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.
[calameo code=0003901713852289beccb lang=en page=92 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
983 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- »
Richie. Why not went to nearly every game home and away during the deid club 9 in a row. And if I was home would still be there home and away roaring on the hoops
Still gives me the right to say that we should have a better team on the park though :))
WGS,
That’s an interesting list but not sure we’ll get them on a “free”.
Seems more players are running down there contract so they are in a beyter negotiating position and expect a sign on fee.
We got Ledley that way and could well lose him that way as well.
However definetly a few who could do a job for us.
Hail Hail
Chairbhoy, not licence, membership of the SFA.
It says: “3.1 The SFA will enter into an Agreement to approve the transfer of the RFC Membership to Sevco.”
Isn’t it abysmal how documents like the five-way agreement always seem to throw in ridiculous capital letters. If I quote any more of it, I vow to take the necessary time to cap down all these aberrations.
fact is the new aff oot…
Fact.
Aff oot
Chairbhoy
The word “licence” does not appear anywhere in the document.
LIONEL MESSI has claimed Celtic Park has the BEST atmosphere in European football.
The Barcelona superstar gave his stunning judgment as he looked ahead to returning to Glasgow in October for the Champions League Group H clash.
Messi described it as a beautiful draw immediately after AC Milan and Ajax joined Barcelona and Celtic in the section when the balls were drawn in Monaco.
But the Nou Camp megstar, who bagged a first-half hat-trick in a 3-2 win at Valencia last night, has expanded on his thoughts on facing Neil Lennon’s team for a second-successive season and the feelings he’ll get when playing at Parkhead.
Messi said: “I’ve been fortunate to play in some great stadiums in Europe with Barcelona but none compare to Celtic.
“The atmosphere their fans create make it a very special European night of football.
“I’m very excited to play at Celtic again in the group stages. Of course, last time we played in Scotland it was not a good result for us, but next time we will be looking to win.
“A lot of people say a draw away in Europe is a good result but that is not the Barcelona philosophy. We always play to win and try to wherever we play.
“Its the most competitive group and we know we can take nothing for granted.
“It is always important to get off to a good start in the first one or two games because you don’t want to be in the situation where you are chasing.”
Meanwhile, AC Milan look set to seal the return of Brazilian superstar Kaka from Real Madrid today.
The Italians’ vice-president Adriano Galliani is attempting to bring the 31-year-old back on a free transfer – four years after he left for a then world record £56million.
Kaka is set to sign a reported two-year contract with Milan on greatly reduced terms.
The midfielder won the Champions League and one Scudetto during his six years with the Serie A club and lifted the Ballon d’Or in 2007.
Doc
Thank you I thought that, but no one seems to say that name or mention it, very strange
You always knew it was true …
“Police break up ‘drug-fueled orgy’ at Masonic Lodge”
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2408655/Police-break-drug-fueled-orgy-Masonic-Lodge-finding-women-dancing-naked-stage-men-filming-sex-acts.html
Hamiltontim is praying for Oscar
11:08 on 2 September, 2013
‘Ernie
Alternatively we could have signed a goal scorer which may have resulted in our route not being as ‘protracted’.
####
At most that would have reduced the period by a week.
Assuming we could have got a striker guaranteed to score goals before CL football was assured.
Celtic_1st @ 11;25,
Thanks for that.
So Rangers SPL share was transfrered to Dundee and their SFA Membership was transfered to SevCo.
Hail Hail
As I said earlier wee Messi talkin up the Hoops, there’s a few in here could take a lesson from the best player in the world, MESSI GETS IT……….HAIL HAIL
PETER LAWWELL must be breathing a huge sigh of relief.
The Celtic supremo came under pressure for not signing players sooner — yet his team still managed to secure a Champions League jackpot. It was a £20million gamble that paid off.
Now Lawwell should look at group rivals Ajax and follow their example when it comes to strengthening the team.
The chief executive has always been careful with the Hoops purse strings and more often than not that’s been the right approach.
All you have to do is look over the city to see the pitfalls of a club not being run properly.
And for every Celtic fan you find who says they should be out spending like the good old days, you could probably find a bus load who realise and appreciate the modern reality.
Times are tough and no one really expects miracles when Neil Lennon’s men take on AC Milan, Barcelona and Ajax.
In fact, you would struggle to find three other clubs with such prestige in the European game — and this is the first time that four previous winners of the competition have been drawn together in the same group.
