My friends in Celtic, a year ago I wrote, “Right now our chances of winning the league are probably 30% – held back by so many unknowns.” The club had gone through a traumatic year in which we lost the league for the first time in a decade. A new manager and chief executive were in place, our captain retired, while several of our most important players were angling for a move.
Under any normal circumstances, 30% would seem ambitious, circumstances were not normal, however, well not normal for the football industry, anyway. Despite their year of trauma, Celtic were and are still run on a sustainable model, uniquely so, among clubs competing for the Scottish Premiership title.
A year ago I also wrote, “We can tip the balance in the weeks ahead”, a period which saw Carter-Vickers, Hart and Jota arrive, signings that would prove pivotal in the season’s outcome. Celtic won the league because they had the sustainable structure enabling it to rebuild quickly. It is that sustainability that brought Postecoglou, Kyogo and the other transformational figures to Glasgow.
No football club has a God given right to win. They will certainly not win everything if they are competing against a club perpetually gambling with their own viability. We lost our way in season 2020-21 and despite everything that went right last season, the title race was close, too close for comfort.
Newco looked dead on their feet (or hunkers, in one case), after they lost 3-0 at Celtic Park in February. That night we reached the top of the table for the first time in the season and appeared unstoppable. None of us saw the resilience Newco had to not only hang in there in the league, but cobble together an impressive run to the Europa League Final, and a sobering extra-time win over Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-final.
Despite the title going to Celtic, Newco are entitled to believe they finished the season the stronger; for many reasons, they will be confident for the season ahead.
It has been so long since we reached the Champions League group stage without the difficulties of the qualifying rounds, our biometric systems are probably missing a summer of anxiety. While everything was going well domestically last season, Europe was a blot on the copybook. We exited CL qualification cheaply (and before recruitment was effective), suffered a sobering home defeat to German opposition (cough), while finishing third in the Europa League group, before truly humbling home and away losses to Bodo/Glimt.
If you are confident that we are ready for a crack at the Champions League group stage, you are made of sterner stuff than me. Still, the golden goose resides on the Celtic Way. Income will be determined by several factors yet to be confirmed, including performance and if another club from Scotland reaches the group stage, but, including gate receipts, I estimate we will earn £40m from the Champions League this season.
The club’s commercial department continue to ‘knock it out the park’ with each new round of deals. Add in the Ange Homecoming Tour, and we know this season will produce Celtic’s highest ever income. Income determines long term success in football, it is the climate, whereas results are the weather.
In the same State of the Club article last year, I also wrote, “What happens in [Newco’s} qualification tie against Malmo and if they progress, in the subsequent play-off round, will go a long way to determine how competitive the league race is over the next decade. It is the sting in the tale of losing such a momentous title.”
You will probably not remember, so it is worth me going over the details of how that tie transpired. Malmo won the first leg 2-1. At halftime in the return at Ibrox, they were 1-0 down and had a man sent off. Despite this, Newco managed to grab defeat from the winner’s podium; they missed out on the Champions League and the income it assured.
Despite this, a new manager and a new approach, allowed them to flourish in the Europa League. As a consequence, the perceived value of their players increased exponentially. They sold their best player for £6m and their best prospect for £20m, money that will enable them to recruit better and be stronger next season.
That transfer income and the considerable money earned from Europe last season will make Newco less dependent on shareholder loans. It will allow the club to submit profitable accounts for the first time ever. Such is their structural cost overhang, though, it provides only temporary relief.
They also have another crack at Champions League qualification. If they get there, it is game on. They are a club that previously always gambled beyond the edge of profitability, I expect them to throw everything at this season, irrespective of the consequences, in the hope of winning the title and through this, reaching the Champions League group stage in 2023.
Celtic will not follow them off the cliff. We will continue to work on our own plans and in a sustainable manner. But as you and I know, when you compete against a gambler, anything can happen.
As things stand, I am confident for the season ahead. We retained all our important players, including those only loan, brought in a left back and a strong and experienced central mid. I hear very encouraging things about Moritz Jenz, who it is hoped will become a big player for the club.
Crucially, the absence of European qualifiers enabled the squad to undertake more strength and endurance training than they would be able to do if they had competitive games to play. Think back to all those tired players we watched last season. A plan to address this has been executed.
So far, I think we have improve more than Newco. Expectations of winning the title sit at 60%, which still leaves a black 40% waiting ominously.
