Out of the Champions League qualifiers at the hands of a team with a smaller budget than ours, for the second season in succession. Where did it all go wrong? Two shortcomings stand out: team planning and tactical strategy.
I’ll take the latter first. We had 60% possession last night, a remarkable figure for an away European game which was lost. We dominated possession, didn’t score a goal and conceded twice (for the fourth time in five games).
Let me take you back a few years to a Dominik Diamond TV interview with Martin O’Neill, then Leicester City manager, in 1999. O’Neill laid plain his tactical philosophy, “My teams have big guys who know how to defend, they have players who can throw dangerous balls into the box, and players who can get on the end of those balls and put them in the net”.
A year later, when Martin came to Celtic, it was like going to school as we watched the observance of these very rudimentary rules transform our club. His defenders could defend, he had wide players who could throw dangerous balls into the box, and strikers who knew where the goal was. Martin’s teams never dominated possession against a European peer, never mind a team who beat them so comfortably.
It doesn’t need to be explained that there was no team in the world who could score three times from corner kicks against the Celtic team of a decade or so back. Today, team planning has insufficiently focussed on a few fundamentals of the game: know how to defend, know how to translate possession into chances, and have a handful of players in the team who know where the goal is. This is the fittest, fastest, Celtic team I have ever seen, but we looked like busy fools last night.
Ronny Deila’s post-match comments about the team being scared was an instant reaction to the defeat, but it’s worth digging into what prompted this perception. There were actually many occasions when Celtic players showed for a pass, the Uefa possession and completed pass stats conform this, but what we never did was boss the middle of the park.
In yesterday’s blog I asked Celtic to own the park as I have had a worry about this aspect for a while. This is different from covering a lot of ground (we do that), or being able to make a pass (we do that too). We have Scott Brown (runner) and Nir Bitton (passer) in central midfield. I like both but we need extra bite in this area. Celtic’s most effective period over the last decade was when we had Wanyama and Brown central-mid. The role Wanyama fulfilled has been sacrificed for the player in the hole behind the lone striker.
Players of Wanyama’s calibre are not common, and we shouldn’t go 4-3-3 if all we have is a Kayal to fill the additional central midfield space, but Brown and Bitton are not enough in central midfield in Europe. It’s also clear that selection for the four advanced positions (the 3-1) has been so fluid since the start of the season we’re clearly not cohesive in that area of the field either.
For me, if it’s Brown and Bitton, and I think it should be, we need another Brown-Wanyama influencer. Think back to our last Champions League group to consider the prospect of playing a European game without Scott Brown. At the very least we need cover for him, but in Europe we need two in his position. Go 4-3-3.
So much for tactical strategy, what about team planning? For the third August since parting company with Gary Hooper we are hawking around for a striker. Gary’s not a panacea, so I’ll ignore him as a prospect for now, but while Leigh Griffiths has performed beyond the call of duty, we are, again, out of the Champions League without having any idea who our primary striker will be this season.
We are in a loop of mistakes, and frankly, the most likely next action is that we respond by recruiting an identikit of the many strikers who have passed through Parkhead gates in recent years. We know enough about this problem to be aware that it’s our primary challenge, yet we have been unable to overcome it.
In my State of the Club blog at the start of the season I cautioned that we’d swapped Gordon Strachan’s soft spot for recruiting from Hibs, for a desire to see stars at Dundee United. Ciftci, Mackay-Stevens and Armstrong have been our primary recruits for advanced positions in 2015. Only one won a place in the starting line-up last night, leaving us relying on players who struggled to get in the team a year (or longer) ago.
Ronny Deila may well be able to polish Dundee United players into top performers at Celtic, but we didn’t recruit the finished article. We should have known this, and should have been aware that our August cup finals would have made calls on bit-part players from recent seasons.
We will find the occasional Champions League player in Scotland, but you can’t raid a mid-table SPFL team and expect to leap to the very top table in the game. This team planning strategy always looked vulnerable and it’s proven to be.
