Olivier Ntcham, 21, yesterday became the third most expensive signing in Celtic history, the initial payment was slightly north of the £4.5m quoted, and there are add-ons which are likely to take the total price above that which was paid for Chris Sutton and John Hartson.
The most striking element of the deal is that the player has played only 39 games in senior football. Compare this to van Dijk and Wanyama, who had played over 60 games before coming to Celtic, and you get an idea of how the transfer market has changed in a few years.
60 games is now too late. You need to be on the ground watching and ready to move inside 40 games. More than this and top talent will likely already be competitively priced out of reach.
A consequence of this trend will be an increase in one element of the transfer risk: any scout would prefer to see more than 39 senior games before making a recommendation. But this risk is mitigated by the fact that waiting on a player to increase in value, only introduces the risks associated with paying a higher price.
Then there is the risk of doing nothing at all………
What we do know is that everyone at Celtic, the management, scouts and board, are happy to have secured Olivier’s signature.
Welcome to Celtic, Olivier.
You know when the PSNI say, “The only way you can have the game in Belfast that week is if it’s on Friday and there are no away supporters”. Then Linfield insist on having the home game first due to TV money. Then someone else at the PSNI says they did not block Celtic fans from attending?
Well, that just happened.
Here is the new CQN Podcast…
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On Steven Caulker.
I consider myself a very fortunate man. My health is good as far as I know. I am of a happy disposition, enjoy my life, have great kids, good friends, a loving partner and generally, things are fairly tickety-boo.
I also consider myself fortunate to have met many reformed, or should that be reforming alcoholics.
My friends who have had problems with booze or other addictions will tell you that they are never truly recovered or reformed, despite being sober, drug-free or whatever for 30, 40 and even 50 years or more.
They will always remember their “birthday” and many have different tragic, funny, desperate and sad tales to tell of their days of despair, deep loathing and helpless addiction.
One told me of leaving Leverndale for maybe the 5th or 6th time and saying to himself as he walked out the gates “This time! This time I will stay sober and won’t throw it all away. This time. Definitely this time!”
And guess what? Nah — he was back on the booze within a fortnight!
Another told me of the many times he tried to kick his addiction. He had been to loads of meetings and made many attempts at sorting himself out and all of them had failed. He reached “Rock Bottom” one day when he tried to kill himself. As much as he tried – and he genuinely did try – he found that he just refused to drown but swears he tried everything including weighing himself down in the water.
But it was not to be for some reason.
Sometime later, for reasons which he cannot explain to this day, he agreed to go to one final AA meeting before attempting to find another way to “do himself in”. He didn’t know where to get a gun to shoot himself with, was not familiar with poisons and the like and so he had more or less settled on electrocution.
Short, sharp, only taking a moment of courage and hopefully …… fatal.
But before he could set up his intended date with the current and volts he was persuaded to go to this one last meeting in the Rennie McIntosh church as Queens Cross, and according to him, for whatever reason and for reasons, as I have said, which he cannot explain, the minute he walked into the church he knew he would never drink again.
He is not a holy man, is completely unreligious, has no faith of any kind, but he just knew he would never drink again and he stopped hating himself there and then.
The guy that kept failing when he came out of Leverndale — eventually succeeded and spent many years helping others. He still does even though he is in his eighties.
Many don’t make it of course, and I have shed many a tear over them — but you have to believe.
I hope Celtic sign Steven Caulker because that is the kind of club I want them to be. The kind that makes a difference to someone, the kind that holds out a helping hand, the kind that has a purpose beyond scoring a goal or two or amassing the most points.
I have never met a reformed or reforming addict of any kind that I haven’t been secretly proud of and in awe of, and I am even more proud if someone of that ilk entrusts me with their trust and friendship.
If Steven Caulker signs and gets himself right, find contentment and peace of mind, and can banish his demons in a green and white shirt then I don’t care how many Moussa scores, or how often Scott bosses a midfield or what any other player does, Caulker will be my player of the season and I will shout my support louder than anyone else can shout and from the rooftops, the pavement and everywhere else.
The fella who walked into Queen’s Cross Church eventually bought a big boat and became a really ace sailor sailing his boat internationally.
“What do you get out of it?” I asked him one day.
“Oh, it is great fun and I just love to see the sails fill and the boat take off with the wind.” said he.
“Do you get a thrill out on the open sea? Ever get scared if you are miles away from land in the middle of the ocean?”
“Well sometimes in a big storm you just have to take down the sails, go down below, baton down the hatches and trust that the boat will bob up and down and stay upright no matter how rocky it gets. Nothing else you can do than have a bit of faith in the boat. But, in all truth, I don’t really get scared. Besides — If I was going to die from drowning it would have happened years ago when I really tried to make it happen. I will die from something — but I will never f*+*ing drown!”
Just had some chat with a Man U fan online who was saying he would probably choose to support Rangers (sic) as his Scottish team because of their story of climbing up through the leagues after going into administration and being relegated to the bottom tier – I have put him to rights, but very gently, as follows:
—–
NTipper99 – even more amazing than that – they didn’t only go into administration, Rangers FC were liquidated – like Woolworths, the club established in 1872 has ceased to be.
