I read one highly unlikely article yesterday suggesting we were going to sign Alfred Finnbogason AND were still bidding big money for Kevin Doyle ahead of an 11pm tonight signing deadline. It’s hard to be so wrong in so few words, but this one hit the mark.
Alfred is a target but, and this is the key point the newspapers have not picked up on, he is one of four strikers Celtic are seriously considering at the moment. He looks the part, as do the others, I am assured, but the deal has to be right for Celtic to move.
Our strategic plan is to buy players at a comparatively low price, develop them on the Champions League stage, and sell high, in order to be able to build a team capable of competing further in the Champions League.
To do this we need to buy from the right markets, at the correct age and on the right wage. There will be exceptions to this rule. A few weeks shy of his 27th birthday, Dirk Boerrigter is unlikely to appreciate greatly, but teams need experience to tackle the Champions League, as well as some specific skills, so Dirk is here for what he can give today, not to be the next £12m exit.
We will see more business like Wanyama and Hooper. Before Celtic agree a deal for Finnbogason there would need to be a gap between the buy price and the projected valuation IF the player is a success. If this gap doesn’t exist we will do business elsewhere. Sticking to strategy is more important than pursuing a target like some latter-day David “this time we’re really going for it” Murray.
You can also forget about the 11pm deadline tonight. That is only relevant if we need two or more new players to overcome Shakhter Karagandy. If we want to add Finnbogason, or any ONE other player, the deadline for a Wildcard signing is a day before the game, or pretty much when the team leaves Glasgow Airport, so there is no effective deadline tonight. As such, I would be surprised if a deal was concluded today.
Right now, at Lennoxtown and Celtic Park, people are deciding how to invest our money. We have the kind of choices consistent with a well-run club, but while we are a well-run club, we can’t get caught up in the hubris.
We are living through some big changes in our financial model. Revenue from domestic football (season ticket sales-now discounted, Rangers game £42-per-head ticket sales, hospitality sales, commercial income) has fallen, or disappeared completely (I reckon we’re in the region of £9m p.a. down in these areas, we’ll have a better indication when accounts are released later this month). On top of this, the club was running at a loss without Champions League football or significant player sale (£7m for season 2011-12, the last we have accounts for), and as well as some income streams falling, costs have risen.
I heard that one ‘St Mirren’ supporting journo on Radio Scotland on Saturday said with last season’s Champions League income and money from player sales, Celtic have a £40m transfer kitty.
In the name of all that is sacred, nine years after ‘What the Celtic fans want to know is where is all the Seville money?’, the same nonsense is being peddled. As far as some are concerned, we are back where we started on CQN. The first thing you do with your money is pay your bills, including tax… there is no creditor left behind at Celtic. After they are taken care off you can look to invest in footballers.
This year, the underlying loss has been flipped because of player sales and that Champions League income, although not by nearly as much as journos who regard researching accounts before commenting on finance as an unnecessary indulgence, will tell you. Without Champions League income (this season potentially £14m plus any prize money earned), the money from Wanyama alone would not make this a profitable season, even before the spend on our new signings.
The road ahead is clear. Get into the Champions League as often as possible without allowing any individual failure to cause a collapse, sign players who will flourish at that level, sell them for a profit, repeat and reinforce all aspects of strategy with an improved budget.
Over any business period, every penny which comes into the club, has been, and will continue to be, spent. Our money will be invested in footballers who will appreciate in value, and who will give Celtic their best chance of pushing further in the Champions League on a persistent basis. It will not rest in a bank account earning a pittance in interest. The strategy is ambitious and sustainable but not reckless.
A year ago some wondered if Celtic could survive, never mind flourish, without a Rangers-branded club in the league. If successful, this strategy will not only allow the club to flourish, it may even result in higher long-term income than Celtic achieved while locked in an arms race with a former rival, with a corresponding improvement in Champions League achievement.
Is Alfred Finnbogason the man, is he better than the others we’re looking at, good enough to excel in the Champions League? I’ve no idea, but he is just one detail in the wider Celtic strategy.
Stick to plan, Celtic.
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Did Southampton hand over £12.5million in readies or do we get it in instalments?
Same question re Norwich and Notts Forrest.
You know what I meant!
one thing is for certain
no CL qualification coupled with league performances like those from OCT-DEC last season will see attendances plummet
is that not a riskier gamble than spending a resonable sum of money when you have it
failure to qualify for this years CL group stage should see those who operate our current parsimony strategy out of work
Twisty/Che/WITS – going for the top weight in that 3:00 at Ayr – Clumber Place.
T4
AKBW1888
– thanks for the vote of confidence – i just saw your post. (re signings from Belgium).
