Kairat Almaty’s Champions League qualification campaign started five weeks ago with a draw at Olimpija Ljubljana. After eliminating the Slovenian champions they did the same to Finns KuPS Kuopio, overturning a 2-0 first leg defeat, before their epic tie against Slovan Bratislava, which they won on penalties.
Kairat are the lowest seed still in the competition, but all three of their earlier opponents were seeded higher, so they are punching above their weight this season. Brendan Rodgers biggest concern will be the fitness gap between the squads. Kairat are 19 games into their domestic league, are fully fit and tactically settled. Celtic will be three competitive games into the season when the sides meet in Glasgow on Wednesday. That is a material advantage.
Despite this, there can be no excuses. Over the last three years Kairat have signed players for money only twice, for fees totalling €350k. Kazakh football does not benefit from significant investment, the country has no player development heritage to speak of and this squad has never played anywhere like Celtic Park.
Prepare correctly and get the job done, Celtic.
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I don’t know much about the world of acquisitions – so my question is genuine…
Given that DD can’t just “take money out of the club” as some seem to think – is having a large “cash reserve” one way of ensuring that he maximises his value if he sells his shares?
Transfer Window Bigo.
Working away hard.
In discussions.
Celtic eyeing star.
Celtic contact made.
Celtic mulling over deal.
Offer submitted by Celtic.Quickly rejected.
Player wants move to Hoops.
Bids put in for two players.
Celtic race against deadline.
Brendan Roger’s frustrated.
Race against time.
Celtic go back in with 3rd offer.
Selling club,will not budge on price.
Celtic fail in bid for ?
Eyes down,look in.
Yawn!!!
WBC,
We’re you also on nightshift?
Naw, I was on a fishing trip…🎣
The headline “There can be no excuses” seems a fair enough
BUT
What does it mean if we get beat ??
Do we sack the Manager ??
I am probably reading too much into the headline, but in my defence there has been various messages from Paul67 questioning our Manager
OR
Does “There can be no excuses” mean our Board must be accountable ?
Is Paul67 saying PL and MN must go
Obviously Im reading too much into it
67ECW
Tim Malone Will Tell
It’s an odd business owning / running a football club for sure. It’s far from a ‘perfect ‘ market.
So many glass ceilings and barriers to growth with the industry structure.
Hard to place a value on it. Typically though such a positon would make the business attractive to buyers but given the ongoing trading performance and the transparency then I reckon any factors like this would be discounted anyway.
The major opportunity for any business such as rangers or Celtic or Ajax or Feyenoord or Benfica or Sporting lies in significant reconstruction of the playing environment. That would deliver a jackpot for shareholders in terms of value growth based on potential. They is what DD and others (I exclude CT and MK in this) will be waiting for. Value would increase exponentially.
Short and medium term delivering a profitable and successful trading and commercial model which does not incur further investment from owners is what it will be about for DD etc. I really doubt a percentage of £60m would be any kind of prize quite honestly. Unless he really needs the cash.
He has been patient so far and I doubt this will change now when change is already in motion across the game.
fourstonecoppi on 14th August 2025 8:55 am
You had me there I thought that was about Rory McIlroy
I was delighted to see it was about Rory Gallagher
Saw him in Green’s playhouse magnificent
67ECW
Tim alone will tell
When I say a percentage of £60m I mean as an increment on top of whatever value his shares would be of course.
Back in 2003/2004, Henrik was reportedly on 40k per week. In 2025, our highest weekly earners are Calmac and CCV on around 36-37 k.
Daizen and Reo are on 16k per week.
The average player at a mid-tier EPL team like Everton is on 50k while the EPL average is 60k.
Even last season in the Championship, the average Leeds player was on 42k, down from 74k when they were in the EPL in 2022/2023.
So Daizen could most likely triple or quadruple his salary by moving to any EPL club, even the relegation zone ones.
Makes the idea of tying down our best players a forlorn dream. In practice, our best hope remains asking players to extend their contracts with an appropriate transfer trigger clause agreed by all sides.
Maeda deserves to be much closer to CCV’s salary, even if only for one more season.
Or
Are there any other clubs who allow the board / committee to sanction player signings . or any other club who bypass the coach who knows what positions he needs a certain player for . Imho .Brendan is done for .
It Would scunner you .
Burnley78 – understood, although I had wondered if the cash reserve was reflected in the share price rather than as an extra (but I guess that wouldn’t make much sense).
Conversely, interesting whether a small shareholder would see any of that cash reserve represented in a share sale given that they have no ability to negotiate – or is their share of the cash just calculated as an addition on the day the shares are sold?
jimtim on 14th August 2025 10:54 am
Are there any other clubs who allow the board / committee to sanction player signings . or any other club who bypass the coach who knows what positions he needs a certain player for . Imho .Brendan is done for .
————
A week or so back, I posted this auld article from The Grauniad about who decides player buys at which EPL clubs, and I thought it made for interesting reading:
https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2015/jul/03/premier-league-transfers-who-decides-club-buys
Quadrophenian
It is interesting reading. It is a wee bit out of date.
We are one of the few big clubs who give manager full control.
new article posted.