Consider this: with Celtic certainties to win the league, they have now been given three consecutive home Scottish Cup games, against Brechin, Partick and Morton, on the road to perhaps becoming the first club to retain the treble in Scottish football history. For so many years home cup draws were as elusive as the outcome to SFA review results into Rangers Uefa licence in 2011, but here we are.
The big picture from the weekend: Despite things still being far from flowing on the park, I’m delighted with the win over Partick Thistle. Of the two cup games this week, the Thistle game was the most important. An aggregate win over Zenit would flood more euros into the Celtic Park coffers, but progress of (perhaps only) one more round in the Europa League will be forgotten long before the outcome of this season’s Scottish Cup.
In his first five seasons in charge, Jock Stein won five league titles and five League Cups, losing three Scottish Cup games during that period. This is the standard we now dare aspire to.
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Apologises to anyone that this general sweeping statement misrepresents but thinking back to December following the Champions League group exit there were roughly 4 themes around improving the team that were being discussed. Centre back, Defensive Midfielder, Creative Midfielder/number 10 and a goalkeeper.
Now if we take transfer fees and any perception of how good we think the players are or not out the equation (My views on Jack Hendry are well published on here) then we have to accept that all 4 areas have been addressed by the club.
The GK is debatable I suppose, as that may have been a stop gap based on necessity rather than an attempt at moving the squad. They have signed 2 centre backs and a creative midfielder/number 10. They did not sign a defensive midfielder but the return of Eboue Kouassi and the decision not to send him out of on loan and re-integrate him into the first team squad has filled this gap (which is also a thing that was being widely asked for on here)
According to Transfermarkt.co.uk we paid £6.75m for Jozo. Don’t know how accurate their sources are though.
BMCUW,
I agree that we should be spending money rather than it sitting in a bank account,
but i dont see even a £40million spend helping us make any inroads
in a competition where teams transfer spend and wages is measured
in the hundreds of millions
@TRADITIONALIST88 on 13TH FEBRUARY 2018 11:46 AM
Yet again you fall into the same trap: “nor is it your job to determine transfer strategy at Celtic.” So I can’t criticise the strategy because it is not my job? So because I was not Celtic manager, Deila was beyond my criticism? Similarly, because I was not a general in the British army I could critique the decision to go to war in Iraq? Are you seeing a pattern here?
“What I am pointing out is that there are multiple factors when trying to get a deal done, none of which are taken into consideration by those behind a keyboard who think they could do better.”
Sure there are multiple factors but you are not privy to them. Anything you suggest is conjecture, hypothesis and speculation. What is objective is that we have £30m in the bank. You can’t refute that and it therefore follows that we have funds available to spend in the transfer market. That’s objective and irrefutable.
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 13TH FEBRUARY 2018 11:42 AM
“You are missing the point- it’s not my job to have names and my failure to produce any does not give a reprieve to those whose job it is at Celtic. This line of argument is reductive. For example, carry this into any area of life: can politicians only critique politicians; footballers only critique footballers? My inability to provide names does not negate the validity of the criticism. I think my point if fair and objective.”
I really don’t understand this statement. Of course other people can criticise both politicians and footballers and football clubs transfer policy for that matter but surely for that criticism to be taken seriously you have to be able to argue a viable counter strategy??????? You don’t appear to offer any counter strategy other than and I’m paraphrasing here “spend more money”
!!BADA BING!! on 13TH FEBRUARY 2018 11:45 AM
Yes actually I think you may be correct, I think you have probably also helped validate my point of view
GORDYBHOY64 on 13TH FEBRUARY 2018 11:53 AM
Good point although there is an argument to say we have had some pretty tough luck with the groups we’ve landed in the last two years(facing 4 of the favourites), and both times we’ve looked at other groups and thought about what might have been.
HH
Isn’t it possible that our inept, disjointed displays on the field (and in recruitment) is simply a direct reflection of the inept performance of the Plc?
By inept I am referring to the shameful neglect of their responsibilities in respect of the continued cheating by the club currently playing out of Ibrox.
Until supporters wake up to the fact that we are being sold a ‘pup’ we are accepting a role as second class citizens.
The players are even trying to tell you. That’s why some of the are playing like the couldn’t care less. They can see the lack of investment and the quality of the players being brought in.
Money is the only goal.
That’s why Peter Lawwell rates Neil Doncaster…Money.
