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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LuxCelt – Totally agree, and have said this before. But its nothing to get worked up about, as no matter who we want, or Neil wants, it won’t actually have any effect on the draw……. ;-)
Its just good to hear who people want, and its great to be there, thinking about the possabilities. Personally I am a bit sick that we are still in pot 4. I think the co-efficient points are weighted far too heavily for the big teams from the big nations. And the fact that we had to get through 3 qualifying rounds, and will have to do that again next season, is a joke. We should have been in the same position as Arsenal, one qualifying game, win go into Champions League, lose, go into Europa league, I think we have earned that atleast.
LuxCelt
Van Dyke is a player and will be our centre-back. The big man has class and once he gains full fitness and cohesion you’ll see it. Personally been very impressed by Virgil.
Ghuys,
Our ideal draw is:
Benfica
CSKA Moscow
Olympiakos
Teams to avoid as they do not suit our style of play (based on gut feel) rather than any pseudo intellectual reasoning:
Chelsea
Bayern Munich
Athletico Madrid
Shaktar Donetsk
Man City
Basel
Dortmund
We need to adopt a steady back 4 over the next 4 weeks, hopefully Izzy being dropped to the bench will buck his ideas up – and integrate Derk, Virgil and whoever happens to be the new centre forward.
A solid September required with minimum travel , only 3 weeks to the first game , so everything needs to get up to speed quickly.
Hoping for an away game first, as away on hols!
HH
Whomever is lucky enough to draw us in their group should be thankful. I have a feeling Real Madrid’s time has come :-)
Hailx2
We will be in the Group of Death……
Whereas the huns are in fact Dead.
Strangefactscsc
James Forrest is praying for The Unconquerable Oscar Knox
Sadly we are a million miles from auto qualification.
The best we can hope for via the Champions route is 2 qualifiers like we had last season. For that Scotland has to be ranked 16th (currently Cyprus)
LuxCelt, You are spot on re the draw, what you need is a stand out team in Pot 1. For 2 reasons (A) They are likely as you already said to beat all other teams, and (B) We are the one team that could get a result from them at Celtic Park. Its in Pot 2 & Pot 3 that we should be hoping to get beatable teams.
Wee Forrest had a great second half.Sammi ran them ragged.A point that was lost on Collins And Nicholas.Efe was magnificent.Looked like he was training leisurely.Charlies distribution was superb.Mathews great.Most of the teams we have played recently in Europe dont seem to have a clue how to play Sammi.They have never seen anyone like that!!!!!.
Kusadasi jumping last night.The usual 10 regulars and loads of holidaymakers with the hoops on.Two Dutch guys went next door and bought strips to sit with us.They loved it.Got in at 5 am.Just got up .
!!Bada Bing!!
14:51 on
29 August, 2013
Bayern, PSG, Man City, Napoli
another group of death for City?
James Forrest
There is a great piece of wisdom in the book The Prophet about Joy and Sorrow.
It goes on the lines of ” Your Joy is your Sorrow Unmasked.”
I’ll post it later. It is a philosophical look at the Shaktar episode.
However I am prompted to mention it now in respect of our “friends” like Bill McMurdo.
If Gibran were writing the same piece today it would say
“Our Joy is their Sorrow unmasked.”
I like to think if Gibran were alive today he would be a Tim.
scottishleaf:
How in God’s name did Cyprus get in front of us in the rankings?
Does UEFA make this stuff up as it goes along?
Jesus, that’s unreal.
Auldheid:
Haha. I like that a lot mate.
Hope you’re well. It’s been a wee while since we had a good debate.
K33-great to be in it again,just don’t want Chelsea for obvious reasons.We need to deal in guys re new contracts,Samaras firstly…
EKBhoy
sorry mate but that is drivel. As I posted earlier, we don’t want a Benfica or anyone like that. Benfica will drop points to the other 2 teams, who will be our rivals. We need a class act like Bayern who will ruthlessly dispose of the pot 2 and 3 teams, allowing us to get into a scrap for points with these 2 sides. Coming from pot 4, second or even third is a victory for us. We need someone to run away with the group, allowing us to fight it out with 2 teams closer to our level. Additionally there is always ther chance of a point (or even more) at a full celtic park against the big guns. Barca trouncing everyone else last year was a massive help to us.
