Of course, it happened in our ’67 anniversary season. Celtic were drawn away to Albion Rovers in the Scottish Cup, as the Rovers dumped Queen of the South out of the competition last night. The tiny Lanarkshire club (arguably the smallest in Scotland) don’t have an illustrious history, but Jock Stein played more games for them than any other team. In Coatbridge, that counts.
I’m sure it makes sense for Kieran Tierney to have a shoulder operation while he’s out with an ankle injury but it’s very unwelcome news that the player needed the work. Despite upbeat reports I’m sceptical the op will not further delay his return. For a start, any notions of getting upper body work done are no longer valid.
Uniquely in European football, Celtic’s season is skewed to the start, not to when the prizes are given out at the end, which have become a meritocratic formality. With no European football after Christmas this season, the remainder of the campaign will be about getting ready for July and August, when the really important stuff takes place.
Kieran will miss three Champions League group stage games in total, last Sunday’s cup final and some atmospheric games to come; this will be the source of some regret to the teenager. In compensation he can look forward to picking up a league winner’s medal at the end of the season, and hopefully being in top condition for the qualifiers.
To be fair to Robbie Neilson, even when he was a success at Hearts he wasn’t overwhelmingly appreciated. This season it looks like the party’s over, so I understand why he would take a job at MK Dons which, on the face of it, looks like a dangerous step.
Dons are two points above relegation (to the fourth tier), without a league win in two months. The club has serious structural issues which any new manager would find difficult to compensate for with little more than a few fresh tactical notions. But at least Neilson can’t be blamed for relegation, should it happen.
He’s next year’s Jackie McNamara.
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VFR800 is now a Monster 821
Agreed. Neither of us will be alone
Davidopoulos on 30th November 2016 1:51 pm
Completely disagree
HH
Aw Naw
I think you are overlooking how important it is to other clubs to have a ” Rangers” in some form attracting paying customers to their ground.
Celtic can well absorb the cost of not having a “Rangers” around but can other clubs?
They either go to the wall leaving no one to play against or are left with an even lesser quality of player to hire widening further the gap so that there is no competition whatsoever.
Celtic cannot ignore this potential consequence nor can they “outvote” the club’s who are “Rangers” dependent.
It’s a much more complex balancing act than blue pound dependency because whilst Celtic don’t depend on it our weekly opposition is less fortunate.
A quick look at potential revenues for the next 5 seasons…
CL group stage every season would result in the following
2016/17 – £30m
2017/18 – £30m
2018/19 – £30m
2019/20 – £30m
2020/21 – £30m
Total = £150m
Let’s factor that down to a CL group stage qualification every other year = £90m revenue from CL over 5 years. (And that’s without taking into account revenues from dropping into EL)
Now let’s take PL’s £10m figure attributable to OF games as Gospel. Over the same 5 year period OF contributes £50m. So in this fictional 5 year period we have combined revenue from CL and OF of £140m. The delta between the cost of a team just competing with Newco (pulling in £50m) and the one competing in the CL group stage every other year (pulling in £140m) would not be so huge that it would make £50m over 5 seasons seem more profitable that £140m.
So the rational thing to do is make sure you are the one that has the crack at the CL qualification every season.
Therefore, a Celtic board looking to maximise profit and minimise risk must ensure that FFP rules are applied and the Newco does not receive a licence. Moreover, they, along with other clubs, need to ensure that the SPFL has its own FFP rules.
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on 30th November 2016 2:03 pm
Presumably we can expect Celtic to start cost cutting next season then?
I see questions are now being raised about TRFC being eligible to play in Europe under FFP.
About four years ago I wrote about the necessity for a transparent Licensing Service
http://celticunderground.net/sfa-reform-one-down-three-to-go/
Res12 will show just how that approach is essential for any return of confidence in the games governance.
By next summer the deceit at play in 2011 will be a fact of history. All that is in doubt is exactly what part the SFA played.
Good governance is an eight ball Celtic would do really well to be behind.
Tokentim- Aye it was a shambles down there,we stayed in Whitley Bay,and seemingly there were guys in their 60s and 70s battling outside the Irish Club,belts off the lot….
Paul a beg to the people of Coatbridge will tell yo the wee rovers are bigger club than sevco :0) HH
HOT SMOKED on 30TH NOVEMBER 2016 1:39 PM
Two very different questions 0:-))
Did anything come of Darlington Nagbe`s visit to Celtic Park?
Aye,he will need to change his name for a start…..;]
HOT SMOKED on 30TH NOVEMBER 2016 1:39 PM
Two very different questions 0:-))
Did anything come of Darlington Nagbe`s visit to Celtic Park?
Has anyone heard a rumour that Leigh Griffiths is going out with Gordon Strachan`s daughter?
if he is that makes 2 of us.
carol robertson CSC.
Auldheid on 30th November 2016 2:05 pm
None of the clubs cannot contemplate not having a Rangers around. Or they are not allowed to contemplate it would be more accurate thinking. There are No exceptions. We lose the most.
Celtic can well absorb the cost of not having a “Rangers” around but can other clubs? so why have they never acted that way ?
The rest of your post I do not buy Auldheid. Tell that to AIrdrieoanians. They are press ganged by the Old Firm partners (Celtic, Rangers, SFA & SPL executive) with the money the TV companies offer
There are other alternatives
Basically Scottish football is dependent on the English armchair Old Firm fan .,.. he calls the shots
HH
HH
Davidopoulos on 30th November 2016 2:11 pm
What do I think they will bank the CL money
yes.
