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Celtic Diary Monday January 15: They’ve All Got It In for Us

The diary has been a little erratic for a week of two, but things look like getting back to normal from now on.

Well, as normal as they have ever been.

We’ll start at the ranch, with the transfer window still open, and at least one journalist trying to chuck at least one Celtic player through it.

Duncan Castles, of the Daily Start and the Daily Express, is the man in the know when it comes to moussa Dembele..

Well, in so far as anyone at the Star or the Express can be described as being in the know about anything..

On January 6, he told his reader…

Brighton have been most active to get an agreement with Dembele,”

“Celtic are ready to sell, they want to maximise the money for him and Brighton believe they can do a deal for £18m to £20m.

“There’s a degree of reluctance on Dembele’s side whether Brighton are the team he wants to go to.

“His representatives had discussions with Brighton and were impressed with the way they are
organised, their ambitions, ownership and long-term strategy they have.

“There has to be an agreement on salaries and the top one is £45,000 a week – and that’s not much more than he earns at Celtic. 

Dembele’s representatives are approaching this is a canny fashion. They consider it a stepping stone move with the player’s long-term career in mind.

“They think he can be one of the top strikers in the European game if he develops the right way.

“They are prepared to wait, they know January is a difficult time to move.

“Whoever wants to buy him, it’ll be harder to agree terms with the player than it is to agree a fee with Celtic.” 

Presumably being Brighton and Hove Albion won’t make their negotiations any easier either.

Then , yesterday, he added…

“Celtic are keen to get Dembele out in this transfer window.

“They want to make the money now if they can do but there is considerable resistance from Dembele about a move. I think they need some money in. From what I understand they need a bit of cashflow in.

“And remember if they can take £20m-plus for Dembele, that is by some margin the biggest transfer fee the club has ever received.” 

Pausing only to remove the underpants from his head and the pencils from up his nose, he continued..well, he tweeted..

The latest on Celtic’s effort to sell Moussa Dembele in the January window.

 Whilst here at Etims we like to keep an eye on journalists who have a creative and imaginative mind, but somehow this one had slipped in under the radar.

I had never heard of him, but a quick google search suggests that he’s made his name down south as being something of a Jose Mourinho / Manchester United fan, spreading his words of wisdom between the Star ans the Express, two papers who compete daily to see if they can even get the date right, so I figured that an independent opinion would be useful.

 This is from Redditt, and their Red Devils ( Man Utd) page, which gives an assessment of hacks who comment on their club, and who claim to have inside knowledge… Tier 1 is the highest category of reliability, 5 the lowest…

Tier 5 (Known Shitposters and Banned sources) Peter O’Rouke (Freelance) / Tancredi Palmieri (Freelance/Bullshit merchant) / Metro (banned – utter shit) / Express (banned – redditwide ban due to vote manipulation) / The Sun (Banned – for being the Sun) / Diario Gol (Spain) / Daily Star (Go there for tits, not news) / CaughtOffside (Aggregates, but poses the news as its own) / Duncan Castles (Freelancer who in the elegant words of this sub is; A bald headed Cunt) / Don Balon (Spain) / Samuel Luckhurst(M.E.N – Shit-stirring bellend.) / Sqwaka (Vote Manipulation) / Sport/LAD Bible (Clickbait merchants/Content thieves) / Joe.co.uk (Shit memes and even worse transfer content)
 Make your own mind up..
Image result for duncan castles journalist
Manager Brendan Rodgers doesn’t seem fazed by any talk of anyone leaving..

My idea for this month is to strengthen, so I haven’t thought of losing anyone,” 

“If something came in that was difficult for the club and if the player wants to go then that’s another point. I’d never want a player at Celtic if he didn’t want to be there. Most importantly I would need the right replacement to come in.

“That’s important for us because we have virtually been playing, recover, playing, recover. And you lose that real valuable coaching time.

“I still feel that in all aspects we can improve and be better. That starts from defensively. That’s a key focus on us this week in relation to how we work and the intensity in which we play.

“We are looking to create and grow the players individually and make them better.”  

Either he’s not paying attention, or he really does believe no one is going.

Hopefully, its the latter, and that would explain the rush of stories in the media about players leaving.

Then again, maybe he knows who wants out and is waiting for the right offer and the right replacement to become available.

Theres still a couple of weeks left, and there is a feeling of restlessness among the support as there have been no signing that would indicate the manager wants to strengthen, as none of the imports, even the yet to be announced McGinn, are any better than what we have at the club already…

Image result for worried gif

The nonsense in the media this month is quite staggering, and its hard to wade through it. Suffice to say that oif they continue to publish the sort of guff that is replaced by more guff the following day, they’ll miss the stuff that matters, possibly deliberately..

