I remember some disparaging comment from sections of the Scottish sporting media regarding Mikael Lustig’s performances for Sweden at Euro 2012. Mikael had only recently joined Celtic and was still finding his feet in Scotland. In short, we didn’t have enough information to make an informed judgement before the Euros. We do now.
His energy levels, speed, height, crossing and general levels of performance has been remarkably high and consistent. Sweden handed him the job of subduing one of the world’s top three players at their recent World Cup qualifier in Portugal, Ronaldo was shackled, scoring only when he left Mikael’s area of the field.
There is a notion that this type of player, who can perform solidly at Champions League and international level, but who we can convince to renew his contract, is more important than the more stellar performers, who have an eye on the exit door.
Adam Matthews timely return from injury will compensate for Mikael’s absence as he recuperates post-op, but we’ve never looked as effective on the right since both of them were fully fit.
The reaction to yesterday’s AGM at Ibrox has been surprising, mostly as it surprised anyone. The outcome has been a forgone conclusion for weeks (if not months), while the realisation of what the future is going to look like for Newco has finally dawned on a few.
A generation brought up to believe in sugar daddies will have to learn: expenditure must equal or be less than income over any given business cycle.
In this respect, I cannot figure why fans are so unhappy with the Newco board, whose central failing has been to spend far too much money on wages for a manager and players. From what I hear, no one at the AGM demanded football budget is cut to an appropriate level.
As their new chairman said, costs will be cut; doing so is a financial imperative. The current Rangers might play in the same colours as its liquidated predecessor, but things will never – eeeeeeeever – be the same again.
This afternoon is the final pre-Christmas posting time if you want your CQN Annual before the day:
Willie Wallace, Heart of a Lion:
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‘If a body meet a body coming through the rye’!
no probs ..Pearl City is our eating house now that the Honk Kong is closed …I fly in Thursday leave Sunday …but the lady is my master …:)
NB
Efe knows God sent him to Glasgow for a reason. Efe would die for the Celtic Jersey. I love our Nigerian brother.
Neustadt…..
Wings in Deansgate is my preferred Chinese/ Cantonese in Manchester.
We could toss a coin or arm wrestle for choice of venue?
PJBhoynyc
04:44 on
21 December, 2013
neustadt-braw
03:43 on 21 December, 2013
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHhVhYRtnEg
heads up Sammi ………
——————
good tune …..hope the grey city is treating you well…stay sane (ish) braw
Tommy Burns.
Tommy wasn’t the greatest Celtic player I’ve ever seen, but a fantastic player nevertheless. He was almost exactly 2 years older than me, and for whatever reason,, and I’ll try to explain what that reason may have been, was the player I most admired.
Though I’d been going to games since the mid 60’s, it was as a child accompanied by my dad and uncles. In the mid 70’s, I first started to go to the games as an independent if you like. The lions were pretty much at the end of their glorious era, and I was forming my own heroes. Tommy somehow epitomised Celtic for me. His passion for the game, but more than that, his love of the hoops.
You didn’t need to be told Tommy was a Celtic man through and through. It was obvious. When he acknowledged the jungle, my vantage point, I’m sure it was me he was waving to. It seemed that way. He was living the dream we all wanted to live. On those nights before a big derby match when I couldn’t sleep with nerves, excitement and worry, I’m sure he was the same. When the players came out the tunnel to the roar of the crowd, I always focused on Tommy. He always looked up for it. He gave me confidence we’d win. It just felt right. Tommy’s playing…we’ll win. We didn’t always win of course, but never through lack of effort from Tam.
It wasn’t just the ability and the passion though. It was something else. The man. You won’t meet many real ” gentlemen” in your life. Tommy was one of that unique gentlemen’s club. Without a doubt.
I’ll sum him up like this. If ever I’d read the headline, ” Celtic player offers to play for free for the rest of his career”, I’d wouldn’t have needed to ask who it was. Kindness personified.
As I said, not the greatest Celt I saw, but the greatest man ever to wear the hoops , in my mind.
Goddam money. It always ends up making you blue as hell.
ok CatcherintheRye …always open to any where that does proper Dimsum / etc etc etc P67 has my email …brandy for me then music and Mahjong ….sad life …braw
Twists n Turns….