BMCUWPs,
I saw your post yesterday explaining basic arithmetic ( Sevco took 9 points from Aberdeen, therefore we are top of the league by 1 point courtesy of those Sevco wins…thanks :) ).
Till Later,
HH
S1916- a different tack could possibly employ an agent to source players in our budget, Dembele’s agent played the long game re MD, possibly see what he can dig up?
Bada, I think an agents job is to look after players interests not clubs, isnt it?
Deilas decisions were out there for all to see on the pitch – Celtics transfer procedure whereby a deal can fall apart for several reasons is not broadcast live on youtube for your perusal. So again, a strange and pointless analogy.
‘Sure there are multiple factors but you are not privy to them.’
Yes I am. We all are. To name a few… Transfer fee, agents, lifestyle, wages, contract clauses, squad parity, other clubs bidding for same target, willingness to play in a league with low reputation.
Have a little think about this and you will see why the exasperated, excitable ‘spend more money’ cries are way too simplistic.
CLOGHER CELT on 13TH FEBRUARY 2018 12:00 PM
By inept I am referring to the shameful neglect of their responsibilities in respect of the continued cheating by the club currently playing out of Ibrox.
Don’t quite get this reference?
Continuation myth, I get the frustrations here. Lack of dealing with historical issues absolutely. The always on behaviour of the MIB’s F-YEAH but unless I have missed something what “continued cheating by the club currently playing out of Ibrox.” Is happening at the moment?
Every chance I have missed a point somewhere but would be good to get clarified in case I have?
Last post in response to
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 13TH FEBRUARY 2018 11:54 AM
!BADA BING!! on 13TH FEBRUARY 2018 12:02 PM
Would evidence not suggest that this is indeed the strategy being deployed?
B67- clubs are cosy with agents they can trust now, we used a lot of players through Kayal’s agent, Dudu i think? Trust is huge, knowing an agent and a selling club won’t leak any info, to create a market ,and a bigger fee eventually.HH
S1916- see above mate…;)) hopefully of a higher quality than Dudu’s clients HH
SEÁNP1916 on 13TH FEBRUARY 2018 11:55 AM
Sean,
“you have to be able to argue a viable counter strategy???????” One, suggesting which players to sign is not a
counter-strategy, (if anything) it would be the suggestion of how to implement a strategy.
Secondly, it’s completely pointless to suggest names. For example, I think we should sign Svenn Crone a defender from Brondby- a name I have picked at random. What now? Do i send this to Celtic? Do we argue about this theoretical signing? I can’t comprehend how this is helpful in anyway…but that is your suggestion for this matter.
Good, they must be away walkies. Mind yer wee bags noo!
Saw a couple of non-canine posts mentioning West Bromwich Ambulance. Good to see them dropping like an Olympic snowboarder. Matty Phillips does put a good cross in, almost as well as he puts good players into the stand. His tackle on the young Man City sub Diaz last week was ridiculous, but was surpassed in terms of recklessness by McLean’s career-threatening lunge at full speed on De Brullyant, who thankfully was just able to evade the outstretched leg. This after the player lighting up that league survived a similar assault a few weeks earlier by Puncheon of Crystal Palace. A thuggish tackle by a Cardiff defender similar to that perpetrated on Moussa in the LC final resulted in young Sané being injured, out for weeks. None of these tackles resulted in the red cards they merited, and last night Dawson of WBA was at it again, going over the top on Zappacosta.
The cloggers are a bigger problem than the divers who get so much attention when it comes to discussing what’s hurting the game. At least a diver’s not going to end a career through injury, as some of the aforementioned “challenges” could have done. Still, I suppose that Paul Hayward’s suggestion that City players wear cricket pads when taking to the field might at least slow them down a bit, and help the other big spenders at least close the gap a little.
I smell Pastry!
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 13TH FEBRUARY 2018 11:31 AM
Well,looks like Celtic fans don’t need to be warned about life in the slow lane. They’ve become used to it,are happy with it,can even dream up reasons for it.
Maybe that famous Trainspotting scene on the moors was spot-on. Happy to be nowhere.
I give up,I genuinely do. I could weep for what we have become,but I could scream about the acceptance of it.
@@@@@
Know exactly how you feel mate .
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 13TH FEBRUARY 2018 11:54 AM
“Sure there are multiple factors but you are not privy to them. Anything you suggest is conjecture, hypothesis and speculation. What is objective is that we have £30m in the bank. You can’t refute that and it therefore follows that we have funds available to spend in the transfer market. That’s objective and irrefutable.”
