The gambles putting Celtic and Newco where they are

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It is 3 years and 3 months since the previous time we met Newco in a League Cup Final.  Celtic were poor that day but still took home the trophy amid wastefulness in front of goal and one of the greatest goalkeeping displays I have ever seen.

Since then, Celtic have been completely transformed.  From that matchday squad, only Callum McGregor and James Forrest remain at the club (Mikey Johnston is out on loan).  We generated cash by selling players, scouted and recruited well, and now sit with a valuable player pool that is comfortably outperforming all others in Scotland.

Seven of the Newco team that lost in 2019 started against Celtic on Sunday, another two were on the bench.  Their squad development has been limited and mostly unable to force their way onto the field.  Four of their starting 11 on Sunday are not contracted beyond June, another two are in their final 18 months.

By contrast, none of Celtic’s starting 11 are out of contract this year and only the oldest two, Hart and Mooy, are out next year (they are also the only two in their 30s).  Everyone else has two, three or four years under contract.

Since 2019, one club in Glasgow went through the gamble of selling and buying, while another went through the gamble of inaction.  You could argue that both worked and failed by some measure.  Newco won their first title, Scottish Cup and reached a European final – a reward for retaining talent through their peak years.  But now they are a busted flush without resources to rebuild.  Celtic dropped one particularly important title, but the next generation, well as the last, is ours.

It might only have been the League Cup that was won and lost on Sunday, but the anguish across the city is indicative of a greater pain, that of structural disadvantage.  More on that soon.

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  1. Just catching up – it’s been a bit crazy down here today…..

     

    THE BATTERED BUNNET at 12:14

     

    Thanks for the kind words but the pleasure was all ours

     

    RON BACARDI – you keep on inspiring us all. I’m hoping and trusting that’s good news you’ve just received.

     

    EVERYONE ELSE -Keep on enjoying these special times. It’s so good to feel so good!

  2. What is the Starz on

    Ron

     

    Best of luck with your treatment

     

     

    You have a few more trebles to enjoy …So hang around

  3. Came across this on twitter

     

    🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Boyle🇻🇦

     

    @Boyle_67

     

    ·

     

    9h

     

    Not sure if it’s true or not but apparently James Tavernier turned up for training this morning and was tackled in the car park by Daizen Maeda. Never stops

     

    😂

  4. Scaniel.

     

     

    Hope your big jimmy(pony) is doin grand.i believe the other big jimmy and friends have a get the gither on friday at the shipbank.rumour on the street is the two big jimmys may meet, but a sticking point may be a driver going more than half a mile without a pint!! :-)))

     

     

    Hope all is good at the farm.great work

     

     

    Hail Hail

  5. Hello again all you young rebels

     

     

    From a still laffin Melbourne peninsula 🤣

     

    Just a quick one for oor Ron Bacardi.

     

    Luv your fighting spirit mhate, a true Celt.

     

    H H. Mick

  6. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/scottish-premiership

     

     

    This is not a wind up.

     

     

    This is actual BBC online content at 00:20 on 01 March.

     

     

    Of the first NINE articles

     

     

    – 6 are about Dundee United’s woes

     

    – 2 are daily gossip

     

    – 1 is about Kyogo

     

     

    I believe a guy called Wilson (first name might be Sammy?) heads up BBC Sport Scotland Online?

     

     

    Grand sounding job title but he’s possibly just a p1ss ant Assistant Director with delusions.

     

     

    He may be hurting right now.

  7. DAVID66 on 28TH FEBRUARY 2023 5:02 PM

     

    So its an early kick off on Friday at Ye old Shipbank.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Mr BRRB at which time will you grace us with your presence sir?

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Big Jimmy what time we talking?

     

     

    ……………..

     

     

    I will be in the SHIPPY around 11.30am

     

     

    I have NO PLANS to go any other Pub before then.

     

    LOL

     

    HH Mate.