First – the striker I recommended was Ilombe Mboyo fron GHENT – not Racing Genk. However, he has just transferred last week, to… Racing Genk. So we have missed him.
I am a big admirer of Racing Genk (and this signing just reinforces that) seriously – in the transfer market they know what they are doing.
I watched their game last night against Standaard – they lost 0-2 … goals after 2 mins and 92 mins. Both teams were strong – Mboyo came off the bench for Genk, who started with Jelle Vossen up front (another name who has been linked with Celtic). Vossen, for me, is unaffordable – too valuable to Racing Genk. That said. they signed Mboyo for 3.5M EUR last week so may be willing to do a deal. Mboyo (my recommendation) has recently cracked the belgium team (not easy when you have benteke, lukaku, vossen etc all ahead of you.) However a bit more digging on my part and i found out he has done jail time – for sme quite unsavoury stuff, so perhaps that is why we didn’t move for him. He previously played for Charleroi, and did very well indeed when J Collins was there, but felt out with Collins’ successor.
As for Racing Genk, I always have touted Mbodj (known as Kara) in the holding midfield role. Genk played him at the back last night (CB) as they often do, to accommodate Kuzmordi in the holding midfield role – a ghanain who at 28 is probably too old for our signing policy. Mbodj would be a great signing I feel – to replace wanyama. His CB partner last night was Koulibaly a player I rate very highly indeed – was a big part ijn Genk doing so well last year. He is youn (22-23) and very big (6’5”) additioally he is physical, but also technically very sound – played at u20 level for France 2 years ago. He is contracted till 2016 but would be an excellent replacement for Wilson.
I am not biased towards Genk – i just really admire the way they assembled their squad – nearly all of them would transition well to the SPL-EPL-Europe etc. They tend to sign big athletic guys, who are also technically very strong.
On a side note, the quality of football last night was way ahead of the normal SPL game.
What about the Players Win Bonus for the CL Group Stages
This should motivate ones performance level that’s for sure.
Also, a side which failed to get past an Irish part time side
only a couple of Season’s ago does not exactly get one
quivering in one’s boots now does it? I think not.
I know we should not underestimate our opponents but we
should not be scared of them either we should give them
the respect they deserve but also realize we have a job to
do to make our Season more interesting and also gives
ourselves more time as regards to making thorough research
in the transfer market and bringing in players who will Except
our wages bill limits and also most importantly want to genuinely
play for our Club and also be able to play within our playing
structure and in general be a good acquisition to our Club
hehehehe a funny one from TSFM ….
OT, but funny. If you have twitter, go to #AskNaismith , setup by Everton FC for fans to interact with “Naisy”.
Obviously its been hijacked by Celtic supporters AND Sevconians, who possibly dislike him more! Here is a wee taster…. What are you doing here? http://t.co/KPsr02eEzo
braw! get tweeting …
You know what really p….s me off?
The huns went bust because they spent money they didnae have.
And we are risking our biggest source of income by refusing to spend money that is coming out of our ears.
The fans are the source of income.
Unhappy fans-no income.
An increasing number of our fan base is clearly upset at the rationale behind current policy.
But what the hell do THEY care.
Personnel or fans,the board clearly don’t give a monkeys for either.
Well,that’s some corporate strategy,Celtic.
Also, if success is your main reason for supporting Celtic then was the Tommy Burns team not to your liking? Spent a lot, played the best football of recent Celtic teams. But won very little.
The point being that money doesn’t guarantee anything.
But supporting Celtic guarantees me a smile.
Paul 67.
After reading you’re heading, I realise there will be no furthetr investment in our team.
if it was a case of the money is not there, I could understand!
That is not the situation we are in…
Bums on seats and looking forward to play the celtic way, is what I and my kids want to see again.HH
Ole Paddy McCourt was a bums on seat type player, unfortunately more often than not it was a bench.
LuxCelt
14:46 on
12 August, 2013
AKBW1888
– thanks for the vote of confidence – i just saw your post. (re signings from Belgium).
First – the striker I recommended was Ilombe Mboyo fron GHENT – not Racing Genk. However, he has just transferred last week, to… Racing Genk. So we have missed him.
I am a big admirer of Racing Genk (and this signing just reinforces that) seriously – in the transfer market they know what they are doing.
I watched their game last night against Standaard – they lost 0-2 … goals after 2 mins and 92 mins. Both teams were strong – Mboyo came off the bench for Genk, who started with Jelle Vossen up front (another name who has been linked with Celtic). Vossen, for me, is unaffordable – too valuable to Racing Genk. That said. they signed Mboyo for 3.5M EUR last week so may be willing to do a deal. Mboyo (my recommendation) has recently cracked the belgium team (not easy when you have benteke, lukaku, vossen etc all ahead of you.) However a bit more digging on my part and i found out he has done jail time – for sme quite unsavoury stuff, so perhaps that is why we didn’t move for him. He previously played for Charleroi, and did very well indeed when J Collins was there, but felt out with Collins’ successor.
