Celtic Rumours Archive July 23 2012

23 Jul 2012 22:10:41
Ed what do you think about Tim Cahill. Everton have accepted a bid of £1million for him from NY Red Bulls. I know he's had a few injuries lately but still think he could do a really job for us. Away from home in Europe (hopefully) behind the striker he's always good for the odd goal.

Daz the Hoopy

Celtic can't compete with MLS sides wages.

We would never afford his wages. I can only see or wage bill getting cut from now on.

23 Jul 2012 21:19:00
Kelvin Wilson on the move ? ....TTTS

Kelvin Wilson going back to nffc your thought guys

Good luck to the boy. He was just not what we needed.

I think we'll keep him and I'd be happy to give him another season. I thought he started off great in a Celtic shirt. Had a stinker against Rangers at Ibrox (but so did everyone - can't possibly blame him) then got injured soon afterwards. Never hit his initial form since coming back and IMO never looked 100% fit.

As I say - would be happy if he stayed and was given a chance to get into the team. We're a bit short at CB (for natural CBs) as it is as well so an injury, suspension or a busy few week schedule and I reckon he'd have ample opportunity to prove himself.

Is he actually goin? certainly paves the way for a new cb if true

Kieran1967

Has it been finalised

Wilson injury last night might scupper any potential move out of CP

23 Jul 2012 20:21:50
I hope St Anthony from Celtic Underground doesn't mind but I couldn't agree more with his sentiments hope you post this Ed. A few days ago I went up to renew my season ticket for myself and junior for the season ahead. I realise that the deadline for renewals was some time back but times are hard and due to a family summer holiday the season tickets would have to wait until late July for payment.

My son is eight and in recent seasons Celtic have offered kids season tickets for £50 which is great value and hugely appreciated by parents like me who are keen to encourage their kids to keep up the Celtic tradition. Part of the reason for the cheap tickets is that the games against Rangers are not included so this gave Celtic the chance to sell them to the public at £42 a go. To get the Rangers games his ticket would cost £129 but Junior is too young yet to be exposed to the niceties of the big derby so he gets to see all the other games and develop his support for all things Celtic.

At the beginning of the summer the £50 tickets where on sale (admittedly before the Sevco demotion to the third division) but when I went to buy the tickets in the ticket office I was informed that the kid's tickets were now priced at £129.
The guy in the ticket was pleasant enough and was almost apologetic when explaining that because there is no more Rangers that was why the price is now £129 and in anyone's language an increase of £79 seems ridiculously steep for two games against Dundee.

Celtic are to be congratulated for the kids' tickets initiative and even at £129 it represents tremendous value for money at £6.50 per game. But it's galling to know that people who have purchased them earlier (before Sevco's demise) have them for £50 and yet others have to pay an extra £79 to watch Dundee twice. That can't be right.

My Father never paid me into a Celtic game at Parkhead until I was 15. In those days boys were given 'lifts' which involved being literally thrown over the turnstiles for free. And yet Celtic can't complain because when their need was great I bought £1240 worth of shares during the Fergus McCann revolution.

The one thing the club won't get back is goodwill, which for me has now gone in the short term. I was considering buying junior the new strip at a cost of £60 but that won't now happen. There will be other cut backs on Celtic Views and programmes in the months ahead and that extra £70 will be recouped one way or the other. But as I said goodwill has gone and having witnessed two other guys in the ticket office having the same argument then the club may have a problem. I can't believe there have not been numerous complaints about this already.

I bought junior's ticket and it was difficult not to because he was standing next me giving me the "wounded dog look". But what should worry the club is that there are people out there who will not bring their kids to Parkhead next season and they may not return, ever.

Maybe someone at the club could get in touch to explain as to why this increase has been passed on to the kids especially at a time of 'austerity' when families in particular as so strapped for cash.

I know it's puzzling me. {Ed007's Note - I totally agree with you 100%. I think the club has handled the kid's ticket situation very poorly.}

Totally agree with this post,
I renewed both my kids season books at the cost of �50 per book and before Rangers were liquadated upgraded both books to include Rangers games at a cost of �80 extra per book.

When I visited the ticket office I was also told there was NO REFUND AVAILABLE as the two Dundee games were to be included. I dont mind paying the full amount for my adult season book I think they have made a mistake with the kids book, resulting in me not buying tickets for Inter Milan match and will seriously consider not purchasing any other tickets for home cup games, european games etc.

THEBRIGTIMS

Absolutely ridiculous but not surprising.

Jamie Mac

Good post mate.My advice as a Celtic employee is email your post to the club.Very sensible and not threatening in any way and i believe you will at least get a reply.Good luck.

Jungle Bhoy.

U pay to watch celtic not sevco {Ed007's Note - What about the people who did pay extra to watch Rangers/Sevco though?}

Its a shame that you and the kids will miss the Milan match. I bought two adults and three concessions which came to �45:00 which I thought was a great deal because I believe that it will be a fantastic afternoons entertainment and another one to remember between our two great Clubs Hail Hail.