A brand new company (Sevco 5088) was set up in 2012 to purchase the now deceased Rangers FC’s assets (primarily Ibrox plus traing ground). Sevco 5088 were then gazzumped by another new company – Sevco Scotland Limited also established in 2012 – and current ownership of the assets of the now defunct Rangers FC are being disputed in the courts by both of these new companies – a shameful and tawdry business you’ll agree.
Under employment law, some former employees of Rangers FC TUPE’d over to the new owners of Ibrox. Others, like Gary Naismish, chose not to do so, and were therefore completely free to take up employment elsewhere – Everton in his case.
Sevco Scotland Limited (est 2012) then came up with the wizard wheeze of renaming itself as Rangers International Limited, and established a fully owned subsidiary that they registered as The Rangers FC – all to fool the willingly foolish, or anyone who wasn’t paying attention, and for other more nefarious financial reasons.
It was The Rangers FC (est 2012) that was allowed to enter the Scottish league system for the very first time – and ahead of much longer-established clubs – in the 2012-13 season. And they have done well for a new club – climbing through the four leagues in only five years.
In the meantime, our old friends Rangers FC – est 1872 and sadly no more – had to suffer the final ignominy by itself being renamed as Rangers 2012 – the year of its death. This posthumous renaming was done again to fool the willingly foolish.
Just wanted you to know who you were actually choosing to support.
Toodle-pip.
—–
HH
BGFC
With the loyalist brethren in the six counties being very fond of the Israeli flag , if Nir plays any part of the game tomorrow, how will they react to him.
Ach, what am I thinking , he will get the same treatment as the rest of our players .
The return leg is sold out according to our website . Let ‘s seeif the hunfield support show any bravado being heavily outnumbered by those they hate.
MWD
If Celtic have minutes of a meeting were the “hun with a warrant card” advised them that away supporters were not advisable then they have them bang to rights. Which is what I read into Paul67’s leader. If Celtic made the decision unilaterally then I believe heads should roll.
Not normally anti board, no @#€& says you, but outright lies to the support is not on
MARSPAPA, a little known fact is that Shakira and myself were born on the same continent in neighbouring countries.
I have seen Señor Shakira play against the famous Glasgow Celtic on several occasions.
OK
Hint taken.
Ta-ra
SFTB
As my mum always says “they are loyal to the crown but even more loyal to the half crown.”
Huns taking fenian money and then refusing entry? A no brainer in their world.
SFTB
You got a magnifying glass with that article? :-@)))
MWD
Goooood evening CQN
Firstly – very Hoooopy birthday to
And congratulations to Granda Catman :-)
Now a wee rumour I heard – wee Paddybhoy was at Lennoxtown today ? That came from my nephew who arrived back today from Canada.
Now
My Auld Da is at rest in the Scared Heart church Cowie tonight
A few Bhoys heading to funeral tomorrow.
Requiem Mass at 10
Coming off at Stirling services, take the Stirling/St Andrews road
About 1.5 miles down the Road at Bannockburn roundabout – go straight through again Stirling/St Andrews ( Do Not take Cowie/Falkirk road that heads to stinking Plean)
About 500 yards Down road, next roundabout, (Greenyards), come off roundabout to the right – onto Cowie Rd, the church is right at start of the village on this road, top of hill right hand side where wall begins – parking at top or on rhs of road on hill, or can park on road at wall, there is a smaller car park at end of wall just in behind at fence
Green ties please
Shortie……………Shameful and dangerous, deliberate spin setting up a scandalous story with Celtic as the bad guys…….a convenient counter-point to the permanent embarrassment of the Oranj Ordure………..The Beeb stinks.
SFTB
Your post at 10:10 made me laugh, and I was just about to award it my (coveted) post of the day… but, then I read BRTH’s post at 10:17, and I think his post takes it. A lovely read, and one that hit close to home, BRTH. Thank you for posting that.
Dallas Dallas
Aye you are spot on.
Wee Jacqui – What a laugh we used to have in our formative years.
Somewhere I still have photos of a lot of them sitting around Notre Dame.
She used to go running around the Botanic Gardens and I one told her that there was some strange man secretly taking photographs of her when she was running around the park and then selling them down Byres Road.
I even got one of the other girls (who shall remain nameless) to don a pair of trainers and a short skirt while I took polaroids of her legs. I later presented these to the wee yin as proof of my outrageous tale.
The look on her face was priceless and it took her an age to figure out that they weren’t her legs — and that they weren’t her trainers!
Lovely girl.
OWEN on 13TH JULY 2017 9:22 PM
Was reading earlier that a few guys were questioning the statement from Celtic in response to the one from the PSNI and Paul67’s leader.
Perhaps some context might be in order. The PSNI is the successor force to the RUC. The changeover involved a new badge and uniform but minimal change in personnel. This force lied for decades about its collusion with, and even dual membership of, loyalist paramilitaries. This rank and file membership of this force advised its senior ranks that they were not prepared to follow any order to disrupt the illegal loyalist protest over Drumcree which had paralyzed the North. This was used as a justification for the decision to force the OO March through the Garvaghy Road. The rank and file RUC took to their task with relish. This force was convicted in the European Court of Human Rights for torturing prisoners.
