ibrox’ marble staircase listing every asset in the building for sale, that a hugely experienced authority is putting a futile trophy hunt before the financial security of the club.
The ball is rolling on this now. The vast majority of fans only hear “Spend, spend, spend”. Responsible voices suggesting Newco spend what they earn, irrespective of the consequences on the league table, will be abused as heretics (been there).
David Murray’s ‘speculate to accumulate’ narrative needed Rangers to be competitive at the top end of an inflating market. It worked while these conditions were in place but fell apart when the market in England softened in 2001. Rangers could no longer sell their duds at a profit and the game was over. It’s not been a viable strategy in Scotland for 15 years. The subsequent crash and burn was inevitable (although liquidation wasn’t).
Any team wedded to a strategy which requires them to spend money they can ill afford, to achieve an outcome which is beyond their reach, is destined for insolvency.
Is competing for second place really that bad that you need to risk it all to ‘stop Celtic reaching 10’? Aberdeen, Hearts and Motherwell seem to enjoy their football in this reality, most fans pitch up week-after-week despite lesser ambitions. I haven’t heard a single voice of reason on the financial strategy across the city from within their own ranks.
You know how this story ends.
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Just posted some of my repeats from 2012.
Nothing has changed huh?
Some stuff I posted back then would be murderated today.
MARGARET MCGILL on 11TH JANUARY 2017 3:00 AM
Your view wasn`t shared by the British electorate who remained in U.K.
Macjay
The racist island monkey class consciousness of thatcher is exactly Brexit.
MARGARET MCGILL on 11TH JANUARY 2017 3:24 AM
Macjay
The racist island monkey class consciousness of thatcher is exactly Brexit.
=====================================================================
The grocers daughter who got up the noses of the cabinet landed gentry ?
The Ted Heath`s of this world.
Mate.
First and foremost democracy .
The number of global democracies in the world has dramatically increased in the last thirty tears.
Hope you`re not going to tell me that you went to Reagan`s USA.
:-)
Brexit.
Home Rule.
I`m sure that there a number of people on this blog who can understand that ambition .
Delaneys Dunky
thoughts and prayers for your mum G.
Philbhoy
Fine tribute to big moe who will be reunited with his wee lass
Condolences mate.
HH
Macjay
As i said complex concepts were beyond her.
As for democracy and freedom wrong again. Here
https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/freedom-world-2016
I would say 55% agree with you but then again hunnery, brexit and trumpism is racist island monkey class consciousness of thatcher in some shape or form. Stupid is as stupid does.
MARGARET MCGILL on 11TH JANUARY 2017 3:57 AM
Two different concepts.
Democracy and freedom.
Do you agree that Russia is democratic ?
They say its ” not free ”
Do you agree that Venezuela and Colombia are democratic ?
Freedom House says that they are ” partly free ”
Free . Partly free.
Nebulous terms.
No more . No less.
They can mean anything you want them to mean.
I get the distinct impression that this organisation has a political bent which it is trying to promote.
Viz. Donate.
BRTH 11.25
No sdm accounts should be read in isolation05 and 06 tho are special even by his atandarda!!
The underwriting community knew sir cheats issue was doomed from the start.it shone a light on bos and their dealings with the cheat from a city point view.
Maybe it prepared them for oct 08.:-)
HH
macjay
Donate v taxes
taxes v donate
You know what I mean
MARGARET MCGILL on 11TH JANUARY 2017 3:57 AM
Macjay
As i said complex concepts were beyond her.
================================================
Degree in Chemistry from Cambridge ( ? ) .
Not bad.
She was no economist ,agreed , but she knew that government funded loss making nationalised industries had no future except the debtors court or the IMF , which is precisely where Callaghan had to go.
As she said : ” After a while you run out of other people`s money “
MARGARET MCGILL on 11TH JANUARY 2017 4:15 AM
Good civilised exchange of views , mate.
Best I leave it there before the ” others ” arrive.
:-)
BRHT
Would you be so kind and send me the info for Lisbon please
Is everyone taking along wife’s girlfriends partners boyfriends
Joshirons@msn.com
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20170101-a-new-tomb-for-the-most-dangerous-disaster-site-in-the-world
And there was me thinking this was another Sevco story….
Celtic Champs Elect on 11th January 2017 5:16 am
BRHT
Would you be so kind and send me the info for Lisbon please
Is everyone taking along wife’s girlfriends partners boyfriends
Joshirons@msn.com
——————————————————————————————————————————————————–
Personally, I am taking only me but some others are taking assorted wives, girlfriends, partners AND boyfriends all in the one group which is pretty liberal of them!
