Those of us wanting to bury the memory of the January 2009 transfer window now have the opportunity. Summer 2018 eclipsed not paying £4m for an injury-prone Hibernian striker, while capturing Willo Flood in what appeared to be a reluctant afterthought, by some distance.
To wonder where it started to go wrong, we have to look back at this January’s window. Celtic knew Dedryck Boyata was about to enter the last year of his contract and had been unable to get him to sign a new deal. An acknowledgement was made that this summer was the right time to sell him, so the priority for January was to acquire a direct replacement.
To this end, Marvellous Marvin Compper (then 32) was recruited from Leipzig, where he had been completely out of the picture, having suffered an injury last summer. While Jack Hendry also joined the club in January, he was considered a player with development potential, it was believed Compper would slot straight into the role Boyata filled.
It took Brendan Rodgers 83 minutes to realise this was never going to be the case. The player made two 45 minute appearances in the previous six months, the most recent in September, and was well short of what was required at Celtic. Scouting opportunities must have been limited to reserve football, if that.
Having missed the target so badly in January we started this window playing catch-up. Dedryck was denied a transfer to Fulham, which would have been accepted if Marvin was up to the task. He is not the first Celtic central defender in recent years to declare himself unable to play because he wanted a move, but his agent threw the matter into the public domain. The goals we lost against AEK will hang over the player.
Hibs John McGinn joined Aston Villa when Celtic thought he was coming here. Brendan Rodgers made his displeasure known on the next three occasions he met the media, sparking a media feeding frenzy. Unlike Boyata, McGinn would not have made a difference to our Champions League qualification campaign, but we are short for backup in his central midfield space.
Deadline day started with nothing more than a training session planned at Celtic but Moussa Dembele threw a strop. Late the previous evening he used Twitter to imply he had been lied to, then liked a Tweet by Chris Sutton asserting he was having a go at the manager. Ironically, and before witnesses, a few hours later he told the manager no one had lied to him. We lost our best striker on deadline day without replacing him, and most fans were glad to see him off the premises.
Amid all of the angst, the almost forgotten fact is that this was the window we broke our transfer record fee for the first time in 18 years. Odsonne Eduard arrived for £9m from PSG, but as he was here on loan last season, so not an enhancement to the squad.
We lost Stuart Armstrong and Patrick Roberts ended his multi-year loan. Both played less prominent roles last season than earlier, so their departure will not weaken our first choice line-up, but limits options the manager has, when tactics, injuries and suspensions require a change.
Lewis Morgan arrived from St Mirren, while Daniel Arzani came in on a two year loan from Manchester City. Hopefully one or both can fit into the Roberts role. Youssouf Mulumbu was a player who begged the question, ‘How did he end up at Kilmarnock?’ last season. The player looks the genuine article, and at 31, is younger than others who have arrived late in their career and excelled, but it remains to be seen if he can deliver for Celtic.
With central defence looking as vulnerable as we have seen it in years, Filip Benkovic arrived on loan from Leicester City.
By any measure, this was not a good transfer window. Last season we were schooled in the Champions League, not just by PSG, but by Anderlecht, at home. Granted, we outplayed Anderlecht in Belgium, but when the Belgians replaced their manager, they looked streets ahead.
My hope was that we would do a fair amount of trading. Move on those who would produce high fees and acquire players who can immediately enhance the first team. This did not happen and players like John McGinn would make no difference.
Progress in football is never linear. We had two years of unparalleled domestic success and Champions League football, but are still largely playing with a squad Ronny Deila had. Only Ntcham and Edouard were added to Sunday’s team by Brendan Rodgers. In short, it is not only the last two windows we need to analyse critically, the squad stopped improving after Scott Sinclair arrived in 2016.
I am sure lessons have been learned at Celtic but doing something about it is not always straightforward. Our scouting and recruitment resources do not match our Champions League ambitions. My expectations are the wage bill will be eye-watering hits a new peak when we see the accounts, I don’t think we can safely overhaul the structure and, say, offer the £50k/week levels now standard in England, but there is money for transfer fees, as the accounts will also show.
