Two years ago, Tony Watt was putting a light under our fire. The debut goals at Motherwell, the point rescued at Dingwall, then came THAT goal, his future looked secure, but it’s been downhill since.
Tony has the athletic abilities to be a firm favourite, but Neil Lennon shipped him out a year ago, amid comments about the player sorting himself out. His manager at loan club Lierse was soon singing the same song. Now the player is in Liege as Celtic have accepted a bid from Standard for a player, who under different circumstances, would be considered a prodigy.
It is no surprise Ronny Deila has decided to cut him loose; what little we know about our new manager suggests he doesn’t offer too many last chances. For Tony, this is likely to be the last chance to build a memorable career, if he slips up at Standard, next stop will be the likes of Kilmarnock.
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How many of the posters attacking Celtic actually go along and support the club?
Sydney
It’s a knockout stage fella. We are susceptible on a given day of being beaten by teams with lesser turnover. We beat Man United. We beat Barcelona. It happens in one-offs.
I do agree that bang for our buck on the old revenue spend has to be better. Much better. We’ve acquired too many mediocre strikers for my liking but that fault sits with the playing/coaching/management side and I’m not sure I’d have the CEO constantly under threat of being fired for their failings.
P67
Interesting that you have put out an article so soon regarding TW’s departure.
Showed glimpses on Saturday to suggest that there is talent within the attitude.
If RD said he had to go then fine.
If we are currently generating funds then it will be a mistake.
Interesting to see what the accounts say next month.
If we are just hoarding money to trigger PL’s next bonus payment then shame on the board.
We should be working with the “Big Mo” at the moment.
New coaching team, cash from last season, CL progress to work on …
Not looking for “Lazarus” projects to sort out the GK position.
Not scrabbling to find loose change from behind the squad “sofa”.
You have to ask — just where is the growth agenda?
The CwG have produced a once in a lifetime boost and we are letting it all pass us by.
When does the real analysis start?
Tony Watt has the attributes to be an excellent footballer which could forge him a successful and lucrative career.
Sadly, Tony has issues which he doesn’t seem capable or willing to address.
He’s immature, lacks motivation in training thinking that he’s the finished article and he’s unpopular with several of his fellow team mates.
We can’t afford to wait another 2 or 5 or 10 years in the hope that he’ll eventually sort himself out.
Although genuinely sad that he’ll be leaving us, I’d take the £1.2m. But please Celtic, please invest it in another striker.
What will break 1st, the body or, the lash?
11:08 on 28 July, 2014
SydneyTim
11:06 on 28 July, 2014
__________________
The CEO wont be sacked.
He’s already done his work, he gotten all the fools to buy their books again.
Fools……………………………………………….
Fooooooooooooooooooooooooools
Are you sugesting if you suport Celtic your a fool
Neganon
You seem unusually positive today..
Keep it up Mate..
neganon2
If PL wanted to sell TW, if that was the overriding motivation here, then why wait till now?
To put Ronny in his place from the off? To demonstrate patsy status to him and us and the wider world?
So that was the plan? Really? Honestly?
Or…….Ronny came into the club, made his assessment of the player’s skill, ethos and future use to him and prompted/ agreed his sale?
Now unlike many on here I freely admit not knowing every inside detail of Celtic’s business, nor the inner workings of PL and DD’s supposedly Byzantine/ conspiratorial minds! But the latter explanation above seems the more plausible to me….
As for the bigger picture Big Wavy just called it spot on IMHO.
“Our business model (sell the shopping window to young raw talent) is also going to be an unsettling one until such times as the rules change.”
I don’t like it either. But right now it’s how it is.
HH jamesgang
Pity about TW.
Can’t say I blame anyone.
All parties would want him to succeed.
No idea why he didn’t.
Didn’t seem TW ‘stepped up’ but then again (from the outside looking in) he didn’t seem to be given the chance.
We’re not overloaded with strikers so timing looks odd though its a long time since TWs last goal.
Another profit on another player but while the principle has merits I’m not sure tactically we’re doing a good job.
It may be we employ in order to sell to a bigger market but surely we needn’t have flashing neon signs encouraging both big offers AND as soon as possible?
What will break 1st, the body or, the lash?
11:08 on 28 July, 2014
… he gotten all the fools to buy their books again.
No, mate, that’s ‘supporters’, not fools.
Your comment is obnoxious on quite a number of levels.
No big loss in my opinion, was never a first team regular, apparent attitude/training problems, agree to a degree he maybe never really got a run of games (see before for reason) but 1 goal against Barcelona should not cement your place in the 1st team. Of all the forwards currently at the club i would only keep Griffiths, Pukki and Stokes, the rest should be moved on and we should buy 2 proven forwards that can slot straight into the 1st team..no projects! Throw in a centre half, midfielder, left back (for cover)and we are good to go :-))
thats now four football managers who had doubts about Tony Watt. I think the only logical conclusion is that at the minute he does not have the mindset to make it but because he has undoubted talent someone will take a punt. Celtic have made a good profit on a liability. Neganon do you look at every single related event and look to find a negative slant on it just for the sake of it
BMCUW
‘The last bit is not pleasant,trust me.’
