Celtic board must take the plunge to scale heights
by
Enda
One of the funniest moments of sporting punditry I’ve seen in recent times came in the wake of Donegal’s All-Ireland Final triumph against Mayo last September. Jim McGuinness had transformed his team from underachievers into benchmarks. A robust defensive outfit, stubborn in the concession of chances let alone goals, Donegal had added potent attacking flair to their bow and rightly took their place as kingpins for the 2012 season.
In the decider, Mayo were caught like rabbits in the headlights. Donegal exploded from the blocks, scoring two goals in the opening minutes. Given their watertight defence, that attacking blitz rendered Mayo’s task impossible – the dye was cast. Donegal strangled the life from Mayo thereafter, always doing just enough to maintain the advantage.
Lovely story, but just what has that got to do with Celtic’s journey in the Champions League, where the Hoops aren’t likely to run up a tally of 2-11 against anyone in the near future.
Reflecting on that game, RTE pundit Pat Spillane lamented Mayo’s inability to penetrate the well-drilled Donegal defence. Something was missing Pat told us. Being from Kerry, it can be tough to ascertain his command of the English language at times, but Pat was daring to take on some basic Spanish now, with great difficulty.
Over the course of umpteen labored pronunciations we found out, just, that Mayo were crying out for a ‘desatascador’. What’s that now Pat? Come again. In Spanish football we were told they have a name for a special type of player. A player that can crack the meanest defence, find a way through when space is tight. In the enduring moments of a game, he is the one who teammates rely upon for the sustenance to maintain their effort. He is literally the unblocker or the plunger – the desatascador.
In four Champions League group stage games this season, Celtic have yielded one goal from open play. Beram Kayal’s significantly deflected winner against Ajax in Glasgow. James Forrest’s penalty in the same game is the only other time the Hoops have troubled the scorekeeper. It isn’t enough. In the Amsterdam Arena on Wednesday night we plummeted to new lows.
Between them Giorgios Samaras, Anthony Stokes, Forrest and Kris Commons posed very little threat to the home rearguard. What makes it so much more concerning is that this particular Ajax side clearly lacks the quality to succeed at this level.
A year ago, Celtic returned from a small hiatus to the top table in European football. Back in with the big hitters a group containing Barcelona, Benfica and Spartak Moscow. Delighted to be amongst it all, little was expected even by the most ardent of fans, let alone the likes of ITV who wrote Celtic off before a ball was kicked.
In the opening group game against Benfica at Parkhead, Celtic played like a team not expecting too much. The Portuguese came for a point and the Hoops seemed satisfied with the same outcome. A drab scoreless affair. Then came Moscow. For the first time, maximum points were returned from a jaunt across Europe in the premier competition. Neil Lennon and his players rightfully took huge belief from the result and almost plundered a most unlikely draw from the Nou Camp.
Queue a momentous Celtic Park ‘European night’ against the Catalans. On the occasion of the club’s 125th anniversary, Barca were beaten. The world took notice. Progression was secured when the deflated Russians were edged out in a tense final game. Eventually, Juventus cruelly exposed how mistakes can be punished at this level but the overall experience was a good one. We wanted a lot more of that please.
With Rangers long since condemned to their eternal resting place, European football takes on an even greater significance for Celtic FC/PLC. As much as the fans crave it, the club requires it. The backwater that was the Scottish Premiership is now merely a stream – or worse still, a brook. The revenue to sustain cannot be generated at home. For the foreseeable future, Celtic will dominate in Scotland. Anything less would represent catastrophic failure.
I’m not really a figures type of person, but briefly, here are some of the numbers for Celtic.
Champions League group stage participation this season guaranteed the club a return of £16m. Last year’s run produced just over £20m – before a ticket was sold. For a club with overall operating revenue of approximately £75m, the significance of those funds cannot be over stated. Returning to the Champions League resulted in overall revenue jumping upwards by nearly fifty-per-cent in 2013.
The PLC announced a pre-tax profit of some £10m, most remarkable for the fact the figures did not take account of the sale of Victor Wanyama, Gary Hooper and Kelvin Wilson in the summer, which brought in around £20million, but they do encompass the purchases of Virgil van Dijk and Amido Balde earlier in the summer.