On the money side, you know my views. Over any business period you pay what comes in, no more and no less. We’re losing to team who spend less than us, not more, and on this occasion a team who picked up a player we discarded.
On just as important matters………
The golfers among you have three days to buy a raffle ticket – for £1 only – to win a round of golf at the fantastic Aberdour Golf Course for four people! Check it out here on ebay. Money raised (by Taggsybhoy) will go to the Foundation. This important work, always needs to be done, win, lose or draw.
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Thunder Road
A couple of the Bhoys on here have made the very good suggestion that we should try to help TCR out financially as he will not be able to work for a while. Other than that, I cannot say how he is doing.
JJ
Livibhoy
It truly astonishing. Film stars being paid millions was somehow OK because they lived on a different planet and represented our escape from `normal` life. Footballers are seen as an extension of ourselves and, as such, we want to feel connected to both them and our team. They now are in a twilight zone between us and the `other planet` scenario and a tenuous link remains. I can see it snapping and the game as we know it, including our affiliation with Celtic, disappearing ( which is what I am about to do now!)
Cheerio for now,
JJ
JJ
Thats a nice thought.
Hopefully something can be organised.
I will try to have a read back later if i can.
Thanks.
bilbo was surprised to wake one morning to find a tesco store had opened next to his house
it was an unexpected item in the baggins area
Jungle Jim Hot Smoked
Film stars are paid a wage that reflects what the film makes. A film is a world wide phenomenon. The core of a football club is the 30k-60k people who walk through the door at home matches. When a footballer earns more a month than than a whole bus load of fans probably earn in a year put together you need to start questioning the ethic and direction of the sport.
What is even more depressing is the greed of these guys. Not only does Messi earn a fortune he tries to dodge tax! Ridiculous.
Scunnered again with the game I love today.
LB
Predictably the media have their knives out for a twisting into Delia’s back. Depressing as Tuesday’s exit was, it is compounded by so many fans on here with their knives out too. Tuesday has raised doubts over Ronny, of course it has but some of the kneejerk “Ronny is dud” and should be sacked is nonsense. Sitting in the stands over the past year, especially the second half of the season, the quality of football and entertainment has improved, as has our cup runs. My opinion is that I have seen enough so far to suggest Ronny deserves more time. The capitulation away in Europe on Tuesday had a familiar feel to it, something that predates Ronny.
I am frustrated with the board, I know we are a well-run club but our strategy of exclusively only buying young players with resale value is hampering us. When we look at our wage bill and transfer fees compared with Malmo, Maribor, Legia, etc on paper we should be miles ahead but we have over spent and wasted money on “projects” when we could easily bring in a few seasoned pros to complement our younger players. BarcaBhoy and others have alluded to this and I agree. Time for a rethink and adjustment.
SNEDDONI 10″55 am
I have a COMPAQ CQ58 laptop which i think is made by HP
no problems , had it 2 years roughly . Not an expert but will
do all you wan’t it for, imo.
We are wasting too much money at our club and it has to stop,
i believe we employ 10 scouts, why and if we do then somebody
has to answer for their incompotence regarding strikers. Millions
gone and we are left with a Dutch crock, Scepovic who didn’t get
a proper airing and Ciftcy who i don’t think is good enough for us.
Poor decision making for what’s at stake,crap actually.
HH
LIVIBHOY on 27TH AUGUST 2015 11:33 AM
Jungle Jim Hot Smoked
Film stars are paid a wage that reflects what the film makes. A film is a world wide phenomenon. The core of a football club is the 30k-60k people who walk through the door at home matches. When a footballer earns more a month than than a whole bus load of fans probably earn in a year put together you need to start questioning the ethic and direction of the sport.
What is even more depressing is the greed of these guys. Not only does Messi earn a fortune he tries to dodge tax! Ridiculous.
Scunnered again with the game I love today.