And this, from the Celtic Trust, matters…

 

Contact Your MSP

As political chaos continues to envelope the globe only a few days into 2018, Fans Against Criminalisation continue our fight for the rights of a few in our small part of the world. Our goal for the calendar year is simple – the repeal of the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act. 

The Stage 1 report on James Kelly MSP’s repeal Bill is currently being prepared and will be voted on in Parliament on or before 26th January. We need the report to be passed at this crucial stage, in order for it to continue to Stage 2 (amendments) and finally, Stage 3 (the final parliamentary vote). The preceding consultation demonstrated that over 71% of people strongly support the bill, and the vote in Parliament on Douglas Ross MSP’s motion last year showed that Parliament believes time is up on the OFBA.

However as a campaign group, as football fans, as defenders of civil liberties and as opponents of this legislation, we cannot afford to be complacent. We would therefore urge everyone to help us to ensure that this law is removed from the statute books as soon as possible, by emailing your MSPs to urge them to support the repeal Bill. Previous email campaigns have been extremely successful for our campaign – thanks to your efforts – and we hope that we can count on you to ensure that this one is equally successful. 

After a 6-year struggle, victory is in sight. The fans who have been demonised are on the verge of being vindicated. Those who have been denounced as bigots are on the verge of striking a blow in the name of civil liberties. But this victory can only be achieved if we commit to finishing this fight. We can only win if we make the point loudly and clearly that we are through being harassed, that we will no longer be criminalised and that it is time for the Scottish Parliament to repeal this law once and for all. 

Please contact your MSPs by using the email linked below. 

h8iG8Zh6TX

I may have spelkt it wrong, but it take you to a page where you can email your MSP. The trust are upping their game now, and need as much support as they can get.

It would help if you cirvulated the link as much as you can.

Perhaps the biggest problem that the Trust face is that the perceived image of football fans is that they do like to cause bother amongst themselves, and the general public have little or no interest in the extra law that affects people going to games.

For instance, the public are fed this sort of nonsense..

Before we look at what YouGov concluded with their survey, lets look at You Gov…

Analysis: what went wrong with our GE15 polling and what will we do to improve?

An introduction to our full investigation into what went wrong with YouGov’s 2015 general election polling

All the pre-election polls in the 2015 general election were wrong, significantly overestimating Labour support and underestimating Conservative support. We have conducted extensive research on YouGov data for that election and have identified the source of most of the error and how to correct it in the future. Other pollsters using other methodologies (eg offline) produced the same degree of error and we think what we have uncovered probably applies to them as well, although of course we cannot be sure. 

 

Which.loosely translated, means we’re shite at what we do, but so is everyone else.
Given that the OBFA survey was conducted around the same time as the General election poll, can we not conclude that those doing the survey are not very good at doing surveys ?
Image result for i should say so gif
 When someone commissions a poll, they arenlt doing it to find out what people think of an issue, they are doing it to provide evidence to back up their own ideas.
It allowed a Holyrood spokesman to comment after the Scottish cup final in 2016…

The Scottish government said that the Offensive Behaviour Act “sends out a clear message.”

A spokesperson said: “A YouGov poll shows 80 per cent of Scots support the Offensive Behaviour Act – a view shared by the overwhelming majority of those in the sample who follow Scottish football.

“The act sends out a clear message that Scotland will not tolerate any form of prejudice, discrimination or hate crime, and it gives police and prosecutors an additional tool to tackle this behaviour. Any move to repeal the act would send entirely the wrong signal and would undermine progress in driving all forms of prejudice from the game.”

