We spent just off £30m this window on Arne Engels, Auston Trusty, Adam Idah, Paulo Bernardo, Viljami Sinisalo, Luke McCowan and the loan fee for Alex Valle, while Kasper Schmeichel arrived on a free. There is a lot to like.
Early this window, I was worried that Brendan would veer off plan and concentrate players in their mid-20s – a short-term gain with long-term pain. When Sinisalo arrived, we knew the plan was still in place.
Viljami is now a full Finland international with around 80 appearances in senior football. He will understudy Kasper for at least this season but he is working with the best in the business in Stevie Woods. Two years from now, if not earlier, he should be first choice and ready for the challenge.
Today, Arne gets all the attention for that record-breaking fee. What we bought in him is mostly potential. He has the potential to grow into an established fixture in the Belgium midfield. Please remember, he is a few days shy of his 21st birthday; even Matt O’Riley had periods where form slipped during his brief 2 ½ years here.
Arne will be the same. You and I have the responsibility to nurture his talent and make sure Celtic Park is a place of growth for young players. Forget about the fee paid, it is almost certainly too much for where is he. Think about Arne as the Belgium midfielder of the future.
We know what we are going to get from Paulo Bernardo, who did well in our biggest games last season. The same is true of Luke McCowan – value and more at that price. One of the reasons Adam Idah is now a Celtic player is that his preseason did not go to plan. Consequentially, he is a bit short of fitness right now (you may have noticed in Paisley last week). That will change soon enough. He is a solid striker and a good alternate to Kyogo.
Net spend in the EPL was down 40% from last year’s window (2024: £627M, 2023: £1078m). Financial Sustainability Regulations and the on-going breaches of EPL rules have taken effect. Clubs need to live within their means and if they aspire to compete in Uefa competitions, they have to live within a budget restriction which tightens from last season through to next season.
The clearest manifestation of that is Ivan Toney. The England international striker was sold for £40m, and Brentford only achieved that figure by going to Saudi Arabia. No English club was prepared to pay as much.
In this context, Celtic achieving a new Scottish sale record with Matt O’Riley going for £26m is interesting. Not only is it new ground for Celtic, but the comparative with England is significantly better. My hunch is that net spend in England and elsewhere will continue to soften next year as stricter rules come into force. Our money should be more valuable going forward, our players, less so.
As we mentioned earlier this week, Matt O’Riley is textbook case of how to recruit and develop a football player. Do more of the, please, Celtic. He was our most financially valuable asset, but I expect we will be able to fill that gap easier than we would if Kyogo, Carter-Vickers, Hatate or McGregor left. It was a remarkable deal, in so many ways.
Your football club is in a great position, managed on a tier one level. Transfer windows work in a consistent and predictable manner. Anyone who fails to understand this, self-identifies as an undisciplined child. Think of yourself, if no one else.
Bring your A Game tomorrow. Confidence wins nothing. You, me and the men on the park in green and white will have to perform if we are going to collect the points.
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Tit
ORDINARY JOE on 31ST AUGUST 2024 8:58 PM
Duck Duck Go – Relies on Microsoft Servers for its search queries…or what Microsoft dizny want you to see will not show up in your search queries.
Creating misinformed empty heads fighting for wokery bs issues.
Go to DDG and type – “Who was the 1st Non Catholic Pope?”
Or…
DDG and type – ”Why did 60,000 Celtic fans go along with the fraudulent Celtic PLC Board and buy Sevco tickets with Rangers prices on them since 2016 were the Brendan-1 recruitment was the cover – decoy for the ticket stunt…remember?…Street parties because amazing Brendan toppled Warburton? Murty? The barking Caravan?…then made us a European laughing stock?”
DDG Response – “Ah the Dim Timmy`s mugged and shafted by every Celtic board since 1994….play in a one horse league…were only the trolls speak any truth…yeah that`s them…SPL Team from Glasgow…their fans think they are Irish…but turn the other way from today`s nearly replaced version of Ireland…yeah that`s the Dim Timmy`s…or are they Scottish?….Our servers are playing up…please ask another question…please…try rebooting your device…bye”
Duck Duck Gone….
