18 May 2015 19:08:43
Hi Ed
Was thinking about 10 priorities/themes for the foreseeable future revolving around planet CFC
PRIORITY 1
RD has said that he fully expects that CFC will be "improved" at the beginning of 2015/2016 campaign. This is quite a statement and to be honest I would be delighted if we are in fact "improved" given the scope of reported pending "exits". If the exits come to fruition and we commence our campaign "improved", then that will mean decent activity in the market. To begin the campaign as "new and improved" will mean finding VVD and Denayer equivalents and replacing quantity with quality across the board; IE smaller squad size but with no "passengers". That will require "investment". This bodes well. Akin to January 2015, I hope we are feeling good when the dust settles on all transfer in/out activity.
PRIORITY 2
We need to improve ACTUAL attendances at Celtic Park including an ever larger and more vociferous Green Brigade. The GB provide a vibrancy during the lulls in play. In fact, for me at least, I feel drawn to them for a significant % of the 90 minutes. I see linkage between priority 1 and priority 2. CFC PR needs to move in to overdrive as the loss of VVD and Denayer will be played out in the media as "CFC selling club selling ambitions short etc"
PRIORITY 3
To improve on a "budget" given economic outlook for Scottish game, we need to shop smart. To "be ready" for CL qualification, we need to shop early. I cannot recall ever shopping smart and shopping early. I do recall many many many times where "signings" have been dependent on ECL group qualification, IE chicken and egg and/or failing to speculate to accumulate. We will learn A LOT about CFC ambitions (beyond RD media comments). It would be fantastic if PL, RD and the PLC were "in board alignment" this time around!
PRIORITY 4
We need to make the very best of what we already have. We don't want to be loaded down with average players who are settled and coasting. This means that we need another 5% from the likes of Matthews, Lustig, Mulgrew, Commons, Stokes, and a few others. We have our steady crop, our fast improving crop, or emerging crop and our distinctly average crop. RD needs to keep forcing the issue with the first team squad and demanding more. Whilst Griffiths has improved, others have slipped back. We can ill afford to see average players coast or go back the way. This is where RD adds "real value"; getting more from players who didn't even know they had it in them to give!
PRIORITY 5
We need to get the balance just right whereby the young talent (kids) see a route in to the first team. When 17, 18 and 19 year olds break through we enjoy phenomenal returns on "investments". It is also the case that the next batch of kids at 14, 15 and 16 see CFC as a real option and choose CFC as their "place to develop". A burgeoning youth academy jam packed full of potential is good for business and good for CFC. I appreciate that we need to be winning (if not all of the time then certainly most of the time) but the "fans" need to be a little more patient and appreciate that our future will be brighter if we can provide real opportunities for talented kids.
PRIORITY 6
Celtic need to do all they can to improve the competition domestically. Again, this is good for business. A resurgent Hearts and an improving Aberdeen is essential to a competitive Celtic. Dare I say, Rangers in the league will be good for the balance sheet too! We part dismantled Dundee United in January. The hope is that Dundee United "invest" the majority of these funds, whether that be in better youth development facilities (and coaching) time will tell, but we need to all appreciate that "competition" is good for our game. The "product" will only ever be as good as the competition. David versus goliath becomes boring, predictable and pointless.
PRIORITY 7
Celtic need to reach out and stop appealing to the lowest common denominator. More needs to be done to extinguish bigotry. The idea of institutionalised bias needs to be challenged. Celtic need to grow above it and move beyond it. PL, from time to time, needs to dwell less in the Glasgow gold fish bowl, and see Celtic in global terms. There is a significant diaspora out there and money to be made. If we could somehow monatise these opportunities and put those funds full square behind developing the BEST international youth talent, then we can become the Ajax of Britain and become THE club for any aspiring 20 something.
PRIORITY 8
We need to improve the physical match day experience and turn a home match in to a proper day out. It may require investment and will inevitable be trial and error, but we need to get kids and families to congregate around "The Celtic way" nice and early and pouring through the gates . ideas on a postcard please
PRIORITY 9
Continue to talk the game up and see opportunity as opposed to entertaining a malaise around our game's prospects; we love football. We may be a small nation but we love our game and we need to turn out in big numbers to sustain our national game. Celtic shouldn't be embarrassed to convey that the game is nothing without the fans and that the game (and celtic as part of it) needs participation
PRIORITY 10
At the risk of repeating myself, we need to drive the highest possible bargain for all emerging talent leaving CFC. An extra £1m for CFC when it becomes to transfer fee bargaining goes a VERY long way.
We are a big club. We may play in a low profile league, but we are a big club and we can become a bigger club if we can deal effectively with the priorities cited above
18 May 2015 21:14:53
Some really great points in there, however as you have stated the board do not move that swift to buy players. Hopefully is a different case with RD
your point " we are a big club". We are Thee Big Club so let's start flexing our muscle ( financially) or otherwise.