25 Jul 2012 22:33:36
WEE NOTE ANYONE WHO HAS ISSUES LIKE I DID WITH SEASON BOOK PRICES YOU CAN FIRE AN EMAIL LIKE I DID TO homematches at celticfc.co.uk everything you said i have said similar and the staff at Ticket Office are at rhe end of their tether with it.more games to compensate.CELTIC WE MUST GIVE SOMETHING IN RETURN {Ed007's Note - My mate has had a phone-call from a lady at CFC tonight (I am not putting her name on here) telling him it is basically a like it or lump it situation. As I have said, I think it is shocking that they have done this with kids tickets. Could one of you guys in the same boat keep me up to date with how you are getting on please?}

23 Jul 2012 14:27:39
I for one am quite concerned by the almost-foaming-at-the mouth demands for Celtic (Peter Lawell) to spend money we obviously don't have. EH? THOSE DAYS ARE GONE! (.......Rangers anyone?)
Been posted on here to sign various overpaid EPL has-beens including Championship mercenaries for only £36K a week!! are you mad!?
We are £7M in debt at any given time right now. The board would be neglecting their duties to a PLC & shareholders, especially in the current uncertain TV climate - by spending £millions on transfer fees and wages, without selling first. Remember, 25K a week is £1.3M a year in wages! (x 2 signings?)
And don't say 'speculate to accumulate' that's 80s Gordon Gecko crap and is gambling the clubs medium-term future. Season ticket sales go towards day-to-day running costs. We have no income from the end of the season yet wages and bills still need to be paid.
On the Banter section a poster has questioned our supposed 'selling strategy'. The McGeady money was a windfall if we are all honest - but the board and scouting staff have re-invested it wisely: rebuilt a WHOLE side for £10M! We could have 2 more seasons before we cash in on some of the players - and we will - but this team still has some growing to do first.
I for one am not overly concerned. If this young team is not quite ready for the next step - then so be it. Time is on their side. Time is not on the side of other clubs who have 'speculated' to get 'to the next level' (rangers, portsmouth, leeds utd before). The clubs future must be protected.
I trust Neil Lennon and his scouts to hopefully unearth a young gem, NOT an overpaid player from Englands lower leagues, or a prima-donna after one last pay-day, and in any case, the transfer market across Europe as a whole is quiet.
Our pace in European football is no longer at the top tables. The sooner we are all comfortable with that the better. Buy young players, develop them for 3 years - sell for a profit. Ki will probably be the first off the conveyer-belt. Then we can hopefully post about actual signings...............kbt1978

I fully agree 100% with the poster on this..... I for one will agree that we need to spend money and invest more wisely than we ever have. we are 7 to 10 mill in debt and would be crazzzzyyyy to spend anything untill we balance these books. I think the job the current celtic staff from the board to the stewards have done a marvelous job and long may that continue! hail Hail

Have to agree gone are the days of big marquee signings. stick with youth and sell on like porto and ajax. albeit they ar miles ahead......green lantern (formally gunnner&atim)

Pi$h , we have let go nearly �75,000 pw in wages, we have no decent center half, and are trying to get into CL group stages with free transfers at our defence, bull as a season ticket holder I as well as several thousand more fans will pack it in, the board have taken us fro granted year after year, sell the best and by sh1te, time for it to end. The shame went bust cause the cheated and bad management, We need players or are you happy to win a one horse league for the next 10 years, We need to be in Europe .

Right on the money mate! We are not a champions league team.If we were to get into the group stages there is every chance we would be humiliated if drawn in a difficult group.In the near future some good runs in the Europa league to ready the players is the way forward.I was hugely impressed with young Fraser when he was dropped into the Europa last year,lets give the kid a chance to develop into the type of cb we need.Look at Germany,Holland etc,age is unimportant if the ability is there.One thing we have learned from Next Gen is our kids can hold their own against the best young players in Europe so the SPL should be in their grasp at 19/20............green jhedi

I agree that we have to watch the money we spend especially now with what will be a season without the capital provided by the old firm clashes which like it or not were the main attraction to the SPL.
However that being said Lennon said he Planned to have signings in before the euro games and he has failed to deliver on that.
The celtic team as it is is simply not good enough to play in europe. Everyone knows our defence is abmissal...it was like that before loovens and mastorivic (I've seen milk turn quicker) left and it remains so with even less cover.
A CB must be signed asap as well as a striker, for me stokes just doesn't cut it when it matters. There are players that can be sold namely Ki who i believe is over rated.

At last a poster with knowlage and not a dreamer great post well made hail hail

One other point worth highlighting, is that no club can budget for the Champions League money - it is a bonus (unless direct entry is guaranteed).
The last club to budget, on the basis of that money were rangers and Craig Whyte! - being papped out in the qualifiers lit the fuse on their eventual implosion.................kbt1978

I agree. spending big doesn't guarantee you success. A lot of posters seem to think this is true. What would you rather have?