Which ‘last bit’?
The lifetime or contemplative regret…. or ending up at Killie!
HH jamesgang
if its to be put to scale, outwith celtic, how many players in the west of Scotland would command such a fee? he scored against barca ,and thanks for that, but unlike many players who have left celtic, who thinks any of our opposition will be sighing with relief that he has gone? a good bit of business for me!!
MadMitch,
I know I asked this of you a few years back and you obliged to be fair but perhaps you could share with us again your latest thinking on the missing growth strategy at the club.
It might be worth a good debate as we wait anxiously for the qualifier on wednesday.
Big wavy. Too many projects that end up on the bench and unsellable. That is PL approach It is approach that had robbed the team of quality
His income is up, our profits are up and quality of player on park is down
Should be team first then CEO income 2nd
• NegAnon2
10:57 on 28 July, 2014
neganon2
I must say old boy you are a dam site more positive now than you were ……………… back in the day…………
Good to see your still posting.
And not as Negative as I remember you to be.
IsitSomethingTodoWithThe 2
This place is mad, you come onto a Celtic blog and learn that the new manager is a patsy without a say in anything, the CEO should be sacked and is only after our money and doesn’t want success and now we’re being told we’re fools for buying a season book and supporting our club.
Suppose Celtic beat Legia and qualify for the plat off round and we draw Maccabi Tel Aviv. Do we play them?
Sack the board!
Ronny must go! (JC already away according to one poster)
PL too.
What a mess the champions are in.
We’re doomed!
For goodness sake.
plat off = play off
P67 / Happy Clappers et al
Can I just ask — what do see as the club’s plans and ambitions for this season?
What are they for the medium and long term?
I ask because the arrival of RD is to my mind papering over a number of cracks.
We have transfer cash in the bank, we have a couple of candidates lined up to produce more.
We seen to be very limited in the squad enhancement front.
We seem to be hunting for change from within the outer reaches of the squad.
Seems a bit hand to mouth to me.
ger57
11:23 on 28 July, 2014
Suppose Celtic beat Legia and qualify for the plat off round and we draw Maccabi Tel Aviv. Do we play them?
THATS A MEGA QUESTION…………………………
JAMESGANG. 1118
The way that you put it is a gross exaggeration,thankfully!
But pondering the error of your ways is not much fun. Fortunately I’m a glass half-full kinda guy.
Except at the moment,just drained my pint. More to come…
Sydney – All our signings are projects if you take the premise that they all have a price point for our mad neighbours in the EPL.
I think in the main we have improved in the quality we’ve brought in – Forster, Matthews, Izzy, Efe, VVD, Biton, Ledley, Wanyama, Hooper and Johansson off the top of my head.
Forward line beyond Hooper we’ve not struck lucky enough.
We have an added element now that in being successful in acquiring we will encourage a churn in the team which won’t be helpful – but as I said until we can be inside a secure new model that doesn’t allow us to be overly dependent on sales and ECL then we will struggle to keep new legends for long.
I don’;t like it but if you think replacing Lawell will change that then you are mistaken sir.
Sussed it. Barnes,Brattbaak,Bangura,Balde,Boerrigter,Blinker,Brozek,Braafield,Biggins Avoid signings whose last name begins with B
wee bump up from last thread
Celticrollercoaster luvs his luminious lime boots
21:23 on
27 July, 2014
Found this on facebook and perhaps 1 for CQNers around the world to adopt in memory of Wee Oscar. The cost of a postcard for a little boy’s delight. I’m in! Remember to say from CQN
*************Postcards for Josh***********
On the 6th of March this year my lovely son Joshua was diagnosed with Pre B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. It was a huge shock to our whole family and turned our lives upside down. Since March Josh has been treated with seven different types of chemotherapy and has spent time in hospital on four different occasions with suspected infections. He has had a central line inserted into his chest and now has an ng tube in his nose which is used to feed him as his weight dropped drastically. The chemotherapy has affected his legs so he is unable to walk very far and has a wheelchair. It has also affected his hands and so he is also unable to write. Josh is only 7 years old and hasn’t been able to attend school since he was diagnosed in March. At the end of the school term Josh was sent homework for the holidays which included writing a diary of what he did in the holidays and to send a postcard from his holiday. Unfortunately he is currently going through a particularly intensive block of treatment and so we are unable to take him away on holiday. He did get a day out to the safari park last week but his latest blood test has shown that he is now neutropenic and has no immune system. This means we now have to keep him away from any possible infections (quite hard to do in most day trip locations). Chances are we will now spend the rest of the summer holidays at home. For this reason we have decided to make his summer homework a little bit different. We have bought a large World map and we are asking everyone to send a postcard to Josh from wherever you are if you have the chance. We will then mark the areas he receives postcards from on the map and send this map into school with the postcards in September So if you’re going away on holiday or even if you fancy sending a postcard from home please send to Joshua Johns at 2 Swansmoor Drive, Hixon, Staffordshire ST18 0FP. Thanks in advance from a very grateful little boy and his family xxx
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Postcards-For-Josh/765224290167751?fref=nf
***************************
In memory of Wee Oscar
HH
CRC
Big Wavy
Are you Peter Lawell?
