For Celtic, summertime business is every bit as important as the more traditional cup finals and league deciders held later in the season. We face qualifers for Champions League or Europa League group stage, which define our financial health and desirability as a potential employer.
The most important achievement was recorded on Wednesday when we qualified for the Champions League, but now we’re there, how prepared will we be?
Seven players left the squad, Daryl Murphy, who had already spent two years out on loan, Thomas Rogne and Paddy McCourt, who rarely saw first team action last season, and Tony Watt, who seems to be less effective than he was in the opening weeks of last season, and is now out on loan.
More importantly, Gary Hooper, Kevlin Wilson and Victor Wanyama all left, three players who were instrumental in our European victories last season.
Hooper is a textbook big game player who scored home and away against Spartak Moscow but he missed the home win over Barcelona and scarcely got a sniff of the ball home and away to Benfica, or in the Camp Nou, where his role as a penalty box poacher was less effective.
Kelvin Wilson had a disappointing first season at Celtic but as last season progressed there was a noticeable rise in appreciation of his talents. He had an exemplary Champions League campaign.
Victor Wanyama was the most effective central midfield player Celtic have had for some considerable time. We saw little of Roy Keane at Celtic but in Wanyama, you could see a player with the potential to go as far in the game. He is young and still has lots to add to his game, concentration, for a start, but we saw him grow from a place on the substitutes’ bench to a £12m player in 18 months.
It surprised a few that Victor (along with Gary) went to a team often found at the wrong end of England’s top flight, but he is still potential. The acclaim he received at Celtic is similar to that bestowed on Liam Miller nine years ago, whose Champions League performances were breath-taking. I still can’t fathom what happened to Miller but I hope Victor continues to improve; if he does, he could appear in the Camp Nou as a home player.
21-year-old Israeli central midfielder Nir Biton looks like a straight replacement for Wanyama. I don’t know enough about any of the new recruits yet to put my name to them but on paper, Nir works. At 6’5” he continues our current tradition of signing players born to shoot hoops, as well as wear them. A trial at Manchester City fell apart amid a diplomatic incident involving his nationality. He was going to make a move to a Champions League team at some point and, for the player, Celtic will look like an excellent option.
There was a moment during THAT game at Fir Park in 2005 when Craig Bellamy tore up the turf with the ball before looking up for someone to accept his cross, only to throw his arms up in frustration that there was no one in the box. Having one fast player is just not effective.
We’ve had pace-merchant James Forrest for a few years but we don’t play a speed-based game to suit his talents. With fellow-sprinter Derk Boerrigter also in the team now one of the things I know Celtic were looking for in a striker was pace, which is what I expect to see from Teemu Pukki.
Much of our Champions League game will be about playing counter-attacking football so we have to recruit for this model.
Teemu has been playing a supporting role for Schalke since they played against him, then signed him, from HJK Helsinki two years ago, but we have not had a striker who could claim a regular starting place in that company in nine years. He is another one who, on paper, works for me.
Amido Balde has been given some protection from too much responsibility and exposure to allow him to settle into the club, city and language, Celtic is a lot different from Vitoria Guimaraes. I heard that, like Wanyama during his first season, he’ll be allowed to settle into life as a Celtic player.
Virgil van Dijk was simply delicious against Dundee United yesterday. He has height, build, speed, can run with the ball and can pass. Build a defence around him. Steven Mouyokolo is one of those gambles managers like to take on players, who were once lauded but have had injury or other blemishes on their record. Most don’t work but we’ll soon find out if Steven has overcome his injury problems.
Derk Boerrigter has skill and pace. He is another one recruited with Champions League football in mind (not to face 10 defenders in the SP), a competition he has already performed well in for Ajax.
The comment was made to me that the players coming in were uninspiring compared to the three key players who left but while I could contest that, there doesn’t seem much point. We recruited Hooper and Wilson from the lower leagues in England, and Wanyama as a teenager from a small Belgian club. It’s not what you know about a player when he signs that counts……..