I seldom look at the CQN reader numbers but at the end of the year I looked back and saw this enormous peak on 10 August, the highest number of 2021. Curious, I typed “Celtic 10 August 2021” into my search engine. Nothing. I varied the search for a few minutes before it dawned. That was the date Malmo won at Ibrox.
Some people will mock us for this, but you and I know better. Football in Glasgow is a zero-sum game. That Malmo win was hugely important in determining the outcome of the Scottish Premiership, season 2021-22. If you don’t realise this, you have not been paying attention.
If Newco had Champions League income while Celtic were limited to Europa League money, all the parameters change. This season’s qualification tournament will not be as critical, for Celtic, anyway, but it remains a key determinant in comparative competitiveness.
You are entitled to be proud at the way your club responded to the loss of our first title in a decade. We have players, a manager, and a commercial operation that we have confidence in. They cannot win everything and will make mistakes, but what an exciting time to be a Celtic supporter.
Take care and enjoy the season.
Paul67.
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https://twitter.com/RedRosa91940184/status/1553430995726106624?s=20&t=YZLpsOPdGuJZ6UYdtoC-nA
Well, well, well.
It looks like it was just today that the gallant, Audrey White, was sacked by sleekit Sir Starmer!
Jeezo!
AFTY on 30TH JULY 2022 5:50 PM
Embdy no a good plais tay by a wig? Hers gon rapid heer
≠========++++++++++
Not off the top of my head
After 4 out of 6 SPFL matches – we have a clear leader with 12 points- Ayrshire Tim – all 4 exact scores predicted.
wooft, what would that have paid out for a tenner accy at the bookies ?
The ole CQN book club,
‘Shuggie Bain’
👍
……the ol’ CQN book club……
“We Don’t Know Ourselves” Fintan O’ Toole
VG
Good evening all from ma hoose. Ffs I’m going doolali anaw 😂😂
BOURNESOUPRECIPE
I posted reviews of Shuggie Bain and Young Mungo on CQN a while back.
Great books.
442 PARK THE BUS
I guess that makes the Labour Party a CULT then does it not?
It makes Keir Starmer a rhyming word
SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 30TH JULY 2022 7:08 PM
Room for improvement for two at the bottom- 18 yard man and Paddy’s Maw…
Named and shamed…I’ll need to do an Ange.
The only way us up🎵🎶🎵
Couldn’t stomach watching ninety minutes of the Macaroni game. Awful first half. Having seen replays of the second half, I ‘ve doubled my bet on the Tims to win the SFPL. But, they will improve. Nothing from their new signings to send shivers up the spine. However, they have that physicality and the threat from dead balls that we have to be stronger and more alert to contest. If big John rates Matondo we have to respect that. I ‘m struggling to find reasons why we shouldn’t put them firmly in their place this season, maybe apart from our defensive vulnerability ( but I know you don’t all agree with that analysis). For me, the European competitions is where we find out our strengths and weaknesses. In Ange we trust…..
NEWSTADT BRAW
Delighted for your clever wee girl and you and yer misses too!
Great achievement!
Very, very, well done!
NEUSTADT, sorry.
Neustadt Braw
All the best to your lass,class and well done,its what we are bout,learning and getting a wee bit better.next gen are fair stepping out 👍
All the best braw Celt
HH
John Hughes, Yogi’s son has tweeted that Yogi is very unwell.
Say a wee prayer,
Corkcelt
Will do – hang in there big man.
Thoughts and prayers with Yogi.
MON THE BEAR!
yikes!
https://twitter.com/ManCompassion/status/1553470429817364483?t=NPCYLRnqFovyH9LNrtbwLA&s=07&fbclid=IwAR1gKnkrz4-Yj3b9QscHpFqb2AWRUAFEumtYPfb9Y9mwgRDokDmY-362V9A
Will say a prayer for Yogi. Remember him in his sannies when the pitch was rock hard.
P67 — not sure I share your viewpoint regarding our commercial performance.
Our commercial department and the leadership being provided by the board are second rate.
It takes a certain amount of stupid to open a new stadium bar three months after the season has started — it points to a management that are open to ideas but a board / leadership that are in slow motion mode regarding investment decisions and the spending of money.
I fear that no matter the effort AP puts into the growth agenda on the park — the leadership are not interested as they try and please the Irish Raj aka DD.
Regarding the specifics the future is not looking bright — we seem to be stuck in a rut with no thoughts regarding innovation or new income streams.