Er, are there not already laws in place to show that Scotland will not tolerate any form of prejudice, discrimination or hate crime,  so why would they feel the need for  an additional tool to tackle this behaviour ? 
As with all polls, the key is in the wording of the questions, which should elicit the response desired by the commissioner..
Such as these , from the 2015 poll..
The Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Act” aims to tackle sectarian or offensive chanting and threatening behaviour related to football which is likely to cause public disorder. To what extent do you support or oppose this law?” 
You’d have to have both knuckles dragging along the ground not to oppose it. However, there is no mention that all of those offences listed are already illegal, so in fact the support is actually for a law already in place, and therefore surely the conclusion is that those who strongly support this law are actually already supporting a law that is in place ?
 Unless, of course, before the introduction of the Act, they felt they could not deal with such issues, even though they were already illegal.
Repealing the Act, which would mean that common sense would triumph, something which governments stubbornly resist invoking, is the aim of the petitions.
Remember that they work for us, and they can easily be removed come election time.
I’m sure it won’t come to that, as it is a sign of supreme strength and character for any politician to admit that they got something wrong.
And with few strong leaders about these days, there is an opportunity for Nicola Sturgeon to show she listens as well as she speaks…
Football is a massive industry in Scotland. It needs to be thought of as such, otherwise that huge customer base will move south, to the glamorous English league, and thats where they’ll spend their money.
All it needs is a little common sense….I’m surprised that the papers, especially their sports sections, haven;t picked up the mantle and backed the move to have the Act repealed, after all, it is in their interest to have people going to the football.
Meanwhile, plucky cash strapped newcomers “rangers ” lifted yet another international trophy-sorry , an international trophy , when they thrashed Brazilian giants Corinthians, featuring Colin Kazim richards, once of Celtic. Thankfully it was only once as well.
 Although the Brazilians took a two goal lead into the half time break, and they swapped their players for the youth team, there can be no underestimating the sheer will power of Murty’s Marauders who swept aside the youngsters to win 4-2.
 In fact, such a history making event has already been marked with a song…
Actually, thats not the only song they’ve been singing…
You really can’t take them anywhere. Well, you can, but only once.
No response ?
Well, they probably have other things on their mind.
But even thats our fault…
And he received back up from an old mate..

Rangers heading for administration? That’s more Aye Right than Aye Ready – Gary Ralston

Gary Ralston insists there are no problems at Ibrox despite what the cynics suggest.

Of course, there’s no denial from the club, no statement, itself quite surprising as they have never usually been short of a word or 500 when someone sullies their name…just some curious burblings from someone who knows full well the teeth from this article are already poised near his bottom.

So, that will be Rangers heading into administration then.

What do you mean they’ll make the announcement on Monday?

 My sources (a friend of a friend of a friend) was packing the bags of Dave King’s mum in Tesco and heard her on the phone to her boy in Johannesburg.

It’ll be announced on Wednesday morning at 10.37am on the button.

 

Apparently, it’s a pre-pack deal (the administration, not her shopping) and the Ibrox chairman will receive £10million, walking away to be replaced by a consortium fronted by Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un.

Further investors will include Bradley Walsh, Paul Sinha, Anne Hegerty and Mark Labbett, offering conclusive proof Rangers do, indeed, welcome The Chase. 

As Rumours go, this latest one has been hanging around longer than anything recorded by Fleetwood Mac – and has enjoyed just as many re-releases.

Like the first cuckoo in spring, swallow in summer and robin in winter, the sightings of ‘Rangers in administration’ are certainly consistent and, time and again, have proved to be nothing other than pie in the sky. 
Except , of course, that time when they didn’t.. as his own paper once reported..
Image result for rangers RIP

King and the Three Bears – Douglas Park, George Letham and George Taylor – have invested heavily to wrestle control from the discredited former board and put their club on a firmer financial footing in the past three years. 

Conservative estimates put the total at around £20million, much of it from King himself, who has given a further undertaking to auditors Campbell Dallas that he’s good for another £7m to underpin business losses over the next 12 months.

Campbell Dallas are hardly a firm of back street bookies. If they felt there was any likelihood of those sums being unavailable, they would not have signed off in the annual accounts on Rangers continuing as a going concern.

Speaking of the bookies, they apparently closed their satchels on the prospect of Rangers being relegated this season, foreseeing a hefty points deduction and player fire sale if they fall into the abyss. 

These, of course, are the same bookies who closed the book on Alex McLeishbeing named new Rangers boss last month when he had never received so much as a phone call about the position.

Rangers are in debt to no one but their investors, all of them wealthy fans who have pledged to convert much of their loans to equity when a new share issue is launched, most likely later in the year.

Forget the fact they’re supporters, why the hell would they pull the plug and plunge the club into further financial chaos, knowing they would lose almost everything they have put in?

By the end of this year, King will have committed around £40m of his business fortunes to Rangers – half of which was frittered away, much to his disgust, by former chairman David Murray. 

In the past 12 months alone he has written a £3m cheque to rid the club of the odious influence on Mike Ashley and £1.5m to UEFA to ensure his team’s UEFA licence.

He has bankrolled Pedro Caixinha, however botched the project, and only this week signed off on a package for Jamie Murphy that will ultimately cost his club the guts of £2m.