On the other hand some people see the board of Celtic as untrustworthy.
—————————————————————————–
Well said. No doubt Celtic intend to comment when appropriate.
As to how we got here……
IMHO our fans should have been able to purchase tickets for this game. Are we not adult enough to make our own minds up about the “risk” of travelling to away games? Are we children who need someone else to make decisions for us? I’m not a believer in organisations making decisions for individuals. We are all capable and responsible for our own actions.
Owen
I’m don’t normally berate the board either. :-@)))
I trust on this occasion we will here the truth either way after the two legs are done if in fact the club do hold the aces. Otherwise it’ll be more powder to that powder mountain of super dryness.
Your sis is a gem by the way. Great company.
MWD
Hooooopy birthday
Oldtim :-)))
Nice post BRT&H
Particularly the funny at the end. I like the guys thought process. :-@)))
MWD
Brogan, another very good read.
I am friendly with a heroin addict, they have been clean for over thirty years . They are now fighting cancer for the second time . My frend can’t be given morphine for obvious reasons .
This friend is an increddibly brave and strong person.
Cowiebhoy
Good to see you keeping it lit. I hope you are doing ok buddy.
MWD
Cowiebhoy, I pray all will go well at the Funeral Mass for your dad, R.I.P. I will remember you and all your loved ones in pray at Mass tomorrow.
POGMATHONYAHUN AKA LAIRD OF THE SMILESon13TH JULY 2017 10:21 PM
MARSPAPA, a little known fact is that Shakira and myself were born on the same continent in neighbouring countries.
I have seen Señor Shakira play against the famous Glasgow Celtic on several occasions.
He’s no a bad mover ……but wee Shaks cuts the mustard for me ……..SHEWOLF wow.
SFTB
Strange taste …you’ve met my missus then :)
I take it you were mom at the 5s on Saturday since HT would have been MIA !! :)
Happy Birthday Oldtim, hope the horses are treating you kindly.
Hope to meet you and BT in the BV for a drink or 2
HH
Cllr Todd Ferguson
@Todd_Ferguson76
Proud to be a Unionist, Conservative & Scottish. Local Government Councillor – Dalry & West Kilbride. Deputy Leader Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party NAC
https://twitter.com/Todd_Ferguson76/status/885557051035971587
A wee combo music vid with football backdrop
https://youtu.be/pRpeEdMmmQ0
MWD
As a well respected voice of reason on the blog I long respected your moderate views on how our club is run and the high regard you holdouts office holders in.
WENTTOFARTHERECSC
Brogan at 10.30 , a very good wind up.
The Notre Damers I knew , were two years below those you hung about with.
One had the same name as Dennis Waterman’s character in Minder.
My pal and I used to slag her about it but never had a clue what we were on about.
Just home from the shamrock rovers game in Europa league.
Lost 2 3 to the Czech side.
Decent game. Decent crowd. Rovers unlucky not to get a draw. Can’t expect them to turn it round over there but at least the Dublin hoops stayed in Europe longer than the forces of darkness
Autocorrect made even more of a nonsense of my usual nonsense.
1 minute 26 secs on the video you will see Roberts at Man City training today.
https://www.mancity.com/citytv/behind-the-scenes/training/man-city-training-video-leroy-sane-scores-banana
Timreaper
Fake news pal
GREENINBINGLEYINOSLO
Sorry for the late reply.
They lived on Kinver drive .
MWD
Dena is a gem alright, that ne’er do well Man Utd supporting husband of hers on the other hand less said the better :-)
Marspapa
Hope you read those directions
WHAT IS THE STARS on 13TH JULY 2017 10:45 PM
Timreaper
Fake news pal
——
Aye Cowiebhoy’s nephew.
BRTH
Great read thanks. I have family and friends, recovering from alcohol, drug and gambling addiction. My Uncle John was a hopeless alcoholic for 20 years. One day he walked into Saint Pius Church Drumchapel. He had an epiphany moment that he could never explain. He was dry from that day till he died 35 years later. He was not religious unlike my Aunt, his wife. He joked that is was her prayers that saved him.
BLANTYRETIM IS PRAYING FOR THE KNOX FAMILYon13TH JULY 2017 10:48 PM
Marspapa
Hope you read those directions.
If COWIEBHOY has posted directions, i’m sorry but i just scroll by that “ROASTERS” nonsense !!
Anyhoo , Lennybhoy is our sat-nav …there’s nowhere he cant get us (lost) to.
Cowie
Will say a wee prayer for your dad and you in Our Holy Redeemer Clydebank tomorrow.
God bless your family.
DD
Addiction is a hell of a thing but as I say it has brought me into contact with some truly great folk.
OHR was my old man’s church for many years and the significant other’s mammy taught there for many years.
Last time I was in it was for the late Willie Blaney’s funeral and that was many a year ago.
Hope you are well.
Night All in Tim land