Back in 2011 a campaign was launched by Craig Whyte (subsequently adopted by others) to convince Scottish Premier League clubs that Rangers were necessary for their survival, and in the event of a liquidation event, the league should invite a phoenix club into the top flight.
The people at Celtic became aware of this and after the initial revulsion that a team, who at that stage were three-in-a-row champions, could liquidate, then phoenix with the same players and income streams, but without the debts associated with building the playing squad, they ran the numbers. They asked themselves the question, could we survive without Rangers?
The answer was straightforward, if we can’t survive without Rangers we’re as well not surviving at all. We needed a strategy which would cope with the drop in income, the lack of domestic competition, but still deliver Champions League competition. Easy, right?
Not easy but by no means impossible.
Celtic were running at an operational loss without selling players or getting into the Champions League group stage. That season (2011-12), in reaching the Europa League group stage, we made a £7m loss (mitigated by a later player sale). The subsequent drop in season ticket sales in a league without Rangers (it happened), drop in associated commercial and match-day ticket sales cost around £5m. Dropping the price of season tickets by £100 this season arrested the decline in sales, but brought in £4m less than last season.
To balance this, we qualified for the Champions League group stage last season and this, sold £20m worth of talent this summer (and have spent £6m so far on new arrivals).
We have something practically unique in football, a sustainable strategy which is also successful.
Is it without its risks? No.
Will it tax the team and manager, even against teams like Elfsborg and Shakhter? Yes.
Is it as good a strategy as we could have? That is a matter of opinion but results on the park are the only place that matters.
We’ve made lots of decisions so far this summer. Selling Hooper, Wanyama and Wilson, while bringing in van Dijk, Derk Boerrigter, Balde and Mouyokolo, before getting to this stage. Would Norwich and Southampton have waited or signed alternatives, leaving us with rapidly depreciating assets?
I’ve no idea, but these are the kind of factors which contribute to each decision.
You can play your hand cautiously, hold the players, risking buyers leave the market, or sign more players early, on the basis that they are available and you are prepared to pay the asking price, irrespective of your valuation. You can certainly give yourself an easier ride by taking decisions against strategy based on pressure.
This would not guarantee success (nothing does) but it would further mitigate the risk of failure, however, it would potentially leave fewer resources to build a team which can reach further still.
We played a more ambitious hand. Strategy was adhered to, which looked a folly, to some, a week ago.
For the first time in 40 years we have a sustainable, successful, team development strategy, which is only just beginning to bear fruit. It is too tempting to take those fruits and blow them on the same strategy most of our UK-based peers do in an attempt to guarantee entry to the promised land.
Faith in the squad, manager and scouts was rewarded. Whether you like it or not, we have one of the best development strategies in football. Well done, Celtic.
Neil Lennon is an ambitious man but if he thinks he can stem the “disgusting” “hysterical” reaction to a Celtic defeat he is overreaching. Some will learn but others will have rationalised their reaction within a second of the manager’s comments being made. ‘Tis the nature of the beast.
Well done to everyone who attended last night. The place wasn’t full but there is something about a Celtic Park crowd of around that size which seems more effective than when we’re crammed in.
Enjoy being a Celtic supporter.
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Pot 3 looks no weaker than Pot 2. Tough games guaranteed. But that’s what we wanted.
Would love us to get City. Could stick it to a few if my mates and might even get a ticket for leg down here.
Anyone venture a guess at the starting line up or formation we’ll be looking at this season.
If we sign Pukki where does he fit in along with Boeriggter, Samaras, Commons, Forrest…?
Googybhoy
Yes, two games against Dortmund would be fantastic occasions.
James Forrest,
Re your thoughts on football in Cyprus.
I live in Cyprus but have only been to a handful of games here (including the Nicosia derby between Omonia…the good guys versus APOEL…the bad guys)
In the last 9 seasons there have been 5 different league winners.A strength of competition not enjoyed in Scotland since the 1980’s.
Omonia,APOEL and Anorthosis have all performed well in Europe (particularly APOEL)
The standard of football isn’t fantastic but teams tend to have Eastern European players and coaches therefore traditionally technically good and well organised,local Cypriots and some Brazilians for flair.
The better teams in Cyprus would give Celtic a test and would skelp most SPL teams.
