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You are at:»»State of the Club Report, summer 2015

State of the Club Report, summer 2015

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

Celtic are about to embark on their fourth season as the last remaining Superpower in Scottish football. The old wars were won, while current challenges on the domestic front are accomplished with ease, but many questions remain about the club’s place in the world, what it’s objectives should be and how best to deliver them.

My expectation is that Celtic’s annual accounts, which will be released next month, will show they club washed its face, largely aided by the sale of Fraser Forster, but turnover is likely to be around 35% below the peak figure from season 2012-13, where we progressed to the knock-out stages of the Champions League, selling tickets and merchandise by the ton.

Season ticket sales are down around 10,000 from their peak a decade ago, reflecting the lack of domestic competition, an overhang of the economic climate, and – I expect – a tail off from what was an unsustainable high during the years of regrowth after the long, dark, 90s. The good news is the distress rate appears to have bottomed out. New blood has replaced old in many parts of the stands, as many learn to appreciate The Game for its sporting merit, not simply a means to three points.

We had a terrible start to the Ronny Deila era. We huffed and puffed in Iceland, were torn apart in Poland, but the performance against Legia at Murrayfield was nothing short of a capitulation. From the opening minute of the game we were worse, much worse, than we were in Warsaw.

Results and performances remained disappointing for months as Aberdeen regularly led the league into the new year, but signs of recovery appeared in the Europa League, where we qualified for the knock out stages and put on two credible performances against Inter.

Last autumn Ronny was under pressure. In another era, this could have been overbearing pressure. The change in managers brought a change in tactics, training and personal objectives, which disoriented the club. It also meant that we didn’t have a recruitment strategy in place for the new requirements.

There are many long term strategic threats, but if Celtic ever lose a league again, it’s likely to be when they embark on such an overwhelming technical change. If we do this again, we need to anticipate the shock and compensate accordingly.

Sporting objectives remain clear: win the league every season “forever and ever” and qualify for the Champions League group stages. Having given this some thought, I cannot see the scenario when we will lose the Scottish league title.

A horizon exists in Scottish football, no one can see beyond 10-in-a-row. This season WILL be five-in-a-row, most bookies are offering 1/33, a 3% return on your money, on this outcome. After that the countdown to 10 will grow louder, but 10 is not a real horizon, it just exists because Jock Stein’s ways were eventually copied. He had no mystical touch, only good strategy.

Rangers should never had stopped at 9. The money they had gave them an enormous advantage. Wim Jansen arrived from nowhere (Japan) with half a team signed by Jock Brown. It defied logic how we won that title, but it’s also clear than many at Ibrox had put their tools away before the start of that season. There is a warning here for Celtic. The latter parts of the Martin O’Neill, Gordon Strachan and Neil Lennon eras were all characterised by less innovative signings. More scouting trips to Edinburgh, fewer to Cracow, and the like. When the players, manager or scouts get weary, teams fail.

Achieving Champions League group stage qualification is the most difficult challenge Celtic face. We are clearly a better team than Qarabag, and have considerably more resources, but much of Wednesday night was spent worrying if the goal would come, and about what we would face in Baku. Even if we’re successful, strong unseeded teams will await in our section of the next round draw.

We are more than good enough to win league after league, but we’re not more than good enough to qualify for Champions League after Champions League. This should be Celtic’s objective for the next year – arrive in next summers’ qualifiers with a much better team.

The success of this will depend on Ronny’s ability to turn potential into actual European class players. He can do this, but he’ll need a tail wind. In particular, we have to hope that an earlier, ‘recruit from Edinburgh’ strategy, has not been redeployed in the form of a ‘recruit from Dundee’ one.

There are objective measurements we can point to. We are sound financially, pay our bills when due, have seen off all domestic competitors, will report more than 40,000 season ticket holders, a buoyant retail business and strong commercial partnerships. The stadium looks incredible, whoever conceived of the Celtic Way deserves some credit – but please – finish the job.

Copy what we saw at Murrayfield, put turnstiles at the perimeter of the footprint, build fan zones, build a café outside the ground. 30 years from now people will not sit in stadiums like Celtic Park, they will have better facilities, start planning for them now.

As anyone will tell you, football is a results business, and results over the next four weeks will have an enormous bearing on what state we feel the club is in. Defeat will not mean we are on the wrong path any more than victories mean we are on the right path, but it’s the game we play, so ‘play on’.

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  3. clogher celt on

    Mighty Tim,

     

     

    It holds 250. If you send an e mail to dublin2016@mail.com.

     

     

    The plan basically is to offer tickets to have e mailed first. Hopefully that will be CQNers. After that, if there are any left , it is very difficult to judge what we will sell what is remaining we will sell to whoever wants them.

     

     

    As long as they are like minded.

     

     

    Thanks for the post.

     

     

    Clogher

  4. Delaneys Dunky on

    Canamalar

     

     

    Did you know Pedro Darcy? My mentor in many things. God rest his soul.

  9. gordybhoy64 on

    Clogher celt,

     

    has there been any communication about Dublin 2016,

     

    I sent you an e mail when it was first discussed but not heard anything since

  10. MadMitch on

    Steph … @ 11.23

     

     

    The Triangle — Currently all talk, artist’s impressions and failed / heavily criticised proposals.

     

    .

     

    No growth agenda so nothing gets done apart from vinyls and paint.

     

    .

     

    L/town is fine for an academy but not a training ground.

     

    Reserve stadium is a no brainier to me — why the tour of WCS looking for a park?

     

    .