As stated, figures are not my specialist subject. Roughly translated to me as a football fan however, this is what I get from that number crunching.
Celtic FC are in a very sound financial position. This is to be applauded greatly, considering the toxic mess that exists – sort of – in the south side. The club has nothing in the way of debt. Our recruitment policy – targeting young, unfulfilled talent that can be nurtured towards potential profit on resale – is working a treat. Our largest single source of revenue generation is the UEFA Champions League. Turnover – without considering profit/loss – depends on it.
If we are to continue to have regular exposure in this environment and, god forbid, progress within it then we must look to recruit the type of player that can affect games at that level.
Where to find this kind of player and what it will cost? That’s a riddle for people a few pay grades above mine to solve. John Park, Neil Lennon, Peter Lawell et al. From past experience, we know it can be done. From nowhere, these types of players can appear – Lubomir Moravcik, Shunsuke Nakamura – these fabled players that possess that greatness within to seize the biggest occasions.
In all likelihood, investment on a scale not recently seen in Glasgow might be needed. It is a risk/reward policy. The necessity for Champions League revenue against the fact we must spend a percentage of that money on the assumption we will get there. The depth of financial prudence at Parkhead is evident nowhere more than in the fact that John Hartson, more than ten years ago, represents the last transfer fee paid out that exceeded £5m. Compare that against other clubs seeking a foothold in the Champions League and it will come off well below the norm.
The desatascador is something Celtic do not possess. In Amsterdam Kayal, Mulgrew and Commons formed the midfield trio. Joe Ledley came on, Scott Brown was suspended. None will answer to the criteria needed. Commons shows fleeting glimpses but will never truly be that great player.
Often when watching Champions League games I find myself thinking after a goal, could Celtic have scored that? Take Anderlecht’s opener in Paris on Tuesday. Neat interplay down the left, a midfielder (Kljestan) getting on the end of a one-two and breaching the defensive line. A quick look up and composed cut back finds an in-rushing attack minded midfielder (de Zeeuw) willing to take the risk and run late from midfield to support the play. Bang. Plunge. Unblock.
Too often, Celtic rely on the heroic effort. The braveheart defensive displays with the emotional attachment of the Celtic Park atmosphere. It is no longer enough. The surprise factor is gone.
We need to roll the dice again. Invest. Not reckless spending in the pursuit of success and short term glory. No club worth their stripes (or Hoops) would be so foolish as to try that approach right?
Rather, a gentle upping of the investment. Instead of the two and maybe three million pound investments, go to the next level. Do it with the same restraint and business acumen we do now. On the current UEFA rewards scale even should we come home fourth in this group we have earned £16m from it. How we choose to invest that money, or not invest it, is the greatest differentiator in whether we get back to this place again.
Speculate wisely to accumulate significantly. Take the plunge Celtic.
A good honest appraisal of the situation. As opposed to the MSM who constantly ‘plumb new depths’!
Good article and I completely agree however it’ll never happen with lennon in charge. He just doesn’t have that ability or vision. He’s molded this turgid team we have now as it’s his style. For us to ever improve and become a good footballing side he needs to go, the sooner the better in my opinion. He’s emptied Celtic Park with the football we play it’s not surprising. Sick of him, his tactics and his excuses.
The goal against man u apart naka was a major flop in europe much more so than commons
Well said BOGBHOY and he can take capt calamity with him
Just listen to yourselves, guys. The simple reason we’re not doing well in the CL is simply because of the players we’ve lost but not adequately replaced:
Wanyama, Wilson, Hooper out: Balde, Pukki, Biton, Boerrigter in.
Can any of us honestly dispute that? If any blame is to be made, why not ask why the Board has shelled out probably less than £10m from the £40m we got from the CL plus the above transfers out?
Spot on. At that level we are the cloggers. We need to step it up.
This has been my Mantra for over 3 years now in total agreement with every word Enda.
We very nearly came a cropper in the final round v Shagpile Parahandy hat it not been for a goal line clearance from Mathews and a lucky bounce of the bar we would have been out on our erchie with a £16m windfall down the swanny.