For years we have been encouraging Celtic to scout better markets and find value. They have been doing this to great effect in recent seasons. The gap between where we were last season and one stage further in the Champions League was enormous. To bridge it will take a while during which time we need to make every pound work.
Enjoy the ride.
Tomorrow we’ll talk money. In short, while I blogged a couple of weeks ago illustrating the circa £17m operational gap we have before Champions League or player trading income (i.e. we are not a rich club), notions that we are anywhere near being a poor club is laughable.
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Weeminger
Don’t give a hoot about other clubs …and tbh I’m fed up with that nonsense being trotted out ad nauseum when posters have nothing more relevant to state
To answer your question I’d imagine a significant number of Man Utd fans are not over joyed with their lack of transfer activity …especially when most of their rivals have strengthened significantly
.
SydneyTim..
Hooper scored 19 Goals in the SPL..Without Rangers..Last Season..
Why do You think he has Gone to Norwich..
He is Hardly irreplaceable..
Hooper is a textbook big game player who scored home and away against Spartak Moscow but he missed the home win over Barcelona and scarcely got a sniff of the ball home and away to Benfica, or in the Camp Nou, where his role as a penalty box poacher was less effective.
Paul67 has basically mentioned what Hooper did in 3 years in Europe..
Summa
Stevebhoy,
I dunno where to start with your post.
Lets start with debunking some nonsense. I was on this site after the game on Wednesday. Perhaps you missed it? Also please stop trying to tell me I’m a Hun. It’s very boring.
As for previous managers having a go at me, we’ll I find it hard to believe. I’m sure they are completely disinterested in anything I would say.
Are you saying I am Jim Traynor????
The club deserves and needs scrutiny and challenge. It’s healthy even if you don’t like it.
Cmac.
No,mini and niece going..
Off to bed as I’m back at work tomorrow. .
the_huddle
22:37 on 1 September, 2013
weeminger
—-
ManUQN is in meltdown :o) They actually have silly money yet look like ending up with Fellaini for around £30mill, the mind boggles at that waste.
Gonna be a long season for them.
___________________________________________
I hope, finally, my Arsenal bet comes in. I doubled the stake this season because the Amazing Fergie retired.
How anyone can watch gunnings tackle on lustig and call it innocuous. . Is beyond words
No look back to gunnings earlier kick at virgil either
Anyone surprised they didn’t want to highlight the kick on Virgil by Gunning !
But hey don’t move a ball back by 18 inch, and celebrate
Hail Hail
Petec,
That Milton guy gave no evidence whatsoever so do you believe him?
All he said was AJones is a nutter basically. Anyone can say that about anyone.
And they do frequently, every day!
Atleast AJones will back himself up with evidence and links.
This guy just gave a rant any 5 yr old could do.
BT,
Enjoy your return to work :-)
Hail Hail
petec
——-
Unfortunately despite Man U being pretty awful the league will be won by Chelsea or Man City, 2 poster clubs for all that is wrong with football.
Cowie
Brill point. Did he not go for the ball with Lustig?
Wee Oscar update
#FEARLESS Oscar Knox @Wee_Oscar 30 Aug
2 wks since Oscars new chemo regime started and hes still in hospital suffering horrendous side effects. Hope our wee man gets a break soon!
BT
You must be due holidays soon ;),
the_huddle
22:43 on 1 September, 2013
petec
——-
Unfortunately despite Man U being pretty awful the league will be won by Chelsea or Man City, 2 poster clubs for all that is wrong with football.
——
I keep the faith that sanity will return. Fergie rated Arsene the best.
Come on wee mhan.
Oscar Knox is my hero.
HH
Jude
Do you think Lunny will be busy tomorrow ?
NO, me neither
Hail Hail
Cowiebhoy
Phased return. ..o))
Tbj
And the statutory hols I missed in May and July
Our signings have been uninspiring since Robbie Keane. But, most have worked out just fine.
DJBEE
22:42 on 1 September, 2013
Bill Milton Cooper, IMO, had no interest in financial gain…. go check Jones website…. if you have the Hour of the Time, check out the Mystery School series he broadcast from the early 90s.
