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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the spirit of arthur lee
15:08 on 12 August, 2013
Absolutely….I saw him crying in the Chapel later that night
67Heaven … I am Neil Lennon..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors
People say that Stokes WoodenHeart a fly
LuxCelt
15:18 on
12 August, 2013
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.
Yeah, your right Lux, the said attributes are certainly very important in the modern
game of football nowadays, that’s for sure.
& I hope our beloved Club are carrying out research all over the Globe, for those
type of Player’s
Which is always handy to have in ones Team, that’s for sure.
Bbhoy
Re the Hibs game.
You have to ask yourself. How many away games did we have last season that kicked off at 3 on a saturday.
Personally I dont know but I would hazard a guess at between very few and none.
HH
a stor mo chroi
15:09 on 12 August, 2013
Is anybody else having any problems with their posts not appearing?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Who said that?
BBhoy
15:04 on
12 August, 2013
mickbhoy1888 & AKBW1888
thanks for the info , i will sound the guys out and take it from there.
HH
Bbhoy
Your welcome BBhoy.
Clink\o/
I think the last game against Ross County kicked off at 3pm on a Saturday
Clink \o/
One
Clink\o/
15:30 on
12 August, 2013
Bbhoy
Re the Hibs game.
You have to ask yourself. How many away games did we have last season that kicked off at 3 on a saturday.
Personally I dont know but I would hazard a guess at between very few and none.
HH
Click\o/ That’s because TV Companies/Madia now dictate the kick off times of said
matches to increase their viewing figures, by screening said matches @ set times
of the day.
sipsini
Would seriously doubt a Gazebo, Bums on seat, Marquee type signing particularly within the next 7 and a half hours, or so.
But our recent transfer income is unique and unprecedented so it’s no surprise us Tims will speculate, even if the board won’t.
They risked it, and got past Elfsborg and the only awkward thing about the next tie, should be timing and travel.
I’d imagine the gamble and dice thrown was for all three qualifiers, then we’ll maybe buy a CF – but then I thought there was still room for midfield creativity before we sold Wanyama.
We must be greedy.
clinko
point well made
we wanted to keep Hooper…therefore his contract would have been i mproved and no £5m fee
therefore …spent £5M on a player ..give him Hooper`s contract ..status quo
simple really ….however debt fear suggests that in indulging in such largesse we`ll go bankrupt …when in fact we will be no worse off
Suspicious minds?
We as Celtic fans should always demand the best we can for the team, we should always put the people running the club under pressure to deliver, they are paid very well for the job they do.
I have yet to read one single post that has asked Celtic to spend beyond their means, yet the scare mongering is well…..frightening!.
A couple of thousand seats were covered on flag day because we couldn’t sell them……..this show’s beyond doubt that, whilst doing well, the strategy is far from perfect.
Celtic supporters invest, both financially and emotionally in the team, but they won’t do this blindly. The reduction in ST prices is welcome but long overdue. Ticket prices are still to high for the product on the park.
Celtic can not constantly preach prudency to the support then expect the same support to fork out top dollar for an inferior product, and as it stands we are inferior to last season.
The only argument against signing a £5 mil rated player is fear, what if’s and butt’s. Imagine we all operated like that. No season ticket, no new shirt, no paradise windfall, no subscription to Celtic TV…………
If I were to budget for the next year on the basis I would still be in employment then not one of the above would have been purchased and Celtic would have lost out on my £1k.
Get the finger out Celtic, we all live in an uncertain times, some of us more than others.
HailHail
Just realised the first leg against Shakhter Karagandy is on Tuesday and not Wednesday. Even more of a problem given we may have three players playing at Wembley and the game in Aberdeen. Would love to see us flying the squad out before the Aberdeen game but doubt that would happen, so forget about the likes of Brown playing at Aberdeen.
BSR
greedy …for decent players ..absolutely
for a burgeoning balance sheet …no thanks …
when are the accounts out …should make interesting reading
Clink\o/
Think there were two away games last season that kicked off at 3pm on a Saturday – Motherwell and Ross County.
Before that it was Livingston in 2005.
Mort
Sorry two
Ross County away in March and Motherwell away in September
CELTICTOM
Wonderfully put.
the spirit of arthur lee
15:26 on 12 August, 2013
He’ll make the Jailhouse Rock, that’s for sure…….
….pfayr
15:39 on 12 August, 2013
Balde? ….Myokolo ? …..etc ……..and……the ghuys who did so well as a team last season ….. Wenare certainly going in the right direct, whilst protecting our long term future….
celtictom
Well said.
HH
bournesouprecipe
15:38 on 12 August, 2013
Sevco are ‘caught in a trap’ ……..’why can’t they see’, how happy they’re making me ….just getting my coat …!!!!
TET
Its not the balance sheet that matters, its the consequences of not having one.
