Success in football is determined by a number of matters: the ability of the manager, players performing at the right level, injuries and sheer luck, and in Scotland, a club’s determination to influence officials with an exaggerated sense of grievance. Apparently.
But transfer business has an even greater impact than dodgy penalties. This is one area Celtic need to get right over the next two windows. Our performance, not just in the summer window, but across our last three transfer windows has been poor. There is often a lag in outcomes before the impact of a window is felt. The £32m spent in the summer of 2024 failed to see many minutes on the pitch a year later, during Champions League qualification, for example.
The CIES Football Observatory published their survey of the “world’s smartest clubs on the transfer market since January 2021”. Tony Bloom has two clubs in the top 10: Brighton (2nd) and Union SG (8th); I’m sure he didn’t bet on that outcome (my Tony Bloom man-crush has faded a little this week).
The top 20 has some lessons for us: Atalanta, Napoli, Bologna, Udinese and Lecce, demonstrate how well the medium-to-small Italian clubs have figured out how to progress. Is it surprising so many young Scottish players have bounced after moving there?
Benfica are there, as are Feyenoord, but not Ajax. The Amsterdamers beat Celtic to the signing of €12m striker Kasper Dolberg in the summer, which traumatised many of us. Dolberg has returned one goal in all competitions since, a consolation in a defeat to Excelsior. Not that the lad’s had much of a chance, his only appearances have been off the bench.
The Ajax-Dolberg-Celtic tale says so much about where we were in the summer. Unable to attract a player who cannot get a game at a team woefully underperforming this season. There are so many reasons why we should not have wasted time on this exercise, it scarcely needs explaining.
Celtic are 19th in the table, between Manchester City and Leipzig. How can that be? I hear you ask. The lag works both ways. Analysis of Celtic still benefits from earlier signings, up until that of Nicolas Kuhn in January 2024, who left the premises this summer. The full impact of the subsequent windows has not shown up yet.
Being “smartest” in the transfer window does not guarantee success, but it’ll outperform being thick, no matter how good your ‘exaggerated sense of grievance’ game is.
Looking in from the outside, it’s easy to say, ‘be more like Bloom’ (although not with that other stuff), but as many observers will note, getting this right is not easy. What is easy, is to stick to the data. Recognise what succeeds and what fails and always back your winning hand. A lack of observance of this principle in football is quite astonishing.
Postscript: I looked down the list and eventually found Aberdeen, but after continuous scrolling I ran out of patience trying to find another Scottish club. Looks like Bloom’s magic touch has yet to hit Hearts.
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We’re bound to get Brazil
Yet again we are with Brazil. I predicted that the night we qualified. Now for Curacao . . .
BIG JIMMY
Sorry to see I offended you but maybe you are reading too much into Kev J’s posts, maybe not.
Seems to me, every man and his dog have a down on Kev, just think about the content some times.
Got to say, I don’t always agree with him, but sometimes I do.
He is an intelligent guy with opinions, this is a democracy is it not ?
Best to you anyway
kingLUBO
Scotland and Brazil together in 1974, 1982, 1990, 1998 . . .2026.
I was at the 1982 and 1990 World Cup. Brazil in Seville a great memory despite being humped after the toe poke opener.
I was at the 1982 game too, behind the toe poke, upper area!
Wayne Gretsky just called Curacao CURAKA. Do they not rehearse the correct pronunciations?
People have forgotten already about OldFirm Inc.
Tut tut.
There will be no ‘Spending Big’ while one half of OldFirm Inc. is spending small.
Bad for business.
PRESTONPANS – As was I! I think it kicked off at 9pm and it was still about 35 degrees. We had travelled by bus in the afternoon from Torremolinos.
Just waiting on the Isle of Man coming out now
Laxalt
And unbeaten :-)
Brazil
Morocco
Scotland
Hiati
Cheers.
Glad of something to read. After 45 years of marriage I still find myself sitting forlornly in a souless shopping “mall” while the lady of the house recklessly flashes the magical credit card around various multi national shops in that strange custom of honouring the birth of her saviour by buying as much brightly coloured items as possible.
A marriage that can overcome Christmas shopping, can overcome anything.
Send help CFC.
BRILLIANT MADRA.
Deniabhoy
We got the train, open the doors to be greeted by heavily armed police or militia, we burst out laughing 😃 we were well pished!