There was £1m set aside in an escrow account to pay Aberdeen compensation for Derek McInnes and almost the same again on the table for a salary had the club’s former midfielder decided to leave Pittodrie for Edmiston Drive.

Undoubtedly, King must be held to account. He rode roughshod over the Takeover Panel, for example, who recently concluded he acted in concert with the Three Bears and have demanded he offer 20 pence to all shareholders for their stock, only around two-thirds of their current value.

King has launched an appeal, which will keep it kicking around the legal long grass for a few months to come.

He’s confident of his position. If he loses? He’ll have to fork out around £300,000 for a prospectus knowing no-one will sell for the price he is legally bound to offer while his family trust fund, New Oasis Limited, ring fences £10m just in case.

The geography of the Rangers board is far from ideal with King in South Africa and Alistair Johnston in the States, while Park spends much quality time in Spain.

Other directors have bases in London and Hong Kong and if sound doesn’t travel in a vacuum, mischief can certain be made when strong boardroom leadership is lacking on a daily basis from G51.

That’s something King may do well to consider and address in the coming months but hold on, a call’s just coming in – he’s just been spotted at the Ladbrokes on Copland Road.

He’s slapped £100 on Pep Guardiola at 500,000-1 to become his first-team manager next season. Administration? Aye, right. 

I’ve saved that. for posterity. It’s a career defining moment for Ralston, as in a moment which will signify a significant change in his career.

We’ve even kept the hand written original, which will be worth a few bob in time…

Image result for crayon scribblings

We’ve been away for a day or two, so we go back to Thursday-it seems like just yesterday- for this one…

 

henkesdreadlocks January 11, 2018 at 2:57 pm · Edit · Reply →

Caption……

You do know that you can get the jail for that in Dubai. 

Today…

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Fuzzy D
6 years ago

When I agreed to work with the despicables, this isn’t what I had in mind.

Mike Annis
6 years ago

Caption: Phew, Ithought for a minute you were a finion!!!!!!

Big Shuggy
6 years ago

Caption:The fans of the club formerly known as rangers caught on video singing up to there knees in minion blood.

GuigsyBhoy
6 years ago

Caption:
Comedy character poses for a photo with a minion.

5TB
6 years ago

Caption:

Someone who works for an international crook. And a Minion.

Bognorbhoy
6 years ago

Caption ..

Right then …. as you’ve got two eyes you must be the ref …and the one eyed ones the linos…

Repeat after me

Tell them if it wears blue , you’re allowed to do
Anything you want ,cause we are loyal through and through

D'Finnhein Mick
6 years ago

Nicol poses for a photo beside Mr Blobby lookalike Sally McCoist.

Daziekanowski's nightclub child
6 years ago

Caption: ‘We are up to our knees in Minion Blood… sing along…’

Big Shuggy
6 years ago

R.I.P Cyrille Regis. A great player and a long with Laurie cunningham and Brendon Baston inspiration to many young black players.

Monti
6 years ago

Quality entertainment there, a squirrel vertically coming down the garage wall, a cat on the fence trying to claw at it….only one thing to do then, i added my Hound into the mix as i watched from the kitchen window……go on boy, fill your boots 🙂

Monti
6 years ago

R.I.P. Cyrille Regis, a great player!

Una
6 years ago

Caption : Jimmy nic poses with a finnion before winning the mickey mouse cup.

Monti
6 years ago

Transfer window: Day 15 – nothing to report.

Fucking hell.

Noelskytrot
6 years ago

Caption…the Billy Boys is it, Jimmy? Take yer rancid sectarian fuckwit supporters and their songs out into the Everglades and hope that the alligators eat them.

TicToc
6 years ago
Reply to  Noelskytrot

What have you got against alligators? 🙂
HH

Juancerveza
6 years ago

Jimmy ” you’re no the wan called Kevin ,are you?

Chris
6 years ago

Nicholl told to bring back millions from Florida
Thick cunt.

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Chris

🙂

Bob Cobb
6 years ago

Caption: “Minions? I thought they said we’d get millions when we got to Florida…”

Mike
6 years ago

Graeme Murty’s magic he wears a magic hat,
Warbs went of to Forrest, he’s as daft as deed blind bat,
Murty replaced HA HA HA and hopes began to rise,
With More or Less, Windy Arse they Morphed
and are now going for fifty ffiiivvee.
Catchy we tune that, init.

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Mike

Is it?

