We had a very real problem this transfer window – our chief scout walked out the door 20 days before it opened. Think what you like about Lee Congerton, but when Brendan Rodgers took him to Leicester, the apex of our recruitment structure left a significant hole in a club that knew it needed to significantly replenish its squad.
The top priority was to appoint a manager, which happened within minutes after the Scottish Cup Final. It would be Neil’s job to identify where we needed to strengthen and the type of player he wanted, but we also had to find a chief scout of the calibre required. There is not a fluid market for such people.
Nicky Hammond had worked at Reading and West Brom and got the gig on a ‘show us what you can do’ basis. He, Neil and Peter Lawwell needed to quickly get on the same wavelength and work with some targets. He was appointed on 20 June, four weeks before Champions League qualification began, with precious little opportunity to scout players. Even when he did scouting, most were preseason, playing friendlies, when it is impossible to measure true capabilities.
When Brendan left six months ago I was not unduly worried. He had clearly been working his ticket since August, allowing no one with clarity on the future, but taking Congerton in May was a low blow. He must have known the carnage this would cause.
11 weeks on from Nicky Hammond’s appointment and we have signed Moritz Bauer (loan with option to buy) and Hatem Elhamid for the right back role, Greg Taylor and Boli Bolingoli at left back and Christopher Jullien in central defence.
Southampton’s current top earner, but third choice keeper, Fraser Forster made a surprise loan return after Scott Bain was injured, while left-winger Mohamed Elyounoussi also arrived on a season loan from Southampton.
A significant volume of our work this window was done on the youth market. Luca Connell (18), a defensive mid, arrived from Bolton, striker Jonathan Afolabi (18), means the headcount from Southampton reached three. Then last night, we saw right back Jeremie Frimpong (18) come from Manchester City and central defender, Lee O’Connor (18) appear from Manchester United, both on four-year deals.
Out went Kieran Tierney (sigh), Mikael Lustig (again, sigh), Dedryck Boyatak, Marvin Compper, Cristian Gamboa, Scott Allan, Emilio Izaguirre, Doris de Vries and Youssouf Mulumbu, while loaners Toljan, Burke, Weah and Benkovic returned to their parent clubs.
The time to judge a transfer window is at the end of the season, but right now, considering the unprecedented challenges we faced this summer, it appears to have gone better than I expected. We brought in a completely new defence and goalkeeper, lost only two players who would still get into the team (KT and Dedryck), strengthened an already strong forward line with Elyounoussi and bought four teenagers.
Ahead of the visit to Ibrox, it was clear so some of us that despite the Clujbacle, we had navigated a path through some choppy waters. Sunday’s win, and our subsequent transfer dealings, seem to have convinced the more sceptical that this will be our second nine-in-a-row season. A few panicked over-reactions out there? Sudocrem is available from all good supermarkets.
We will know soon if Nicky Hammond will be retained, but in his short tenure, he has worked well with the manager and chief executive. I am sure those inside the club are still too stressed to agree, but maybe we will look back and consider it a good thing that both Brendan and Lee Congerton left when they did. After eight-in-a-row and a treble-treble, you might expect some staleness at the lack of genuine challengers, but there is a fresh feel about Celtic this morning. We are in a good place.
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CORKCELT on 3RD SEPTEMBER 2019 8:34 PM
Sounds interesting and positive.
They can work wonders these days .
A nice shinny modern spurce up would do me.Not bothered about too much capacity.
I would imagine we could make a lot more back in corporate revenue and getting the stadium on the UEFA finals rota.
Credit already for the impressive work that has been done outside the stadium.
It really really hurts the other team in the city that we have a bit of class outside the stadium
Scotstoun voted a resounding No to Brexit and anurra No to “Cricket”
Fact.
Found it on DR. Well done broonie for keeping calm facing up to him.
CORKCELT on 3RD SEPTEMBER 2019 8:00 PM
sinclair, miller, hayes and gordon will leave in jan or next summer as will the loan winger and likely the loan rightback.
Of the young loan players We sent out on loan I dont think any bar ewan henderson will have a chance here.
They We need to factor in the risk of losing one or more players We would rather keep.
The kids vary in age and stage so likely the new gk, cb, dembele and oxo-flex are a way behind o’conner and connell.
We may have spend a few million on all these kids and their wages but If only 1 makes it through at a vary giid level it will still be cheaper than a jullien boli or even an elhamad. These is no sych think as to much good young players its up to they to show they are good enough.
HH
Ivehad- Tweet pulled
https://stv.tv/news/west-central/1440480-scott-brown-taunted-over-sister-s-death-following-old-firm/
FRANNYB67 on 3RD SEPTEMBER 2019 7:28 PM
Sevco charging £40 more than Celtic for their Europa package got to pay for Clark Kent somehow
Outrageous for a pot 4 diddy team
Q- would be interesting to see what other clubs are charging for EL games?
