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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WOW! What an exciting Group; Barca, AC Milan and Ajax. It doesn’t get any tougher, but we will have a big influence in this Group I feel…
Happy just to be there…gonny cost a fortune to visit all 3 with the cqners!
Kikinthenakas
How things change in a few days. Prior to Wednesday gloom now we are moaning about playing Barca again LOL
Tough group but three brilliant games in Paradise to look forward to.
Just need to get Real Madrid nearer the final.
EC67
Tough tough draw.
…. is this the first time in a CL Group stage that all teams are former winners?
Group H, H for Hell, but hey, we’re there, which is the only thing that matters.
3 home wins and we are through!!!!!
:)
Meant to ask..
Why is the section in the LL upper draped with the banner?
Ticket sales – shirley not.
Apart from barca, I doubt any of the teams in our group are too confident of going through. Really tricky group.
Neil will need to rest players before and in between gmes. Screw the SPL, we’ll make up the difference later in the year.
Gutted, no German teams again and three places I have already seen the Hoops.
Oh well, hopefully we get a more intersesting draw in the last 16
new article posted.
Best player in Europe award – whit no Sammi -shocking
You have to beat the best to win it.Roll on Lisbon 2014.
Prediction
Ajax: Home – Win, Away – Draw
AC Milan: Home – Draw, Away – Draw
Barca: Home – Draw, Away – Defeat
All the rest will cut each other’s throats – we go through second on 7 points!
HH
BGFC
well if you swim with sharks? this is what we want let the world see what being Glasgow celtic is all about I would love to see how they react to getting us…..bring it on…..this time last night we were staring at the EL H.H.
Broonie didn’t seem too bothered .
H is for…
History repeating itself???
Scott Brown’s reaction was quite amusing…
I think we should be looking to get in to a new international tournament. Fans are getting bored of playing Barca year in year out on cold wednesday nights in Catalonia,
Time to get out of this and stop stagnating. I suggest the Copa America
The Bigger They Are the Harder They Fall
Very very tough but what a wonderful three nights at CP are lined up.
Shouting C C C at the telly didn’t work then!
Tough draw, tougher than last year I would guess. Good reaction from the players though!!
Was hoping for C , saying don’t give us H. Couldn’t be tougher …. Magic.
Its great to be there in with the best of Europe it doesnt bear thinking about not being there.Paradise will be full and Celtic will give there all.No moans from me lets measure ourselves against the best I bet Hooper and Big Victor will miss these huge nights. Come on you Bhoys in green. H.H.
I really wanted Group D :-(
BGFC – I like yer style…..
Hopefully some of our top signing targets will look at that draw and tell their agents to call Pedro. We could do with a couple of ambitious winners to see us through. Yikes.
Perhaps we will do well to finish fourth (!), but this is what it’s all about; great nights, against the best. We’re not going to win the CL, but if we have to go down in flames, better against these teams in games we will remember, rather going out against lesser sides. I love the smell of napalm in the morning.
Oh, and it won’t have escaped your notice that we will certainly make enough money in these ties to justify buying a good striker.
weeminger
16:31 on
29 August, 2013
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo
16:21 on
29 August, 2013
I think in MONs case it was a lot to do that we could no longer support his model. The splurge at the start of a cycle and then top up.
We’d lost £40m during the 5 years under MON, and the prices in his preferred market were starting to spiral. I suspect whatever amount he felt he needed for the next cycle was far and beyond anything we could have supported.
In a lot of ways it was best for both. The club needed to adopt a more youth based approach and I have to say time has kind of shown that MON’s methods have become outdated.
===========================
Yup. I think it was the spiralling cost of replacements at same level that was the deciding factor. One that the support by and large do not accept.
I had a go at estimating the Seville Squad cost at 2008/09 wages.
Its at
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Aq2m3ggkEX2RdFhOaUdTc0l5OFpkZV9GNWRFMUF3clE&usp=drive_web#gid=0
It would have cost £99m in fees and a wage bill (to which NI would need to be added of £31M for just 16 players.
Wages have p0robbaly risen on average for that standard of player since then.
parkheadcumsalford
17:38 on 29 August, 2013
Celtic, Barca, Milan and Ajax. All previous winners.
********
Correct. The Aristocrats’ Group.
Jo Fillipi – they won’t miss them at all. They’ll not be allowed to play on Champions League nights so they’ll be able to get up for the games or at least watch them on telly…..
oh, right, you mean miss playing in them…….. they may be consoled that their wet weds nights in Inverness and Dundee have been replaced by wetter nights in Southampton and, er, Norwich………
Is that the group with the most combined European Cup wins combined?
Ever?
16?
Charlie Nick – he’s chuffed to bits. His first reaction was – well, we’ve beaten all of them before! Magic.
Jamie Redknapp it a big-time Celtic fan now – he loves it! I remember him last year after the Barca game – he couldn’t believe it – ranted on about it for ages!
HH – BGFC
I bet there is not a single player at Parkhead that doesnt want to play in these games they know playing the best will improve them individualy and collectively. We will need our full squad for all our commitments. H.H.
ALL of those teams have been beaten at Celtic Park before……..in recent times.
Park the bus in away games and chase 3 points in the home games.
Its doable if the right players are brought together in the right amount of time.
Jings..! Crivvens..! Help M’Bhob..!
Can We Get Victor Back On Loan,Please?
Jordan Rhodes & Finbogasson At Ross Park Yet..?
Blow The Lid Off The Biscuit Tin…..
Glad We Don’t Have To Go To Turkey/Greece/Russia Anyway….
hh
Peterwwell to any signing targets”here son how do you fancy a crack at Barca,A C Milan and Ajax in the CL”.
“where do I sign Peter “.
Lawwell :((