If you trust DDG who give your details to Microsoft…then lie about it when they get caught…then continue to supply your data to Microsoft and now Amazon as well once the barking inquiring caravans have moved on….then yes…you are Dim!
The PLC [ or no influence Lawwell ] have called Brendan`s bluff by spending some of last years withheld and sat on by big fat PLC arses and some of this years Celtic fans money…and if Brendan makes the club look like the Backwater Champions….like he has turned Kyogo into the new invisible man…then maybe its time to get rid of all of these rich imposters out the door?
Is there a transfer window to replace 60,000 easily and always mugged Dimmy`s off of the premises and rebel up with some real Uppity Tims who`s middle names are “Fkn come ahead PLC…”…like when fans weren’t lazy all seated bores?
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You are :-
Sad ✔️
Pathetic ✔️
TIT ✔️
TICTASTIC
Thanks for forcing me to scroll past that long streak of pish twice.
😁
Celtic 40 me. 3.45pm
Outstanding thought provoking and well thought through post.
Dexter
Patullo is definitely a big Dundee fan. Genuinely !
Blogger formerly known as GM
Finally caught up with the rugby.
All Blacks / Boks Great game. What a resilient team the Boks are.
Aside from Celtic v Leeds 70 Celtic v Barca 12, Celtic v Milan 2007, the 4-2 game 79, WGS title win at Tannidice and the Invincible Cup Final in 17 I would say my next favourite event I ever attended as a fan was the Boks v All Blacks in 95. To see the Boks play the All Blacks at home is really special.
With all due respect to Slovan Bratislava, I’m delighted that we are at home to them in our opening CL match.
So often in past group games we have started with a tricky away tie, or at home to an elite team, leaving us with zero points and and an uphill struggle, as well as damaged confidence going forward.
We now have a great chance to get off to a flier with a confidence-boosting victory. Let’s face it. If we can’t beat the Slovaks at home, we don’t deserve to progress.
Bring it on.
I wish there was a pill you could take that puts you to sleep and wakes you up at a specific time, eg 7am.
Now someone will no doubt tell me there is such a pill.
is anyone watching the golf on Sky?
does anyone else want Justin Rose to shut the fk up and let the commentators commentate?
TML
You could try,
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Let’s
I think the same every time I hear Peter Grant on Celtic TV.
Some of those Hun opponents,very dodgy start to the season.Including Lyon.
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 31ST AUGUST 2024 9:20 PM
TICTASTIC
Thanks for forcing me to scroll past that long streak of pish twice.
😁
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My apologies Tom…😃
Confident tomorrow but whoo knows
One of my wee fav tunes just now
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkqOjJSl5CA
lets all do the huddle
Turns out you were right, you were a visionary
We are now second in the league
But hopefully we will be back at the top tomorrow
Five points clear of tomorrows opposition
Allons Y
Turkeybhoy 10.02pm
The Huns will have a worse start than the lot of them
:-)
I am very wary because I am so confident about tomorrow.They have nothing to lose.
3-0 the hoops :)
Kyogo haunts the Huns 💚🇯🇵🇯🇵
Sol Bamba RIP
https://x.com/The_Tman10/status/1830007088744894871?s=19
Value life bhoys
HH
Ordinary Joe,
I asked you before and you deflected. Did you buy shares in Celtic when Fergus gave us the opportunity, did you queue up to buy a season ticket ?
At the airport. Buzzing for the game.
Happy days. New signings, great CL draw, distinct possibility of going top again and no hun supporters..
If Carlsberg did Sundays.
HH. COYBIG.
Fitba Bets…
Yesterday morning ( Saturday), I placed a wee Bet on HAALAND to score THREE Goals in West Ham v Man.City game.
He DID Score all three in Man.Citys win.
The odds on Haaland scoring a Hat Trick ( or more) yesterday were only 12/1, although I have gladly accepted my winnings.
I also have Haaland to score a Hat Trick or more yesterday in a possible DOUBLE with KYOGO to score THREE ( or more) at odds of 20/1 against the Huns Today ?
