Trending
Celtic News Now
Celtic Quick News on News Now
Celtic Quick News
You are at:»»State of the Club Report, summer 2015

State of the Club Report, summer 2015

717
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’.

Click Here for Comments >
Share.

About Author

717 Comments
  1. Pages:
  3. 1
  4. ...
  5. 12
  6. 13
  7. 14
  8. 15
  9. 16
  10. 17
  11. 18
  12. 19

  1. Art of War on

    DD- ah thought you would.

     

     

    When I worked in London, I walked into the Euston Tavern (cue Pogues song)

     

    but they wouldn’t give me service until I spotted Paul K. Holding court with 5 Ozzie barmaids. Toot-sweet I was in and the rest as they say is history.

  2. Delaneys Dunky on

    Gordy

     

     

    Do you fancy going by car and ferry and tour the Emerald Isle. You and I share the drive?

  9. bigrailroadblues on

    So looking forward to seeing the Mighty Hoops tomorrow. Pub and sky tv because of work . Come on ye boys in green!!

  11. Jobo Baldie on

    winning captains –

     

     

    you really do need to convince Paul that a nominal subscription is the way to go.

     

     

    The pleasure I’ve benefited from CQN………..

  12. Art of War on

    ACGR- Latium amerone? Us Knightstwood bhoys used to throw that back on the way to the game. Nae Thunderbird for us!

     

     

    Would have been good to meet you though.

  13. gordybhoy64 on

    Clogher Celt,

     

    mail sent my friend

     

     

    Delaneys ,

     

    sounds not a bad idea,

     

    I will drive to the ferry and you can do the rest ;-)))

  14. Delaneys Dunky on

    AoW

     

     

    Like the Delaneys, the Keenans are a handsome, intelligent family.

     

    Paul is my kinda guy. :)

  20. Jobo Baldie on

    Oh and Roy C – yes, you!!! – what an overwhelming fantastic contribution you make the the ole blog, Cap doffed as they say!

  23. mighty tim supporting wee Oscar on

    Clogher celt just checked emails definitely sent. I did try again with email you put in last post however as it had a . after com it said invalid address. I checked the one I sent and it was fine. Sorry to be a pain in the erse.

     

     

    HH

     

     

    KTF

     

     

    Utlr

  24. 'GG on

    Earlier attempt disappeared into the ether, so I will try again

     

    (Peanut gallery patron: Maybe this time it won’t be a load of tripe.

     

    Aside: Nae chance.)

     

    We have two major venues cheek to jowl. The Emirates Arena and Paradise.

     

    I don’t know how well patronized the arena or velodrome is patronized, but, unlike Celtic Park, it is a 7 day a week attraction and not just every other Saturday and the occasional Wednesday.

     

    We, along wit GCC, should be looking at ways to attract patrons, locals and tourists, to make use of both facilities.

     

    The construction of a covered walkway with cafes, bars, shops, could connect a gym and training centre from the Celtic side of London Road to the Arena. An indoor training pitch with room for stands to accommodate spectators for the Ladies and Development sides, some 5/7 a side floodlit parks and a full size pitch could be used by both public and the club.

     

    Major sports facilities with extensive parking, with cafes and bars would become a local and tourist attraction boosting jobs and making the East End more attractive to tourists and local inhabitants.

     

    The possibilities are enormous.

     

    Maybe Glasgow City Council can fund the development and put the monorail between Celtic Park and the City Chambers on hold.

  26. Art of War on

    ACGR- Ringtone

     

     

    Meant to say that we got a warning in work about phone usage. No one phones me…ever.

     

     

    .

     

     

    10 mins aftet warninb

  27. BGX on

    A cieiler gone of rust..

     

     

    Go Check out Alexandra Breckinridge( maid in American Horror story), Youre welcome bruv..

  30. Art of War on

    What happened?

     

     

    10 mins after warning my phone goes.

     

     

    Zadoc belting out!

     

     

    Duly warned.

  32. A Ceiler Gonof Rust on

    Glasgow hotels pretty much booked out and any that aren’t are ripping the pish.

     

    .

     

    Will have another check in the morning before heading off for the game. I just fancy a blaw oot in fun city. I should have planned better:_(…………………………………me a dum dum.

     

    .

     

    Goodnight Celtic men and wummin

  36. gordybhoy64 on

    Right,time for my cot,

     

    enjoy the game tomorrow bhoys,

     

    think of us poor people who have to work

  38. BGX on

    Im Serious.

     

    Lets pay to be members of CQN.

     

    we have enough diverse opinios to keep going forward.I would Pay..

  1. Pages:
  3. 1
  4. ...
  5. 12
  6. 13
  7. 14
  8. 15
  9. 16
  10. 17
  11. 18
  12. 19