I will send an e-mail this morning.
Weather outside is brutal BTW
Good morning CQN from a cool and windy East Devon.
Are the Huns deid yet?
DD, sorry to hear that your Ma has had further problems. She is in our thoughts and prayers. I’m sure you will do your best for her.
Good morning friends from a very wet and wild, grey and horrible, rainy and blustery East Kilbride. Be careful and altert for runaway wheelie bins.,
Word of The Day
Veracity /vɛˈræsɪtɪ/
noun (pl) -ties
1. habitual observance of truth in speech or statement; truthfulness:
2. conformity to truth or fact; accuracy:
3. correctness or accuracy, as of the senses or of a scientific instrument.
4. something veracious; a truth.
Word Origin
C17: from Medieval Latin v ē r ā cit ā s, from Latin v ē rax; see veracious
KTF
The man who did more to destroy RFC 1872 than anyone, except SDM.
https://twitter.com/celticfanzone/status/818756924657332224?s=09
DD, thoughts and prayers for your ma!
KTF
Good Morning everyone from a wet and windy Central Scotland.DD prayers and best wishes for you and your mother.H.H.
The forecast is 36 hours of wind and snow. I hope the nets are up.
DELANEYS
Hope your mum get’s well soon mhate !
BROGAN ROGAN TREVINO AND HOGAN on 11TH JANUARY 2017 6:58 AM
Celtic Champs Elect on 11th January 2017 5:16 am
BRTH could you send me an email as well regards the lisbon trip as well thanks
stephen_299@hotmail.com
BRTH @ 11:24
2. Scaniel – I am not aware of any e-mail at all and can’t see any in the junk so can you send them again and I will look at it and get back to you. My apologies.
*******
As the e-mail address I am using to contact you is clearly not working, then could you please eee me at ffdonx@btinternet.com – I know you must be up to your eyes in other things, so if you are not looking in today then I’ll take your other advice and try to book the flights etc independently tonight and hope to catch up with everyone over there.
You’re not wrong abut the weather,btw – brutal indeed. The donkeys will be kept in today, despite their protestations.
I joined a Facebook group, decent football stuff on it mostly English, some cracking old pics etc. Yesterday someone mentioned CP being the best atmosphere in CL, endorsed by Messi Pirlo etc. On comes one of that mob screaming about Child abuse, Council grants, our fan behaviour, Chris Sutton and wait for it, Celtic being involved in illegal Ebt’s. There are no words to describe their suffering.. He got blown away
Delaneys
Thinking about you bro. Wee prayer for your dear Mum.
HH jamesgang
Another 4 page pull out in the DR with Myth,I wonder if Jingle Jangle asks him about his cut of the Challs Green ST money,and the penny a share club with the Constant Gardener? Thought not….
!!BADA BING!!
Inside today-ten years on from sir Walter of Cardigan rejoining The Gers and bankrupting them,we ask him his thoughts-Exclusive!
Scaniel & MurdochAuld & Hay
E-mails sent with some basic travel plan info. Anything else just get in touch.
Thanks
BRTH
Witty wordplay.
https://mobile.twitter.com/RogerQuimbly/status/818970765240532992
MACJAY1 FOR NEIL LENNON on 11TH JANUARY 2017 3:44 AM
‘The grocers daughter who got up the noses of the cabinet landed gentry ?
The Ted Heath`s of this world.’
###
Ted Heath was landed gentry?
His father was a builder and his mother had been a maid in service.
Regarding Thatcher, one curious aspect that’s never mentioned, is that her circle of confidants contained a surprisingly high number of predatory paedophiles and sexual deviants.
Not that she would have known, of course. The security services would have though, which makes you wonder.
ERNIELYNCH
Judicious use of the word “allegedly” might be in order,apart from those already roasting in hell.
There must be an alternative motive for The Rangers to be playing this fixture in Leipzig.
I think there could be some truth in them trying to woo sponsorship from Red Bull.
TT
BMCUW @ 9.43 am. My favourite so far of the Trump jokes is…..
What’s the difference between a lentil and a chickpea?
Trump wouldn’t pay $1000 to have a lentil on his face.
Tax case March 15th
https://mobile.twitter.com/PeatWorrier/status/819121720120512512
onthewing on 11th January 2017 10:16 am
Tax case March 15th
https://mobile.twitter.com/PeatWorrier/status/819121720120512512
The verdict will be out on the 12th……
Lord Reed is one of the judges to hear the BTC appeal.
That will go down well.