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Celtic Diary Friday April 10: D Day-But There’s No End In Sight

By 5pm tonight, clubs will have voted on the SPFL proposal to end the season.

Keith Jackson of the Daily Record has called it D-day, but D-day in this context is wrong, because whilst the legendary day of june 1944, which signalled the beginning of the end of the European war , we are still a long way away from the end of the current crisis.

Then again, even the headline infers that Celtic are demanding to be “handed ” the title, as though they don;t deserve it….

 

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Jackson also bizarrely claims that its all about Celtic and “rangers “, when Celtic have clearly said their choice is to complete the season.

 

How typical that it should all boil down to an angry stand-off between Celtic and Rangers. How utterly infuriating.

And yet that’s exactly where we stand today as our clubs go to the polls. 

 

There is no stand off.

 

In the interests of public health and safety, primarily the league cannot be resumed yet.

“rangers ” are demanding the prize money, to help other clubs, and a resumption of the league when it is feasible.

Therefore, both clubs agree on that point, but “rangers ” need the money now. Celtic don’t.

Thats not to say Celtic won;t be feeling the economic costs of the lockdown, and no doubt they will have plans to adjust, but just now, the sense of panic eminating from Ibrox leads one to think that they have financial obligations that are a little more pressing than their Glasgow neighbours.

 

They’re by far from unique in that aspect, but the Close Brothers finance company have payments due to them, and they are secured against club assets, which means they may prefer not to be as forgiving as a regular bank.

 

“rangers ” are also due to pay a significant sum to Liverpool as part of the deal for Ryan Kent, who turned out not to be worth £7m after all, and failure to pay may mean that he returns south, which won;t please the hordes.

again, thats not a unique problem. Other clubs throughout the world will have instalments to pay on players, and that particular issue alone could see a lot of clubs in trouble, and if they can;t pay, those expecting the money may find that they cannot pay a few bills.

 

The whole industry could unravel, which is why paying monies due at the end of the season might as well be paid now, to possibly buy a bit of time in the hope that football might return, although, and I’ll explain why later, that is unlikely at best.

 

The crux of the Scottish problem is that of “rangers ” are unwilling to concede the title, then Aberdeen and Motherwell are equally entitled to claim that “rangers ” cannot claim second place.

 

And as they depend on season book uptake at this time of year to balance the books, to an extent, they cannot afford to be seen to concede anything to Celtic, especially a ninth successive title.

 

But they do need that money from the SPFL, and no matter how they dress it up, they will have to compromise.

 

Whatever the SPFL pay, and whenever they decide to pay it, its going to have to last quite a while.

 

The viral pandemic isn’t going away any time soon, and it’s going to prevent football restarting quite possibly this year, never mind this season.

 

We may even see a twelve month break and resumption where we left off this time next year.

 

I can see you shaking your head, but can any responsible government permit the movement of vast amounts of supporters around the country before a working vaccine is in place ?

There would be a new wave of infections every week.

Fans in cars, pubs, on buses, trains and in the stadium would not be able to keep two metres apart, and it would only take one carrier , mingling all day, to start infecting others, who would infect others, who would…you get the picture.

 

Thats without taking essential medical people away fro where they are needed to grounds where they might be needed.

 

Thats without police being forced to attend when they will be required elsewhere.

 

And thats if fans can afford to go to the football in the first place.

 

Over a million have registered for Universal credit since Lockdown began, and many businesses will disappear.

Households may go from two working to one and even to none. Less income means less disposable income, and clubs such as Celtic will be aware of that.

There will be less money to go to the football, and less money to pay for it on tv.

 

Whilst clubs will be praying for all of this to end, they know it is going to take a long time to get back even to where they were before this all started.

 

Well, most clubs know that.

One seems to think that won;t apply to them….

 

By turning all of this into a Celtic “rangers ” stand off, Jackson, and everyone else in the media, are not looking at the wider picture, the wider implications, and may be stoking up issues that are really of little relevance to anyone except club owners, who rightly will be looking at their own balance sheets and checking their credit rating.

 

Which explains why “rangers ” are perhaps a wee bit more in need of help than most….

 

Jackson knows that, and the way his article is worded suggests he is doing his bit to play down the Ibrox crisis, and help them shift some of the blame for wasting millions of pounds of supporters money.

 

The world is changing, and football is no exception to that rule.

 

Clubs will more than likely, despite pressure from Ibrox and Tynecastle, accept the season is over.

 

That way, they can start to look at adapting to what will be a long period of minimal income.

 

Celtic , for instance, may have a huge kit deal to tide them over, but they can;t exactly class football strips as essential items, and there is no way adidas will accept any launch that doesn’t get maximum publicity and sales.

 

They can afford to wait, Celtic probably can as well, but there will be cutbacks.

 

Of course, there is no such worry at Ibrox, they haven’t got a kit deal….. but they do have a man on the SPFL board fighting their corner, and no doubt he was a little shocked to be accused of being part of a board that is riding roughshod over the rules in a recent Ibrox statement…

 

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Rational, fair, balanced…..they probably need to look up what those words mean.