  8. I did One Fitba Bet yesterday ( Tuesday)

     

     

    It was/is a CORRECT SCORE ” LUKY 15″….obviously Four Selections/Games.

     

    The first TWO Correct Scores have already came up..

     

    The English FA Cup…

     

     

    FULHAM to beat LEEDS….by 2 – 0 @ odds of 10/1.

     

    MAN CITY to beat BRISTOL CITY… by 3 – 0 @ odds of 7/1.

     

     

    I am waiting on TWO EPL games Tonight ( WEDNESDAY)……..Arsenal and Liverpool… to TRY and see IF my Correct Score ” Lucky 15″ comes up ?

     

     

    I MUST keep a close eye on POSSIBLE ” CASH OUT” Options…IF the Score lines are going my way DURING the games.

     

     

    IF the Two Correct Scores also come UP Tonight……I will send the Bhoys in the Shipbank a wee POST CARD from the Feckin BAHAMAS ?

     

    LOL

     

    HH

  9. Good morning all from a dark but mild Garngad.

     

     

    Still got a bounce in my step from Sunday.

     

     

    Ron best of luck keep on keeping on.

     

     

    D :)

  10. bigrailroadblues on

    Good morning all from Govanhill.

     

    Big Jimmy, I had a bet at 10/1 but there was a rule 4, 20p in the pound. Feckers. 😡

  11. I was just wondering was there any mention of the sectarian bile DURING the minutes applause on Sunday as it’s normal practice if someone coughs during a minutes respect at our game to get highlighted constantly .

  12. itscalledthemalvinas on

    JIMTIM

     

    Saw a piece from Tam McManus (Hibs legend)

     

    Blasting the huns for sectarian singing during the minutes applause ,by the minority no doubt. Then we got it as well for booing the huns .

     

    Playing the old “ones as bad as another” card to save his windows !

  13. Prestonpans bhoys on

    “Then we got it as well for booing the huns .”

     

     

    Yes a very weird thing for him to sprout, not very logical but then again if it saves your windows…….

  14. I watched the game again this morning for the fourth time.

     

     

    Today Mahe on SC is suggesting Celtic can let the handbrake off and really put on the style and go for it. Players allowed to shoot, be greedy, do a little trick, putting on a show even in the remaining games.

     

     

    I dont want them to do that. I want them all to put the team first.

     

    Play the way we do, but just be more clinical and dare i say it even less greedy.

     

     

    At the game in the first half I did not think Taylor or Jota or Maeda played so well, and were guilty of making the wrong choices. not playing the ball fast or direct enough.

     

     

    But I did think a goal was coming, that one of the overlaps would work, Hatate and Mooy in particular to play one of the mentioned above in, and a goal or two would come , and so it came to be, joyfully.

     

     

    The last 15 minutes though, the 2 subs Matt, Haksa and Abada, greedy when through on goal and for each of their chances, there was an easy pass to a team mate that they didnt take.

     

     

    I dont want greedy I want the joy of hun skelping by a big margin when it is on, team first please, there is an area for improvement right there.

     

     

    Onto Liel, hihg up in the south stand looking at him the 2 times he got to nick the ball and go forward fast, Being kind the first one I thought he pulled up some and wasnt convincing enough.

     

    The dive, god knows what he is thinking, maybe also i dont want to get hurt here, if he continued his run into the box properly one of them was going to hit him.

     

     

    Onto Oh, he has something as well as the dig, very skilful footballer, the barge into the ribs of the hun, I bet he was feeling it still sore till now, that was maybe a bit stupid, but brer hun knows he is in a game.

     

     

    As a ps, look at the strenght of kyogo in standing up to the hun trying to lauch him as he scores the second goal, he wasnt out musled and made the bigger player look daft.

     

     

    Anyways pump them at celtic park, McGregor made 3 big saves, but imho he is done.

     

     

    there ends the sermon

     

     

    Small observations,

  15. How can we get rid of all these energy company’s ,also local councils which there is to many ,local councillors ,and many MSPs who I really don’t get them ,

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