![\"Summer](\"https:\/\/etims.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Summer-transfers-2015.bmp\")
<\/a><\/p>\nSome underachieving attackers formally away, many youngsters out for much needed regular first team action elsewhere, a cut in the inflated squad size and an overall profit of \u00a36-7m in the transfer market. What\u2019s not to like?<\/p>\n
When presented like that Pistol Pete can proudly puff out his chest and prepare to count next years English PremierLeague sized chief executive bonus. Then when you delve into the detail a bit deeper there are many concerns to consider…<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no denying Celtic\u2019s squad has been far too large in recent years with a focus on quantity rather than quality in many areas. Balde, Pukki, Scepovic, and Boerrigter. All four vastly underachieved at Celtic with three now thankfully away (one on loan) and the other looking for a compensation package before we can rip up his contract. While it\u2019s great to see deadwood depart serious questions have to be asked of the clubs custodians on why they spent in the region of \u00a38m on these players and will be lucky to return 20% of that should we get a fee next year for Scepovic.<\/p>\n
With every penny being a prisoner at Celtic Park it\u2019s quite astonishing, bordering on sacking all those involved, that we should see such wastage. EIGHT MILLION BLOODY POUNDS. Just let that sink in after you add their combined wages which would at an educated guess be in the scale of \u00a340-50,000 per week or \u00a32-2.5m per year. Clearly those scouts who are looking overseas for attacking options are not fit for purpose and other scouts who have a proven track record in working with the European or global player market<\/strong> should be brought in. Do we even have a South American scouting network to tap into the considerable talent there who are available and in most cases have European passports?<\/p>\n Ach, that was a rhetorical question…<\/p>\n Buy the best of good young Scottish players?<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019m a big fan of this and I do applaud those at the club for this strategy. Griffiths, Armstrong, Mackay-Steven, Allan and Christie have all joined the club in the last 18 months and already you can see many positives. Scottish youngsters find it easier to adapt for a number of basic old common sense reasons. They know the football having played it, they know the climate having lived it and they are surrounded by family and friends. They also don\u2019t get itchy feet as often as others who use the club nowadays as a stepping stone due to the significant differential in wages compared to the Larsson, Sutton and Hartson era and have no emotional attachment here.<\/p>\n The five players listed above are all talented and cost us a total of around \u00a33.5m. Value for money is already very high with the added bonus that they have major scope for improvement. What\u2019s not to like?<\/p>\n Sell our best players every summer<\/strong><\/p>\n There\u2019s a heart and a head element here from me. The heart says keep all our best players and build a team that can compete in the Champions League.<\/p>\n