As for Racing Genk, I always have touted Mbodj (known as Kara) in the holding midfield role. Genk played him at the back last night (CB) as they often do, to accommodate Kuzmordi in the holding midfield role – a ghanain who at 28 is probably too old for our signing policy. Mbodj would be a great signing I feel – to replace wanyama. His CB partner last night was Koulibaly a player I rate very highly indeed – was a big part ijn Genk doing so well last year. He is youn (22-23) and very big (6’5”) additioally he is physical, but also technically very sound – played at u20 level for France 2 years ago. He is contracted till 2016 but would be an excellent replacement for Wilson.
I am not biased towards Genk – i just really admire the way they assembled their squad – nearly all of them would transition well to the SPL-EPL-Europe etc. They tend to sign big athletic guys, who are also technically very strong.
You’re very welcome as regards to the vote of confidence & you really do make
some sound suggestions and wise food for thought
I know what you mean as regards to the Footy over in Europe
I was watching Montpellier v PSG the other night there and bhoy your right as
regards to technical ability and also the pace of the match it was basically
fast end to end stuff. I was also impressed by the Big Swede who plays
for PSG years ago when I seen him play for his national side along with
wee Henke he was a greedy type of player nowadays he is more of a team
player. Thanks for your backing LuxCelt.
speaking of items from Iceland …..I was In there last week picking up some frozen goodies when lo and behold they now stock greggs steakbakes I giggled so much at the thought of swally that I bought a box…this box now resides in my freezer the logo clearly stating greggs stake bakes……..I smile at the thought of their suffering everytime I open my freezer…….funny the things that amuse you funnybyassociationcsc
A Stokes arrested
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/12/anthony-stokes-arrested-celtic-ireland?CMP=twt_gu
Jailhouse Rock
AKBW1888
from what I understand about them, they are a big physical side – a couple of giant centre backs, strength all over the park. A poor man’s Man City if you like – which is effectively what they are… the Man City of kazakhstan. I understand that since losing to st patrick’s, they have invested heavily over the last couple of seasons.
Won’t be easy.
Maybe our Pedro is working to the old adage ‘there are no easy games in Europe, apart from Shaktar Karagandy’
Time will tell
HH
TSOAL
Caught in a trap?
Without being in the know regards our main targets, as Paul states we have 4 I am fairly sure one of the being Billy Sharp. He was under consideration some time ago when we signed Gary Hooper since then he has done little, is now older and certainly not improved unlike Hooper. Our standards should have risen accordingly.
For me Finbogossan is money in the bank, already gaining interest from Germany / Italy he would undoubtedly score goals for Celtic both domestically and in Europe..even a £ 5m outlay and I’m sure modest Dutch wages would be a sound investment both for the club & the fans.
We might only be able to keep him a year – two at most but I’m certain his value will rocket at the right club….that could / should be us.
CHE,WITS
Make a five letter word from yer names.
Describes yer tips…..
mickbhoy1888 & AKBW1888
thanks for the info , i will sound the guys out and take it from there.
HH
Bbhoy
BMCUP
Twice?
bournesouprecipe
Seemingly Elvis was All Shook Up over the incident
any one pick Lucy Bee 18 teens !
The simple fact of the matter is that we need a 20-30 goals per season striker. Whatever he costs. If not, with the empty spaces in the stadium and the loss of the energy the GB bring, Whiskyman Bankier may find his ambition to make Celtic a ‘global brand’ curtailed by falling revenues and lack of interest in the home market.
Supersutton @ 14:41,
We bit unfair on that team, we bested what England had to offer and were robbed in Turin, those ghuys did just fine in Europe.
This is my issue with – sticktotheplanCSC.
In the MO’N era we were seriously looking at FAPL football our budget was aimed at this.
It meant we could compete in Europe and with overspending Rangers.
Of course we had to borrow to sustain this Level.
When MO’N left the strategy was changed… A three year rolling strategy was put in place with a serious down sizing, at the helm was GS.
Now we were going to buy in different (cheaper markets) with the odd marquee signing. Bellamy, Graveson, Keane and Keane.
It was subsequently refined to scouting for bargins and developing our own players through a new Academy. Naka, Boruc, no Academy bhoys though.
Due to the lack of progress despite the initial success it has been further revised to our current strategy.
Now fair enough but as many have already stated the current plan results by default in mediocrity.
Our best prospects will be continually sold for profit, leaving us with players other Clubs won’t pay a decent transfer fee.