Brencelt
6 years ago

Dressing up as a minion was one thing. Having to pose with murtys minion was pure despicable

Noelskytrot
6 years ago

I see the manky tramps espousing that with Cummings, Martin and another couple of signings our times up. I have met many supporters from all parts of the world including sitting listening to city rivals talking about each other and having banter. I have never, ever came across anything that could possibly touch the Williamites when it comes to being deluded and as thick as a vat of porridge. The huns are absolute world beaters in that category. Hurry up and announce McGinn, Celtic.

A dreadlock for sale
6 years ago

That is DAVE the minion as well,who thinks the new updated Jimmy(what a pr**k)Nich’was set up?

Wisnae me
6 years ago

Interesting juxtaposition of the anti-OBFA message and the Rangers fans singing.

Still, at least they did it in a country that respects freedom of speech so there will be no kicking in of their hotel room door at 6am by the police.

Cortes
6 years ago

Caption (from Wikipedia):

As his obituary in The Times said, “Asked, once, why he had become an actor, Harry Towb said it was because he had always wanted to be someone else.”

Jinkylarrson
6 years ago

Caption after 3 we’re up to our knees in minion blood.

Wisnae me
6 years ago

Caption: Wait ’til you see the puppets in Mount Florida.

Mike
6 years ago

Caption, The Minions welcome a new addition to the family…The Despicable Bastar.

Arsene Parcelie
6 years ago

Caption:
“Ba na na?”
“Fuck off, orange or nothing”

Mike
6 years ago

Caption, Bob the Minion and his new master Gru..some.

Stoke couldny get the original and have gone instead for the clone.

Monti
6 years ago

Farewell & adieu farewell Spanish ladies
Farewell and adieu you ladies of Spain,
For with Ajer & Boyata,i don’t think that we’re gonna
Play in the Champions league again

” Hooper drives the boat Chief “

Monti
6 years ago

Show me the way to go home, i’m tired and i wanna go to bed,
Day fifteen of the transfer window & i’m going right off my head,
Just how hard can it be to sign a defender or three,
Coz if we don’t never mind Zadok the priest, we won’t be in the Champions league.

Show me the way to go home….:)

” your gonna close the beaches “?

Monti
6 years ago

” There’s something in the water ” 🙂

Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo

” ladies n gentlemen “

Monti
6 years ago

All the radio’s said seven goals conceded, preventable and could have been stopped,
But in the window just passed Peter Lawwell just laughed, defenders bought there were none.

Oh the radio said all these goals conceded, will come back to haunt us some night,
Some may disagree but Monti can see, Boyata and Ajer are shite.

🙂

puggy67
6 years ago

Caption: Courtesy of Wikipedia – ‘Minions are small, yellow creatures who have existed since the beginning of time, evolving from yellow single-celled organisms into beings which exist only to serve history’s most despicable masters’. A minion meets an actor in a foam suit.

Monti
6 years ago

The night was Icy cold i stood alone, Paris had just hit seven i thought oh no,
I gazed over to their bench to see for myself
The PSG substitutes pissing themselves,

Alas Neymar came into my sights, i shat myself and prayed for better nights.

Oh lawwell oh lawwell comfort me,
Gonnae sign a defender or maybe three,
Or maybe Boyata & Ajer,or some diddy, will do who knows maybe it’s just me.

Oh peter oh peter comfort me, please sign a defender or even three 🙂

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Absolutely World Class,M……unlike some…

Roll of Honour: Vol Colm Daltun,Dublin,1983.
He died for Irish Freedom.

Mike
6 years ago
Reply to  Rob O'Keeffe

HAHAHA Comedy gold.

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Rob O'Keeffe

🙂

Mike
6 years ago
Reply to  Rob O'Keeffe

HAHAHA E-Tim’s comedy gold!

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  Rob O'Keeffe

Sad to hear Weered.Their deaths will not be in vain…..

Rebus67
6 years ago

The next week will be critical on the transfer front…at least for my nerves. Stories and rumours of incoming players from the Scottish leagues are concerning, if that is the totality of the yransfer strategy. Morgan, Hendry, McGinn are good players id Scotland, but unproven in Europe. I hope these targets are not being assessed because it is easy to do these deals. By all means bring in these players as replacements for outgoing ones, but we need more than them. We need experienced players around 25-26 to take the team up a level.

Anderlecht can find a player like Hanni why can’t we?

Yes, there is no need for panic yet, but after the next week…..?