 

They are losing the plot over there.

 

Then again, depending on what they’ve secured the Close Brothers deal against, they might lose a little more than that….

 

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Yesterday, we had this….

 

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To assist the cause, the insurance form stated Broxi was run over by a stationary car.

 

today….

 

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desdamoaner
3 years ago

In a throwback to the 1930’s the SFA unveil the new Hampden pressbox

Whitearra
3 years ago

Caption : ‘Architect’s image of the “new” Blue Sky Lounge at Ibrox (season 20/21, provisional)’.

Patrick O Hara
3 years ago
Reply to  Whitearra

On Wednesday I received a letter from Boris. It didn’t have my name or address but I thought that he had instructed one of his minions to hand deliver it. How nice I thought. Yesterday I hotfooted it to Sotheby’s and they explained to me that a missive by an author can be worth a lot more money if the author is deceased. Yesterday I dreamed of previously impossible things like a home delivery from Waitrose. This morning I heard that Boris is getting better. Ach well. Back to the basic state pension and Lidl.

3 years ago

Take the money and give Celtic cup sure to win anyhow and Scottish FA should lend money they there. Change so make paid for it

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

Caption………

It’ll be alright, as long as you don’t let Monti in.

Monti
3 years ago

🙂

Terrymac
3 years ago

Ralph,
I enjoy your daily ramblings but could you please find the apostrophe on your keyboard and stop using the semi-colon as it does my brain in!
It’s hasn’t not hasn;t
weren’t not weren;t
can’t not can;t
ad infinitum.
Thank you.

Puggy67
3 years ago
Reply to  Terrymac

Pedant’s corner/pedants’ corner/arseholes? Its’ yours’ and your’s to choose. Apple’s and eh more apples’.

Puggy67
3 years ago

Caption: Rangers Football Club/The Rangers Football Club Ltd/The Rangers International Football Club Plc annual accounts auditors diversify into architecture.

Rob O'Keeffe
3 years ago

You quite rightly state that the Celtic position is that the league should be played to a finish.So where’s the problem? Oh,that’s right,TRFC are skint and with Close bros and SDIR and others wanting their dosh,it is indeed D day.That is,Doomsday for the delusional reprobates that attend Liebrox.Celtic are being very clever and staying on the right side of UEFA who don’t want leagues decided this early,however,their position might change? The Huns are out of Europe,have no Hampden to look forward to and would lose the league if it is played to a conclusion,oh dear,how sad,never mind…..
As for a new kit.If Adidas design really classy looking strips,they could use the magic of the Internet for a world wide launch.I predict the uptake would be phenomenal,with their site probably crashing several times.With normal MSM(ie that outside of Scotland) picking up on this massive launch and it’s success,Celtic would be on to a huge income injection….
P.S.Remember to stay 8,9,10 metres from Huns….

SteveNaive
3 years ago

Crisis, what crisis ? Not in Belarus where there has been no shutdown and football continues. Despite the more lunatic proclamations of president Alexander Lukashenko, a man who believes protection can be obtained through liberal use of vodka and saunas (who knew?) fans are still attending, albeit in ever decreasing numbers. One novel scheme initiated by FC Dynamo Brest saw fans purchase virtual tickets and the club put their face on a mannequin at home games, in a bid to halt the spread of the virus.
There may or may not be any truth in the rumour that two Scottish Klubs will be copying this idea on a more permanent basis.

alzyerpal
3 years ago

Caption; After losing ‘Walton’s Mountain’ in a poker game, Paw managed to acquire the family a city dwelling which gave them an almost identical vista.

SteveNaive
3 years ago

Shooting fish here but KOTW 4-4-2.

Jackson
Cummings
Johnson (B)
Petrie
Budge
Johnston (A)
McKenna (Ted)
Hancock
Trump
Patel
Carlaw
Branson

Manager. Edward D Breen ( CEO Du Pont)

andy
3 years ago

Typical keith Jackson, manipulating and twisting everything for his own agenda.

Cartvale88
3 years ago

Caption
Penthouse for the Buffalo nears completion in Colombia

Jackass and that rag hate everything Celtic. They sing the praises of the Ibrokes men, their overated players Hagi, Barisic, Kent and the other one.
They are in denial of Covoid and it’s footprint, they do not see the big D coming where car showrooms, travel companies and even Super Duper Football clubs will crash, also a few rags will die and journos could be joining the dole queue. In their blue tinted world all things will continue as before, the mighty Sevco on course for their first League win and Slippy to manage Liverpool.

Mike
3 years ago

And they gave us James McGrory and Paul McStay.
They gave us Jimmy Johnstone, Charlie Tully and Davy Hay
For they played wonderful football, the Glasgow Celtic way.
Charles Patrick Tully:
1944-48- Belfast Celtic.
1944- loaned to Cliftonville.
1948-59- Glasgow Celtic.
1959-60- Cork Hibernian.
And we pay homage to them this day.

Cortes
3 years ago

Is it cold in our shade?

Holysmokes
3 years ago

I don’t suppose Lyon/Arsenal are struggling financially too and can’t afford an instalment for Dembele/Teirney? Wouldn’t mind seeing them come back up the road.

