Brendan Rodgers is a master of what to say and what not to say. Blame, well, “I can’t fault the players”. So not the players then. He adds, “However, if you want to progress, then, as I said, you need to bring in quality.” Is that pointing the finger of blame? There’s plausible deniability; I’m sure if asked directly, Brendan would wax lyrical about the support he received from Dermot and Michael, but plausible deniability does not cut through publicly in football. You, me and Brendan know that.
Martin O’Neill made it clear at an AGM 20-something years ago. With Dermot Desmond sitting a few seats along from him, he explained that it was not his job to worry about development, finances or sustainability. His job, as he saw it, was to campaign for better players. It was up to the board to hold their line and worry about what they needed to worry about. Martin was always charmingly frank.
The upshot for today is a degree of urgency which means the manager will inevitably get what he wants, just like last summer, when we spent £26m on Idah, Engels and Trusty. Celtic have the money to back Brendan like this again, I fully expect they will.
468 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- ...
- 13
- »
I would like to see main stand redeveloped (long overdue)
Also not sure how much we “identify “ to spend to take us one round further in CL.
At the moment I think we are a wee but weaker than we finished the season (a Khun amount), but will wait to see what happens in rest of window to see how things actually pan out.
Also, I expect more from Engels and Bernardo this season as they should be fitter and more settled
TIMMY7_NOTED on 25TH JULY 2025 1:26 PM
Bashi, I am happy with our trophy haul although you’ve got to take into account the demise of the hun. Is it too much to expect that we do our business in the transfer window in a structured fashion? I’d prefer not to be trawling the dross in the English loan market every window.
What is this structured approach?
At the moment I see us having done the bit of identifying players we can afford and that want to come and are mostly development- this is what happens in this stage of transfer window first most clubs).
We probably have identified players we want in those positions we all know need strengthening and have made initial efforts but need now to wait ( for reasons identified).
We can’t afford transfer fees and wages from premiership , or probably the richer championship teams. So we look elsewhere ( including the Norwiches and Sheffield’s of England).
I’d love us to be looking at better than that, but very, very unlikely, no matter how much I’d like it .
If you know how we could do it, I’m sure the board would be interested….
Spending 25 million on 3 or 4 quality additions would barely dent our finances considering the money brought in already…if BR Doesn’t get them they honestly better go into a nuclear bunker because they won’t have seen anything like it !!!
Which one of the five goals would Sinasalo have saved?
The centre halfs shot from the edge of the box that went in off the bar as a minimum, I see a deterioration in Schmeichel maybe others dont.
TFL – eh, he’s on a 3 year contract that expires next summer and hasn’t signed an extension?
VINNIETHEDOG on 25TH JULY 2025 1:39 PM
Spending 25 million on 3 or 4 quality additions would barely dent our finances considering the money brought in already…if BR Doesn’t get them they honestly better go into a nuclear bunker because they won’t have seen anything like it !!!
Vinnie – I agree that that is a reasonable figure. But how far down your list of identified targets do we go to spend it? I really hope we get all the players we want, but they don’t all want to come to us. And how much do we pay for them.
I think we all agree that we overpaid for Idah. We have a decent 2nd striker goal rate from him, but £9m should have been automatic starter material for us.
Trusty , at best, is only just worth the money. So how do we do better than that.
When we spend – how do we make sure we get the right guy at the right price.
The board spent the money last summer but have been taking pellets for not getting the quality we want.
So, because we’ve won things over the past many years, we shouldn’t strive for continual improvement?
An odd, and rather defeatist, logic.
Hopefully, the risk takers and the nay sayers can navigate a path between fiscal security and on field success.
We’ve done rather well up til now.
It’s what P67 doesn’t say… so big Pedro the bean counter extraordinaire isn’t dictating recruitment policy any more? Good.
I’m perfectly happy with the window so far. We’ve jettisoned most of Lawwell Junior’s duffers and seem to have brought in some real talent with significant developmental (and the all important) profit potential. Johnny Kenny and Dane Murray look ready to kick on too.