It really is wide of the mark to hope for an ‘easy’ Pot1 team. Very naïve.
Awe Naw
Should have read “8 year gap” when we were not in the top two- 88 to 96
So Sevco celebrating a Champions League cash windfall….
They can hire out Murray Park at least three more times.
ToldyewewouldprogressCSC
JF – Apoel Nicosia got to the last 8 two season ago!
Scottishleaf – very informative, much appreciated.
timbhoy2 – that’s terrible. Report that poster to our host!
T4
SFTB 14.47
A Concise and Honest summary.
The thing that has really got my goat is the sense of “entitlement” that pervades large sections of our support.
A trait i attribute to the hordes south of the river and that i described as quite appropriately “hun like” this morning.
Keep telling it like it is.
Sftb
Yup
An attitude of gratitude for what we have instead of resentment at what we don’t.
Aw Naw
Have you read The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom?
I commend it. Life changing.
James Forrest is praying for The Unconquerable Oscar Knox
Really simple, their teams have performed far better than Scottish ones!
APOEL Nicosia accrued 20 points a couple of seasons ago and Cyprus country score for the year was 9 points
Currently Cyprus are projected to be 14th ranked next season and still have 2 of teams in the Europa League
Scotland has one remaining participant
I guess the main thing to remember is all the rankings are based on 5 years of performance
LuxCelt
EKBhoy
Interesting points from you both. Just out of interest. Does 3 teams from the top 5 countries generate more TV cash for Celtic or is that irrelevant because we make the TV cash from our own broadcasters?
LB
*2 of 4 teams in Europe
Charlotte Fakeovers@CharlotteFakes18m
Worst administrators in the world (probably).
1. http://i.imgur.com/KvuXWnO.jpg
2. http://i.imgur.com/Q8hEWyL.jpg
3. http://i.imgur.com/xyxwwLr.jpg
Been out and about this morning and managed to pick up various radio programmes take on last night.
The National Stations outwith Scotland (without exception) were full of praise for our performance last night – some off the presenters waxed lyrically.
Heard the opening minutes of the Hawksbey & Jacobs show – they were absolutely delighted for us. Andy Jacobs said he was watching the game on TV and leaped of the couch when the 3rd goal went in.
Looks like non-SMSM are really looking forward to our European participation.
Arsenal make first big signing of the window. The return of Mattieu Flamini on a free from Milan. I’d imagine Arsenal Quick News will be in meltdown.
Those stats on the Cypriots are depressing when held up alongside the performance of Scottish teams.
Is their oil money in Cyprus? Casinos? Super-casinos? Do they have a roaring gold and diamond trade, funding their football?
Or do they know something about youth development that we don’t?
Watching the highlights again from last night, I am struck by the fact that Kris Commons looks just as chunky in a hooped jersey as he did when he was being pilloried after games where we dropped points.
We never seem to highlight this as an issue when we win games- maybe its less important than we think or maybe he’s less chunky than he looks :-)
Champions League draw Predictor:
Just an hour to go, Bhoys.
My prediction:
Chelsea, PSG, Zenit
My preference:
Bayern (for the beer trip), CSKA Moscow, Basel
C’mon Caesar!
Samaras mystifies me. He had an absolute shocker in Kazakhstan, didn’t kick a ball, didn’t look interested. Then last night he was practically unplayable and was instrumental in turning the tie around. I’ve no idea what goes on in his head but if he could be Good Sami every week we’d have a £10m + player on our hands. I know folk will say it’s all about the position he’s played in but I’m not sure it’s only that. Anyway, love the guy to bits, warts and all.
Ah am quite Jocose, with the The Requirement that Three Qualification Rounds,
must be successfully Negotiated,before entry is Allowed into the Euro League,Proper.