Rebus

Mike
6 years ago
Reply to  Rebus67

Hanni was bought in 2016 from another Belgium club for 3 million euros
its worth noting that he is heavily criticised by the RSC Anderlecht supporters, we bought Nycham for a reported £4.5 mill. pounds.
What some supporters do not realise is that Rodgers has increased the salaries of a number of Celtic players to keep them at the club and fend of Premier League clubs,that costs an awful lot of money.

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  Mike

Thanks for the info Peter…..

Mike
6 years ago
Reply to  Rob O'Keeffe

Your welcome….Boab.

Rebus67
6 years ago
Reply to  Mike

Mike,

Lost a long response to you. Here is a summary:

Increasing salaries was inevitable to have any chance of competing.

Reliance on Scottish league for incoming is too limiting.

Spanish, Eastern European leagues can provide better players in the 6-8 million range.

Why can we not attract the Ntchams and Musondas before they go to the academis and reserve teams of MC, Chelsea?

Regards,

Rebus

Mike
6 years ago
Reply to  Rebus67

Rebus,

Yes increasing salaries was required to keep our better players, but supporters don’t factor that extra costs in there quest for team improvements.
The league that we play in is very restrictive and players naturally want to play in the better leagues and earn more money. The leagues that you mention on the whole are much better financed than our, would you leave those leagues to play here, no chance.
The Ntchams and the Musondas go to their local academies,
where their friends go to, they are to young initially to go to other Countries.
When you think of it, why would they go to poorer colder leagues, what happened to those wonderful Scottish players who graced the red blaize and the muddy parks, where are they?

Rebus67
6 years ago
Reply to  Mike

Mike,

One of these players from the red blaize still has little bits of it in his knees! Further he is reading your posting..

In the past, we attracted Henrik from the Netherlands, Van Hoidinkadonk, lubo from France or Germany(can’t remember), Cadet from Portugal, Di Canio from Italy, the German guy that scored a lot(?), Edvaldson from Iceland, Zurawski and Boruc from Poland etc.

It is not easy but it can happen.

Just looked at the market evaluations of Celtic vs Anderlecht, Munchengladbach. The first is valued at twice Celtic, and the second ar more than three times Celtic. So, yes it is difficult but all I am saying is we can do better than recruiting mainly from Scotland. BUT, I really hope the Scottish guys are a big success.

Nice chatting.

PS i am trying to research my wife’s family tree….MCCafferty from Donegal. Trying to find the marriage of a Thomas McCafferty in 1872in Donegal. Any thoughts anyone? By the by, they ended up in Cowcaddens!

Rebus

Mike
6 years ago
Reply to  Mike

Rebus,

Henrik only came because of Wim,
Lubo only came for Dr. Joe.
As for the three amigos, well they came they left with Fergus’s footprints up their breeks.

Devoy, is the man to speak to about your good ladies family history, he helped me to find out more about mine.

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Mike

Is Glasgow colder than Manchester?

Mike
6 years ago
Reply to  Mike

Mibbee no but does Manchester have huns, plus Glasgow fitba. is an awful lot poorer than Manchester fitba.
ask Sheik Monsoor.

Noelskytrot
6 years ago

On the transfer front,

1 BR knows what needs to be done
2 Will top dollar players want to come here?
3 Will those who sanction transfers give the supporters what they deserve? will they feck.
4 Does BR think he can improve what we have?
5 We won’t get any blue chip signings as most of the players prefer Perfidious Albion with it’s financial obscenities.

I get fellow Tims frustrations but with the window still open let’s see what happens. Get yer big fat book out Desmond and get them in.

Mike
6 years ago

Noeelskytrot good post.

1 yes.
2 no,
3 Rodgers.
4 yes.
5 correct.
6.agree.

Noelskytrot
6 years ago
Reply to  Mike

Cheers Mike. I totally understand why the supporters want to see players in but as we know BR is quite a shrewd character and with his attention to detail thing it’ll all take time. I think Rebus 67 is right, watch what happens over the next 2 weeks.

Another point about BR- he’s not done much wrong during his time as manager at the club. I get that we could be doing more in Europe but when you look at the financial differences it’s bonkers. Some players transfer fees are worth more than Celtic as a club. We need some financial prudence. Remember what happened to the Orc’s over monatery mismanagement.

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Noelskytrot

Noel,
No one is asking the club to spend recklessly, just tinker with a few positions that are glaringly obvious.
Celtic have never really turned the screw when in a position of strength, never & it is quite frustrating.
Even in the MON years there was issues around the left back & goalkeeper positions.
If Celtic had a quality goalkeeper in those days, we may have came back from Seville with the UEFA cup, still it was a wonderful experience to get there.