CTV continues to crawl its way to mediocrity — Hospital Radio works to higher standards.
One way to move the needle is to publish its sales figures / financials — visibility would bring focus and direction to its operation.
We should be using our local support and global reach to build the channel up as a sports platform providing depth and width — showing more football throughout the season. The B Team is poorly served by CTV and coverage of the Ladies Team could be improved. And then would come the U18’s.
Talking Football / Talking Celtic Football would be the next step showing past matches with analysis and discussion to highlight our past players to a new audience. The back catalogue is long and currently most of it is sitting on a shelf somewhere doing nothing. It goes without saying that such an operation is scalable and saleable — so get it right locally and it can be replicated globally.
CTV needs another audio stream with real world / professional commentators — from memory it was tried last season and was a great success — we would appear to be very insular regarding employment opportunities and talent management right across the board and we need to breakout of our friends and family / pals and past player vibe that is holding us back.
And then we come to our retail operation which has an amateur vibe right up to the superstore management level.
Seemingly — as of last Thursday — we are experiencing a lack of stock for the new kit / some elements of our new kit.
When challenged about this a manager was heard to explain that new stock would be available in Feb 2023 …
Either we cannot manage our ordering or our supply chain.
Or we are employing jobsworths to fob off the customer with fairy stories.
Neither scenario paints us in a good light.
Interested to hear if other’s have heard similar stories?
We have a board that is fat and happy.
We have an “owner” who controls 30% of our shares and can’t be bothered to turn up..
We have a back seat driver waiting in the wings to come back as our next chairman.
Not sure where that leaves us with corporate governance norms in the 21st century?
He might actually turn out be better in his new job compared to his last — playing to his strengths / loves a good meeting / talker rather than doer.
Unfortunately being better is a low bar considering how bad he was in his 17 years as CEO / DD’s bag carrier. For the avoidance of doubt he was to me utter *hite — 17 wasted years is the most polite description I can muster.
P67 — you really need to get out more.
PL is / was an utterly useless CEO for the club / the support / the shareholders — in fact he was terrible at everything apart form working up his own bank balance.
Alphabetti spaghetti is back.
Not good
Discuss
COYBIG
Barleycorn
Freedom. Sons
https://youtu.be/GcYwup-PJsM
HH
Eire Og.
Joe mc Donnell
https://youtu.be/ouEXxK8VLhM
HH
Foggy Dew
Snead Chieftains
https://youtu.be/keWnPZOd2cw
HH
Aidan McInespie
https://youtu.be/r9mINXMLJ6s
HH
Melbourne Mick, Bankiebhoy Corkcelt
Great postings earlier,for you bhoys.
Paul Brady Homes of Donegal
https://youtu.be/kk8foQOQVk0
HH
AN TEARMANN
Yoor jist lyk a skwer sosaj
Yir oan a roll
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRGMg0TsTB4
Mad One,
Shut it you absolute Trumpet.
From, Asia Minor.
TB @ 12.07
Any chance you could respond to my questions / queries / criticism?
Howling at the moon isn’t really going to cut it — you need to think.
Any thoughts on how we can grow the club / the support / the stadium / the brand?
The Anatolian highlands of the Ottoman Empire shares a lot of history with us — can we build on it or has the Turkic expansion closed of that growth avenue?
Missionary work might be the making of you?
Or maybe not.
A song for Mr. Canny read a room
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5_Hn_cLIvI
An instrumental
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8czkzQbYIFI
Same tune with words
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdK17BukP2Y
BRRB – Going doolally. I will crack the jokes you govanhillite, gallous chancer you.
Well I managed some chemicals….I mean T – Lager (just a15 pack but it’s a start) and I feel ok.
Mon the Hoops.
D :)
personality disorder.
I see the usual tricks by Sky. Highlight things against Celtic (they are incoming) and hide the blatant injustice against Livingston. They never showed 1 replay of a perfectly good late goal.
Ange knows the score in this Country now, and he will make us better and better.
IMO, he will be in very high demand after this Season but I Hope he feels this is his fitba home for so many reasons. And he builds his Legacy @ Celtic.
Merhaba patron – I conquered the ottoman empire and the tsars from Russia a few weeks ago whilst holidaying in Alanya.
The Shamrock were in full swing.
D :)
Gun the sheep and go top.
Boooooooooooooom
Get it round ye Scottish fitbaw.
D :)