HH
Is Robbie Neilson Steven Pressley?
Davidopoulos
Therefore, a Celtic board looking to maximise profit and minimise risk must ensure that FFP rules are applied and the Newco does not receive a licence. Moreover, they, along with other clubs, need to ensure that the SPFL has its own FFP rules.
While keeping an eye on the overall boredom factor within Scottish football.
Celtic always winning is not a good model for Scottish football and Scotland.
HH
you wouldn’t pay £50 to have a lentil on you
Aw Naw
Not press ganged. Influenced by the TV money that trickles down. TV money that would be less if there was no “Rangers” in the top tier.
The thing is nothing is constant and whilst the blue pound dependency once had a more direct impact on Celtic it no longer has but it does have an impact on other clubs.
The dismiss that is to arrive at an unbalaced conclusion or stick the one based on a past that is not the present.
Ironically the new reality means it is much more in Celtic’s interest ( as well as other clubs ) to watch TRFC and the SFA like a hawk and Res12 becomes leverage in that respect.
GLASSTWOTHIRDSFULL on 30TH NOVEMBER 2016 2:27 PM
Is Robbie Neilson Steven Pressley?
SP might end up back at Swinecastle….
Awe Naw
“Celtic always winning is not a good model for Scottish football and Scotland. ”
And there is the problem staring you in the face.
Even when we are cheated we still win a fair share of the baubles, if we were to get the level playing field we would win all the time, hence this imo is the reason our suits are happy with the status quo, I have said this many times before and I believe it to be true.
HH
Auldheid
How then do you explain that crowds were up and teams were turning a profit when the huns were on their journey ?
HH
Auldheid on 30th November 2016 2:30 pm
Aw Naw
Not press ganged. Influenced by the TV money that trickles down. TV money that would be less if there was no “Rangers” in the top tier.
I haven´t done the sums in depth but only we were left out of pocket !!!! and is English Old Firm armchair fans the safe future our movers and shakers desire or a quick buck ? repeat quick buck
The thing is nothing is constant and whilst the blue pound dependency once had a more direct impact on Celtic it no longer has but it does have an impact on other clubs. that´s why we were prepared to take the 700K hit ??? doesn´t make sense .. what does make sense is that we are so penny horny and we want our cake and eat it. That´s what it is.
My conclusions are sound as a pound. Your conclusions I doubt.
It´s a shame that this debate that we have had for n years will never come to a conclusion due to the corrupt nature of Scottish football with our PLC at the very heart of it.
my last word on it for today.
HH
HH
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo
I’m not sure whether you mean that from an objective point of view or from the board’s point of view. On the objective view, it’s hard to disagree. From the board view, I can’t agree at all.
Just as the CL closed shop seems to have become a perceived inevitablity, so too should an alternative structure for competitions for everyone else. This will be a necessity for every “second tier” Champions League level club outside of the top 4 clubs in the top 4 leagues. Therefore, I don’t expect Celtic to be winning any Scottish leagues at all at some point in the future.
What’s the reason for the 12:15 KO on Saturday?HH
Changing the subject lightly, we’re currently on 34 points with 7 games to go until we play at Ibrox which if we win would give us 55 points. Would you give up 3 points so that when we go there we would be “going for 55” ? or are they now an irrelevance that we don’t care ?
Personally, I think it would be funny….:-)
frannyb67
English old firm armchair fan suitability
HH
HRVATSKI JIM on 30TH NOVEMBER 2016 1:04 PM
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-38155008 Very moving report from Chapecoense.
Growing up and hearing about the Munich disaster, I always had this fear that it would happen to a Celtic flight during one of our European adventures.
####
http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/1966-01-26%3A+Dinamo+Kiev+1-1+Celtic,+ECWC
Davidopoulos on 30th November 2016 2:42 pm
as plebs and proles we will just have to wait and see
been great jousting with you today.
HH
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo
Likewise, mate. And naebdy fell out!
This projected (?) CL new format. Is it four teams in total from the top four leagues or four from each ie sixteen in total?
JJ
i wouldnt give up any points in the run up to snake mountain.
the going for 55 myth has transformed into “will they get 55 points”.
FrannyB67
TV ?
JJ
I thought Leigh was going out with everyones daughter
Or at least trying
JJ’s up, and its well worth a read:
https://johnjamessite.com/2016/11/30/the-backdoor-billy-boys/
“Barton’s salary will be paid in full for the entirety of his 2 year deal, every quarter in advance”
Hot smoked
Sky or BT ? HH
FrannyB67
Haven`t got a clue .
JJ
Franny / awe naw
the same reason Man city play chelsea at the same time os West ham play arsenal at 5.30 – fans don’t matter – its TV
I cannot remember how keen I was for the Old Rangers to lose in games such as the one they will be involved in tonight but I am certainly very keen for the New Rangers to drop points tonight.
Cheerio for now,
JJ
Hot Smoked
16 leaving 16 for the minor leagues
TET
Clubs adjusted to new reality and trimmed budgets and crowds rose with better chance of winning something.
That is a new experience for them but that level of financial health is not likely to deteriorate with a Rangers in top tier.
It’s likely to improve (or Clubs think it will) and that is where it becomes a wider than Celtic issue.
Game on Saturday SS 5