I adored Tam Burns too…..here’s a wee song,ey?
Charlie & The Bhoys Sings A Song For Tommy Burns – YouTube
► 5:28► 5:28
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQWKD-KWiuI
23 Nov 2008 – Uploaded by provotrish1888
Charlie & The Bhoys Sings A Song For Tommy Burns.
Ryecatcher
Ty. Wonderful and sad in equal measure.
Neustadt ….
Oh yes…..it does proper Dimsum….Oh yes it does.
PantoseasonCSC
Ryecatcher
That got me greeting. TB RIP
Twists n Turns …..
My Hoop following history sounds spookily similar to yours.
My location dictates that I’m at Anfield in around 7 hours roaring the Pool on to the top of the League today.
No doubt you will be at Paradise which would always be my first choice.
Love Liverpool FC……Adore Celtic FC…..that’s the difference to me.
Delaneysdunkey….
I was in Thailand on business,with some Villa fans,the morning TB passed away.
Remember being elated in the pub the day before watching Zenit slay the Orcs in Manchester,in the company of the Villaboys who found it funny that a Glasgow Bhoy was cheering a Russian team v a Glasgow team …..in a bar thousands of miles from home.
My elation turned to despair that night as I heard the news of Tommy’s death…there was a time difference and it felt surreal.
Tommy Burns RIP…..I adored that man.
See this ‘Xmas’….woke up, and cannae get back to sleep…hehe…..looking forward to the game today…..I see some are being ‘taken in’ by the usual media attempts to unsettle anything ‘Celtic’ …Sammi and Joe will stay or leave, but it will be Neil’s decision…..2 great Celts……ah, well….away to read back……..wonder how the media will positively spin the usual threats etc from the hoardes, this time the bored members…..
Ryecatcher
Sadly no, I’m now settled in Shropshire, near Telford. I gave up my season ticket 3 years ago when it was becoming impossible to get to the daft kick off timed games, or indeed get back at a decent hour. Miss it dreadfully, but to be honest, I’m disallusioned more now with what appears to be a board vision centred on something that’s a million miles removed from my vision of Celtic.
I don’t get vociferous over it any more, as there’s no point, but I hold strong opinions on it.
I don’t approve of the current Celtic board but many do and I fully respect their opinion to hold that view.
It’s not mine, or Tommy’s Celtic:-)
Twists n Turns….
Wolverhampton Emerald Club soon mate?
Not very far from you at all.
Luis Suarez will earn A$200,000 per week until his contract runs out in 2018.
Reminds me of the man who could see the looming Wall Street crash…………….when the guy who was shining his shoes was discussing share prices and options,he knew it was time to get out.
Ryecatcher
Yes I’m looking forward to it. Be great to spend time with good Celtic bhoys. I know from your posts how passionate you are, and as for BMCUW, well, he has no equal!!
Delaneys Dunky
05:23 on
21 December, 2013
Ryecatcher
That got me greeting. TB RIP
aye the club is having a ” Spirit” moment ………….Sammi should stay …and All the football side of celtic are saying he should stay ….Sammi MUST stay ……fffs he is 28 …3-4 years ….how complicated has this shoite got ..?
Twists n Turns….
Have a feeling I have met you in the Emerald.
Were you the guy trying to stop smoking,covered in Nicotine patches at the Wolfetones gig last year?
Ryecatcher
Haha…sounds possible but I can say that I’ve never been in the emerald club, well, at least, not that I can remember! If you had looked out the window though, towards monmore green, you might have seen a guy tearing up betting tickets and shouting, “that wasn’t a greyhound I backed, surely that was an Alsatian”, that would have been me:-)
Twists n Turns…
A duggy man that knows Bilston and Monmore.
Respect……
I try and no think aboot how well Tommy,s side would have done against a rival that was rabid …..and corrupt ….and just yukkkkkkkk…
but oor Tommy was a huge part of there demise…(though he would have taken little pleasure in it ) ………..which they will never decipher …
Thought this was a good post…..