Despite that critique of our scouting, we acquired Dembele, Edouard, Ntcham and Sinclair over a short period. We have a model that works for us, but not this time. It is perhaps a mercy that the Champions League music will be missing this season, as we are miles short of what is required.
Petrov v Milner
More positively, get along to see the Petrov Milner game on Saturday. You can indulge in watching many of the greatest who have worn Celtic shirts over the last two decades.
And you get to support your Foundation. Ticket’s here.
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Paul67 et al
After yesterday’s surprisingly independent leader, (over issues which need and are yet to be, resolved), it is back to the drawing board. Cannot remember word for word, but there is no doubt Paul that you welcomed Comppner, with apologies to Aretha Franklin fans, like he was the answer to our prayers. Turns out he wasn’t, and nobody but nobody agreed with you then, or now. The guy was a walking disaster, and only then when he was able to walk. No more Marvins No more Mortons……
Watching the Holy Father’s visit to Ireland was depressing. From my own experience those evil experiences never came near me. This is the Catholic church I know and love. And many millions over the world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihJAJA4ibEs&start_radio=1&list=RDihJAJA4ibEs
The same church as Bro. Walfrid.
Thank the lord relative peace and harmony is back on the blog
Last week made brutal reading at times sure there was some timposters on now back in their box
On another note our beautiful club has Celtic the Musical was wondering how Sevco the Musical would work
Difficult due to lack of kultured material I expect lol
Seems Man City have come out with an orange sash third strip. What us is it with Celtic’s business partners and orange sashes this season? First Sevco, and now Man City …
Seriously, when someone as decent and reasonable as big Jamesgang excoriates the Board and the editorial, surely even the Brennies ( like Moonies, but acolytes of the one true church, CQN) must stop and think …. hhhmmmm.
MiT
$10 in the post!
Seriously though, I think I’m basically a realistic happyclapper at heart but to think how slick and prepared we looked pre season then…..?
Don’t think it had to be thus way.
HH bud
AULDHEID on 5TH SEPTEMBER 2018 1:06 PM
On the SFA and McGregor:
I read EasyJambo’s comment.
We only know that the Panel could not arrive at a unanimous decision on referral.
He speculates that 2 members went for red and one went for yellow, but for all we know one of these ex referees looked at that footage and opted for no action at all.
We have to work on the assumption that Collum did “not see the incident” in question because he took zero action subsequently. Not even speaking with players.
If the panel remitt is that they all have to agree on the same course of action had they each been refereeing this match, and when the behaviour is so egregious as in this case, the outcome we got reflects very negatively on the SFA, their referee training & the consistency of refereeing decisions in Scotland.
For me, this is the biggest issue with referees – their lack of consistency across all matches and even within the same match. This farcical panel decision is a huge embarrassment to the SFA.
When you look for reasons NOT to give a card you are not applying the rules consistently.
When you make assumptions about the offending player’s intentions in such a case you’re not applying the rules consistently?
When you appoint the wrong people to a panel of review you end up with embarrassing panel decisions?
Relatedly, if you have a sanctionable code of secrecy & non-disclosure underpinning a public domain decision making process by your own employees, then you’ll run the risk of being accused of lack of transparency & often as not, collusion & corruption. Quite reasonably so in my opinioon
From the start of this season (and long before), the biggest issue has been the strange decisions by referees that the referees themselves are prevented from justifying at the time of anytime afterwards. That some of these decisions ahve been overturned and some haven’t is problematic when the rationale for either outcome is unknown to clubs, players and fans.
In successive weeks the same player has had his violent behaviour referred to the panel and has had his conduct effectively endorsed by their failure to refer him for further sanction. I accept that they cannot take his previous conduct into account, but neither can they search for reasons to justify his actions. Goal keepers are not allowed leeway in how they behave. If there is a prima facie case for referral, it should be referred upwards. It is for the sanctioning body to consider the totality of a player’s behaviour when considering what penalty to apply.
Seems clear to me that if the panel had correctly sanctioned this player for his violent conduct in last week’s game then this week’s dilemma would not exist. Their worst nightmare returned, when the same player was referred to them for precisely the same behaviour.
