If anyone tells you we are about to bid €7m on a guy who scored fewer league goals than Billy McKay last season, and who was signed for €500k last summer, don’t listen to them. Nonsense like this is 180 degrees away from strategy. Where would such a player’s sell-on value increase to? It’s just not going to happen, nor should it, it would be a vanity purchase, the likes of which old Zsa Zsa himself would consider.
The last season we have figures for (season 2011-12), when we had Europa League football, Celtic lost £7m. Since then three significant things have changed:
We’ve sold Wanyama and Hooper for over £17m (before deductions).
We got back into the Champions League and earned an additional £20m.
Season book sales dropped and this season cost £100 less than before.
Cutting £100 off the ticket price will bring in £4m less than last season. All other things being equal (which they will not be), this would give us an £11m deficit before Champions League income and any trading surplus. In short, to retain equilibrium, we need to reach the Champions League group stage more often than not. Money from Uefa is not so much a bonus, it is necessary to push us into the black.
I know we covered this last week, but £17m for Victor and Gary will not, on its own, equate to £17m for new players. Gary and Victor were both on their first Celtic contracts when they left, neither of which was near the top earning position (although both were offered top earning contracts).
We’re not going to spend £17m on transfers and be able to pay the new players from the money saved by not paying Victor and Gary. Instead, the boost to the football budget from these sales will almost certainly disproportionately increase wages, leaving a lesser amount for transfers (if we sign four players for £2.5m each, we’ll probably have to pay each more than the average of Victor and Gary’s wage).
Knowing where they came from, I reckon Victor and Gary cost approximately a combined total of £1m p.a. in wages, the bulk of which would have gone to Gary. If we bring in four players, each costing multiple millions, they could easily cost us an extra £2m per annum in wages, or £8m over their four year contracts.
In short, there is enough money available to buy several good players, for decent money, on high wages (for Celtic). This is a good, sustainable, place to be, but it is not transfer window nirvana. We have moved from a position of carrying a perpetual loss to being able to afford an increase in football budget without splurging into debt to fund it.
This isn’t a detailed budget analysis, there are lots of other variables (McCourt, Rogne etc off the wages, not Murphy, whose wages were off the books already), non-football budget cost inflation, considerable drop in one-off ticket sales (20k seats for £42 each at Rangers games twice a season) and commercial income from 2011-12, variations in season book sales (I hear they are marginally up on same time last year but still down on 2011-12).
The big challenge for the club is to ensure the playing squad is good enough to qualify for the Champions League group stage, and to compete when there, more often than not, without indulging in casino football every year.
We stick to plan, scout and recruit players within budget and with high potential sell-on values. €7m on a striker from Heerenveen? Better stick it on black.
The Kano Foundation have around 40 bucketeers for their annual drive at Celtic Park on Sunday. They could do with a few more. If you can do your bit, get in touch: contactus@thekanofoundation.com.
Check out the 1254125 Great Scottish Run page. I plan to keep this page updated with progress on the event and other resources. When you sign up, let me know and I’ll promote your donations page.
[calameo code=00039017126b6a648d717 lang=en page=128 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
1,239 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- ...
- 33
- »
Pathetic to see the sales to date for tomorrow’s game. Probably one if our most important of the season.
Just as pathetic as those on here who don’t understand the simple economics and dynamics of the transfer window for non EPL clubs
Hearing strong Jelavic rumours.
Just rumours mind, I have no inside information, just happens to be from someone who doesn’t do baseless rumours!
Celtic Underground @celticrumours 5m
Jelavic???
surely not
Lighten up dixiebhoy, I didn’t call you a Hun, I politely asked if you were one. If you are a regular reader/contributor of CQN you would surely know that that is a joke question that is routinely posed if someone is spreading a little doom & gloom. It is not meant to be taken seriously.
Although I can’t go tomorrow night, I bought my ticket anyway and passed it on to TT Junior.
He captured the mood perfectly with a quote from Twitterland from 2 weeks ago – you know you’re a Celtic fan when you fancy your chances against Barcelona but are apprehensive about Cliftonville.
Same goes for tomorrow night judging by some of the comments on here.
Having read tictactic, if we play to our strengths, we should have nothing to fear.
If I’m wrong, I will eat a bowl of Muesli.
HH
………….is there not going to be more talk of……..’incubators’……..history embalming time-machines….etc etc…………………….will Bawface issue a call to arms……….?
a la………….
“Blood of our Bawbag”……………”Bone of our Backside”……………..etc etc
No?
wooft, timing! A twoser! Surely that propels ‘rumour’ to ‘reports’?