“I get what you are saying but not all the players were bought as established players.I could give you lots of examples but none better than Wanyama as he was not established before he came to Celtic and nobody had heard of him. For the first 6 months he got the odd game here and there and usually played as CB (didn’t look out of place there) until we got a few injuries in the CM area. That’s when he was given the chance in midfield which he went on from a 900k signing to become a 12million player. That is down to hard work from the player but also from the coaching system. Look at Forster and Lustig and compare them to their first seasons at Celtic. Look at Sammy before Lennon became manager and you will see they got the best out of him (when Sammy was up for it) Look at Forrest he wasn’t given a chance till Lennon took over.This is the market that Celtic are in due to no big tv deals like England and Spain ect
My point is this is not down to just our coaching it’s a problem with coaching at a younger age which is now being addressed in Scotland but Scotland and our clubs won’t see the rewards of it for about another 10 years at least.Kids don’t play football in the streets any more as all the no ball game signs are every where. Kids don’t go play football at the local parks any more due to parents not letting kids out of there sight any more which you can understand but look at all the new schools being built now and they have loads of pitches for kids to play on compared to years ago so things will start improving again. Celtic have deals with local schools near our training ground which see the youth players train before and after school and Celtic bus them to school and back. This is something that is done in Holland and look how they produce players. It will take time but clubs in Scotland are trying to produce their own talent again. Celtic need results on the park every week so they buy the best players available to them but they are working hard behind the scenes to produce the next Jinky or King Kenny again”
Neustadt….
Oor Tam Burns accelerated the seeds of their demise.
Steve Chalmers started it with a goal.
Paul67
There isn’t a “current rainjurs”….hehe
RC
:) …..braw …
67Heaven … I am Neil Lennon, supporting WEE OSCAR..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors
06:29 on
21 December, 2013
Thought this was a good post…..
ffs are you daft posting moonhowlers firedtogethertext……brrrrrrrr merry xmas ….braw
Right,aff tae bed for a couple of hours…Wake up in a confused state of mind but still a Tim and that matters to me.
Train from Stafford to Liverpool Lime Street…..few beers in Matthew Street then taxi to a citadel of football….please GOD…..can the Pool be top of the league at 3pm?
Hail Hail …..great to be a tim
braw ..
Only 185 days to the draw for the Champions League qualifiers…..
Something to look forward to.
Neustadt….
Regardless of what anyone ever tells ya….
The goal that killed Rangers is here….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc_KuKdBkZE
13 Jul 2013 – Uploaded by eljaygee82
Come on Luis Suarez…..Step into Xmas….
Best striker I have seen all season.
Oor PHIL….
The significance of Brian Stockbridge
31 Replies
Cui bono?
Journalists should always ask this question when trying to decipher what is going on with a complex story.
Yesterday at the inaugural AGM of Rangers International Football Club Financial their Director Brian Stockbridge was the main target for the ire from the assembled throng.
The shareholders had reasonable cause to be angry with him.
At a meeting with fans earlier this year he said that he didn’t know how much of the IPO (share issue) money was left.
He didn’t know.
The financial Director didn’t know.
For the IPO itself Stockbridge, as Financial Director, would have had a major role in drawing up the prospectus.
The projected figures were wildly out.
First there was a predicted loss in year one of the new clumpany of just over one million pounds.
Then in the half yearly figures that had to be changed to seven million.
The audited accounts, signed off by Deloittes recorded a loss of £14 million.
This morning I ran these basic facts past three chaps who know a lot about this business stuff.
I took this course of action as I don’t have the answers to the questions that I thought you might want answered dear reader.
Note to Scottish mainstream media:
This stuff isn’t really that difficult just go and ask people who know more than you about any given subject then check out their answers with another suitably qualified person.
Queuing for a press release and then obediently regurgitating the contents shouldn’t be the core function of your job.
Just clarifying.
So anyway my three wise men were two Chartered Accountants and a Corporate Lawyer and they were happy to answer my questions.
Each of them focussed in on how much out Stockbridge was with his predictions. It was self-evident to all of them that the cash flow was clearly out of control.
They were unanimity that this was definitely his failure and couldn’t be laid at the door of anyone else.
Moreover, they were all in agreement that in any company they had ever worked in or dealt with that a Financial Director turning in that type of performance would be sacked immediately.