As others have said, last night threw into sharp relief that some of our best players are nowhere near their levels – Kasper, CCV and no AJ.
If we get Ajax in Europe we’ll give them a game. Just as if Newcastle get us it’ll be a totally different game.
A team of Kasper, AJ, CCV, Trusty, KT, Nygren, CalMac, Hatate (or Engels), Maeda, Forrest and Idah will be no mugs. Jota to come back too.
Last night just proved you can’t carry too many back ups at the same time against quality opposition; eg Ralston would be fine if Yang wasn’t his partner on the right and vice-versa.
A couple of decent wingers will do us.
As for the Board, why stash so much cash? You can’t take it with you. If you are reluctant to,spend it on the team use it to replace the main stand.
GLENOWEN on 25TH JULY 2025 1:50 PM
So, because we’ve won things over the past many years, we shouldn’t strive for continual improvement?
I’m guessing this is aimed at me?
When did I suggest we shouldn’t aim first improvement? I did say I think we should be aiming to continue domestic dominance and , specifically, said we should be aiming for last 16 in CL ( I think this qualifies as improvement on this season).
I just said that I haven’t seen anything yet to show this isn’t what is being worked on.
A lot of people seem unhappy with the board and say they have been underperforming. I don’t see underperformance, but don’t see over performance either. I think over performance is possible (reference Bodo Glimpt). I’m a glass half full person and hope that we do enough by the end of the window to move performance on from last year.
Hope cqn don’t mind me trying to balance shi* what is goin on at the moment so…(btw I’m a happy clapping fickle mofo although seeing everything as a number, a coefficient, an advantage doesn’t feel right all the time)
I think paul67 has felt better recently with many ‘in model purchases’.
This reassures a decades long fan who has spent his fan life watching rivals self destruct and doesn’t want that to happen to us.
Paul67 is certain that we will win many leagues to come but occasionally lose one.
I think this still stands despite poxco selling their soul to grown up capitalists.
So can we spend another 20 mill on players who aren’t vic or kyogo or VVD ?
Do we need to spend tens of millions?
I think season 3 of the SF49ers will be a challenge when the americans realise it ain’t a league where you win easy!
Should we get a 9 mill midfielder who is decent in spfl terms as insurance?
As Auldheid would say
WE”LL SEE.
In the fergie years at man u, there were three ‘Dermot Desmond type’ appointees – Martin Edwards, Peter Kenyon & David Gill. Dermot Desmond must be the most successful in hi position in UK sports clubs !
Bashi
No, not aimed at your good self. Just a general point.
My usual inane postings
I don’t fall out with what you say
(If I’m replying to a specific post, I try to reference it in my reply, though not always)
dessybhoy on 25th July 2025 1:44 pm
The centre halfs shot from the edge of the box that went in off the bar as a minimum, I see a deterioration in Schmeichel maybe others dont.
———————
I am there with that thinking, terrible to say but I had a moment of “ffs he did that like Allan McGregor” during the ajax game.
Hindsight is a great thing, but we should have went with Sinsalo for the cup final , the bhoy hadnt done anything wrong (well 1 mistake maybe) snd was Kasper fully fully fit ?
GLENOWEN on 25TH JULY 2025 2:30 PM
No problem
We’re all on the one road ( clearly not always the right road….)
“Brendan will get what he wants “
Sounds to me someone is putting words in Paul’s mouth.
Maybe just maybe that person has spat out the dummy.
DD&BR will do the business HH
thanks bhoys and ghirls
give ccv a rest
Ajax , their loaned goalkeeper from Liverpool last night impressed , filled the goal with his presence and athleticism other than his body size
Andrena @ 12:52 pm,
“I’m a bit of a board sympathizer , there are no guarantees in football, spending money marginally reduces the risk a gives you a better chance. Jota’s injury is a fine example , we’ve spent good money on him and he has delivered but fate has cost us his services.
Regardless of what we do Rodger’s will move on and the board will have to pick up the pieces.
Look at what happened with Howe and with Ange and budget They gave him , they delivered.