But the only test Celts face is on the continent. They know they can forget about the Premiership for a couple of seasons because they’re certs to win it.
That is not said in a derogatory or flippant fashion, it’s merely a fact.
I reckon Lawwell’s job is so tricky because Celtic don’t have to invest in the squad to secure the domestic title — but if they try to enhance their European status it requires a great deal of investment.
By a great deal, I mean megabucks. Not just a couple of £5m signings.
And is that financially justifiable?
But this isn’t a problem that is unique to Celtic. There are a number of big clubs that are having to redefine their own positions within the greater context of the European game.
Clubs such as Porto, Benfica, PSV and even the big Italian clubs like Inter and AC Milan. All of these teams are looking at the prospect of having to sell their best players, then nurture the next talents before the whole cycle begins once again.
But if I was in Lawwell’s position I’d just copy Ajax.
Since Frank de Boer took over the reigns at the Amsterdam ArenA in December 2010, they have made a profit of almost £60m.
That is a phenomenal sum of money and surely this is something that Celtic must look at as their template of how to progress the club.
It is something that they have already tried to implement during Lennon’s tenure, and they are up almost £20m.
The Ajax formula has to be followed to allow Celtic to continue to prosper and grow as a club on the biggest stage.
Without the huge sums of TV money that are available in the English Premier League, Lawwell has to continue his juggling act.
We have seen the effect of the new television deal on the transfer market down south this summer, where it now appears that a £30m transfer is standard. This is something that can only be dreamt of by the Hoops.
So with those sums being outwith the grasp, Lawwell must look to that famous Ajax system — the youth academy.
The Amsterdam club have produced an unrivalled conveyor belt of talent for the first team to pick from.
They have been ahead of the curve on this one for a long time.
Yes, Celtic have brought through a number of kids in recent years — most notably, with the likes of Shaun Maloney, Aiden McGeady and now James Forrest.
But growing your own players, giving them a chance to improve in the first team, and then only selling them for a huge profit, is the only recipe to a successful future.
Who knows, we may see a return to the halcyon days when a certain team full of home-grown Scots conquered Europe’s finest…
I was unimpressed by our approach to transfer window as I felt too much risk was being taken re entry to last 16…. BUT… We made it so given the size of club we are and resources available to us I feel we have already achieved a challenging objective. Any result from here on in is a distinct bonus. Only the most deluded Celtic fan can seriously think otherwise IMO.
I’m still slightly unsettled that we have loaned out a striker with so much potential yet trying to get a striker in..who will be of a similar standard.
I think our group is so strong that all teams will take points from each other so it could be an interesting one. Home wins critical and that is a good thing for Celtic!
Chairbhoy
11:33
That’s right. And in the five-way agreement, both Sevco and Rangers agreed that was what should happen, leaving Rangers as, in TBB’s delightful phrase, “an accounting exercise”.
Sittin’ in Glasgow airport waitin’ on the big bird back to Toronto.
Had a great time back “hame” celebrating auld ma’ Teuchter’s 89th birthday and getting to see a couple of games. The Shakhtar game on Wednesday was a brilliant night and rates up there with some of my classic Celtic moments………just a fantastic night. Eh! Burghbhoy.
Saturday at Dundee was also a pleasure – listenin’ to the away support in full voice and a brilliant view of Stoksie’s goal and to cap the day off, shook the hand of Oldtim67 – as he waited in line at the health food van on Tannadice Street.
This morning, as I was travelling West to Glasgow, I noticed hanging on the railings of the first bridge past the service station at Harthill , 8 or 9 Celtic shirts – anyone on here got any idea what that’s all about?
Off for another chang.
Hail Hail
Teuchter ar la
It’s too late for this transfer window but SPL clubs should unite to put pressure on the SFA to fall in line with other countries as to when the window closes. They surely have a duty not to disadvantage their own member clubs.
kingsnake
11:30 on 2 September, 2013
You always knew it was true …
“Police break up ‘drug-fueled orgy’ at Masonic Lodge”
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2408655/Police-break-drug-fueled-orgy-Masonic-Lodge-finding-women-dancing-naked-stage-men-filming-sex-acts.html
………………………..
Maybe they ain’t so bad after all?
Joking apart over half a thousand people have signed up to the petiton calling on Judges, jurors, tax tribunal members to declare secret society membership.
The petition says nothing about them having drug fueled orgies which they are quite entitled to do IMHO.