The weather is also a factor as home ties can be played in temperatures well over 100 at this time of years (it was 100 today for example and at almost 7pm it’s 84..feels like 94 with humidity factored in).
Hope this gives you (and others) a wee insight into why Cypriot football ranks higher than Scottish football at the moment.
Nipping out now for some Stifado
medtim
Good to hear Redknapp is singing our praises again, you could tell last season the amount of respect he has for our club.
A very talented player who never fulfilled his potential, mainly due to injuries. Always thought he would have been a fantastic player for us.
Ernie Lynch
Agree with your first point, though Kings Rd was not as friendly. Would like your second point to be correct :-) Here we go!
Easiest draw possible please,we can have the glamour games from the last 16 onwards
Love that music…
Cameras focusing on Neill & the Bhoys. Isn’t it just brilliant to be involved at this stage.
I know a fair few Chelski fans through work and all prefer Celtic to the deid yins or the tribute act.
They all get very annoyed with the way they have been associated with the huns
Just saying!
It’s as well seeing a handsome fella like Jamie Redknapp’s no Hun.
weeminger
I agree with all of that except the 40m
MON reign was used to claw back what was blown by the dream team. Circa 20m ??
Thats how MON saw VERY CLEARLY CRYSTAL CLEAR how it works at Celtic.
WGS done it on less of a wage and spend.
and NL has done it with even less (a bit like MON but he had to save the TM situtation)
I really dont see why we cant get two quality players in. Especially after last weeks result and the performances against Elfsborg.
HH
That woman at UEFA said ‘in the next hour or so’ we will know the groups – is there really going to be that much waffle before we see the draw made???
Just got in the door in time for the draw, did we sign the Israeli and The Pukkiman???
This fells like Christmas morning.
What a load of tosh the draw is. Get on with it, ya ponced up, metropolitan, Murdoch-driven, sponsor-obsessed, money-grabbing, cardboard cutout football supporting, Jeux Sans Frontières, summer camp in Wisconsin, technocrat tumpshies.
When Celtic drew Morton in the league cup this morning, was there anyone using an auto cue?
*feels*
Big Billy…yes..
BIG BILLY IN DA HOUSE !!!!!!
Sevco are you watching..?
Big Billy on SKY. Lisbon, ya bass.
Cesar!! :-)
Mon the big Billy
Oh my wasn’t expecting this! Billy McNeill :)
Another Fan
Jason Roberts@JasonRoberts3019h
Goosebumps……#Celtic
•-:¦:-•** -:¦:- sparkleghirl :¦:-.•**• -:¦:-•
16:51 on
29 August, 2013
That woman at UEFA said ‘in the next hour or so’ we will know the groups – is there really going to be that much waffle before we see the draw made???
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I think she is referring to the fact that the stream keeps buffering…
;)
HH
King Billy centre stage
superb!!
Goosebumps
Lions footage before the draw. Awesome!
Hail Cesar
KLV
Awe Naw, What do you think of Celtic’s wage structure. I understand that there are 3 levels of pay for first team squad. Would you be in favour of breaking that structure to pay for “quality players”, how would that impact on the rest of squad.
the desire to build a team, although admirable is a fallacy for all but a handful of clubs, the rest of us have to do the best we can with what we have. we need to take a gamble on young guys with the potential and desire to become top players and we have to give them a chance, those that take the chance will most likely move to other clubs and so the cycle is repeated (the rewards can be great in terms of ‘on the field performances and transfer fees’ etc…, yet lack of progress causes no financial difficulties or issues)
along the way we might just get a naka, common’s, ledley and/ or Sammy etc… where the players desire to play in the CL/ winning things is more important than money in the bank. I don’t subscribe to trying to buy success/ the finished article and I am happy for celtic to sell players so long as we have others lined up. nothing gets me more annoyed than watching a quality player leave celtic for nothing.
I hope this summer is a learning curve for the board with regards balancing the buying and selling of players and we have a more settled team at the beginning of 2014/14
HH
Celtic_First
Yes
xx
Big billy on now….
We are Celtic….
All right, the bit with Billy McNeill is quite good.
On yersel big Cesar.
who’s that Scottish guy on the telly ?
Hail Cesar!