Our Present state of being a Seeded Team.. tends tae Allow us tae be faced by inferior Teams…
And. Those Succeeding SIx Games, sets us up Nicely..
Fitness Wise..and Also Technically.. tae be in Much Better Shape,than if we would have bin..if we entered the European League Proper,without those Six Qualifiers.
For , Let me remind you,folks..
That , Celtic,are Handicapped severely, owing to the Fact, that the Commencement of the European League,Contests.. take Place… At the Very Beginning of our New Season..
The Celtic Players , are therefore, usually, in Pretty Bad shape.. Fitness Wize,
because of their very Recent Return from thur Summer Break.
Can you imagine How we wid fare,as A Team.. In Facing Crack Continental Opposition, in the Euro League, so early in oor Season..Without a number of toughening up Games??
No.. Ah am ,possibly ,in the Minority ,here..
But Ah contend..
Ah am Happy tae Be Presented with those. Three Qualifiying Rounds.
Kojo
Still..Laughin’
FC København Den 47.140
Napoli Ita 46.829
Anderlecht Bel 44.880
These are the three sides above us in Pot 4
In Pot 3 the lowest ranked team is Bayer Leverkusen with a ranking of 53.922
Celtic currently have a ranking of 37.538 plus the point we got for getting in putting us on a par with the Danes.
Now this year of transition I think makes it more important to get third place and then a run in the Europa league to boost our coefficient as Benfica and Chelsea did despite falling out before us.
Next season we’ll be in the qualifiers but seeded again as in the last two seasons . we will know our coefficient but we won’t know who will qualify from other leagues at this stage. With the right kind of domestic year across Europe, we could see Celtic move to Pot 3 fro next year but this year we would need a group which gave us a good chance of getting at least 3rd so please stop all the glamour stuff – easiest group possible.
I’ve just noticed a wee coincidence which I think our mobile phone service providers should be looking into. Whenever Celtic have a bad result, my message inbox is full, (due mainly to deid club ex-supporters reminding me of same!), but, anytime after a good result, nothing!
Spooky or what?
HH
My draw prediction easy just pick the teams with plastic pitches
See if we don’t sign anyone else, apart from the Pukkimon.
Can we still get loan players in after saturday night ???
SFTB
Wacthed the game with my neighbour who is a big Tim and but didn;t go to the match last night as he was off on his holidays today. Anyway, Kris got the ball near the halfway line near the end of the 2nd half and a player bounced off him. That’s why he has that build. It’s for stregnth. He has been a fine signing and a great player for Celtic. He knows what it means to pull on that jersey. Just like Samaras he has been won over by the club.
The desire in the eys of the players last night was frightening. The Bhoys wanted it so much. Dunno what Neil said to them beforehand but I would love to hear one of his team talks!
LB
Luxcelt
Like the boy in this story
A teacher asks the class “If there are 4 birds on a wall and I shoot one how many are left?
None shouts wee Johnny.
No three she says. How do you get none?
The noise would frighten the other birds away.
Ok Johnny your wrong but I like your thinking.
Miss if 3 women are sitting on a bench, each with an ice cream cone and one us licking the ice cream, one is biting it and the third is sucking it.
Which one is married?
The one sucking it? She replies.
No Miss, the one with the wedding ring on her finger
But I like your thinking.
THE EXILED TIM
15:09 on
29 August, 2013
We’re also signing Biton, he’s having medical today. Saturday 11pm is deadline for Scottish teams, we can sign players who are out of contract after that. Not sure when CL deadline is, I suspect Monday night since all of the big leagues transfer deadline is then.
LiviBhoy, Is the TV money pooled now and do all teams not get an equal share. I think that was the case last year but then again I could be talking through my hat.
I think Paul 67’s article heading this blog was excellent, I know there was a difference between the clappers & the shafters re “The Boards” seeming reluctance to invest in the squad. I felt as frustrated as anyone particularly about lack of quality striker but I couldn’t agree with the contentions that the Board were not acting in the best interests of the Club.