Maolmuire…the huns don’t spend small though
They nearly always have a net spend sometimes pretty high while we always seem to have a net gain. While the wage bills aren’t a million miles apart.
We had an advantage of a 50 million better turnover last year yet they STILL outspent us …tell you what is seems they don’t give a toss regards FFP
The repeated invocation of Financial Fair Play as a barrier to investment is a calculated misdirection.
In truth, it serves as a convenient shield for a board that prioritises cash accumulation and shareholder returns over the competitive ambition their support deserves.
They are not constrained by FFP; they are hiding behind its acronym.
AT….Gracias for your reply and respect to your knowledge.
The fine mhan
….Frank Conner
*Connor
The Celtic board are leveraging FFP’s accounting frameworks to build a profitable, low-risk business model, while publicly presenting it as an enforced barrier to ambition.
They are assuming that people won’t look into this, and if they do that someone will come on here to misdirect using the old formula of Praise-Misdirect-Praise that is oft time used by some on here, also known as Disarm, deliver, then reunify.
He should be on shortly, the Bat-signal will be shining by now.
United Airlines got a direct return to New York for £721 ,June12-15 from Glasgow, if anyone interested
Sorry….Just checked
Frank had 3 wins and a draw and Sevcos ancestors scored against us in a 2-1 win for us.
MemoryfadesCSC
Dr Jennine Morgan
@jemmm85517813
“Flu jabs have always been useless…& this year there is clear evidence of a flu outbreak since the start of vaccinations. That suggests to me the flu vaccines are spreading flu.”
https://x.com/jemmm85517813/status/1996504167410786502#m
King Lubo
……..
Your £49 is in the brown envelope to your usual address. lol
HH
oot.
All seating = Thatcher Trap
All season ticket = Thatcher Trap
PLC = Thatcher Trap
Not splitting gate receipts 50/50 = Sucked into the Souness/Murray/Trap
£49 Old Firm ticket = Timmy erse wipes fell for it.
FSR/5WA/ and any other “rules” will be swerved by Rangers/FC/49ERS or 49 directors will fly oot the top floor window head first on the pavement.
Gobble/de/Gook/Palavar/CEO/Qwango/Jargon is for the always the victims Tims.
NOBODY will implement rules to impair the Huns.
The Mibs have stopped using VAR in Hun games if it dizny suit the Hun agenda.
Just the way it is.
HH
oot.
Great east coast locations for Scotland games.
(Many similar with Engurland).
Will try to get tickets but not hopeful.
St Martin doing a gig for ACSOM ,at BAD in the Barras 2nd January, a lovely Christmas present
Auldheid @ 6:24 pm,
Yes, obviously the forward forecasting would have to be done by Celtic PLC’s accountancy department with several projections, including a worse case scenario.
Yet, the Executive should be striving to achieve the best case scenario.
Now the player salary bill was high in the 2024/25 season but that should be managed.
i.e. The players salary would have a major boost from participating in the UCL games, and bonuses for wins, draws, goals etc…
That must be factored into the revenued the PLC for participating in and additional bonus payments for UCL games, draws and wins.
It makes sense then that with fpotball income much higher, paying the additional salaries should be no issue in FSR terms.
So, although they have a good point that current football department spend increase and potential football revenue reduction in future seasons can narrow the FSR headroom, it is very managable and it was disingenious to intimate the FST “cap” affected the transfer window.
Hail Hail
Back to Basics – Glass Half Full @ 6:40 pm,
Yes – using player trading as a revenue and running a smart football club is not neccessarily the same thing, as Celtic PLC have proven.
We surely can have a recruitment strategy that is fit for purpose, incrementally improves the football team, while also being able to add to the squad value and bring in player transfer revenue.
That is the real challenge.
Yet at Celtic, that seems to come down to personalities, nepotism and blame culture….
Maybe WN&Co can be the grown ups in the room – though how the Board supporters faction will react to that who knows…
Hail Hail
Laxalt @ 7:35 pm,
Yes, not too sloppy…
Celtic 1 – 0 Bobby Robsons Sporting Lisbon.
This is what it means to be Celtic…
Hail Hail
MOM
You rang? Or was it KevJ?
When I first read FSR rules my reaction was this will be a game changer but there are misperceptions in your comments.
First of all its FSR Financial Sustainability Rrgulations not FFP Financial Fair Play.