If ye dinnae, Hail Hail anyway.
The Celts are rocking Thankfully, despite PL’s gamble.
CRC,
fearless Oscar tackling things head on, he’s a wee Celtic Warrior, and being supported by the power of many of our Prayers
Stay Strong wee mhan
giggsy_spaceman
————-
Interesting, when was the last time we signed anyone that was rated and wanted? Keane wasn’t by the way :o)
Summi. Of course hooper is replaceable and give our manager 6m and he will find him
At the moment we did not replace him
As Neil says himself he did not get his goal scorer. He does not mention anything about money
For the 2nd time in 5 days he is saying the board does not support. And this is the guy who gets paid officially by PL.
Fearless
He is in my thots & prayers every day God bless him. His wee body must be wreck with all this treatment. Hope it works. God bless his parents and his wee sister.
You think we need to spend £6mill to replace Hooper?
BT
Get them booked up first thing tomorrow… priorities.
Wish I had holidays left to take….. ;))))))
Cowiebhoy
Im darn sarth Tuesday night but were going to Northampton instead of Manchester.
#Fearless Wee Oscar is on a Celticrollercoaster
22:46
We need to boost the wee mans immune system, IMO.
Apricot Kernels, Camu Camu and Goji Berries are my advice to strengthen the wee mans defence mechanisms.
Imagine if we signed an unknown striker from the Irons and followed that up with a young midfielder from a bankrupt Belgian outfit.
Just Found an old programme for Celtic v Ajax july 2002.
If anyone had said 11 years on we would have won 6 leagues and thems 5 I would have probably taken it.
If anyone had said MON would only win 1 league in next 3 seasons I would have been disappointed.
Add 3 last 16 CL qualification. Some financial right sizing as our rivals went bust and a UEFA Cup Final and I would have been in dreamland.
I wonder what the next 11 years will hold in store.
Hi All,
Happy clappers, mineshafters, moonhowlers. WTF
Me I’m a happy Celtic fan who has a loving family who are spread far and wide.
Never got my voice back till Friday last week. Was screaming for NFL to get wee Jamsie aff the park as we couldn’t afford passengers. Just shows you what do I know.
My point, I love Celtic always have always will but its only a game of fitba.
One of nine children 3 brothers 5 sisters, me I’m the middle child, 4 older 4 younger.I was told that I brought up myself there was that much going on.
Earlier this year my youngest sibling sister Clare was diagnosed with breast cancer, with three young children this was a bombshell to a family that was previously blessed with good health and much good fortune.
Having gone through surgery and reconstructive surgery she has now completed her 6 chemo treatments and is having a break before starting radiotherapy. Her prognosis is good and we all hope and pray she will get through this and get back to full health.
I would like to share that she has been amazing in her positivity and has been truly inspirational in how she has managed to keep everything normal for her kids.
Some of you may remember that I took part in FFIF ( football fans in fitness) at CP between April and July, it was brill and I lost over a stone and got into a get fit routine which saw me take up 5 aside with the Thurs night CQNers.At 55 slightly mad. The old left foot still retains some magic though and I’m lovin it.
Now to my main point, I’m going to run the 10k at pollok park and raise funds for breast cancer in October, I know Paul67 posted a while back about taking part in this run for1254125 but I’m sure he will forgive me if I donate to breast cancer instead.
Now Lhads and Lhassies do you see what I mean. It’s onlt a game of fitba.
Yesterday is History
Tomorrow is a Mystery
Today is a GIFT FROM GOD
Hail Hail to all Celts
BT, throughout absence you are still accruing your Hols, sure you know that !
TBJ, down Manchester Wed night
Night Night Timland, the wee deputy Lennybhoy, is keeping us up through night
Hail Hail
Sydneytim
You are right. It is a big con. Celtic are trying to fool us all by not blowing cash to buy players at inflated prices in an outrageous market place.
What do you not understand about our strategy ?