LB
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/where-did-it-all-go-wrong/comment-page-14/#comments
=====================
The more it gets out of hand it may not be the worst thing for us.
We know already we can’t compete in the same market as the top English sides but when you have the EPL suits boasting that Burnley are bigger than Bayern Munich and Palace bigger than Juventus in terms of turnover, then I think more and more clubs across Europe will be in our corner looking for a solution, isolating the EPL and allowing it to blow itself up. The problem is we all thought that would have happened by now.
We’re certainly not alone as a club anyway, even if it feels like it sometimes.
HH
Thanks for all your wonderful posts re wee Olivia’s recovery.
She is a wee bit sore this morning and didn’t have a great sleep, however, once the healing process begins she’ll be more confident about her movement.
Many thanks once again.
It seems a bit bizarre to me that when you criticize the strategies of the club’s recruitment and payment policies that you still put your money in,justifying them.
Is that not hypocritical?
Is that not part of the ‘problem’?
spiritof67 on 27th August 2015 11:42 am
I think we employ 6 full time scouts and 9 part time.
I’d almost take the opposite stance – I’d really be wondering if that is enough when you consider the amount of games at all age groups all over Europe on any given weekend.
HH
gearoid1998 on 27th August 2015 10:29 am
With Wits and PFayr
Let’s get something sorted for TCR.
KTF and HH
Count me in.
Get well soon TCR and please keep us posted on your recovery.
I would get banned for telling you what I think of your attackers.
God bless.
KJam on 27th August 2015 11:37 am
Predictably the media have their knives out for a twisting into Delia’s back. Depressing as Tuesday’s exit was, it is compounded by so many fans on here with their knives out too. Tuesday has raised doubts over Ronny, of course it has but some of the kneejerk “Ronny is dud” and should be sacked is nonsense. Sitting in the stands over the past year, especially the second half of the season, the quality of football and entertainment has improved, as has our cup runs. My opinion is that I have seen enough so far to suggest Ronny deserves more time. The capitulation away in Europe on Tuesday had a familiar feel to it, something that predates Ronny.
I am frustrated with the board, I know we are a well-run club but our strategy of exclusively only buying young players with resale value is hampering us. When we look at our wage bill and transfer fees compared with Malmo, Maribor, Legia, etc on paper we should be miles ahead but we have over spent and wasted money on “projects” when we could easily bring in a few seasoned pros to complement our younger players. BarcaBhoy and others have alluded to this and I agree. Time for a rethink and adjustment.
———————————————————————————————————————————–
Any manager at Celtic in the post-huns era is going to be judged by what he does in Europe not domestically. Ronny Delia’s record in Europe has been abysmal and he should go now to give his replacement the time to build for next season’s crack at qualifying for the CL group stage. He does not deserve a fourth chance. That is too big a gamble as the club cannot afford to lose out on CL largesse three season on the trot.
Thanks for the list Weeminger, having a look through it now.
Thanks for that Spiritof67, really leaning toward a couple of HP’s at the moment.
Just a wee update on TCR… The wee Man has had a couple of comfortable nights..He doesn’t appear to have any long term damage…I brought him from the vision clinic,but as you can see from the the pictures in the papers,it will be a while before his eyes heal…I won’t see him until tomorrow,so will keep you’s updated…if anything is happening to help,I will let yous know..
.
Ibrahimović in Talks with Malmo..
Summa
Throwing a name in the hat for a striker that fits the identikit – Matej Jelic.
Can’t say I’ve ever watched him playing, just scouring the interweb for affordable looking strikers with good scoring records that are the right age.
24 years old. The past couple of seasons he’s been scoring at least 1 in two (including in the Europa!). 6ft. Wouldn’t cost the earth.
Scored 5 in 6 this season in the league and 7 from 7 in Europa qualifiers. 19 goals in 30 domestic matches last season.