;-)))
HH jamesgang
BMCUWP I’d buy you another pint right now mate. In HK airport waiting to go to my other home. Have to look forward and keep moving to new horizons.
Good luck Tony Watt. Not bad business for a player clearly not in Ronnies plans. I am sure he has a very good idea what he wants to do with this Celtic team and it will mean getting his men in. Confident we have enough in the current squad to beat Legia, home and away. It will be a very good test.
James gang. You can only sell when someone makes an offer. Other clubs who want to qualify for the CL are now trying to strengthen (apart of course for celtic who the normal rules and sensibilities do not seem to apply). So that’s why he sold him now. Simple.
It’s not to demonstrate to the world he is in charge. Lawwell doesn’t want that because finally the support would start to get angry. But it is perfectly clear Ronny isn’t making decisions. We had arranged the CG stuff before Ronny was on the scene.
And to repeat posters were telling us we haven’t signed anyone yet because Ronny needs time to evaluate. Funny how. He doesn’t need time to think about who to sell!!!! You can’t have it both ways chaps.
West end of east end. My point isn’t actually about tony watt himself. It could have been any of the other players. We have lost samaras and now watt. We. Are a day from a massive qualifier. We have not strengthened in any way.. We have weakened. It’s absolutely pathetic that we are behaving inn this way. It’s not like we are skint.
My reading of this situation makes much more sense the the increasingly shrill and desperate posters who are clinging on to the board are great ethos.
There are many flawed talents who remain at clubs and go on to have decent careers.
George Best for one was a drunk but allowances were made as he was a genius on the field.
Tony Watt is no genius but he has all the attributes to make him a feared striker in the game.
He’s still a kid and throwing away such a talent at such a young age for what amounts to peanuts in today’s ludicrous transfer market looks like a huge mistake. If he’s given enough starts Watt will score a barrel load for Liege and in a years time £1.2 million will be a laughable fee.
When Mowbray took over as manager he hardly took any time to look at the squad and proceeded to spend almost his entire budget by the 3rd week in July on Marc Antoine Fortune & Danny Fox.
That rush to the market was disastrous, yet there are those on here who are screaming because we don’t repeat that.
If Warren Buffet was unpaid CEO of Celtic , there are those who would still be having a go at the board .
Predictable and agenda driven, but also completely pointless. The board deserved stick for Willo Flood window, since then they have performed extremely well.
The Spirit of Arthur Lee
11:33 on 28 July, 2014
Sussed it. Barnes,Brattbaak,Bangura,Balde,Boerrigter,Blinker,Brozek,Braafield,Biggins Avoid signings whose last name begins with B
Thats it…………………………….
No ore B’s……………………………………..
Bercovich ……………….. cant spell it properly
And…………………………..thatsit
GER57
Two members of our squad are from Israel.
If we refuse to play Israeli opponents,do we decline to field players from that country?
That would be a shocking case of double standards.
It’s a helluva question,btw. Well done. Like the rest of the situation over there even the wisdom of Solomon couldn’t resolve it.
Mainly because both sides would happily see the baby butchered.
—
Big Joe
10:15 on 28 July, 2014
Sorry to see MEGA Watt go……………………
But 2 managers, hang on 3 manager’s can’t all be wrong.
BigJoeWOULDlike2kickWATTuptheArse
~~~~~~~~~
Big Joe…..Nursin’ His Big Toe…
Bobbin’ Oan The Injun’ Ocean..
Dusky Maidens Eether Side…
Panderin’ Tae His Ev’ery Whim…
An’ Nary A Cirrus… In Sicht..!
Ma Richt..?
———————-
So WHO’S The ‘Spoilt One’..!!?
GhostOfWilliamMcGonigleCSC
—
Morning All,
Just to clear up something from yesterday.
John Clark is still at Celtic park and was at work yesterday but will be sharing dug out duties with Stevie Wright who is the other kit man as it takes two to do the job and deal with Lennoxtoun etc.
Also, Danny McGrain is making slow but steady progress on the way to recovery.
Hey big joe how ya doing. Good to hear from you.
As you know I aim to light up everyone’s day :)
JamesGang
Nope. I believe he is in an underground bunker at this very moment with Number 2 sharing a videoconference with Liege, putting his little finger up to his mouth and saying :
“Tony Watt, One million pounds…..”
ger57
‘Suppose Celtic beat Legia and qualify for the plat off round and we draw Maccabi Tel Aviv. Do we play them?’
No, what we do instead, is fire indiscriminate rockets and build underground tunnels to attack them with.
Seems like a good plan to me!