Or is buy high and sell cheap the only thing that will make you happy.
Apart from moaning about about Celtic that is.
Paul67
I fear you need to lay off the happy pills.
Or stop sitting on PL’s knee as he dictates his latest bonus justifying missive.
Any more of this and JT will be getting hints that he needs to up his game for the TFOD2.
Sorry to say but you have regressed to second rate boosterism.
It is not a case of delivering quick news it is a case of re-hashing board / establishment propaganda. I suppose the only benefit is that it stops you talking about amortisation.
Any thoughts on how much MoB cost and what he will bring back in?
Any thoughts on when the full year accounts will be published — late this year?
Any thoughts on our cash position?
Looking forward to the detail on your £17mill magic number.
You do know that if we are running to this sort of negative cash flow in a bare year PL takes the blame.
My thoughts are that we should be working to £50mill cost base including £5mill net spend.
Football wages of £25mill, £10mill for stock and £10mill to cut the grass and keep the lights on.
Fairly tight numbers with the CEO on £250K in a good year.
For the avoidance of doubt this number would include his / her / it’s bonus.
Any thoughts?
http://t.co/znBShoV4WZ
Night all Night wee Oscar you are my hero. x
The huddle
Keane was the last player to get a midnight vigil outside CP. Teemu got introduced to a few punters standing in the ticket office queue. Keane was pure box office and after the Finnbogason charade Teemu is deemed like going to the cinema to watch a blockbuster but wandering in to a screening of an Adam Sandlier film by mistake.
I think people confuse box office and ability on a regular basis.
I’m sure all our signings are rated and wanted by someone other than us…..
Paddy1888, post a link to your donation page mhate.
I hope Clare’s recovery continues apace.
I’ll be back at the 5’s but not until next month, training for the Half Marathon now, and taking no chances with a dodgy foot injury.
paddybhoy1888
23:03 on
1 September, 2013
Hi All,
————-
i followed your stint at celtic park and was actually jealous, well done and keep it going, keep it lit.
————–
i was going to come on tonight with my usual rubbish, but on reading about Oscars suffering i just felt really helpless and useless .
the wee mhan is the bravest of brave,
off for tonight.
paddybhoy1888
23:03 on 1 September, 2013
Hi All,
Happy clappers, mineshafters, moonhowlers. WTF
Me I’m a happy Celtic fan who has a loving family who are spread far and wide.
Never got my voice back till Friday last week. Was screaming for NFL to get wee Jamsie aff the park as we couldn’t afford passengers. Just shows you what do I know.
My point, I love Celtic always have always will but its only a game of fitba.
One of nine children 3 brothers 5 sisters, me I’m the middle child, 4 older 4 younger.I was told that I brought up myself there was that much going on.
Earlier this year my youngest sibling sister Clare was diagnosed with breast cancer, with three young children this was a bombshell to a family that was previously blessed with good health and much good fortune.
Having gone through surgery and reconstructive surgery she has now completed her 6 chemo treatments and is having a break before starting radiotherapy. Her prognosis is good and we all hope and pray she will get through this and get back to full health.
I would like to share that she has been amazing in her positivity and has been truly inspirational in how she has managed to keep everything normal for her kids.
Some of you may remember that I took part in FFIF ( football fans in fitness) at CP between April and July, it was brill and I lost over a stone and got into a get fit routine which saw me take up 5 aside with the Thurs night CQNers.At 55 slightly mad. The old left foot still retains some magic though and I’m lovin it.
Now to my main point, I’m going to run the 10k at pollok park and raise funds for breast cancer in October, I know Paul67 posted a while back about taking part in this run for1254125 but I’m sure he will forgive me if I donate to breast cancer instead.
Now Lhads and Lhassies do you see what I mean. It’s onlt a game of fitba.
Yesterday is History
Tomorrow is a Mystery
Today is a GIFT FROM GOD
Hail Hail to all Celts
___________________________________
You, My Friend, are a gift from God.
The very Best Wishes to Clare.
God Bless all.