When I told my wise trio that Mr Stockbridge had not only kept his job but had secured 65% of the vote at the AGM then they were all at a loss to explain this.
One of them said to me:
“In a company with a turnover of, say, twenty to thirty million pounds, to be off by two hundred grand would require some explaining to the CEO and the board, but to be off by twelve mill in operating cash flow? And he kept his job? I’ve never heard of anything like this.”
The chap within my trio who was a native of Newcastle was more industrial in his analysis:
“Someone fucking up that badly would be fired by the shareholders.”
For the record these highly qualified chaps didn’t know Mr Stockbridge and had never crossed his path.
Like me they were making an assessment of his performance as Financial Director of a publicly listed company on the basis of information that is freely available and not contested apropos its veracity.
I am sure that Mr Stockbridge is a fine fellow, but like my wise trio I am amazed that he is still in his position at RIFC.
Moreover they all agreed that the question for every journalist in Scotland working on this story should be:
“Why are 65% of the shareholders of the company happy with Mr Stockbridge after his performance as Financial Director?”
The instincts of the fans on this whether they are shareholders or not are, pun intended, bang on the money about Mr Stockbridge.
It is inconceivable that any well-run company would keep a Financial Director after such disasterous numbers in the audited accounts.
Moreover after his calamitous first year in this vital role anything he said about money has to have a health warning over it.
One of my guys said:
“Unless it is on a document signed by an auditor I wouldn’t take it at face value. Not after his performance so far.”
Another of them came back to Stockbridge’s failure to get his sums correct at the mid-season.
He explained:
“The revenue streams of football clubs are predictable. In the middle of the season they already have all their income in and most of their costs are contracted, player’s wages etc. The fluctuations through the season are minor.”
The politically astute thing yesterday would have been to give the ‘rebels’ and the fans a minor victory.
They could have de-selected Mr Stockbridge, certainly something that his calamitous performance warranted.
Even during the AGM the new CEO criticised the financial profile of the company.
My three fellas certainly saw this as the CEO publicly lambasting the Financial Director in everything but name.
Yet he remains in post directing the finances of Rangers International Football Club.
I can only conclude that that fact that Mr Brian Stockbridge is very valuable to the enterprise.
They certainly can’t want him there for his brilliant performance as a Financial Director, because he clearly isn’t very good at his job.
Who benefits from Stockbridge remaining in his job?
I look forward to those intrepid fearless chaps in the Scottish mainstream media finding out the real reason that Stockbridge wasn’t’ fired yesterday and why 65% of the shareholders in the company want him to remain as Financial Director.
This is THE question if anyone in Scottish sports journalism wants to break this Sevco story wide open.
Here’s a clue guys:
You won’t get the answer by quietly queuing for a Press Release about how wonderful it is all going to be at Ibrox.
I’m in another country; I have a book to write and a publisher to support.
If you do your job then I won’t have to do this stuff and point out that you’re not doing yours.
Deal?
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This entry was posted in Categories on December 20, 2013 by Phil Mac Giolla Bhain.
Post navigation← Fear and loathing in Ibrox
Good morning and I hope those of you fortunate enough to be heading to a Paradise today have a great day and that we can hit them for seven again!
If you still want to get your hands on a CQN ANNUAL for a great Christmas present pop into the Celtic superstore or indeed any of the Celtic stores.
ryecatcher
06:53 on 21 December, 2013
It certainly was….a few dour faces THAT day on the marble staircase, and a few teles burst wide open…….remember it all, as though it were yesterday….
TnT @ 6.03
“I don’t approve of the current Celtic board but many do…”
I suspect that many acknowledge the present Board`s financial acumen but are less keen confident on their commitment to the Celtic ethos.
JJ
PS Forecast predicts a soaking today. Any of the Glasgow based bhoys confirm this? I am leaving in ten minutes so quick reply appreciated.
The amount of interest phil shows in a daft wee divsion 3 (three) club its embarrassing he links himself to Celtic.
Bet he couldn’t even name the Celtic 11 from our last game.
jungle jim
07:25 on 21 December, 2013
Oh yes, very wet……see you there…hahaha