What is causing me concern is the goalkeeper and central defence, Gordon is a good keeper but i don’t think he should be our number 1 now, there is an issue with the three central defenders, NONE of them are the answer, from injuries to being unable to make themselves a nail on for the position is alarming.
I like Simunovic but he misses large chunks of the season, Sviatchenko obviously likes the treatment table & Boyata is shite.
The hope is Ralston can come in and make right back his own, like KT on at LB.
Lustig should remain in the squad but be used sparingly.
Hopefully Compper can establish himself as the number one CD, this leaves for me a place for a commanding defender to come in beside him.
Ajer? No, he will get ragdolled in Europe, ok against the accies & Dundee, but PSG?

So, a goalkeeper is needed & a central defender, too much to ask for?
Nice Hotel tho.

HH
.

Noelskytrot
6 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Mont,

I totally agree about certain positions needing squared up, particularly the positions you mentioned. I would like too see a creative midfielder brought in as in my opinion we lack there. Oh for a wee Lubo.

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Noelskytrot

Noel,
Cheers m8.
Not sure we need a Lubo type tho, for me we are well off in midfield, Roberts should be back next month as well.
Roberts behind the main striker? Rogic in the 10?

HH

Rebus67
6 years ago
Reply to  Noelskytrot

Noel,

Agree one hundred and ten percent re creativity. I would place it as the #1 priority. A wee Lubo would be perfect. I think Gordon is a problem with his distribution and he will cause problems in Europe..

However, I realise that unlike the EPL clubs we cannot constantly upgrade each position.

Rebus

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Noelskytrot

Rebus,
So you would buy an attacking, creative midfielder before strengthening the defence?

Nurse Ratched can you come here please?

Mike
6 years ago
Reply to  Noelskytrot

Well said, how can you really compete with money being spent by oil rich countries, it costs a hell of a money to run a football club, I know that we have brought in substantial funds and like everyone else I want to see the team get a better quality of players, but not at any price. There is still two weeks to go, I am keeping my fingers crossed that we will bring in more players, but I wont be criticising anyone…yet.

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Mike

Especially the cheesemakers 🙂

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago

Noel.
1.Nope.Or he would have stated we need some new defenders,not state that they are very,very good.
2.Nope,wee diddy and corrupt league.
3.Correct.
4.Don’t know,but some of his signings and treatment of certain players are/is a joke….
5.Correct,biscuit tin mentality is back big time and BR prefers less talented players he can coach instead of seasoned pros who will tell him if he’s not correct about anything…

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago

P.S.DD is the largest shareholder,why is he responsible for buying players?…..

Noelskytrot
6 years ago
Reply to  Rob O'Keeffe

Rob,

I’d imagine he’s a very wealthy man and it would be really interesting to know his outlay into Celtic and what his returns are. Would he and others not be responsible for deciding what transfer budgets BR is allowed to have a dash with?

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  Noelskytrot

Noel.Shouldn’t be the case.He’s not on the board and would be if he wanted to be on it.He’s been very wealthy for a long time and has never handed over large amounts in even “soft loans” for signings so don’t see him starting now,especially with his sons being heavily involved in his businesses.
Peter and his WorldClass Plc board are the guys to ask……

Gerry
6 years ago

Why do people keep obsessing about the dangers of spending too much money, it is possible to find a happy medium between buying nobody and going to the wall.
A £5m player on £25k a week for a four year contract totals a £10m package for one player; Celtic can afford three of those with Champions league money and one more for the VVD windfall. If we accept that prior money from player sales and Champions League participation pays for the upgrade in player salaries and, cough, hotel, then what is the problem buying 3-4 players in the above range. If you get them cheaper, all the better; lower wage, all the better. But Celtic can afford it so can we stop wringing our hands about the dangers.
Persuading players to come to Scotland is a tall order, but sorry, that’s your job so get on with it. If you can’t or won’t do it jog on and recruit someone who can make it happen, particularly if the manager has indicated that’s who he wants to improve the first XI. Deadline day dross? No thanks Peter.

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Gerry

Gerry,
Very good post.

Mike
6 years ago
Reply to  Gerry

Why do people obsess about money, perhaps they don’t wish to go bankrupt like Carillion or mibbee the huns or the Hertz.
Its easy to spend other peoples money ask Minty or Vlad the impaler.
A £5. million pound player well he would want more than £25 thousand pounds per week, or else he will be fur the off, as we have seen recently with Gordon, Armstrong and the rest of the players that thought that they were underpaid, they just have to cross the border and triple their wages.
How much do you think it costs to run a club like ours based in a diddy league, look at the accounts and see where the money goes and look at the debt. Yes the hotel will cost money and I have no doubt that someone will put some of the money aside to finance it.
But in the long run, I have no doubt but that the hotel will be a sound investment, getting £2.5 mill. for winning our league, sweety money.