Guess we will see how things pan out, but this transfer window may highlight the strengths and weaknesses of this strategy, we certainly have sold very profitably (but as you allude to, for everyone sold we have let three go) but if these players can’t be replaced then every year we will weaken the team.
Hope we are ready to refine further.
Hail Hail
Is anybody else having any problems with their posts not appearing?
Pfayr,
The attendances will drop during the season regardless of who we purchase.
In a 2 horse race where one horse has a 3 year start, is it safe to assume the jockey on the one with the 3 year start will never need to look over his shoulder again?
He is gonna be outta sight yeah?
You would imagine so, yet I have this sickening feeling that in 2 years, that’s exactly what we’ll be doing. Looking over our shoulder.
Twist the knife…..
I don’t know any Celtic supporter who wants the club to break the bank.
A sensible investment is required to refresh the team and help out the squad.
Scare talk of mega losses is scare mongering in the extreme and is spin to manage expectations when we sign our 4th choice striker on deadline day for around £1.5 million (don’t ask why we didn’t sign Johnny Russell for £750K).
Spin, spin and more spin.
gebhoy
On the subject of marquee signings, in my Celtic-supporting memory we’ve made the following “wow” signings: Charlie Nick (2nd time), Cascarino, Frankie Macca (2nd time), Berkovic, Scheidt, Bellamy, the Keane(s) and Gravesen.
I groaned at our lack of ambition when we signed Henke, Lubo, Sutton, BBJ, Hooper and Commons.
If Alfie signs then I hope he becomes a legend, but history seems to suggest that we’re better at making legends than buying them.
(As an aside, without contradicting the above point, we probably undermined the buy-cheap-sell-high strategy this summer by placing a cap on what our players are worth. Ajax and Porto are the model to follow, and those teams don’t sell their best players to relegation fodder for moderate sums – we should have held out until a top team offered megamoney for Vic.)
AKBW1888
My pleasure. I think we would all expect the French League to be ahead of us (big country etc) but the difference between SPL and Jupiler is quite amazing. Belgian teams nearly all seem to Scou very hard overseas, and so turn up players from all over the world (a bit like france, but the players are less well-known).
At Genk for example, I know that the Directeur Sportif (general manager effectively) has been going to the African Cup of Nations for about 20 years to find players. I’m not even 100% certain that Celtic has somebody there even now (assume we do though), and am pretty sure that no other Scottish club does.
Despite not being a rich league, players tend to be technically good, and also strong/athletic/explosive. Physical preparation is obviously very important over there.
pflan76 @ 15:08,
Nail on the head, that’s exactly what we need, if the stratagy cannot provide that in a timely manner there is something wrong with the plan.
Hail Hail
FTF
“we’re better at making legends than buying them.”
I don’t agree with your post in its entirety but I do love that line. :)
HH!!
bournesouprecipe
14:53 on 12 August, 2013.
Point taken…
Are you happy watching sideways passes and backward passing?
We are crying out for a forward passing playmaker.
The money is there to invest in that role…ye bum’s on seat…strike while the iron is hot!
If we sold Hooper for £5 m
and bought a new striker for £5m
and kept within our wage structure theen what is the problem. Is it always essential we make a profit.
If Hooper had signed a new contract we wouldnt need a replacement and there would be no talk of profit.
Sometimes you just have to pay the going rate because what you need is not in the bargain bins.
Our signing policies have been reasonably good but I do feel they could be a bit more flexible.
If a player can do a job for us (be it short time or long time) then age should not matter
LuxCelt
15:00 on
12 August, 2013
AKBW1888
from what I understand about them, they are a big physical side – a couple of giant centre backs, strength all over the park. A poor man’s Man City if you like – which is effectively what they are… the Man City of kazakhstan. I understand that since losing to st patrick’s, they have invested heavily over the last couple of seasons.
Won’t be easy.
I know it will not be easy, but if we draw on our past successful European Adventures
Then over the two ties I would imagine and hopefully with the grace of our Lord we will
get through said tie successfully
I’m also in favour of Summer Footy, why? Because for example if we started each
Season on the beginning of March (1/3) by the time said CL Qualifiers came around
we would be 18 or so matches into our Season which means we would be more
fitter/sharper/and faster that’s for sure also by starting each Season @ the Beginning
of March it would mean that the SPL would be over by the middle of December which
is not a bad time of year to have a break. Also it would mean that there would be no
footy in January & If the Hoops managed to get out of the Group Stages of said competition into the last 16 then they would obviously be playing two matches in
February which obviously they would have to make allowances for
what’s your opinion of Summer Footy? Personally. I think it’s a good idea!
AwNaw
Its because we cannot hold on to players like Wanyama and Hooper that dictates the plan.
Your alternative to changing that reality is?
A Sto Mo C roi
ot the ful wo d… ust som f t e let rs