We had to face up to those consequences in 2004 and look at the angst that caused.
The issue is not the balance sheet or dividends, the issue is sustainabilty and the risks of losing it.
Now you like a bet so how would you have liked your cave depending on the Elsborg result?
Your CB is offski right after because he was personally unsettled but you had a few bob coming in if you let him go.
Your opponents are well into their season and are a physical side.
Their playing surface is a joke that your players are afraid to play their natural game in.
So do you go to the bank to pile even more money on getting a result or do you go for a place bet to keep your cave?
That is the circumstances Celtic have to plan for and against.
I thought NL’s relief at getting a result was palbable and ridiculous that Celtic were placed in such a gambling position by circumstances, but that is how things are until qualification becomes automatic and I prefer the each way bet.
Ziggydoc1
The Hoops should field the youngsters against the Sheep & Already have
the Team over in Kasakhstan by then getting ready for our CL Qualifier
Travelling should not be an issue here.
We are not going to lose the League if we drop points against the Sheep
now are we? I think not. Also, who knows maybe the youngsters might
surprise us.
Auldhied @ 15:23,
You are quite right in one way, it’s academic whether we wanted to keep the three players that havegone for a fine profit, all thoseplayers wanted to go, so fine.
The problem is strengthening the team.
If we put such a narrow criteria for players we wish to buy then we have an issue when we need to fill a spot.
Look for a striker to fit the strategy by all means but we have had six months to look at Hooper replacements, if we couldn’t get someone in then we should have widened the search.
Hail Hail
67Heaven
Will we still be going in the right direction and protecting our future if we don’t make the group stages ???
bournesouprecipe
12:57 on
12 August, 2013
Which was your favourite Rangers?
for me its either texas rangers power rangers or only for the fact that they are and the great pleasure it gave me witnessing it, the deid rangers may they rest in pash
Hi Fholks,
It’s been quite the Celtic supporting week for me. Was up in Donegal last weekend for a break and watched the win against Ross County in Nearys in Dungloe.Watched all the Gaelic as well last weekend and enjoyed the craic at the festival. Up at 5.30am on the Monday morning then to drive down to Dublin Airport for my flight to Sweden. 2 good nights in Gothenburg where the hospitality of the Dubliner bar was exceptional. Down to Boras then for the draw against Elfsborg and although the away support was one of the lowest I have seen in a while in Europe, we made up for it in the amount of noise we made. Back to Dublin then on Thursday, work Friday and then the Aviva on Saturday for the win over one of the EPL leading lights with basically what was the Celtic reserve side. Absolutely brilliant. Lay on the sofa yesterday and watched the great hurling game between Dublin and Cork.
Been a great week to be a Celt even if the finances took a battering. The beer in Sweden is some price! Nice people though and we got a great welcome. The Celtic support in the Aviva, although outnumbered by 3-1, won the battle of the singing with ease. A Dublin Liverpool fan I know shook my hand at the end of the game and said the noise of the Celtic support made the game for him and his 12 year olf autistic son. They had a great time with us which was great to see.
Like everybody else on here I suppose I await with bated breath to see who we sign up front, but also in defence and midfield. I hope Amido Balde can continue his improvement. Izzy coming back to his best and some of our young lads looked exceptional against the experienced English “top side”.
Marti
pfayr.
Have you ever had a bottle of wine called Chateau de Bensse Medoc 2009 Cru Bourgeois.if you have, is it any good. I have 3 bottles which were highly recommended,frightened to open a bottle in case it’s crap,and I’ve been conned
I remember the Mudders game now (which was odd for not being on the telly)but the odds are very much against a 3pm kickoff
Latest from phil -sorry if already linked
http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/follow-follow-the-money/
AKBW1888 totally agree. However, no chance of it happening.
Nobody is asking the board to sanction a “if they spend a fiver I’ll spend a tenner” move. But the Iceman would be ‘I’ll take £5m and turn it in to £8-10m’. Just because he’s more expensive than our normal outlay doesn’t mean he’s frittering money away.
I’d say taking risk on big wages is more dangerous than taking risks on transfer fees.
celtictom
15:38 on 12 August, 2013
Where have you been since 2008…? ……. our financial strategy already has us punching above our weight and, with patience, we will maintain our standards ……… Financial mismanagement got oldco where they are today……. Anyway, I would love Celtic to go out and spend a good million on players…….I would also like to buy a Rolls Royce…
As others have stated, he’d cost what we got for Hooper and be on similar money. It would be like a like for like replacement who ISN’T on the last year of a contract.
“few million” even
If we can’t beat a team from Kazakhstan over two legs then it won’t be due to lack of a Hooper replacement. There’s no silver bullet for CL qualification.
malone bhoy
15:57 on 12 August, 2013
Correct me if I’m wrong, but are Celtic not trying to buy him as we speak…….