TRADITIONALIST88
Mibee no the number of scouts but the quality , too many duds signed and Derk
who scouted and sanctioned that, we all knew he was a treatment room resident, a gamble too far, not an isolated case by the way.
Just my thoughts, cheers
HH
.
Un-Lazy Journalism..
Courtesy James Forrest..
Celtic Fans Are Entitled To A Vision
When the final whistle went on Tuesday night, my initial feelings were not despair or anger but a numbed kind of acceptance.
“This is where we are now,” I thought. “Time to start getting used to that fact.”
It’s that idea that makes me feel angry, not the performance as abject as it was.
This notion that we now need to narrow our horizons and think small.
That we have to “adapt” to being Champions League also-rans.
Yet it’s an inescapable conclusion to have to reach.
We’ve failed to get to the Groups Stages two years in a row now, and we’ve never looked entirely comfortable in our skin trying to reach them.
In hindsight, this was coming, as sure as Glasgow rain.
Signs of life from Celtic Park are rare enough at the best of times, but had we gone through Peter Lawwell’s smug face would be everywhere as he sought to take credit for the latest piece of brilliance in “the strategy.”
That strategy is a shambles.
It has been for years, and all the excuses – and I consider them just that; about being based in Scotland, about being “unable to compete with the big sides”, about “living within our means” – do little to hide that simple fact.
I know it won’t change as long as the present incumbents are at Celtic Park.
I know too that there’s no appetite amongst the supporters for seeing them removed.
We are, in the eyes of many, a “well run club.”
I agree, if that means a healthy balance sheet and no fireworks behind the scenes.
If it means competently run and professional then I cannot argue.
We are most certainly all of those things.
Our directors and senior staff are exactly the kind of people you want to see working down at your local credit union.
Safe pairs of hands.
But we’re a football club, not a corporate entity.
The team sheet ought to take precedence over the balance sheet.
We are supporters, not stock analysts and although some of us are shareholders too the notion that this board is maximising income on our behalf is ludicrous.
The last two years, we’ve lost an estimated £30 million out of failures which can be traced all the way from the boot-room to the boardroom.
If we were an EPL club a hit like that would hurt like Hell.
As a club playing in Scotland that’s money we certainly cannot afford to lose.
In strictly business terms, think of it like twice failing to land a major contract.
When this happened the first time, a company in any other field would have conducted a business review.
Things would have changed behind the scenes, perhaps even radically.
For that not to have happened, and for us to be back here as a result of that is an abrogation of responsibility at the top so staggering it would have resulted in a proposed shareholder vote of confidence in the CEO and others in any company of comparable size.
Last season, on or about the exact same date, Peter Lawwell told the media that he would give them some insight into what Celtic’s long term strategy was going to be.
He didn’t, and he had not intended to, although he was happy to give that impression.
What he did, instead, was give an interview to CelticTV, where he was asked softball questions by one of his own employees.
He then distributed the video to the media, who accepted it without question.
That was a shameful thing for them to have done and it was an appallingly brazen, Murray-Lite thing for Lawwell to have done.
That interview haunts me a year on and should haunt us all.
In it he made the spurious claim that the absence of a team called Rangers in the top flight had cost our club £10 million.
He actually, at one point, suggested that they had been “sent down” to the lowest tier of the game instead of actually stating the simple truth that Sevco are a liquidated club that started where all football clubs should start.
And he defended the strategy, the one that sees him out on his own as the highest paid person at Celtic Park, which limits our transfer policy to “projects” and loanees. The one that saw us suffer a shattering series of defeats and reversals the last time we did make it to the Groups because the side from the previous year had been dismantled and the proceeds banked. The one that saw Lennon leave in disgust.
All of this seems to have been forgotten now, by those who’re telling us that our club is hamstrung by circumstances and geography.
It’s nonsense.
We are here because of decision made inside our own walls, and a policy that will not allow us to grow.