Q-Wolves £20 a game for ST Holders
Thanks BD.
Hamilton on 12 September – will be interesting to see lennie’s squad choice.
The 99p for the Kent interview has to be a joke, right ?
I sit 4 rows from the back of WS2 (maIn stand) , which means I can’t see the majority of top tier. The big screens are hidden by the maze of struts supporting the roof and the tiny TVs hanging from the girders are woefully inadequate,
Always thought any structure which requires pillar support except on match days needs to be upgraded. Also any ground that claims to be world class should surely not have any ‘restricted viewing’ seating anywhere ?
All modern grounds tend to have the roof at a consistent height all round which would naturally dictate the maximum seating available plus make the entrance even more formidable.
Happy to see the main stand roof lifted for a second tier or additional hospitality .
Thanks for reply Stephbhoy. We had a big clear out of non productive players in June, looks like it will be a similar job next year , Already a Keeper, Miller, Hendry, probably Hayes who is on last year of contract, Arzani, Kouassi, & Eleyounoussi will all probably go and as ever we will sell one or two of our better players. So as you say there will be rooms for a Frimpong, a Luca or O’Connor to step up if good enough.
celtic mac
Don’t understand!! are you sure you are reading my figures correctly.
Or do you know who I am and having a we dig?
QF
CORKCELT
At worst we will need a Gk, Rb (If loans not converted) and a left winger. We may need to add further If we lose one of our better players too. The likely departures outside those areas are not gonna be overly concerning.
Sinclair, gordon, miller, hayes, arzani all on free next summer and will likely all departure.
Ps hope source for south stand upgrage is correct its long overdue.
HH
Embramike/MoonbeamsWD,
I ( and several others from CQN) were in the main stand executive seats at opening game of the season
Have to say, looking up at the stands structure, tells you something significant is required in the nit to distant future
Full main stand in need of major upgrade, in my view
Looks ok from my seat in the Lower North Stand though
Hail Hail
BoJo just got his Bojos handed to him
Beat by 328 to 301
He now wants to call an election but Corbyn, so far, not playing ball with that
We live in interesting times
Hello again all you young rebels.
Good morning from a warming up Melbourne, 22 degs yesterday
on the first days of spring,new hoops tops everywhere but still
can’t see the ragers wans cummin.
Thats the problem here in a Celtic lovin country you can’t find a
hurtin hun anywhere, just to give a friendly nod you understand.
A well, I’ll keep hunting , meanwhile looking forward to our Celtic
BBQ’s at the beach park.
Are you lurkin Paddymac, all organised?
H.H Mick
I’d like the new capacity to be 67,525.
The perfect homage to the Lisbon Lions.
I don’t think the area surrounding Paradise could cope with more traffic (parking) if there was an increase to capacity.
Police are moving cars off the grass areas as it is, Anyhoo, still lovin the fawoot fae the animals fae Sunday,
God Bless Lenny.
This is exactly what Johnson wanted, Robert Peston on ITV has it nailed!!.
John
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SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 3RD SEPTEMBER 2019 10:21 PM
BoJo just got his Bojos handed to him
Beat by 328 to 301
He now wants to call an election but Corbyn, so far, not playing ball with that
We live in interesting times
MELBOURNE MICK
I could be in Melbourne during November where could I watch the Euro games live.I am glad that spring is on the way.
Hail Hail.
SFtB’s…
Thanks for taking the time this morning to reply to my splurge…
As usual, I find in these dialogues we are not that far appart. Often coming from different perspectives.
In ine point…
My feeling is what Celtic football club stands for isn’t historic as such… the history defines who we are today and what we will be tomorrow.
Those lording over us at present, whether due to the huge amount of shares they have, a sense of entiltlement as corporate and executive members or as super executives, with the feet firmly under their desk are custodians. Custodians of something far greater than them…
You can accept their excuses for under achievement or you can go with my annual adage…
Fail to prepare, prepare to fail…
“We had a very real problem this transfer window – our chief scout walked out the door 20 days before it opened. Think what you like about Lee Congerton, but when Brendan Rodgers took him to Leicester, the apex of our recruitment structure left a significant hole in a club that knew it needed to significantly replenish its squad.
Now they run the Club to their whims and expect you to buy the above guff… fact is – many do.
Fact is – I posted this link in early March…
https://talksport.com/football/504982/lee-congerton-celtic-rodgers-leave/
If you believe for one moment that Celtic PLC didn’t know at the end of February Lee Congerton was leaving… just one question.
