When something doesn’t make sense, assume you do not have all the details. Read practically anywhere online and you will learn it does not make sense for Celtic to sit on a pile of cash, with a team which requires strengthening. We can agree on that; it doesn’t make sense.
So we could assume that we have full knowledge and that despite the obvious need, Celtic would allow a player they (i) want as first choice for a position and (ii) are able to afford, but (iii) would risk losing the player for the want of spending a tiny amount more of the bank balance. Again, we can agree, this does not make sense.
Or, perhaps we don’t have all the information. Why would anyone think that something which does not make any sense is reality? If this is you, I suggest you don’t Google your symptoms.
Often, the first deal that’s done for a player is with the agent. He will confirm his player only has eyes for your club and that contract requirement. If another club enters the race, the agent will let you know you have been outbid. After this is in place, you make an offer to the club. There is a world of difference between signing a £3m player for £3m, or signing him for £9m. Buyers and sellers have different incentives and there are more wasteful buyers and wise ones.
It would also be a mistake to assume clubs have hard preferences between candidates. They seldom do, so they pursue the options available to them, which helps inform the final decision. I know of situations at Celtic recently when the manager has sat on a decision until the last moment before making a decision – as he is entitled.
We hopefully agree that none of us possess perfect knowledge. There are things we do not know and that is absolutely true every transfer window. Why anyone works themselves up into a frenzy by assuming otherwise is interesting.
148 Comments- Pages:
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- »
bigrailroadblues on 28th July 2025 11:30 am
Never mind the transfer nonsense. Roll of honour Shipbank, Friday.
GGH, Fred Colon, Gordon64, Philbhoy BelmontBrian, David, Paul M, Tony Rome, Willie M, Tom McLaughlin, Pete E (hidden), Big Jimmy (hiding), BRRB, CT, Magua. Photo by Leggy.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/tUkqZ7iZbwbZTpdV8
Hail Hail
Happy Monday all! Back in office for first time in two weeks. When is happy hour?
How can anyone say we have a weaker squad than last year? That is a squad to strike fear into every other (pub) team in the land.
” Football is the most important of the less important things in the world.”
Good leader Paul; makes perfect sense.
Most contributors on here presumbaly don’t know much nor have the ear of anyone on the inside.
Yet having George Michael-esque faith is hard to do when the suits have a repute for ‘hard-bargaining’ (and its sometimes unwelcome consequences).
As the other Donald famously said:
“There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns—the ones we don’t know we don’t know.”
Rumsfeld CSC
Aipple
Right now 👍
QUADRO
Yes , but how do we know we dont know if we don’t know what it is we don’t know ……………ye know?
In Pedro and the shysters we trust.
glendalystonsils on 28th July 2025 12:18 pm
QUADRO
Yes , but how do we know we dont know if we don’t know what it is we don’t know ……………ye know?
———-
Exactly !!
“Why anyone works themselves up into a frenzy by assuming otherwise is interesting”.
Has the wee guy from Celtic Fan’s TV hair gone on fire yet? It’s usually a good barometer that we’ve hit peak hysteria.
It’s all about the clicks😉
“Frenzy” in the Celtic transfer window, who’d have predicted that?
Infamy! Infamy!
I am trying to hide my face in any Photos as I don’t wish to have my face published in the ” News of the World”….
so there.
HH
I fully appreciate Celtic will NOT complete transfers via the press, 98% of this is pure speculation.
Clubs, Agents trying to boost their players value create interest.
However Transfermarkt shows that in the last 8 x Years Celtic have a PROFIT of approx £60m in transfer dealings. Now each year I expect the manager has a budget circa £ 5-10m but it would appear this has NOT been touched as we seem to have a surplus most seasons.
I certainly don’t advocate spending whatever the selling clubs asks for…eg Go Ahead asking for a club record fee for a guy who has performed maybe half a season, or those asking for £ 8-12m.
But quality costs, we have a record of improving players and selling on for much more than purchased. It is VITAL we improve the spine of the side, pronto. I see this as an investment in the future of the club and will help attract better quality in future.