Is it too much that we ask, now, facing another year in the second tier of European football, for some kind of honesty out of Celtic Park?
If Lawwell has a vision, then let him get in front of the actual press – lets face it, we know they won’t make it easy for him – and articulate what that is.
Why aren’t they clamouring for it?
Why aren’t more of us clamouring for it?
Where is our club going?
Where does its ambition now lie?
Are the board satisfied with the performance of the manager?
Do they think they’ve done enough to support his ambitions? What are those?
Does he see us a Champions League team or does he think the Europa League is the level at which we ought to be competing?
These are only some of the questions that need to be asked.
Who the Hell is asking them?
Most of the Celtic blogs in the last 24 hours have suggested that this is a time for rallying around the flag.
Seriously.
For the third year in a row those of us who’ve been asking just what in the Hell is going on at Celtic Park have been told the time is not right for that conversation.
When will it be right?
What, exactly, are we waiting for?
What are the circumstances under which some of our supporters will snap out of the lethargy and start asking questions of those who are running us at the moment?
Even if those people are right – and this is all nothing more than a consequence of being stuck in Scottish football – where are the moves to change that?
What’s happening behind the scenes?
Are we lobbying?
Are we building alliances across Europe?
Are we considering legal avenues?
Or are people at Celtic Park sitting staring at the phone, waiting for the call from the EPL to tell us, a club that has spent less than £3 million trying to build a team to challenge for a Champions League place, that our presence is required in their league to make it whole?
I’m fully prepared for the inbox of vitriol for this article.
For all the stick I get from Sevco fans, the worst abuse that comes my way is always strictly reserved for those times I write negative stuff about my own club.
So, I’ll keep it simple.
This “faithful through and through” stuff is for mugs.
It’s a free ride to the people who are taking us backwards.
It’s dangerous and damaging to Celtic.
It’s the same mentality that had Rangers fans sleeping at the wheel when their club was speeding towards the abyss.
Unquestioning. Uncritical.
Accepting of any nonsense that comes through the official club channels.
And before someone starts foaming at the mouth, I’m not suggesting Celtic is heading that way.
I’m saying that real and lasting harm is being done to us and our reputation.
I know nothing will change.
I know this article is a waste of my time and energy.
I know the board considers us nothing more than customers who are entitled only to the answers they think we should have, and I know a lot of our fans are comfortable with where we are.
But silence isn’t an option here.
We deserve a vision.
We deserve those answers.
Celtic is something we love, and that we might be so cavalier in watching it lose its way appals me.
I’m damned if I’m sitting through it and keeping my mouth shut.
There’s an old aphorism that comes to mind today.
“It’s better to have tried and failed than to have failed to try.”
If only that mentality were alive inside Celtic Park, this article wouldn’t be necessary.
Summa
m6bhoy –
Personally, I think it’s a bit unfair to judge on last year’s qualifying.
I think chopping and changing manager is counterproductive.
Purely from a ST holder point of view, in Lennon’s last season (who I am a fan of) we got three home games in the Champions League but the rest of season…was well torture most of the time. We lacked intensity, huffed and puffed and scrapped our way past SPL teams by the odd goal and were papped out the cups by Aberdeen and Morton. Like it or not, most of the games we watch and go to over the season are in Scottish competitions. This has been more enjoyable and sucessful under Ronny’s reign.
Just thought I’d throw this one in, we change our playing staff and manager quite frequently but our board with a few exceptions seem to be there forever. Time for new blood and thinking – really out of the box – Getting scunnered with the same old same old . Been some great ideas suggested on here lets start to use them. H H Hebcelt
lennon’s passion on 27th August 2015 10:15 am……….
Not exactly a tip but topical re CQN…………
Sneakin’ Pete in the first…..
Do like Flyman though in the 4:00, e/w value currently at 8s…
Enjoy the day.
Looking forward to a few race days soon…Ten days and counting!