Please sign here:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/GettingInvolved/Petitions/judgesmasonregister
The Battle Creek Free Massons are having another dico………..oops, I mean DISCO at the weekend, tickets on sale at a strip joint near you, Deerie meeeeeeeeee
FF jurists convene again:
“Was there not supposed to be a SFA rule that prevented member clubs being punished that had possibly been the victim of a criminal act? Something to do with force majeure I think.”
——
“Force Majeure is a French term in law and it would be very difficult for it to be use in either Scots or English law”
——
“I think it’s a French term, but used in British law, no? Same as Latin terms are used, but not just for Italians of the ancient variety”
——
On Charlotte and her identity:
“This Charlotte Fakes character needs to be identified, exposed and effin sacked. At the very least a statement from RFC should be forthcoming”
——
“convinced he’s a taig related to the whyte’s(same spelling) that ran the tims,put in place to bring us down,(desmond,riley and reid,”here craig go buy the rangers then liquidate them,we’ll be top dogs for years to come!”)”
——
“He [McMurdo] can’t be the only person who knows who it is. Plus what is he afraid of if he does reveal it? Getting sued maybe? He shouldn’t worry, the person suing usually returns the money afterwards.”
——
“Hacking as in keano reeves sitting down and busting the matrix is almost definitely not going on.”
——
On the 5-way agreement:
“So in effect, the SPL and its clubs stole money from Rangers oldco’s creditors. That includes HMRC, i.e. schools and hospitals and front line troops lost out to feather the nests of Scotland’s top clubs.”
——
On the whole debacle generally:
“If only when the storm bells were ringing so many of us weren’t asleep at the wheel. Hindsight though changes nothing. The recovery may be longer than we’d hoped.”
——
Off topic:
“Having a wee debate in the pub about certain films, then it got round to “Loads of films I watch it’s always the black guy that gets killed first”
Casual racism from film-makers??”
——
Back to the football:
“Will Ally use squad rotation?”
Istanbulcelt Oscar’s Green & White Army 11:19 on 2 September, 2013
It is up to Peterborough how they appease the player – he is their employee … not Celtic’s.
Peterborough chose to go public with this not Celtic.
Transfer activity is a major part of football – if a player becomes unsettled because a club have made an enquiry about him – that is his problem.
Celtic_1st,
Yes I think the SFA issue the UEFS Licence, so as neither OldCo or NewCo could be issued with one I guess it was irrelevant.
Had a discussion on here sometime ago about the SFA Membership, somone said there was nothing unique about the SFA Documentation i.e no membership number.
But it would be good to see any certification to look at OldCo’s membership and compare it with NewCo’s.
Seem to remember tfod were arguing that having the same membership meant they were the same, threrefore could claim the History.
ConfusedCSC
Hail Hail
…and the MSM made a conscious decision to make the most of the Posh story……….
……..unsettling players????
The Huns made an artform out of it…………..
Remember “The St Mirren Fan” openly courting Naisy for his other favourite team live on Shortie?
lot of BS………
Just in to say…
SydneyTim
__________
Hi buddy – it would be best to let awe the ‘happy-clappers’ joost soak up the very rich broth of ‘bhored’em being brewed for them by their masters.
It’ll not be long now until Satan FC are back in the top league cheating everybody who dares to take to the same pitch as them. Then we’ll hear awe the ‘happy-clappers’ givin it
– “why does the ‘bhored’ no dae sumthin aboot awe this cheating ?”
Having said all of that – I stand by my prediction that I made pre-season….
Celtic to win the domestic treble. imo
Celtic to defeat Sevco in one of the cup competitions. imo
Celtic to qualify for the CL group stage. imo
Celtic to finish 3rd in group. imo
Celtic to go into the EL and reach the semi-final stage. imo
Anyway – Happy Days – Hail Hail – Off oot.
Cultsbhoy we’re not in the last 16 yet, need to negotiate the group stage first.
unew mike
10:55 on 2 September, 2013
werribepat are you Summa in disguise or is TSD the only multi poster on this blog
No unique blog name: but a well kent freen of Summa: just wish Sydney Tim would cut a new record:
……………………20 m reasons to say a BIG thank-you, to BIG PETER.
(that’s twintteeeeeeeeeeeeemulllllyin……..)
HH.