Not at all sure I agree with any of the premises you make there.
Firstly Celtic are two entities…
Celtic PLC
Celtic F.C.
Now, they are completely different animals.
You could argue that there are synergies i.e. that if Celtic F.C. are successful in Europe the PLC make more money.
True
Yet actually the current set up is a Symbiosis
Two different entities living together with both competing for the same resources e.g. money
A sporting endeavour by it’s very nature requires complete exertion, taking risks, striving for ultimate success.
This cannot be achieved by a prudent, cautious, risk averse mindset, that can excel in the Boardroom or Executive environment.
It is a faultline that I often characterise by maslow’s hammer – corporate thinkers can’t be making sporting decisions.
Now some may point to the Edwin van der Sar’s of this world, yet these are the exception that proves the rule.
Our well debated recruitment strategy is a case in point.
The Board look at recruitment and see a potential revenue for the business
The football club look at recruitment as a way of procuring the excellent sportsmen they need.
Now, there is a middle way, a way that says procuring excellent footballers is a necessary cost to the football club but mitigating those costs by having a smart player recruitment policy and quality player development program can give us a very good compromise.
If we excel at this and the football club will get the quality players they want and selling those players after seasons of development and experience will bring income into the Club.
Yet, maslow’s hammer won out in the end.
The businessmen had a policy of buying cheap, they had a policy of selling HVPs when a decent bid came in, they had a policy of scrimping on the infrastructure and personnel needed to implement the strategy
As such the policy had very limited success.
For every VVD we had, we had ten prospects that failed, even then we did not get the best out of the quality footballers in performance or tenure, when the player left our attemps to replace were feeble or nonexistent.
For me we are leaving Symbiosis and heading for a good Synergy between our PLC and our Club, yet the old school businessmen on our Board are still wedded to their hammer.
Hail Hail
Jackiemac …
“poxco”
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
😂
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cvgegk30z2zo
it is noticeable that more and more are realising that our current centre forward is a bit of a liability , scores the odd wonder goal but has no composure when if comes to converting the far easier chances that land at his feet (they have to land at him as he has no positional sense to anticipate where the ball will land) for a big guy he appears to have no body strength as was on display last night , far too easily out muscled.
Only my opinion I stress, but Idah and Engels are the sizzle without the steak, and I would punt both of them and get some money back. As I say, only my opinion
kinglubo
we spent £26m on Idah, Engels and Trusty.
money well spent , cough cough
64 million dollar question – how much do we spend to get players which are better than the rest given we are right best the bloatfest EPL?
*right beside
A very succint comment from Brendan” It depends what your ambitions are”.Those on here today with their” Only a friendly,plenty of time to get players in ( 3 weeks to the qualifier),look at what we have won,( Past history,does not help in the present ),will be on here screaming if we don’t win through the qualifier.You all know that is OUR ambition.It was not our ambition BR was on about.
CHAIRBHOY on 25TH JULY 2025 2:55 PM
I’m afraid I disagree with your analysis to an extent. Although there is a plc and a fc, without the fc, there is no plc – the fc is the raison d’etre of the plc. And, the plc knows this. No fc and there is no commercial opportunities. The plc board are well aware of this and, also know that the way to maximise plc return is to maximise fc success.
Could they do this better- I’m sure they could. Could they do it worse – nearly every other club the world over does do it worse.
The trick is how to do it better. True over performance is a rare thing – we can strive for it and occasionally we’ll get it. But it is a rare thing indeed.
I aspire to Celtic achieving it, but I am certainly celebrating that we are much better and achieving much more than most other clubs.
I live in hope that we get a board that can actually properly engage with the support, can develop the main stand, achieve frequent last 16/8 in CL, can even give us something so simple as accessible WiFi in the stadium or a fan zone, or a proper place to celebrate a league win rather than the annual blame game over the Trongate gathering.
But I can acknowledge the good that has been done and is being done.
I want us to be truly exceptional, but realise, that as in all walks of life/ business/politics etc, that exceptional is rare.