I suspect that the same person who prevented any referral from last week’s game against Motherwell was responsible for the NON referral this week.
I also suspect that having not referred the player after his violence in the Motherwell game, the panel (or at least one of them) felt obliged to follow that precedent and NOT refer him for his violence against Ajer.
In other words, precedence has been applied selectively – with the result that everyone is more confused than ever about what is acceptable behaviour from players. A panel that was meant to help restore a level playing field succeeds in making things worse. Oh and you’re not allowed to tallk about it or you’ll be up before another panel.
How not to do things – by the SFA.
Other stuff from the weekend — just how bad are the SPL MIB?
They are now a global laughing stock finding new ways to muck things up.
Who needs a Russian linesman when ours get it wrong by 2m?
Have they ever been this bad?
Sure some of their mistakes can be put down to bias but Championship games?
Then you have the ninja tackling and the karate kicks that are now being allowed.
Where will this all end?
AMcG is a very lucky boy — anywhere else he would have been up for assault.
Finally what influence if any can the 4th official have on the field of play?
Is he allowed to offer an opinion to the ref based on hat he has experienced?
I thought they were there to manage the sidelines not shout opinions down a mic?
This all comes back to my thoughts on the SPL being world leaders in the game of VAR and video replays.
No need for any new equipment they just have a feed from Sky as they call out near instantaneous opinions on an incident.
Not directly to the ef but through the 4th official.
Always surprised at the antics of the Sky commentating crew — anything controversial and they are very quick to offer a TFOD2.1 friendly interpretation to the whole world.
Does that then allow the 4th official to get the word out to the ref?
My thoughts are that they are worth a watching.
Dougie Dougie was only a smokescreen.
FTW
And how much do these panels cost to administer their brand of justice, I do not think it will come cheap even if its an annualretainer they are on, jobs the the boys right enough.
for the boys
http://celticunderground.net/our-summers-of-discontent/
A far better summation of the transfer window, and recruitment in general from Harry Brady
Jamesgang
$10?!
To paraphrase that other great Canadian beauty and thinker (Linda Evangelista), I don’t get out of bed for $10!
?
Who would win in a fight between the brennies and the moonies.
As Scott Brown might say..
“If it hadn’t been for Egregious “Greegs” McGregor we would have scored5 goals.
A wee plug for a great cause:
Join us for an afternoon of entertainment and inspirational stories as we celebrate the ways Mary’s Meals brings hope and joy to so many lives.
Mary’s Meals Days bring together those who share our vision that every child receives a meal in a place of education. The Scotland, England and All Ireland events are also an opportunity to thank you for helping to make this work possible.
We will also welcome members of our global family, including speakers from our programme countries, who witness every day the ways in which the simple act of providing a meal in school is transforming the lives of chronically hungry children.
You will hear from our founder and global chief executive Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow and from supporters, who are inspired to share their money, goods, skills, time and prayers.
We’ve lined up great musical performances too, so please bring your family and friends – it’s a great way to introduce them to the wonderful gift that is Mary’s Meals! Book free places for you and your guests here.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Mary’s Meals Day, Scotland (Glasgow)
When: Sunday, 9 September at 2pm. (Doors open at 12.45pm for
tea/coffee and gift stalls.)
Where: Royal Concert Hall, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow
Book your free places or call 0800 698 1212
BSR
When people ask who would do better at building Celtic’s brand….
Sun Myung Moon started with nothing, and built up a movement/business that icluded properties, media … was worth billions … he could have bought Celtic with his pocket change. …. and, in many countries was able to do so as a religion (so, like Rangers, they didn’t pay tax.. but did so legally)…
Has the PLC puppet, “Mr Chocolate”, rattled the cages about the assaults on Celtic players last Sunday yet ?
Didnae think so.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
JIMTHETIM53 on 5TH SEPTEMBER 2018 3:05 PM
Watching the Holy Father’s visit to Ireland was depressing. From my own experience those evil experiences never came near me. This is the Catholic church I know and love. And many millions over the world. The same church as Bro. Walfrid.
*I went to Mass when on holiday, it’s a big church built to accommodate the 7-10,000 extra visitors weekly during the summer months so the congregation is varied.