     

    Investment around the stadium is good business, good PR and good for the team.

     

    Unfortunately we need regular CL football to generate the cash.

  12. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    Graf, how you doing bud? How is our clogg shod pal, I’ve not heard from him since his fishing trip (and he was skelping one of my bottles)? I hope he’s ok……………. Aye, “might be in fun city”. I’ve not run my devious plan past the size 22 yet and she’s off to her scratcher. I’ll run it by her at breakfast:_)

     

     

    Dena, you know you can park yer slippers under my love chariot any time you like.

     

     

    Thunder road, Breakfast dinner and tea (Guinness), then the golden swally.

     

     

    Lefty, lovely post on P1. You’re a star and I hope to see you tomorrow.

     

     

    Art of War, I saw your post saying your were beering outside Coias at 18.20 and wondering if I was stuffing my face inside. I was indeed. Me and the wee bro were there till after seven. You should have came in and bought us a beer:_)

     

     

     

    Hoops

  14. mighty tim supporting wee Oscar on

    Clogher celt I sent email back at the beginning to you. I never heard anything back. I will send another mate. Let me know if you get it please.

     

     

    Thanks again.

     

     

    HH

     

     

    KTF

     

     

    Utlr

  19. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    Right, so my test proved that the return doesn’t work for me on this new format.

     

    .

     

    Madmitch, is that why you’ve used……

     

    .

     

    .

     

    .

     

    . between para’s?

  20. clogher celt on

    GordyBhoy,

     

     

    Sorry you may have missed it. We have booked GAA, club on the northside of Dublin. It was difficult to get a venue for Easter 2016 weekend.

     

     

    I haven’t sent a group e mail, because I don’t want to let any Sevconians have access to emails.

     

     

    If you are interested in coming over, please send an e mail to dublin2016@mail.com.

     

     

    Clogher

  23. Delaneys Dunky on

    AoW

     

     

    Very well. Lovely family. The Delaneys and the Keenans go back 3 generations.

  25. Art of War on

    ACGR- I thought you were the waiter in there! and was sitting outside waiting for your wee buns tae pass by.

     

     

    Next time mate.

  29. gordybhoy64 on

    Clogher Celt,

     

    I had sent an e mail when it was initially discussed,

     

    will send another to you over the weekend,

     

    I will make the trip with Delaneys Dunky

     

    and all his hingers oan

  32. GRAFFITIONTHEWALL on

    ACGR

     

    ———-

     

    All good over ma side bud … ; )

     

     

    Mr Cloggs done the 12 yr old in way his mates , ah never goat a sniff …

     

     

    Enjoy yer day the morra …….GOTW

  34. winning captains on

    Well the new site has launched without too much hassle for the majority of CQNers and we are working over the weekend (after match tomorrow & Sunday) on refining the site and trying to sort out any remaining issues.

     

     

    This site has taken many months of hard work to get to this stage. It has been funded by the profits from the CQN Books and going forward the additional advertising revenue will do things like save Paul the £250 (yes £250) he spends personally every month hosting the site. It used to be £50, then £100, then £200. He’ll moan at me for putting this up too!

     

     

    The old site was actually only ever half built and was sort of left the way it was. It was never finished. We all got used to it and no-one ever moaned. No-one probably even realised. As mobiles and tablets became more of the norm for viewing CQN it became apparent that the blog had to change. Paul wrote about this last summer when he put up an outstanding post to celebrate CQN’s birthday.

     

     

    It took a while to get the new site done, we researched it, bought some books, talked to folk with more knowledge than us and generally pulled it together on a very tight budget. We launched it as the magazine site in January and learnt loads while building up an additional audience. The numbers on here are already higher than on the old site – as new readers from the magazine and an increase in CQN activity on News Now etc are bringing more of the CQN and wider Celtic families together.

     

     

    We will sort out snags and assist anyone who needs help. Email addresses are at bottom of the site.

     

     

    Anyway, been a long week and we have a Lion to applaud tomorrow lunchtime…

  35. dena29 on

    hope to catch some of you tomorrow before the game

     

     

    one more sleep and then a trip to Paradise :-) :-)

     

     

    Goodnight Timland

     

     

    HH

  36. BGX on

    michelle moan..Tory Peer, east end girl, talk about forgettin your own Arse,Aye ok..Bitter together

  37. clogher celt on

    Mighty Tim,

     

     

    I have just looked at the e mails. Sorry there is nothing there.

     

    I didn’t go back to the start but there is nothing there tonight.

     

     

    I know it is a pain but it is dublin2016@mail.com.

     

     

    Hope this works,

     

     

    Clogher

  38. Delaneys Dunky on

    RC

     

     

    My Uncle John Delaney showed me a photo of him in Lisbon. He had a beard. He was a sharp suited well groomed and shaved City stockbroker normally. He did not have a proper wash, shave or sleep around the final in Lisbon. Magic :)

  41. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    AOW, if I was a waiter in there I’d be loaded. I’m merely a season ticket holder at Coais. The money I’ve spent in there paid for Alfredo’s fancy wheels. Nae wonder he’s always happy to see me. The day he sold me a bottle of Latium Amerone he knew he’d hooked a cash stream.

     

    .

     

    Its a brilliant wee place and is always full of Tims, plus, the wee man disnae like the huns.

     

    .

     

    HH bruv

  42. dena29 on

    winning captains on 1st August 2015 12:09 am

     

     

    I know most people appreciate all the time , effort and money spent to keep this site going I certainly do

     

     

    is there a way to contribute regularly to its upkeep?

     

     

    HH

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