My main concern about Kyogo is whether he will be on the Pitch for long enough to help him to score a Hat Trick ?
I also have Haaland ( from yesterday) to Score TWO Goals at odds of 0/30 along with Kyogo to score TWO against the Huns Today at odds of 5/1. I have Two ” Singles” and ” a Double”.
Can wee KYOGO bag TWO or THREE Goals against ” the Animals” ?……………of course he can !
As long as Celtic WIN……I don’t care about any of my Bets.
HH.
Good morning all from Govanhill. Gerrintaethum Celtic!!!! Bash, mash and thrash the rancid hun!!!!
Morning all from Ayrshire – on the Largs train to Central soon and up for this game.
Mon the hoops!
stay safe ghirls ‘n bhoys. Hell hath no fury like a hurtin hun
Mornin.
Hope we win to finish off whats been a great couple of weeks for myself .
Dropping my daughter off at the corner then heading to a pub to watch the game ….
Let’s hope the gap is wider and our new bhoys enjoy the atmosphere and the experience.
3-2 ….a classic 💚🤍💛☘️
Had the grandchildren all week so inevitably up early. Catching the 10am train, Drover for 11am 👍🍀
Good morning all from the Good n the Bad.
To continue in a BRrB theme, smash and trash the trash.
4 – 1 to the tic.
D
No complacency today.
Last season, saw 3 x single goal victories in the league and one score draw.
Today’s team will be without our top scorer in the league last season, who was also our poty.
Our new signings may or may not play a significant part today.
For those reasons, I’ll take any victory here.
2-1 the good guys
Almore on 1st September 2024 6:47 am
At the airport. Buzzing for the game.
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Are you going to the corner ?
Small butterflies taking flight in my gut with under 4hr to go.
From Brendan’s presser, he clearly loves and rates model pro Greg T…
The lad Valle will have to show he deserves the jersey more.
I think no new guys will start but mibby off-the-bench showings for Arne and Luke.
Mon the bhoys!
Never realised there was an International break next weekend, but given that, if we win today we will stay five points clear of the 3rd and 4th place teams for at least two weeks. And another thing today’s game is the first of four consecutive matches at Celtic Park, including Hearts, Bratislava and then Falkirk, a run, which will give our newer players a chance to settle in, and also to really make our mark in three different tournaments over a three week period. That opportunity probably doesn’t come around all that often. Got to be taken one game at a time though. Weather set fair, pitch should be tip top, we will create chances from different areas, take a few of them we win the game.
Comfortable 3-0 win
To work Celtic
Do your best for each other and for us.
Hard shift ahead,but you Celts are not afraid of hard work.
Go to it Celtic.
All travelling to and from match have a safe journey
Hail Hail
GREENPINATA on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2024 7:19 AM
Happy days. New signings, great CL draw, distinct possibility of going top again and no hun supporters..
If Carlsberg did Sundays.
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Amen to that! 😃👍🍀⚽️🏆🏆🏆🍻🇮🇪
SCULLYBHOY on 31ST AUGUST 2024 7:54 PM
I hate the Derby games. Please, God, we win, but any score will do.
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Exactly how I feel about these games, home or away.
I can’t relax unless we’re at least three up with less than two minutes extra time to go.
If , today, we’re 2 up 86 minutes in I’ll think of Everton yesterday who were in the same position an lest
3-2.
I take no pleasure in that level of pessimism but I just can’t help it.
Having said all that , any objective assessment of today suggests nothing other than a win for us.
Fingers crossed
Hh
I’m going 4-1 to the hoops, but would also take a
1-0 win.
If we start fast as I expect us to and get an early goal or ideally 2 early goals, I think we’ll win comfortably.
Biggest challenges today are ourselves and the officials.
Idah 2 (or Kyogo 2 if he starts), Calmac & Forrest (500th game I think)
😃👍🇮🇪🍀🍻🏆🏆🏆⚽️🇮🇪🍀🍻
we need to find someone to match MOR’s tracking and hassling