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Mike

PISH

Mike
6 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Mibbee it is but its MY pish, honest, positive pish, while yours is pure negative mincey pish.

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Mike

🙂

Rob O'Keeffe
6 years ago
Reply to  Mike

Someone will put money aside?…..sounds a bit Sevcoish……

Broxburnbhoy
6 years ago

I agree that we can spend more and the Club has been a bit too parsimonious. I also think building a hotel on site to create another long term stream of profitable revenue for the club makes perfect sense. The profit can also be invested in future players fees and salaries. In the meantime there is more than enough money to invest in better players especially at the back if we can find those better players who are willing to play in Scotland.

Mike
6 years ago
Reply to  Broxburnbhoy

The windy isny closed…yet. judge thee after the end.

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Broxburnbhoy

Broxburnbhoy,
Virgil Van Dijk, Victor Wanyama, Shunsuke Nakamura, Henrik Larsson, Chris Sutton, and many others WANTED to play in Scotland, for Celtic.
Add your Alan Thompsons, Joe Ledley’s and Petrov’s….they all came to play for Celtic.
The players are out there, they will come…..but they have to be asked first.

Celtic is still a big club!

Mike
6 years ago

The one in Red.

Mike
6 years ago

32 Red. hahaha.

BJF
6 years ago

I’m in the mood for arguing with everybody today. Gerry you are first, I agree we can afford players but you seriously understate the difficulty in attracting top players to our league, Victor, Virgil and Miusse were not obvious choices for Celtic or uscfir them, we will get one very few years, no more.
Ralph I was at Jimmy Nicholl’s international debut against Israel at Windsor Park, born in Canada brought up
on the Shankill never felt he was a hate figure just because he played for the former Glasgow Rangers, is there something I don’t know?
Finally “Rangers” administration, I hope it never happens. What is the likely outcome, they get rid off King, they, eventually get their accounts in order, they attract real investment, they get quoted on a stock market,the gift that keeps giving stops, they might even be able to do a “ Wim Jannsen” just as we are about to win 10 in a row.
Apart from that …Happy New Year everybody.

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  BJF

BJF,
I’ll oblige 🙂

Mike
6 years ago

Weered, That is paper talk, don’t be fooled by the SMSM liars one and all.

Mike
6 years ago
Reply to  Mike

No I didny because I knew what you meant…that there IS no tomorrow. yipppeee.

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Mike

And it was right under his nose as well 🙂

BJF
6 years ago

Weered agreed, I met him once he bantered me about being a Celt, he had a drink taken but it was all good humoured given “they” had won 6 in a row. I managed to mention Lisbon and the Centenary Year!
I confess to bring worried when they were about to sign Murphy ( Murphy really) for a £1m but was reassurred as it unravelled so quickly, He may become permenant if he chips enough
in at the end of the season and his contract is running down. Martin may do a decent job but is he coming on loan to allow someone to go for real money. Hendry will be an interesting tussle, have they money for that .

Celtic By Numbers
6 years ago

http://celticbynumberscom.ipage.com/half-term-report-1-no-hard-brexit-despite-performances/

The first Half Term Report considers the European adventures. Objectives met, for sure, and post New Year European football is wonderful. But did the performances indicate real progress?

Puggy67
6 years ago

I think Lawwell is being unfairly criticised for not spending – Compper was clearly one P more than required.. or is it a name on shirts scam? Could we be in for Mmessi or Ronaldoo?

Noelskytrot
6 years ago

Fellow Etims,

thanks for all the replies to my earlier post. It’s always grand to read the varying opinions on here and most importantly to have your own opinions challenged by fellow fenians. Some of the responses have made me think a wee bit more about what needs to be done.

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Noelskytrot

Noel,
Glad you are enjoying the blog.

Noelskytrot
6 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Monti,

some of the other blogs like JJ/Sit On Fence asking for money to read his blogs are a joke. Phil’s is good and CQN and Fields of Green are also okay but pop up ads make them hard to read. The craic on here is 90 but for a bigger laugh I go on Orc blogs, the contents are some laugh.

Monti
6 years ago

Weered,
I trust you are over your little cold?

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Pussy 🙂

Monti
6 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Do you need Una to come over and do some chores?

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