Now consider the £21m made from the sale of our 3 best players and then subtract that £16m from the money we made then all of a sudden those rosey Accounts don’t look quite so nice eh?
We need 2 players of quality in my opinion:
1 A genuine no10 with the ability to produce a defence splitting pass or bit of brilliance to unlock even the most stubborn of rear guards.
2 A genuine finisher with an all round game….Finnbogason was exactly that IMO.
Finally get rid of the ballast like Bangura
That 21m made from the sale of the three amigos is on top of the money we made from the CL last term. I dont think the accounts could possibly look any rosier right now. Especially after the whole Armageddon carry on we had to go through 😉
Those two players will cost us money. If a 5m purchase and 25k wage is too much then so is the CL. We’ve been to the well too often already with these players. You pay peanuts…you get Mulgrew in centre mid! (no offence to Charlie!)
Also, the fact that Broonie let the red mist descend in the Barca game was in my view unforgivable, for we’ve now had to do without him for both Ajax games and for the upcoming Milan one which we must win if we’re going to have any kind of European football in the new year.
I wish Broonie would grow up; he was at it again on Saturday, winding up Kovacevic. Why can’t he just walk away? I was really surprised the ref didn’t show him a card like he did Kovacevic?
And of course Biton also did the squad no favours by getting red carded in the first Ajax game. I’ve seen some combative Celtic midfielders in my time, going way back to wee Bertie Auld, right up to the modern day, but they knew how to be subtle about it; these guys today wouldn’t even know what the word means!
So we need a Moravcik and a Larsson. Well done Columbo.
To those wishing to go down the Rangers FC funeral route, behave.
To the rest, check yourselves, it’s all knee jerk. We’re supposed to be building something a wee bit more durable than a grand sand castle.
The reality is Wanyama, hooper and Wilson left us. They were never staying bar bleeding us dry. So we go on. The Benfica model that we’ve settled on isn’t even five years old ffs!
If we beat Milan then we’re still in the mix for European football after Xmas. The core of this squad will get wiser for the experiences. And then when the window opens again we’re ready to do business and hoping to get lucky.
Did we get lucky with Larsson and Lubo or were they two quality players known to the people who persuaded them to come to Celtic. They didnt event cost £1m between them and the article doesnt seem to ask for too much in way of vision…just go that extra mile to get a guy who can play a pass..it says it all if thats dreaming these days
Aye I think we did. Just as I believe we got unlucky when we plucked for Berkovic. He’s what your man would call a desatascador was he not? I thought so to. In fact at the time I was convinced he was the last piece in the puzzle. How did that pan out again.
I’m not having a go at the article per se but this simplistic attitude that it just requires spending a few bob. Anybody these days who has a proven track record at CL level knows their value. It’s 25 grand a week and upwards. It’s a harsh reality that you can spend that kind of money and end up with a Gravesen!
Ah, wee Eyal, I agree. I mind his showing at Pittodrie and 1 half of Ibrox and then it all went tits up. Sadly he had nothing to prove to the world ( thought he was the centre of the universe) unlike Lubo and Larsson who thought glory had passed on by.
Its a tough one, we got Ki, a classy heads up player, but he didnt fit but hey we made money on him so fine, Wanyama, a real treasure. Will Biton be the same?
It just all seems effort over art…which could just be practical over hopeful granted, Happy days.
I agree but football, in it’s purest sense, isn’t an exact science either. I reckon Biton could be the bhoy but then wit the f*ck do I know? A couple of year ago I was waiting in the q to get into the Jock Stein for a midweek league game against Hearts were supposedly they were going to gie us trouble but we ended up smashing them sixty wan nothing or something. Anyroads I’m talking to wan of my mates about how I preferred McGinn tae Forrest cos he was more direct when this young scud tore me a new one defending Forrest. He had a brilliant argument and made a complete fud out of me. I thought about what he said and I decided, do you know what you’re right wee man.
For us to step up to the next level, we need player(s) with experience at a reasonably high standard, that probably also means they’ll be over 25, which doesnt fit in with current policy. Cant see us forking out 4m+ on a guy of 28-29 no matter how good he is.