I remember one of the Q&A evenings in Blantyre when it was suggested from the floor that Celtic pay whatever money necessary to retain John Park as chief scout. John out-performed his peers for several years, but, as you know, there are no gurus in football. A fallow period followed the recruitment of Mikael Lustig in January 2012; many players arrived in the years since then but few were able to enhance the team (with the odd outstanding exception).
Football scouting at this level isn’t really about being able to spot a player, it is as much about contacts. Your network keeps you. With many of these guys, their networks diminish over time. They fall out with each other regularly – trust is a precious commodity in football transfer negociations. Your value as a scout to an agent is largely dependent on your club. Since 2012 Celtic’s financial position relative to the English leagues has diminished. We will spend less than they will on any given player, and we will buy fewer players.
Perhaps for these reasons Brendan Rodgers decided a change was needed and has now secured his former colleague at Chelsea, Lee Congerton. Congerton has had recent spells at two highly dysfunctional clubs: Hamburg and Sunderland, but rejected a pretty spectacular offer to join Brendan’s revolution at Celtic. We have recruited a known quantity who will fit with the manager’s plans as closely as Chris Davies does. He will also bring a fresh batch of scouts and agents to the table. I hear they are working on plans for the summer already.
Amid the gloating at the hubris of English football amid another humbling in Europe last night, my Dad made the point that unlike Arsenal, or Manchester United, Manchester City didn’t try to cheat us by scamming a penalty in our Champions League encounters. They played with a straight bat.
We have also established a beneficial relationship with them. A year with Jason Denayer, the purchase of Dedryck Boyata and 18 months with Patrick Roberts. So far.
Roberts’ situation at his parent club should be easier to fathom after City’s exit. 10 points adrift in the Premier League and the only team to be eliminated from the Champions League last 16 by a lesser- moneyed side, what chance Pep Guardiola decides what his team needs for next season is a player City shipped out to Celtic in January 2016?
It is not going to happen. Patrick is caught in an impossible situation in Manchester. The Manchester City football model harvests innumerable players, but precious few young English players will make it onto the roster in any decade. None will do so in a season when there is a perceived need for them to up their game. Pep will spend big this summer, Roberts’ opportunity to breakthrough in Manchester next season have diminished.
My first reaction at full time last night? Our chances of getting to keep Patrick increased. Which would be a very good thing, for both club and player.
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Two-bob politicians have no control.
We are talking here about something designed to uphold Protestant succession in Scotland.
The Crown is the power in Scotland.
Scottish politicians stick to what they are good at…lining their pockets.
The real decisions are made by those old traditional societies.
Government….Ha.
HH
Lord Strathclyde would be a good example of what we are talking about.
A man with real power….but unelected, which of course, he has no need of.
What we see on a daily basis, is the ‘illusion’ of democracy.
Voting will get you precisely nothing, as shown by an unelected Tory sociopath riding roughshod over an elected First Minister.
HH
Song of the day???
https://youtu.be/qObzgUfCl28
THE GREEN MAN SAYS SACK THE BOARD on 16TH MARCH 2017 3:29 PM
‘Two-bob politicians have no control.’
##
The last but one Tory budget contained a provision making loans from EBTs taxable as disguised remuneration.
The provision is retrospective.
It appears to apply to all the EBT schemes being run by football clubs.
So, whatever the outcome with this case, it looks like those who received EBT loans will be getting a tax bill.
I assume that all recipients will have had indemnities from their clubs for any tax that might subsequently become due (as the hun players did). If that’s the case a lot of EPL clubs are going to be faced with huge claims.
Too bad for those players whose clubs no longer exist. Oh dear, what a pity, never mind.
I dont vote, have no time for politicians.
However, i am rather concerned as an ex Labour voter, to see the Labour party in Scotland side with the Tories, who i consider to be nothing but Psychopaths and Sociopaths who would build concentration camps and workhouses if they thought they could get away with it….Again.
Democracy eh.
HH
THE GREEN MAN SAYS SACK THE BOARD on 16TH MARCH 2017 3:33 PM
What evidence do you have that Strathclyde is a sociopath?
Or is everyone who disagrees with the SNP to be labelled as such?
Ernie Lynch
I cracked a gag about Dave King going to Bute House and shouting through the letter box to wee Nicola ‘Im Dave King and i dont give a f***…what are you going to do about it’
Thats how ridiculous the illegality is.
HH
Ernie Lynch
First of all….Id have a look at Lord Strathclyde’s behaviour in relation to a certain case.
And secondly….Im not a Nat, and dont vote for the SNP.
Im more concerned with the direction of the current Labour party in Scotland.
HH
Whilst talking about the SC case Jobo pointed out a guy in the standing section who had come dressed as Hector; bowler, the full works!
Brilliant!
KTF
THE GREEN MAN SAYS SACK THE BOARD on 16TH MARCH 2017 3:45 PM
Murray, King and the rest of the huns get away with their behaviour in Scotland.
But only in Scotland.
