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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Tictastic …….FOXTROT OSCAR ….
where is CQN corner?
Also, R.I.P. Sol Bamba. Was really sad to read that last night. Just 39 years old.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cwy53xw7xgjo
fourstonecoppi on 1st September 2024 9:07 am
where is CQN corner?
————
In front of the entrance to the pools office …..
Our house …our rules ….just show them who is the boss Celts ….come on you bhoys in green 🍀
Morning all. Just win today, Celtic.
https://x.com/Pmacgiollabhain/status/1829996827036536961?t=SlqUCzPtJRicJRzX_7XdCw&s=07
Jackiemac 9.04am
Really think with a good run in the team Paulo B can fill in for Matt O, not an exact replacement but Paulos numbers were similar to Matt in his first season
Or even Engels or our Luke might just be our new Matt :-)
Last time we played them at CP:
https://youtu.be/QqmXJKwUWfI?feature=shared
Just catching up on Brendan’s press conference
Whit a mhan
Gutted when he bolted
Delighted he returned
🍀🍀🍀
`.. they have only one loss in 12 and that was a meaningless thing at Ibrox when they were already champions.`
But many will be telling us it is nigh on impossible to predict the outcome of these games !!
PS Of course we cannot know the outcome of a game but that is true of ANY game.
fourstonecoppi on 1st September 2024 9:30 am
Very good. I would like to see more of the `what makes Celtic special` kind of clips.
Hot Smoked on 1st September 2024 10:03 am
fourstonecoppi on 1st September 2024 9:30 am
Very good. I would like to see more of the `what makes Celtic special` kind of clips.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Agree. It is something that needs to be talked about more often, even if the only word we can come up with is, ‘mystical’.
HH
BTW just win. 1 – 0, 2 – 1, even 3 – 2.
Hot Smoked / Foursronecoppi
That’s a bit of a coincidence as I am watching ACSOM just now with Bernard & the Bhoys
Phil Clement has warned Brendan Rodgers that he will be facing an exciting young team when the Glasgow Derby kicks off at noon today.
We’re an exciting young team who want to challenge that now. I believe we have the quality to do that – and to go for three points on Sunday.
We’ll do that. But we’re not the finished article, which is normal because we’re rebuilding with 16 players leaving. But I know there’s only one truth at the end and that’s what’s happening on the pitch.
Nothing will be determined on Sunday in one game. It’s an exciting challenge for us. And of course, if we can play a really good game and get a good result, we can take a massive step forward as a club.
https://youtu.be/jCDjbus-yE4
70’s Celtic derby goals.
SCULLYBHOY on 1ST SEPTEMBER 2024 10:11 AM
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Way to fill your players with confidence Phil.
Hopefully his team talk will be as uninspiring
Getting all ‘exited’ as I get ready to leave…Shanks’s pony saddled.
walkon csc
Any win will do for me. 1-0 with a last minute tav-pen og is fine.
We’re capable of tearing them apart but we’ve seen them defend deep and stay in games so that’s what I’m expecting today.
All Celtic but a narrow win.
CELTIC: Schmeichel, Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Taylor, McGregor, Hatate, Bernardo, Kuhn, Kyogo, Maeda.
Subs: Sinisalo, Trusty, Palma, Idah, Valle, McCowan, Engels, Forrest, Ralston
Pretty much as expected…
CELTIC
Just remember you are playing “The Establishment ” as well as 14 men. Thet are hurting like hell and will do anything to stop us.
Keep the heid, keep 11 men on the pitch and we will be ok.
5— 1 good guys
KINGLuBO
Remember it might be a different shoite but the same flies hoover over it …
Cmon you bhoys in green
🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🇯🇵🇯🇵🇯🇵
bognorbhoy
Thanks for that! Six of our newer players on the bench, some of whom have been playing recently, certainly Idah and McCowan, and I think Trusty and Engels too, expect a bit of game time between them.
Either way they get to be part of what will hopefully be a great day for them and for all of us.
live updates up