FSR replaced FFP in 2022.
Second UEFA introduced it to stop football clubs which wish to take part in UEFA competitions spending more in one season than they could afford to in order to earn regular CL income.
Rangers are the prime example of what happens when CL income is lost.
Third Celtic welcomed FSR as it prevents Rangers doing what they did (fraud) to win trophies with non football earnings. (EBTs)
Fourth. A wage ceiling will have a deflationery effect on the hyper wage inflation that has put a decent standard of player outside Celtics reach.
Better players will find the player wage market has dropped. This makes Celtic more wage competitive in the player market they can recruit from.
Fifth if the profit is stuck at £500k a year in dividends, its not exactly a thirst for money typeof PLC (as TBB covered) and any profit bar dividen payout stays inside Celtic to be spent on Celtic.
We all have our opinions but have some responsibility to make them as informed as possible.
It will not be welcome news as FSR puts a limit on what any club can spend on players.
As profit on player trading helps pay for the wages of the squad and goes into player’s pockets, not Directors as is the belief not a penny campaign depends on, then the question to the Board is justify why you do not spend more than you do under FSR restructions on players.
Whatever the composition of the Board the answer will be FSR requires all clubs to spend today with an eye on tomorrow.
Its not knowing stuff like this that questions the Collective harrasment approch.
What pisses me off is if I’m right, Celtic should be telling the support how it is now, not some getting more cantankerois old git with too much time on his hands.
Aye and Ive been making that clarity on social media point ever since the First Fans Forum was held.
One man came to cement a legacy and left in disgrace.
Another came claiming no legacy and left as a Saint.
=
Chairbhoy….shout👍
Auldheid…..with SFTB….the 2 cleverest dudes on the Timternet.
I’m defo no.3
Kidding obviouslyCSC
Saint Stivs (from earlier)
Thanks for the round up re Fairhurst Report/Celtic FC/Police Scotland/Celtic Collective; Meeting a few days back. Must admit had no idea it was taking place at all, but not surprised that the Celtic Collective were given only one days notice (and only one representative in Paul Quigley) despite the fact that the very idea of said meeting was discussed, agreed and minuted weeks go between the club and the supporters collective. The discussion was quite enlightening though, and should surely put paid to the idea, that Celtic FC were Party to the Section 60 Order of 16 March 2025 aimed at the CSC in the London Road. It was a Police Scotland decision, one questioned by PQ at the meeting of 02/12/25, and also by MN. Let me clear another myth though, the Police do not need to consult with anyone, not Celtic FC (Hibs/Hearts) nor anyone else re the imposition of a Section 60 Order. The only thing needed is a decision made by a Senior Officer, (offhand of Superintendant or higher). Now I do not know if the meeting preceded the decision of the Celtic Collective to organise a march to Celtic Park on Sunday, if it did the question (of whether a Section 60 Order is likely to to be in situ) would not have been asked or answered. Not an ideal scenario for anyone likely take part, and despite what An Tearmann et al might believe that is not a Pro Board position, it is one based on extensive experience of how these things work. And how people can get caught up in them without any foreknowledge.
” Auldheid on 5th December 2025 9:07 pm
We all have our opinions but have some responsibility to make them as informed as possible.”
Excellent comment .
It would lead to an improved –. if somewhat diminished in post numbers — CQN if all posters considered that before presenting `facts` on here.
Laxalt on 5th December 2025 9:20 pm
” Auldheid…..with SFTB….the 2 cleverest dudes on the Timternet.”
I would say The Battered Bunnet is up there with those two excellent posters you mentioned.
Bat-signal received, it would seem.
The daily history lesson on FFP-to-FSR is a well-worn tactic here, deployed whenever someone throws a spanner in the works of the “narrative”. But this is a masterclass in misdirection.
The regulation’s name is irrelevant. The board’s use of it as an all-purpose ambition cap is the point. Sermonizing on the theory of financial sustainability while conspicuously ignoring the practice of hoarding £70m+ in cash, is becoming tiresome and tedious.
The question was never “What do the rules forbid?” but “Why does our board’s ambition seem to end where the profit margin begins?”
Explaining the rulebook ad infinitum until we’re all glassy-eyed doesn’t answer that.
But that is the entire point – isn’t it.
HS…no argument there
After JJamesy n Alan Thomson since 2000 does anyone know who has thre 3rd most assists for Celtic*