I wasn’t overly impressed with the Ajax winger who they spent +£10m on, There is quality out there if we shop smartly eg Nygren. But we are absolutely sitting on a PLUS Budget right now having sold Kuhn + whatever we had in our budget. Makes no sense to tell the world, unlike the Blue Sox with supposed £ 20m LOL We need value for money. resale value, continued improvement / investment.
Not just back up for CCV but a replacement due to injury worries, Scales, Ralston, Welsh, Idah, McGregor etc long term planning.
How long has Brendan asked for Pace & Power in midfield etc…yet still completely over run by Ajax – Dortmund – Bayern even a total backs to the wall effort in Atlanta didn’t hide our short comings. Bruges were bigger, faster, stronger, smarter, Villa made us look lightweights.
Pace & Power should be top of the agenda in looking for potential new signings.
Blah, blah, usual transfer blah. It’s so hard and you ignorant peasants know nothing. PS just keep coughing up your hard earned, that’s all you’re good for.
Oh and I didn’t take your advice and googled my symptoms. It diagnosed me as a peasant lacking trust in The Man. Especially when he sits in the Parkhead Boardroom.
There are various names for this syndrome. Some call it the John McGinnis syndrome. Others the Lawwell Junior blind faith effect. Still others the ‘We’ll definitely replace Kyogo condition’.
Have you ever thought of taking your skills to Fox News or RT?
No frenzy at all. Across The City FC still have two more rounds to go through. No point in wasting money bringing in quality players if they end up missing out. It would only result in us getting too far in front of them.
I think we all agree with the sentiments in the article.
Things can often change during either, the search for a player, or on the negotiations between clubs and between club and player.
When you don’t have inside knowledge you either start to make things up or you analyse past trends.
In this case, analysing past trends leads me to believe we have a Board of Directors intent on build a massive cash reserve with little plan on what to do with it, while limiting the ambitions of the team on the park.
Our cash reserve is now larger than before the pandemic and I would suggest that if such a financial catastrophe hit Scottish football it would be pointless having such a bank balance because while we would survive, every other club would go bust so we would have no one to play.
As an aside, does anyone know if the new Barrowfield complex is open yet?
It seems as if our media people can’t find it to give us an update.
Our m.o., which has given us a big cash balance, has given us the opportunity to hold out for bigger incoming transfer fees and be able to afford to negóciate incoming fees grom a very strong position.
Abandon that – “pay all the money straight away” every time and we won’t have the money to do it for very long.
It will never be just this window, just this signing.
“hold out for bigger incoming transfer fees and be able to afford to negóciate incoming fees”
Should read:
Hold out for bigger fees on outgoing players and negociate lower fees on players coming in
BTW when I wrote: ‘Most contributors on here presumably don’t know much nor have the ear of anyone on the inside.’ I put myself squarely in the midst.
KTF CSC
I know that our current manager and his predecessor both publicly criticised the club for being too slow to bring players in…
AN DUN
Well , one month’s interest on £90m is not to be sniffed at .
Dear Cqn,I am looking for names of good cqnr’s who are going to attend Oldtim67 Dave Morrisons funeral
Hi Bhoys and Geraldine – An update on the Funeral arrangements for our friend Davie OldTim. The service will be at 1pm on the 4th August at Thomas Cuthells Funeral Home, Boness Road, Grangemouth, a Humanist service conducted by a Mr Peter McDonald. The burial service will be in Gransable Cemetery, Polmont. The purvey will be in the Leapark hotel, Grangemouth. Davie’s niece Fiona has asked that I ask for numbers of those attending regards the purvey. She has also asked for some stories that I can pass on to the Humanist celebrant, if possible PM these to me please, thank you. 🍀💚
With thanks
A.T
It’s fair comment Paul, that fans don’t understand the processes and complications of modern transfers.
It doesn’t make sense to many that a window opens on the 1st June and so much first team business is conducted in the last week of the window.
Those of us who remember when you could sign a player at any point of the season just find it really boring and another negative in the modern game.
We haven’t had a CL qualifier for a while but it’s not unfair to say that our attacking options are as poor as Celtic has had for some time. Some considerable time.
So, context is one thing but it’s irrelevant if we fail to progress to the CL.
I’ve listened to yet another know nothing idiot ‘Celtic supporter’ going on for weeks about the urgency of improving the squad. If only Brendan Rodgers had the required insider knowledge on how this transfer game works.