BUT money is being spent??? Paddy Roberts and Charly Musonda are loan deals but they have still cost Celtic a few million each. No question the club could go blow £25m on players in a transfer window. Either one or 2 £8m-£10M players or 3 or 4 £4-7m players
BUT and it’s a BIG BUT (Karadashian sized in fact) would this increase the likelihood of the team moving on a level? The one thing for sure is it would leave the financial situation pretty unstable limiting our ability to continue to invest.
BEATBHOY
I like that idea of a Handicap system, wonder how much weight we’d have to add to Messi though?
I would think that dumping over 100 million pounds worth of debt by stopping being Rangers, and then, with the backing of the football ‘authorities’ and the SMSM, claiming to be that same Rangers once the responsibility for paying that debt has gone, constitutes pretty huge cheating for me. And that’s why I’m in the regrettably small ‘Once bitten, twice shy’ clique.
new article posted.
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 13TH FEBRUARY 2018 12:16 PM
Secondly, it’s completely pointless to suggest names. For example, I think we should sign Svenn Crone a defender from Brondby- a name I have picked at random. What now? Do i send this to Celtic? Do we argue about this theoretical signing? I can’t comprehend how this is helpful in anyway…but that is your suggestion for this matter.
========================
If you want to dictate strategy then don’t do half a job. If theres no one available to fit your straetgy you need a new strategy!
Svenn Crone, finally a suggestion of sorts. Not sure how accurate but he has a transfermarkt value of 500k.
So you already have a new strategy, it seems.
SEANP
Sevco are driving a coach and horses and dragging a bloody aircraft carrier through FFP rules.
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 13TH FEBRUARY 2018 12:16 PM
SEÁNP1916 on 13TH FEBRUARY 2018 11:55 AM
Where you “HAPPY” when Jozo signed for £4m or £6.75m depending on what source you take?
YES? why? because he cost money?
Are you happy now? NO? Why? because he has been unfit and frankly awful?
Where you “HAPPY” when Kris Ajear signed for buttons? depending on what source you take?
No? because he wasn’t expensive enough and was a project?
Are you happy now? YES? Why? because he has been largely impressive when he has played?
Moral of the story! its not about spending money its about identifying the right players . Sometimes the club gets this wrong absolutely, but they also get a lot right. We dpo not know yet if Compper, Hendry, Bain and Musonda will be a Jozo or a Ajer yet so claim money needs to be spend is also at this stage a BIG UNKNOWN.
What we can say is the perceived weaker areas of the team where addressed by the club through adding additions to the squad.
The truth is out there with regards the rangers cheating , the truth is out there with regards hampden hq ,s part in covering it up . Evidence by the barrowload , yet this charade is still ongoing . Is it open to the fans to crowd fund a challenge to this debacle , because they are still cheating us . Anyone who was at the last few games will have seen the officials Taking an active part in our games , and not fairly . Because of our clubs acceptance of these matters .things will only get worse . The assaults on young Kieran being only a part . It’s only a matter of time before he is dealt a right bad one .
Barney67
Maybe get him to wear skis? I had to laugh at stats that showed De Bruyne at the top of the ‘assists’ list, with the GOAT in second, from August 2015 to the present day. “Even better than Messi”, the presenter gushed. Only problem being, Wee Leo has scored well over 100 goals in that time, while setting up plenty for others, while the excellent Kevin has maybe 20.
Excellent, but not an alien!
Traditionalist 88 and SeanP1916
Of course there are difficulties in the transfer market – but that’s why we pay people a lot of money to be experts and find the talent. Our past history is chequered and may always be chequered (no one gets it right all the time).
However what you are both advocating is a high risk strategy, ultimately leading to ever decreasing circles. Celtic’s fear to reinvest some of the success we have had is obvious – but what is its purpose? Just in case we have a bad year? Well not only will you cause yourself to have a bad year but when you do your cycle of fear will just get worse.
There is no vision nor purpose to the current approach. What we should be doing is reinvesting to make the team better (we singularly failed to do that in the transfer window despite what Brendan asked for) and generating greater chances of success and bigger transfer fees.
Instead we are shaking in a corner – scared to move.
MIT:
I remembered there was a dog in Alistair MacLeod’s “No Great Mischief” but had forgotten it was female. Regardless, the dog is given no name. But having got the book out I kept finding
‘Chalum’ which would be a fine name for a new pup!
Best of luck! Hope you get him.
T
bmcuw
did we not try risk management in 2000 with mon.