3 years ago
Reply to  Holysmokes

I think Arsenal paid the lot up front,mate. And from last year’s accounts,it looks like Lyon did too.

R.St.Parsley
3 years ago

There was a chairman
A Sevco chairman
Who wandered far away
From bills he couldn’t pay
For players’ wages
And lost court cases
And to pay off that Close Bros loan.

He told them:’These bills arenae this man’s bills’
‘They’re the next mug’s bills’
‘Ah’m heading for the hills’
‘Because as high as this pile o’ bills may be’
‘There is plenty mair we owe’.

Cortes
3 years ago
Reply to  R.St.Parsley

Thanks!

Thon fair brought a tear to my een.

bgbhoy
3 years ago

not you clearly you were slating them the other day?

bgbhoy
3 years ago
Reply to  bgbhoy

this was on the cards 2 weeks ago when lennon said it would be addressed for the end of april?

you really are a moron

bgbhoy
3 years ago
Reply to  bgbhoy

had they not agreed it the other day?

bgbhoy
3 years ago
Reply to  bgbhoy

pretty sure this would have been agreed weeks ago, lennon on record weeks ago saying it was being looked at

but you crack on and claim some sort of genius by getting your knickers in a twist about it

whilst contributing f all to the club you claim to support

bgbhoy
3 years ago
Reply to  bgbhoy

would that be because the vote failed and you are delighted?

bgbhoy
3 years ago
Reply to  bgbhoy

shame you cant tell him stories about going to watch them wearing that shirt

was that an essential item you ordered btw?

bgbhoy
3 years ago
Reply to  bgbhoy

quintessential..

now what team does that word remind me of?

The Cha
3 years ago
Reply to  bgbhoy

“quintessential”?

I’ve heard that to describe a certain Glasgow club but not the one to which most of us adhere.

bgbhoy
3 years ago
Reply to  bgbhoy

suppose you would know better than anyone when it comes to shooting

Monti
3 years ago
Reply to  bgbhoy

Whilst running the other way!

Monti
3 years ago
Reply to  bgbhoy

Maybe got his DHL delivery of replica WWII medals.

The Cha
3 years ago
Reply to  bgbhoy

Wrong.

He pays for Celtic TV, which helps to keep those he claims to detest in rude health.

I’m sure there’s a word for having such diametrically opposed views.

Puggy67
3 years ago

Good announcement by the club on wages. The complexities of dealing with scores of players all on individually negotiated contracts shouldn’t be ignored.

Rob O'Keeffe
3 years ago

Congratulations to Celtic for being in a financial position to be able to negotiate agreed reductions and referrals throughout the business regarding salaries.Unlike the clubs,two in particular,who told their employees that cuts to salaries were happening whether they liked it or not……

Pat Higney
3 years ago

Caption: The repossession tactics of Close Brothers seems to be take a floor of Edmiston house for every missed payment.

Puggy67
3 years ago

Caption: If you believe the adverts on verandahub…

Puggy67
3 years ago

King Kenny you beat them all and you’ll beat this.

Dziekanowski's nightclub child
3 years ago

Club deck 2 takes shape

Monti
3 years ago

I thought your childhood hero was Eyore….or Eagle eyes?

charlie
3 years ago

boris and the tories say room and kitchen ma arse yoos yer inginooity he he excse ma spellin am oan the home made toragana aint tims ingenious as fook even on thelockdown

charlie
3 years ago
Reply to  charlie

heers tae the workin class hero peter lawwell cause hees jeest a tim like me wae mer brains god blessum

charlie
3 years ago
Reply to  charlie

ffs see iff the zombies had oor peter……………………………

charlie
3 years ago
Reply to  charlie

a hunner year fae noo oor great grandwains will say wers peters statue

charlie
3 years ago
Reply to  charlie

the first bit wis ma caption entry but ralphs no smart enough tae gettit…………….prove me rang ralph ya shandy drinker ha ha ha ha

Puggy67
3 years ago

Enjoying the 2004 BBC Scotland highlights of Henk’s last league game. However the chat about ‘hype’ regarding his departure including a question to MON is notable. The greatest player to grace the Scottish game in this century? No doubt.

charlie
3 years ago

thurs always gonny be wan who takes full advantage keep yer gubs shut and yer ears open be like jimboh ha ha ha ha a fookin luv this guy

Puggy67
3 years ago
charlie
3 years ago
charlie
3 years ago
Reply to  charlie
charlie
3 years ago
Reply to  charlie
Cole Burns
3 years ago

The only problem being that it could be nearer the 10th June 2021 before football resumes, especially under large crowds.

How could Celtic cope then?

They say the bigger they are the harder they fall. The rest of the Scottish teams are used to surviving hand to mouth, 95% have unavoidable “social distancing” already, except for you-know-who who always get bailed out one way or another.

I fear for Celtic in this scenario.

Televised games behind closed doors or very limited crowds could be the only hope of the big teams keeping themselves alive.

It seems to me that the virus of mickey mouse football could be visiting England very shortly too.

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