Quick question for shareholders. A couple of years ago there was an option to stop taking dividends on your preference shares and donate the money to the club (for youth development if I remember correctly), I signed up for this and stopped receiving dividend cheques. This morning a dividend cheque arrived through the post, anyone got any idea if the scheme to sign your dividend over is closed?
Monaghan1900
Reading this from FF
“So in effect, the SPL and its clubs stole money from Rangers oldco’s creditors. That includes HMRC, i.e. schools and hospitals and front line troops lost out to feather the nests of Scotland’s top clubs.”
———————–
Words fail me
But from one of our own on twitter yesterday
“The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.”
Stupid Stupid zombies
SydneyTim
11:24 on 2 September, 2013
Richie. Why not went to nearly every game home and away during the deid club 9 in a row. And if I was home would still be there home and away roaring on the hoops
Still gives me the right to say that we should have a better team on the park though :))
——————————————————————
Maybe so, but if you read back (over many years) most of your posts are repeated (in substance) dozens of times and are almost always negative and ill-informed.
You give your opinion, declare it as fact, and rarely post anything positive, or even constructive.
Each to their own, and all that…..but every day in life?
I see the ole Galactico Gareth shirts are already on sale in Madrid.
Finnbogason
For what its worth —– the story as told by the Italian media .
A case of a cash strapped Club flying a kite and hoping to start a bidding war for the player . He was never officially up for sale , he never asked for a transfer, but ,if the money was right , and he wanted to go ,then so be it ..
AC Milan were interested but lost interest when they learned how much Heerenveen wanted .
Lazio were interested but lost interest when they learned how much Heerenveen wanted .
Werder Bremen made an offer and were told , mmm , it’ll take more than that .
Augsburg made an offer and were told , mmm, it ‘ll take more than that ,
Celtic made an offer and were told ,mmm,it’ll take more than that ..
Cardiff made an offer and were told , mmm, it’ll take more than that.
sydneytim
11:24 on 2 September, 2013Richie. Why not went to nearly every game home and away during the deid club 9 in a row. And if I was home would still be there home and away roaring on the hoopsStill gives me the right to say that we should have a better team on the park though :))
Ain’t that a fact…
Ayrshire is Green and White
HH
Chairbhoy
It’s confusing because the Charles Green cohort immediately began presenting Sevco as Rangers to generate support (cash) from the followers of the club that had just been reduced to an accounting exercise.
He could have said: “Rangers have gone, but we will play in similar looking kit from the same stadium. You have nothing to do on match days now, so come and give Sevco a go.”
But he didn’t. He realised he would get more cash out of them if he told them Sevco was Rangers. No one stopped him. The deady bears loved it because it allowed them to keep pretending their club had not died. The media loved it because they could keep printing and broadcasting stuff about Rangers rather than Sevco, allowing them too to continue to get their hands on the blue pound. The Scottish football authorities loved it because it allowed to avoid facing up to the fact that they were suddenly administering smaller, less competitive competitions that necessarily will appear less attractive to sponsors and broadcasters. So, you see, that was all about the money.
The only people pointing out the flaw in it all (“the woman who lives in my granny’s old house … ,” et cetera) were the bampots.
TBB is correct to say that the five-way agreement shows conclusively that, behind closed doors, Charles Green, Stewart Regan, Neil Doncaster and even Longmuir were not so brass-necked that they carried on the pretence when no one was listening. Rangers was Rangers, “a company incorporated in Scotland (registered number SC004276)” and Sevco was Sevco, “a company incorporated in Scotland (registered number SC425159)”. How could they be the same?
Richie #TeamOscar 12:04 on 2 September, 2013
Due to the unrelenting heat in Australia ole Sydney Tim has to find a dark cloud on a daily basis as a comfort zone.
Werribeepat you and yer pal Summa （who also happens to be a pal of mine）share the same patter which is what raised my curiosity…
BTW is the No 7 shirt still unclaimed ?
Was the moaning marsupial Celtic’s last number 7 ?
Afternoon Bhoys and Ghirls,
WGS thanks for that…
I have constructed a team from the players available on
free transfers. Its quite impressive,
I reckon I’d be in with a chance at the title!
Probably lacking a bit of pace, especially at the back.
Ramovic
Gallas Madlung Bouma
Bentley Arca Diarra M.Petrov
Benayoun
Iaquinta Llorente
Subs Vivani, Loovens, Del Horno, Vicente, Vassel
Ole PSG spent £54,000,000 on a striker but still won’t be dining at the top table with
Celtic.