What do you think about the Emperors new Clothes;)
Hail Hail
Just watched Neil’s media conference from earlier today.
What a difference.
He looks so relaxed compared to a fortnight ago.
Pleased for him.
STPATRICKSBHOY
Thats the problem for our Celtic clubs in Oz, the time difference.
Some games start at 3-4 in the morn, and lots of our bhoys travel
great distances to the CSC.
Celtic tv is your best shot, if you can source it, i’m still having probs.
Let me know when you arrive and hopefully meet up for a jug, and
maybe you could make a visit to us at the Mornington Social Celts.
H.H Mick
Worthing Bhoy
Boris wants what Dominic Cummings tells him he wants. Bojo does not have a strategic bone in his body.
The backlash against Cummings has already started. They don’t like amoral political machinists coming in and taking over their party.
The Tories are like the Huns- they only do Unity until they get defeated- Boris has only one outlet- do a deal with Farage and his party. The Tories will try to take another step rightwards, a direction they have been trying to row back from since Thatcher went mad. Their centre will not hold.
Meantime, the rest of us are screwed
Chairbhoy
“f you believe for one moment that ……… just one question.
What do you think about the Emperors new Clothes;)”
Think you have mistaken me for either a Royal correspondent or a Fashion guru.
Don’t think I could carry off either role
MELBOURNE MICK
Thanks for the response.I have been over times and in Sydney managed to find a bar which opened at 6.30 am and got some games also managed to get streams on my tablet.I have played golf down your peninsula and could be back that way I will ask Paul for your email when I arrive and hope to be in touch.
Hail Hail
You’ll follow the footsteps of many famous CQN’rs too many
to mention lol.
Hope you make it.
H.H Mick
Regarding the Transfer of the Century over on the dark side, which of the following do you think is more likely:
a) It was always their intention to sign Kent and they had planned to unveil him directly after beating us on Sunday, which would have sent the Huns into ‘stopping the 9’ overdrive
b) After the injury to that wee idiot Jones they needed a winger brought in asap and Kent was the only one they could think of before the window shut
c) King really has lost the plot and, realising they lack any real quality, this is a deperate last attempt to stop us and keep the hun suppporters happy for another while
SftBs @ 11:20 PM,
Well it’s got nought to do with sartorial elegance:))))
Fact is…
You either can’t see it
Or
You really can’t see it.
Hail Hail
LAZYDYNAMITE on 3RD SEPTEMBER 2019 6:30 PM
I do not live in scotland .I live in the east coast of yorkshire.
Believe me around here vote leave is the vast majority .
======================================================
This lady would seem to confirm what you say.
https://twitter.com/jeff_round/status/1168919334242181121?s=21
Good morning CQN from a windswept and rain soaked Garngad
MM – you think it’s hard finding a Hun in the Green Peninsula where you now reside, ffs Mick on all of your travels have you ever found a handsome Hun? Nah me neither, still searching.
Hail Hail
D. :)
Have we signed a left back?, oh wait… We got two……
Hail Hail
Nick Clegg charges £60,000-£80,000 plus flights from California where he currently works for Facebook
Boris Johnson charges £100,000.
11 March 2019
The Brexit Millionaires: Channel 4 Dispatches
Monday 11th March, Channel 4, 8pm
Leading Brexiteer and Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg is estimated to have earnt £7m from one of his investments since the referendum according to an investigation by Channel 4 Dispatches.
#Former Foreign Secretary William Hague was offered at £40-50k
#Former Government minister Jo Johnson was the cheapest at £15,000
#Conservative Remainer Kenneth Clarke earned almost £14,000 for 2 recent speeches on Brexit
#Former Brexit secretary David Davis was recently paid £19,000 for a speech to the City
#After he left Downing Street, David Cameron he earnt £120,000 for a speech to Wall Street that talked about Brexit
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Nice work if you can get it.
Sorry – that last post was a bit of a mess.
Basically, this is what these hoods charge per speech:
Nick Clegg charges £60,000-£80,000 plus flights from California where he currently works for Facebook
Boris Johnson charges £100,000.
#Former Foreign Secretary William Hague was offered at £40-50k
#Former Government minister Jo Johnson was the cheapest at £15,000
#Conservative Remainer Kenneth Clarke earned almost £14,000 for 2 recent speeches on Brexit
#Former Brexit secretary David Davis was recently paid £19,000 for a speech to the City
#After he left Downing Street, David Cameron he earnt £120,000 for a speech to Wall Street that talked about Brexit
Is there something wrong with page 7???
Keeps asking me to log in.
Yet I can comment on every other page….
D. :)
Sorted now I believe.
Right aff tae work, enjoy laughing at the Huns Bhoys and Ghirls
Hail Hail
D. :)