Ernie Lynch
If we could have a real, independent from the Tories, Scottish Labour party, that would ditch the likes of Kezia and the rest of her rich pals.
I would vote Labour.
HH
On the whole James Forrest is a better option than Patrick Roberts and Sinclair is better than both. Patrick has a few challenges facing him in his career.
He’s a game changer. Changer is the operative word. An impact player on an established game. A label that absolutely fitted Paddy McCourt and generally doesn’t sit well with any player.
Young Patrick hasn’t the physique or stamina for a whole match and is short of the electric pace that would make all the difference.
In last year’s semi loss Patrick started. Forget the open goal that can happen, but the Rangers full backs had too much domination overall.
On Sunday Forrest was relatively quiet but when he had it Wallace pedalled backwards. Wallace rarely got over the half way line, provided no back up to McKay (who was subbed) and you have to say that tactically and physically James covers the ground necessary. At New Year Patrick did change the game. We were in the ascendancy though, Brown and Armstrong were dominant, Bitton provided late stability. With the midfield lost on Sunday we became vulnerable down that side, to the extent their centre half appeared at the back post.
Patrick has James (and most of the squad in fact) on ability, I know that. But James will give you more stability. Wallace got a run on Lustig more than once after James went off, he brushed Patrick off too easily.
This is sounding like a hatchet job on Patrick, it’s not intended as that but I’d have reservations over spending a huge amount of money and more to the point I think James Forrest’s role, adherence to it and overall contribution off the ball is largely underappreciated.
HH
I’m for The Scottish Republican Party, no sovereignty, there isn’t one, so I don’t vote, it’s rigged anyway, you can’t have a catholic PM, so really! What’s the point?
in one respect I was glad that BDO decided to appeal this case to the Supreme Court in London. For the simple reason HMRC got the venue they wanted, take the case out of Scotland and have it heard in England where judges don’t take too kindly to its revenue body been lied, obstructed and evaded for the best part of a decade. I’m quietly confident of this one!
Ernie Lynch
As for Frank McAveety, Willie Rennie, Alex Neil, and Ruth Davidson particularly.
The French had the right idea:)
HH
TD67
I agree.
They wrote it into law in 1701.
So whats the point.
Its a rigged game…The Speculative Society would tell you that:)
HH
Nicola Sturgens a cow.
TD67
What about Ruth Davidson?
HH
And awe the labour uni mob now vote SNP.
She’s a cow as well.
TD67
I dont vote for any of the fecking idiots.
They are like pawnbrokers:)
HH
TD67
You do know that the handshakers run the academic realm as well?
You can imagine what they think of me:)
HH
TGM
Me either.
The handshakes are everywhere power is, running it.
The green man,in my eyes the Labour Party,sad to say are a spent force in Scotland,They would have been better siding,with the S N P,than sticking with another loser in Corbyn,
TONYDONNELLY67 on 16TH MARCH 2017 3:53 PM
‘I’m for The Scottish Republican Party, no sovereignty, there isn’t one, so I don’t vote, it’s rigged anyway, you can’t have a catholic PM, so really! ‘
###
You can have a Catholic PM.
There’s no elected office of state that’s closed to Catholics.
Siri sais it’s gonny pish the morra for Paddys Day, she’s a cow as well.
Timbhoy3
I agree, and when i see knobs like Frank McAveety(Hun extrordinaire) and his sash wearing pals running the cooncil….It does my head in.
HH
TD
you silver tongued old fox
: > )
THE GREEN MAN SAYS SACK THE BOARD on 16TH MARCH 2017 4:05 PM
So Glasgow Cooncil is now a hotbed of huns and stick twirlers?
What feckin planet are you on?
TD67
There is one far worse than Ruth Davidson, and i expect her to be moving to Ayrshire to be beside her pals,
Arlene Foster.
That woman makes me violently sick.
Bent as bananas……and just as slippery.
Seemingly…now its sexist to ask her to account for her actions.
HH
Act of settlement 1701
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Act_of_Settlement_1701
Act of settlement 1701
Sais nae Tims.
Where’s big chief and his pillow when you need him?
Ernie Lynch
Eh…planet Glesga…where are you…Outer Mongolia?
Plenty huns on in the GCC….Remember Orange Day?
I live here…so that how i know about it…..added to the fact that Frank likes to talk about it.
So….I dont know what conclusions you come to….but mine are rather different.
Sometimes perceptions can be clouded by too much association…Dont you think?
HH
Ernie Lynch
Orange Masonic Labour Party….You can stick that where the sun dont shine.
Wont get nothing but contempt from me.
Labour have lost their traditional core vote because of these sash wearing halfwits.
Feck them
TONYDONNELLY67 on 16TH MARCH 2017 4:12 PM
‘Act of settlement 1701
Sais nae Tims.’
##
In which case, all I can say is that whoever drew up the Act of Settlement must have been remarkably prescient as the term Prime Minister was first used only at the time of Disraeli and wasn’t formalised until 1905.
But, hey, who needs fact nowadays?
Ernie Lynch
TD67 has it right…1701 Act of Succession.
Hairsplitting wont change it