Regards & Hail Hail
TBM
Livibhoy makes a great point regarding the disaffection that we, Celtic fans, would feel if we paid these astronomical wages – our ‘friends’ in Ibrox would have no such reservations – they still defend their EBT fiasco, which handed half a miilion pound ‘backhanders’ to mediocre players – they want to win at ANY cost and under ANY circumstances.
How can fans of the top teams in the EPL have any empathy, or, connection, with players who are earning upwards of £100k per week?
The wee problem that Celtic fans have is that we want a more personal and affectionate relationship with those who wear the hoops – we want success, but would we support these disgusting wages, if we could afford it?
I would detest it!!!
JJ, TBB
In 1889 in the Town of Nuneaton, (near Coventry) Nuneaton St. Nicholas were formed. In 1894 they changed their name to Nuneaton Town and played until 1937 when the club was disbanded.
Two days later Nuneaton Borough FC were founded. In 2008 the club was liquidated.
The FA ruling meant they had to reformed, they did so as Nuneaton Town and began life two leagues below.
The club is still known as ‘The Boro’ by its supporters and ‘UpTheBoro’ is its war cry (and twitter hashtag!).
Last year they celebrated ‘125 years of football’. No one at the Club or in the Town believes they are the same entity, technically, and they acknowledge what happened. But in the same conversation you’ll never convince any of them that all of these clubs weren’t or isn’t the football team of Nuneaton. This is their 125th year in their hearts.
These notions seem to sit entirely comfortably with one another. Accept the objective measure and perpetuate the subjective sentiment. I’m actually fine wit that.
The Club’s own website acknowledges exactly what happened and gives a history of three clubs. http://www.nuneatontownfc.com/a/club-history-34283.html
The club went to the wall, twice, but the town still has a team and has had for 125 years.
Dignified enough for me. Up the Boro.
300K a week, dearie me.
An adult on the minimum wage in the UK, would have to work 40 hours a week, 50 weeks a year, for a total of 23 + years to earn gross what he is getting a week.
And yet so, so many are facilitating this by giving Sky there hard earned, then bitch about it.
HH
Tomthetim
Well apparently Broonie has come out and agreed with Commons that Ronny was wrong and they were not scared.Now the reason I bring it up is because if it is true Ronny does not rule the dressing the Captain of Celtic in my opinion should always publicly support his manager what they say to each other behind closed doors should remain there.However,that appears to be two senior players who are not on the same page as the manager.On Saturday we are back to the league playing against another Scottish team who were bumped out of Europe early so we will see if Ronny makes many changes for the game.H.H.
Mr Pastry – I’ve been blunt with you on here regarding your posts on the team. So I think it’s only fair I say I think I might agree regarding the wages.
As I said previously, if our raison d’etre is CL qualification above all else, perhaps we should appoint managers on a fixed two year contract, with a defined remit of at least one CL qualification – on that basis, and discounting his first attempt as he was just in the job, perhaps Ronny is due another year.
Only reservation I have is that he may not have the dressing-room behind him, although the players must shoulder nearly all the blame.
RobertTressell – I appreciate your comments and I am really pleased that we can agree on this – I’d be surprised if there are any Tims who would disagree.-
We could play them again tonight, tomorrow- everyday for the rest of the month- and the result would still be the same.
Given the same circumstances Malmo at home to us, they would beat us every-time.
We were not scared Ronny.
We were not Shocking Broonie.
@GO TELL THE SPARTIM
Financing the debt is how we keep our credit line, and show good standing to the AIM. The CEO ‘bonus structure’ is just under half of what a first team player earns a year. Most dividends are not actually taken by supporters, and left in the club – so we do use that money already.