BlantyreKev
I, like many others, have received a text this afternoon from a source saying that Kevin Doyle is a very real possibility.
Think he’s more likely than Jelavic.
BlantyreKev, I was on the verge of making a post earlier today re “would we welcome Jelavic”. I reckon we could do a lot worse.
I would sign jellyfish …… Despite my many negative posts about him when he was a rangers player.
Doesn’t fit profile though….
corkcelt
19:11 on
30 July, 2013
they are not good on research! …………………..braw!
I heard Jellyfish yesterday but didnt mention it, as i thought it was guff.
KLV
Jelavic, no chance, absolute pish.
Doyle, a racing certainty.
HH
I would expect Jelavic to be paid far more where he is than anyone already at Celtic Park.
Another piece of nonsense IMHO.
https://twitter.com/marc_ohara/status/362202924610375680
Has Derk entered the building?
Stadium map suggesting limited availability in most areas with some sold out for tomorrow.
So unless some areas are not being opened it should be a good crowd. Anyone know if any areas Will be closed?
jellyfish,has scored some great goals,good penalty box player,but with zombie blood.
Jelavic……someone said to me today he
heard it’s a done deal……..as this person
is a bit of a ham shank……did not take
much notice……now it’s on here……hope
it’s just the silly season.
Grandfather Clock…………..hahahahahahahahha ……..there will be no Orcs of any variety at Celtic Park …….
ich müss weg…tschüss
Corky
Just to make dixie feel better … ask me if im a hun ;)
ThunderRoad, I’d doubt if he would go straight into line up if signed before deadline but he could go on bench. If the Bhoys were doing fine he’d probably stay on the bench but if things were going pear shaped I reckon Lenny would throw him into the fray.
RobertTressell
19:23 on 30 July, 2013
Half of the Lisbon Lions Rear was shut for the Cliftonville game (& BMG game) and they were on ST
Anyone know what the average attendance at these CL qualifying games is?
I’d wager we’re as good as it gets.
Why would I ask you Jinky, I already know you are.
Think I’ve just had a bang on the head. Did someone say Jelavic? Get Kevin Doyle – all is forgiven!
ElDiegoBhoy
19:25 on 30 July, 2013
Last season we got 52k for Helsinki game (on ST) and 51k for Helsingborg (not on ST)
No way to Jelly legs, a diving Bassa if there ever was one. Spends more time on the grun than on his feet. Not for me
gsu
Good Player Jelly, lazy though and strong as a house, Doyle for me too, Might be like K misser. Some player are just not supposed to play for Celtic, misser was 1 for me and willow flood.
KLV
Kayal33
I didn’t mean OUR average attendance. I’m thinking more of the tournament average attendance which I think will be far less than our home attendance that appears to irritate some on here.
EDB – don’t know what the average is but when RFC(no longer in existence) were in the Group Stages of Champions League a few years back, I am sure they struggled to get over 40k at matches – in fact against Sevilla they got circa 37k(not checked that on timternet). So we are as good as it gets and we consistently get far higher than average attendances for both CL and EL.By the way and hope I don’t get egg on my face with this but I think we will win by at least 2 tomorrow.
Hope you are keeping good after the past month or so mate.
Cheers
I would take the Jellyfish. Either his value must have at least halved since he signed for everyon or it’s a loan. Also I imagine he’d be on at least £40k. Have Everton bought any forwards this transfer window that might force him down the pecking order?
See some sites suggesting we could be signing Shane Lowry. I reckon he is a bit overweight but would do well at the Golf outings.
Jelavic get him signed
Great player
It would make tha zombies
Sick
2 eggs to nil
EDB
UEFA Champions League
Main article: 2012–13 UEFA Champions League
Qualifying Round Celtic 2 – 1 HJK Helsinki Celtic Park 1 August 2012
Hooper Goal 55′
Mulgrew Goal 61′ Schüller Goal 47′ Attendance: 51,202
Referee: Miroslav Zelinka
Report: BBC Sport
Play-off Round Celtic 2 – 0 Helsingborg Celtic Park 29 August 2012 [hide]
Hooper Goal 30′
Wanyama Goal 88′ Attendance: 51,566
Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo
Report: BBC Sport
eldiegobhoy
Think it’s a bit if an unfair question as most teams in these rounds have much smaller grounds than us i.e. Clifftonville which is 4000(?)
Doyle not for me
macca, great guy to go for a pint with, but oh dear..shouldn’t be near a microphone