From prvious article….
timmy7_noted on 25th July 2025 11:10 am
%
All seating has created the all season ticket trap.
This has removed any power that fans had, now the board view fans as empty-head-fodder “who’ll always be there” as Tommy Burns said.
But fans also know, or should also know, that Tommy Burns kind of players are one in a club lifetime. Legend. Now the majority of players are viewed as cattle to be sold in a couple of years.
The Huns dying and Ronny Deelyia half emptyng the stadium was because of apathy, who knew that apathy would be the last Celtic rebel.
More Hun trophies is what it’ll take to generate some anger at the board, but will it be enough to sack the PLC Tory Party?
If Rodgers continues to view himself as being above having to learn lessons then who knows what lies ahead.
It also must be taken on board that we live in the “can’t be arsed era” of fan bases.
RC @ 3:14 pm,
This is what we spent…
Kuhn – 3 mn
Schmeichel – Free
Sinisalo – 1mn
McCowan – 1 mn
Bernardo – 3.5 mn
Trusty – 6 mn
Idah – 8.5 mn
Engels – 11 mn
Jota – 9 mn
Doohan – Free
Tierney – Free
Osman – Free
Nygren – £2M
Inamura – £250K
Yamada – £1.5M
That’s circa 45 mn on players.
When Ange left we had 73.2 mn in cash, since then we have sold 100 mn + in players
In that time supporters have put well over 100 mn into the Club.
The players we bought are assets, assets that are now worth 60 mn or 15 mn more than we paid for them.
The Club activities domestically, in Europe and in merch, brings in a huge amount of revenue and profits.
So trying to point out the odd player who in your opinion BR&CO didnt get value from won’t wash.
The corporate propaganda is for souls far more stupid than Celtic Supporters…
Vinniethedog @ 1:39 pm, being a case in point.
So exactly when do the PLC stop bleeding our football club dry.
Hail Hail
TURKEYBHOY on 25TH JULY 2025 3:28
The evidence base , not just us but all clubs, do most business in last 2 weeks of window.
Quality players, as much as we would like to think they want to come to us, and the selling clubs will wait until then – this gives both the chance to maximise wages and transfer fee. Quality players are needed to help us qualify for group stages but don’t want to commit until we have achieved this. Qualifying for group stages guarantees a level of income, but board want that guarantee before spending. A couple of chicken/egg, catch 22 conundrums.
I want us to splash the cash, get the quality needed, be in that draw. But I can look at the evidence base and know this will not happen just now – I wish it would.
I long for exceptional, but recognise the very, very good we are as a whole club.
Will I be pissed off if we don’t spend the money – yes. But we did last year and didn’t get value for money. Achieving exceptional is rare
Have I seen real evidence we are not trying to get people in – no. Just MSM led, insidious jealous sniping.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwUZpPJWXGI
Best piece of business ever?
Joe Hart on TMS. Never thought I’d hear Celtic mentioned on ther
there
CHAIRBHOY on 25TH JULY 2025 3:42 PM
Plc success is reliant on football success.
The plc will stop bleeding us dry when we aren’t successful as an fc. It seems we have been successful, or our value and player values would not be growing.
It’s hard to gauge the significance of Celtic’s second-half collapse in Como. Certainly, it has provoked anger and outrage in stark comparison to the delight at recent victories over Sporting then Newcastle.
So, as VI Lenin asked: What is to be done? What about the manager? Well, I’m reliably informed – and I do mean, reliably – that BR is absolutely top of the managerial range and that CFC would be unlikely to appoint anyone better.
What about recruitment? Well, last season’s three big money signings have been problematic. Engels is neat and tidy but, to date, he hasn’t been a game-changer. That ‘to date’ is important. Trusty is an enigma: sometimes excellent in Europe but bullied at Dens Park. Idah was vital the season before last but when he has time he so often takes the wrong option. It’s a mixed picture and they may all come good this season.
So, what about the Board? First, they have to decide what kind of Celtic they want. Continued dominance in Scotland and/or membership of a European elite? That latter choice would be very expensive and with expense comes jeopardy.