The pastor read a letter from Bishop Peter Joseph Jugis of the Diocese of Charlotte concerning the abuse and it was probably similar to those read in most parishes in NA if not around the world.
These incidents occurred around 40 year ago, it does not absolve what happened but steps have been taken since the 70s to ensure it doesn’t again, however, there is no guarantee when you have adults involved with children but if you hear of any type of abuse in and out of the church please report it to the relevant authority.
A day or so later after leaving weekly morning Mass I was listening to the radio and the commentators were all over the scandal, in fact one said that whenever he now sees a priest he shudders and wonders if he’s “one of them”.
Then the first phone call from a “gentleman” who was raised a Catholic, he said when he was at school they were taught that if by the age of 13 you weren’t interested in girls means you should join the priesthood, I was taught that you had to have a vocation first, anyway, it was probably because you were gay and now we have gay men as priests and mixing with kids.
There might indeed be gay men that have been ordained but doesn’t make them paedos.
The commentator then went on with gay men and kids labeling it a “perfect storm”. As far as I know there is very little information out there that states gays and paedos are the same, far from it I believe.
This was Catholic bashing 101. The channel was immediately changed.
Incidentally growing up i wanted desperately to be a priest, that ended when puberty kicked in, seriously.
Hrvatski Jim,
A further plug for those living in Ireland.
There is a similar event in the Monaghan Education Centre, Armagh Rd, Monaghan Town on Saturday 15th September. Doors open at 2.15pm for tea, programme begins at 3.00pm to 5.00pm.
HH
MIT
I pretty sure Paul67 has found better things to do than read the comments, of his Brennies.
madmitch,
while I agree with everything you said, I suspect a more cynical motive behind these decisions it to have the whole review system scrapped allowing the refs decisions to be final and get on with unquestioned cheating.
BSR,
you reckon P67 is that condescending?
not giving a monkeys about the people who contribute to his income?
oh wait, just like a certain Plc not a hundred miles from you eh, you could have a very salient point.
Tontime Tim
Paedophilia is about abuse of power, authority etc. as it is sexual. Whenever children and adults are together it can and does happen. Anyone points scoring (Huns everywhere) over this this evil are sick individuals. I had the good fortune to meet and sometimes work with some extraordinary priests none of whom were ever involved in anything untoward. This is not written as an excuse (there isn’t one!) but I often think of those men and what they would think now about the victims, their confreres and also what it has done to ordinary Catholics the world over. Catholic bashing has always been in vogue unfortunately too many in authority in the Church thought to protect themselves and their ‘image’ to really think about the innocent victims who in a lifetime will never get over what has happened to them. I think often of the good people in all walks of life doing their best with people, getting little reward in return and how this stain has tainted all. Victims first and always and their families but also to good people put down.
MadMitch on 5th September 2018 2:36 ‘
Regarding the overcrowding in the Janefield Street tunnel — I think that there will need to be a lot of changes made to the routes within the CP area. Very close call on the back of a number of close call over the years so something needs to be done.’
###
The most effective way to ensure something gets done, and done quickly, is if those affected sue for damages.
MIKE IN TORONTO on 5TH SEPTEMBER 2018 3:46 PM
Jamesgang
$10?!
To paraphrase that other great Canadian beauty and thinker (Linda Evangelista), I don’t get out of bed for $10!
?
———
So I’ll say to you what I said to her, ‘who said anything about getting out of bed gorgeous?’
???
I found Christie’s introduction quite interesting. His athleticism impressed me. Could be a useful impact player this season.
Speaking at the SPFL Match Attax 18/19 Collection Launch at Hampden Park, Christie said: “When I first joined I was still young and when I went away to Aberdeen I was quite small in stature.
“It’s hard for me to notice it but since I’ve came back, people I’ve not seen in a whole year, see a difference in me.
“That’s always good to hear that gym work is paying off. It only benefitted my development going up there and it’s put me in a right good stead.
“I look back at photos when I first joined Celtic and I look like a wee boy in comparison to what I look like now.