This is a fallacy I’m afraid mate. Having an improved team does not improve the competition we are in weekly, nor the football saturation from tv. We are already one of the top 10 match day earners in SPORTS WORLDWIDE according to SportsIntelligence and Deloitte, so there isn’t really more blood to be gotten form that stone. Having worked with Arsenal recently, I can tell you that they value 1 Diamond Club ticket supporter to 250 season ticket holders in terms of match day income and merchandise over a year. Finally, sponsors don’t care about people in the ground anymore as they cannot track or measure a specific correlation between in-person advertising and sales. With targeted Social Media or TV campaigns, you can. So getting another 5-10,000 people into Parkhead actually makes no difference to those parameters you mentioned (sadly).
True, but we are a complete anomaly in European Football, so it’s the only show in town.
@LIVIBHOY
This is categorically wrong I’m afraid. Football is nothing more than entertainment for an audience. As big an audience as one can find. Back in the day that meant 100,000 people in a stadium. Now it’s 10million people via TV.
Football games are a worldwide entertainment phenomenon. Like Film, there are good ones and bad ones, and it’s not always the ones you think. But the one with Tom Cruise/Messi is usually worth your money, with the one with Adam Sandler/Lee Muculloch is usually crap.
Football has not been about the “people who walk through the door at home matches” since 1992. The business model changed, and it hasn’t looked back. Until that TV bubble bursts form internet streaming, it isn’t going to change any time soon.
@KJAM
I am frustrated with the board, I know we are a well-run club but our strategy of exclusively only buying young players with resale value is hampering us.
That’s such a scary statement because it is without context. It suggests that a) we’re all on the same currency b) there are standardised immigration rules c) we all have the same tax rates d) we all have the same cost of living and e) we all have the same standard of living.
I lived in Malmo (working for Smeg). It was expensive (taxes) but I would much rather be there for 80% of the same wages to live in Glasgow.
We have to stop making unilateral comparisons, without context, when it suits us (against teams in Europe who we arrogantly think we should be better than when we have no divine right), unless we’re also willing to make the same comparison to those in England – given that our transfer budget puts us in par with a League 2 team. Currently our turnover and transfer-budget is the same as Barnsley!!!
That sadly a dream.
There are no “seasoned pro’s” that we can afford. It’s not the transfer fee either, which makes for great headlines, it’s the wages. The average wage at celtic is £17k per week – which puts us 181st for average wage in the list of ALL SPORTS TEAMS WORLDWIDE (including NFL, NBA, EPL etc). We’re already paying top dollar, and we’re paying 23 times more than the 2nd biggest average in our league (Aberdeen) and 25 times more than the lowest in our league (ross county). In order to pay a “season pro” we would have to match their wages, bonus structure, image rights etc from our EPL counterparts.
Kevin Nolan, released by West Ham today, at 33 years old was on 55k a week (2.86million a year) – from the bloody Championship. To sign him and cover his basic wage, as a seasoned pro, we would need to sell 3 first team players. THAT is why we can’t do it. Because the money paid to even journeymen in the championship is 3-5 times what our wage structure is. To break it for 2 players, is to go the way of the dodo/sevco.
Mr. Pastry. I go along with you I think Ronny should get another 12 months I dont think it is going to be easy for him as cracks seem to be appearing in the unity of the players with him. I think we need to bring in a couple of mature players with European experience as we badly need to do well in the Europa league and at the moment we are short on experience and maturity.H.H.
Has the manager lost the dressing room?Arecertain player ruling the roost.Is the tail wagging the dog?
What’s the answer,sack the manager,what’s to stop them doing the same to a new man.
Ronny stand up to them Get Them Out.All of them.
This feels really crappy at present. I think it’s fair to say that even the happiest of clappers is a wee bit disillusioned with things.
Things have to improve.
new article posted.
Pot 2 is more difficult looking the pot 1 this year
@Kjam. I dont understand your point Malmo Legia and Maribor all put Celtic to the sword they dont pay massive wages or huge transfer fees.So if they can manage to beat Celtic and get to the CL group stages the huge money in the EPL must affect all European clubs not just Celtic so why can they do it and Celtic cant ? Sorry if im missing something. H.H.