Paul67 summed up what I was trying to say earlier. The real issue—often overlooked—is that many players from Europe, Asia, and South America prefer leagues in England or mainland Europe over coming to us.
It’s not about Celtic’s reputation, but rather the perception of the SPFL as a lower-tier league. Even when deals are agreed, players often choose similar or slightly lesser offers elsewhere because those leagues offer a more attractive environment.
I should have added and that I believe is one of the factors, not the only one, why some deals are done ‘last minute’ as the player has other options and only comes to Celtic when most other options are gone, harsh but true I’m afraid
Hilarious Paul.
Plenty clearly taking your advice and not googling the symptoms.
Plenty also still keen to blame ‘suits’ or anyone perceived to be in authority.
Reality is we have a very short chain of command.
1 owner who makes the big calls. A second large shareholder and a chairman plus a manager who give owner some counsel on some matters.
2 executive directors who actually do what is decided by the owner on big stuff and what is agreed and on strategy with manager on small stuff. It’s pretty simple.
Even allowing for chairbhoys manager direct line to DD, which may well be correct, we have a really short chain of command.
It just isn’t that easy. Not helpful to have a manager bleating publicly imo though. It fuels the fire and does make us look desperate.
Unlike the previous 2 seasons, we now have 2 huge CL ties, beginning 3 weeks on Wednesday. Therefore, we cannot wait till the last few days of the window to conduct our major business. The manager has already mentioned publicly that some positions need filled sooner rather than at the end of the window. I would imagine BR would want those players in a couple of weeks prior to these qualifiers to integrate them into our way of playing etc. If no new signing/s are made this week, i can’t imagine CP on Sunday will be a comfortable day out for those sitting in the first couple of rows above the tunnel.
MCPHAIL BHOY,
You are absolutely correct. Couldn’t agree more. It seems most Celtic supporters find this too hard to even contemplate.
So, anyone who questions the board, not being privy to the secrets they harbour, all apparently selflessly and for our benefit, must be mentally ill?
A bit Stalinist no? Disagree publicly with the Politburo and it’s the bammy cane for you comrade.
Hold on. I’m just going to stick a pencil up each nostril, put my boxers on my head and say WIBBLE!
Blackadder/Uncle Joe CSC.
Parkhead Cum Salford
Thanks for posting priestly jinky picture
HH
Lets play “Whats Your Excuse”
An jaw crunchingly exciting game where you are Celtic power broker and its your job to do as little as possible. Everyone knows that you need to step up and make improvements and act in a professional “best in class way” befitting the great institution you represent but your job is to come up with as much flim flan, baloney, and shaggy dog stories as to why you can’t possibly do it.
Use some well worn excuses or invent your own new ones to justify your inactivity and ability to p.ss off your customers. The winner is the one that can hold out the longest before actually having to do something with bonus points for being under prepared for the season starting or hit the jackpot if you can manage to be so short sighted you manage to feck up a winner takes all play-off.
Use all the old favourites
Theres a Euro/World Cup on
Agent inflating the prices
There plenty of time
No point in getting them in early and paying too much
Out of our price range
Can’t afford the wages
Player waiting on options
Doesn’t want to live in…………..
Want to play in CL/EL
Difficult market
He’s on holiday
New manager assessing the squad
Jimmy McGrory was only 5’9
Fans don’t know anything
Feel free to add your own favourites………….
Points will be deducted for “paying the going rate” “showing some ambition” “giving something back to the fans” “having a sensible working relationship with the your manager” “getting players in to work with new team mates early as possible”
Its all part of “Whats Your Excuse” and its live on a blog near you
Looks like Paul67 just called out the bedwetters as 🔔 ends…in the nicest possible way 🤣
HH
B78
So when journalists ask whats happening in the transfer window should the manager say nothing? or say he doesn’t want any new players as all the ones he currently has a great?
Could you please point me in the direction of the interview where any manager is asked if he wants more quality players and he said no
Give us your money and we will sit on it and line our own pockets CSC…….
I think we have a good enough squad for the league and that the 2 Japanese players are useful additions BUT we dont have enough for the Champions League and the Board will not spend until that’s guaranteed because unfortunately we have to qualify this year. And I tend to agree with that stance.