18 May 2015 22:05:09
Paradisewon, you often make very good and worthwhile contributions , however this one fails compared to others . I think you decided to go for ten priorities before you started the post and then found difficulties in getting ten priorities and themes . Every season Celtic aim to come out of the transfer season stronger than they went in .
Immediately after the window is over is not the ideal time to make the evaluation as to whether we come out stronger than we went in . Often players take time to settle in at Celtic , and some times players settle in immediately and after a couple of months their form deteriorates .
Many supporters seem to have an overinflated views of players after they leave and the new players compare very poorly in these fans eyes .
There is one simple way of improving the attendance at Celtic Park is to get the Celtic fans to attend more matches .
I really think that the Celtic club does everything it can do to reduce bigotry . Celtic has always been at the forefront of removing bigotry and bigots.
I think Paradisewon that we all appreciate the need to improve the numbers of youth that become members of the first team squad . Celtic are a big club and by the scientists and medical people and food nutritions , back room staff matching the best in the EPL, Celtic demonstrates we are a big club . Despite the fall in season books sales Celtic proudly announce to have the third best season books Sales in the UK .
Celtic are trying their very best to get the best players we can afford to sign for us , and to stay as long as possible . Celtic cannot necessary get their targets to sign and sometimes those that have been targeted are overcome by the magnitude of the club and cannot play to their potential.
The best we can hope for Paradisewon, is that Celtic continue their efforts and if possible learn from experiences and gain improvement .
19 May 2015 10:13:10
"There is one simple way of improving the attendance at Celtic Park is to get the Celtic fans to attend more matches "
Well there we go chris, you've cracked it! ;)
19 May 2015 11:28:18
Chris
Priorities were
Improvement year on year
Increased attendances
Route to first team for gifted youth
Get the best out of what we have
Shop and deal early to end in new players
As a club, do more to support domestic competition
Leave aside ideas of institutional bias and continue to move away from any hint of bigotry ( away fan chants are borderline )
Improve match day experience
Maximise revenues from player sales
Talk the game up on radio via press via Celtic view etc
We need to make the most of what we have and improve on what we have
There's nothing to " not want " in there
19 May 2015 13:24:59
paradisewon I agree with your post, its almost too much to talk about at once.
I think my main ones would be to show how much they are going to value youth players in the set up and attendances. A clear progression path should be available to young players who are performing well and buying in squad players should become a thing of the past if possible.
I don't know if this is just an impractical idea but I remember once someone saying they should set a target for income from season tickets and then say the more people who sign up the less it will cost. I think improving the idea of a day out to the match will also help.
Also completely off topic but what about bringing in a community shield type trophy to be played for at the beginning of the season. Scottish Cup Winner vs League winner. Would fit in well if the league was to be changed numbers wise and the season therefore shortened.
19 May 2015 14:31:07
Some very good points Paradise;
I always feel Celtic have to generate their own publicity as the media in our own country (and in England) go out of their way to dampen and belittle any success we achieve.
The SPL win this season was promptly swept under the carpet albeit the actual conclusion was decided by another result.
Meanwhile SLY were constantly lauding the achievement their darling Chelsea and Bournemouth!!
We need our governing body to be more positive and proactive in marketing and attracting investment and TV revenue.
Perhaps the Scottish Parliament can convince STV and BBC Scotland to actually back and promote Scottish football?
The 'passengers' are a bug bear of mine and I sincerely hoped RD would see through them unlike his predecessor.
There are too many who 'coast' during a season not to mention opt for the treatment room when things get tough.
They are not good for the team, support or the young guys who look up to them and learn bad habits.
The attempts to have a standing area at Celtic Park has been shot down so far, but I would like to think the club will continue to pursue it as it would improve atmosphere and attendances and could be adapted in other stadia; assuming it was cheaper than seated areas and safe?
The club are constantly in transition due to the need to sell (either to make money or to appease players) and I totally agree we have to price our players accordingly - with the relevant sell-on clause as insurance.
If we had a more competitive and higher quality league, we would attract and retain better players and if every other factor is in place we would have the means to pay them.
19 May 2015 15:08:28
Top class jungle jim
19 May 2015 15:13:32
Edinbhoy. CFC need to alert fans to be finances and the linkage between youth development and financial stability and CFC longevity. It may mean more mixed results but we need a route beyond £10m lottery every season and purchasing 1 to 2 good players and writing off the investment for 5 others at the same time. We need to nurture develop and blood the best youth talent available ( not just Scotland but uk wide and pan European ). A bigger version of Crewe in the 90s
19 May 2015 19:28:19
I don't see how we could get a more competitive league without our own standards falling.
Teams like Dundee utd, Inverness, St Johnstone, etc. could never compete over a season with us, they haven't got the resources, it would only happen if our standards dropped, in which case I would think our crowds would drop.
I don't know how to go about it, but until UEFA start to govern for the whole of Europe and not just for the top 4 leagues, there will always a 2 tier system.
The Champions of each country should get a place in the Champions league, (the clue is in the