“When I first joined Celtic I was 66.5 kilograms and now I’m about 73.5 so I’ve put on a right few kilograms which is good.
“We get our fat tested every day and I’ve managed to keep that down so hopefully it means that’s muscle that I’m putting on.
In light of Miller and Wallace’s appeals being upheld by the SFA, I think I have found the answer to the Appeals Board conundrum.
There are no former referees sitting in judgement. Instead, it is the famous SFA fixtures computer, which has been upgraded.
A new programme has been installed which reacts to the word Sevco.
This means that if any player’s name that has Sevco FC attached to it is automatically found either not proven or rescinded.
GARY67@3-32
Harry Brady is spot on in my opinion.
A Celtic fan who speaks from the heart.
JAMESGANG MIKE IN TORONTO
Sorry to burst both your bubbles but i know Evangelista quite well and can honestly say she is the only Canadian i have met and truly disliked.
Her beauty was on the outside and her behaviour is truly hunlike.
Fanatic
No worries mhate. The incident only took place in her dreams! ?
Since BR has come in our scouting reach has shrunk significantly. We don’t appear to look beyond the reaches of the UK and possibly France.
I don’t know if it’s that the EPL clubs have caught up in terms of scouting break-through players, they’re hijacking deals or our coverage/trust has reduced.
We have managed to pick up a few bargains within the UK but that’s got to be the outliers than the rule when it comes to transfers within these shores.
We need to get back to looking at emerging talents from Scandinavian countries, Eastern Europe, Balkan and ex-soviet states.
Times may have changed but in the past clubs like Porto had great success on similar footballing budgets. They spend/spent less than us on wages but more on transfer fees. The goal has to be a gradual trading up in quality with the occasional seasoned pro (perhaps at the end of their career or rescuing their stalling careers like we have done in the past). Loans to plug the gaps are ok, and even good if we have an option to buy.
But there is undeniably a malaise from some part of the club that caused the failing the past window(s).
The way football is just now actually presents a huge opportunity for a club in our position. In the past the speculate to accumulate approach may have been reckless, but when you can buy players and sell them a year or two later for 5 times their cost, never mind 40 times their initial outlay then the risk vs reward odds shift dramatically. As long as we don’t overpay wages we could bring in players with potential by the barrowload and it still make financial sense if one in five works out.
Ambition is something Celtic fans have for the team in abundance.
The board’s is tempered by a business model that see’s profit as the way forward.
Like all businesses the board have blogs, journalists and company statements to praise and further their agenda.
From @Tam_Sellek on Twitter
Henrik Larsson will have played more matches at Celtic Park in 2018 than Marvin Compper. Larsson left Celtic 14 years ago.
CANAMALAR @ 4.46
I think he probably knows the current climate, as it rises and falls in Timland, knows whats topical, and what isn’t just by following Celtic, or wakening up every day as a Celtic fan.
This blog is a platform for saying whatever you like about Celtic regardless of your views without getting abused, ( hopefully) as you would by hosts, never mind other contributors, elsewhere on less established sites.
There’s only one thread at a time on CQN but more and more it seems to be leaning towards disagreeing with the thread matter, now with ad hoc name calling, or labelling. Nobody is that thick skinned, that they wouldn’t react that’s why I don’t believe he reads all of the comments.
I reckon Celtic are an exceptionally well run club/PLC including all matters business and football, and I’ve never seen a single post on the internet that proves, or even suggests we’re not. We are even compared on here with a fully fraudulent Rangers,in terms of how we did in the transfer market, and critiqued for not buying the Terry Butcher’s and Paul Casgoines of today?
On the other Scottish picture I don’t really have any current issues with ‘the PLC’ ‘the board’, not even on, our biggest grievance i.e.Scotland’s shame. I genuinely believe in the hope, that its still an open book in terms of Sevco (Res 12) etc. and I try to practice being a Celtic supporter, that saw the demise of Rangers, and their fans who let them goes out of existence, no matter how it was sliced..
Sevco are a mere irrelevance and not an incarnation, and if it boils down to supporting Celtic and tholling Scotlands fraud just like I did before it was fully exposed, I’ll stick with the season ticket.
HH
Tontine Tim @ 4.15pm
Breaking a vow myself here…
The issue isn’t JUST that it happened and was tolerated/permitted/encouraged through an omerta by church priests and prelates.
The issue is also that the victims of these appalling & disgusting crimes were further victimized by the institutional collusion to present them as dishonest, disturbed and money grabbing opportunists, as the cover up went into overdrive.
THAT happened this year and is still happening to many of these broken people.
The Catholic church have had decades to resolve this issue & has failed miserably time after time, mostly due to their flawed priorities when faced with the immensity of the crimes.
In one country after another, the same scenario unfolds.
Accusations of child sexual abuse are levelled by multiple people towards Catholic clergy & lay people.
The church denies, deflects, obfuscates & accuses the victims of dishonesty & malicious behaviour.
The victims find comfort in each others support & persist with their accounts.
Eventually, the overwhelming weight of evidence convinces key people of the veracity of the complaints.
Then the fun really begins as clergy are protected, re-assigned and/or given therapy while the victims are treated..well like criminals & not victims.
I meet church going Catholics regularly and every single one of them refuses to discuss the issue when I raise it. They shuffle their feet & look around for an opportunity to exit. This reluctance to discuss the issue is part of the same culture that allowed these criminals to operate with impunity in the first place – but none of these parishioners seem to appreciate that this, or if they do, they have no idea how to deal with it.
The crimes are still raw to those victims & often to their families who were unaware of the abuse that their loved one had to endure as part of being a priest’s favourite child.
These crimes of sexual abuse are unique – all of the vicitms and perpetrators were Catholic in every country. That situation allowed the crimes to continue & allegations about them to be summarily dismissed as scurilous. The haverings of a child set against the reputation and office of a priest usually meant additional punishment for the accusing child & increased deference to the priest.
All Catholics made these crimes possible because of the culture under which they were all obliged to operate. Priest were faultless paragons of virtue & children were not to be taken seriously, especially of they impugned the office of the priesthood.
This failure by lay Catholics to engage with others about these crimes against their own children leaves the stage free for less informed folk to speculate before leaping to unhelpful conclusions in a one-sided debate.
The fact of the mater is that for many years the Catholic Church had something to hide and tried very hard to actually hide the extent and enormity of it all.
The original crimes often overshadow a largely unseen issue, which is one of horrendous breach of trust – when the children were originally abused, when those who knew about abuse chose to remain silent, when the church denied & covered up for the assailants, when the church discourages any open debate to help heal those who need it most.
Assurances that steps have been put in place to avoid a repetition are worthless when there is no trust or just a fragile trust. Can we honestly take the word of such people? Openness, transparency & accountability is what is required as part of world wide Truth & Reconciliation programme – that’s if the church was serious about remorse, contrition & reparations.
Very like the SFA trying to assure fans that they’ll deal honestly & fairly with every issue – despite a sorry record of corruption, cronyism, dishonesty & patently unfair decisions.
When we overlook the crimes of some because we feel we have no choice – warning bells should be ringing.
For the record, my uncle was a priest for 62 years and I myself was a seminarian for 3 years.
I suspect that this post will be deleted by there you go…
McPhailBhoy
Yes, Paedophilia is a form of abuse of children.
The legal definition is easily found online.
In the majority of cases the offences committed by Catholic adults on Catholic children are precisely that, regardless of how uncomfortable it makes some folk feel. The reason & the context for committing these crimes are irrelevant.
I too detest that the names & reputations of so many wonderful people like my uncle have had their whole lives tarnished by some of their colleagues who were emotionally unfit for their office.
JAMESGANG @ 5:48 PM ?
I am so happy. Still glowing.
Buenas Noches, Amigos.
See what I’ve learned in just 12 days! It’s the ole International Break so surely our collective thoughts should be drifting to Friday night’s game against the recent world cup 3rd places. Looking forward to seeing 3 or 4 Celts on our side and maybe The Belgian on the other.
The family that own the apartment we are staying in are Belgian, hence the BelNedGer dominated TV channels. So should her to see it ok whilst packing for Saturday mornings journey home.
2 more sleeps…. ;-)