Fortune, Scheidt and Berkovic

OR

Larsson, Lubo and Bobo

I know what i would rather have, and it cost less than �1 million in transfer fees

We will not get past HJK with the defence we have or rather "haven't" got. CL is a pipedream at present, if letting Ki or whoever go helps us secure the players we need to progress in Europa league then so be it.

So you take a dig at an opinion that is a better cheaper option than spending millions on some one! 7m of debt is nothing to our club! You are just an idiot with a closed mind we do have to speculate to accumulate like such players kayal, wanyama,hooper to name a few who have quadrupled in price! The only way our club can rise from the newco situation is to perform in the cl! The tv deal isn't uncertain the contract is signed so please be quiete if you can't even do a bit of research using google!

Brian

Can't believe comments about not being good enough for CL , we will not get past Helsinki , we should just settle for afew seasons in Europa league . I know where I want to be on Tuesday or Wednesday nights through the Autumn and Winter . We should be relishing the challenge of the big teams in Europe . Bring it on !......DH

Some good points from everyone but its no surprise to me and its just an opinion that our nerves are pretty frayed and we haven't even kicked a ball in anger! All Celtic fans are pretty fed up and we need some good news to cheer us up. All the financial talk and opinions (and we all have an opinion) is really not worth falling out over. I have seen it all before but even I cant help getting a little bit worried at the lack of news regarding a CB. Lets just hope we can sort out this Helsinki mob and get a bit of breathing space for Lenny to work a master stroke somewhere and somehow. Its great being a Tic fan, no matter the hassles and I am looking forward to a great season. Keep the faith Bhoys and Ghirls and lets just do what we do best, support the team the Celtic way and just maybe we will enjoy some good football too. Sopot Celt. For its a Grand old team to play for.......

It's not a matter of how much we spend or who we get . Over last year or so 5 central defenders have left the club all of whom played in 1st team, we need an experienced guy to steady things at the back. Davie weird done it for the oldco and he wasn't a marquee signing , all we seem to get linked with is full backs and wingers

We have saved at least �2.5 Million by releasing players such as Cha, O'Dea etc.
There must be something in the biscuit tin.

I totally agree, what we as fans need to realize is that for our club that we love it prosper and to get on a sound financial footing is to bring through youth and give them time to mould into the players their abilities allow them to be, then once they are good enough or clubs are showing a lot of interest in them, then selll them on for a profit, to develop further our youth program, the alternative is to throw money on players/jouneymen in the hope that the gamble of gaining entry to the CL happens and it has all been worth while, where as by bugetting without CL money and bringing through on our own the profits would be enormous, think about the quality street gang, all home grown, remember the greatest team Scotland has produced, all home grown, somewhere along the line we lost sight of what we were good at. you can bet our friends in the west will be going down the home grown root from now on.....as bobby dylan once said " for the times they are a changing"

Liam

The OP is right and those saying pi$h and speculate to accumulate are of the mark. we've yet to see last years accounts but I'm sure they'll show a loss. So its ok saying we've lowered the wage bill but we had to. You cant sustain losses. Its also ok saying 7m debt is sustainable. It is, but what people are suggesting would, without CL money, increase it.

We have saved the best part of �80K per week on wages rising to nearly �100K if we sell Ki. We can afford to buy/bring in a decent CD. Not including transfer monies if players sold

Re: Brian
"a better, cheaper option than spending millions..." by that you are referring to Ben Haim I presume, for �36K a week - a 30 year old defender from Portsmouth. Almost �2M a year in wages never mind signing on fees etc? Make him the highest paid player at the club since Boruc? Why?
"�7M of debt is nothing to our club"....debt is debt mate. It has to be paid at some point.
"we do have to speculate to accumulate like such players Kayal, wanyama, Hooper, to name a few who have quadrupled in price"....sentence doesn't quite make sense but the jist is the players have increased in value? well until someone pays the price to buy them they are worth nothing - we don't have that money in the bank - its like borrowing against the value of your house increasing - financial folly.
"The only way our club can rise from the newco situation"......why does our club have to rise from anything? Nothing has changed at our club. Our club has done nothing wrong - we are not down - that statement makes no sense.
"The TV deal isn't uncertain", well.......

Asked if the satellite giant would be showing SPL football next season, Doncaster said: “We will be working with all of our commercial partners over the coming days and weeks now that we have clarity on what the leagues will look like in the new season.

“And as soon as we’re in a position to announce what the actuals are, rather than the estimates that we’ve been working on, then we’ll do that.

“I’m not going to be drawn on where we are with any of our partners. We have something in the region of 15 or 20 different commercial partners that we’ll need to be talking with now.

“And when we’re in a position to announce what the reality is then we’ll do that.”

When pressed on the issue of Sky’s coverage, he added: “You know I’m not going to be drawn on the future.

“I speak to them (Sky) on a regular basis. I’ve been in London for much of the past few weeks and I expect to be in London for much of the next few weeks.”

Asked if there was a deal in place, he responded: “It is what it is. I’ve been as clear as I can. I can’t be any clearer. I won’t be drawn on the specifics of any commercial arrangement, I’m just not going to do that.”

Both Sky and ESPN are keen to talk about their deals with the SPL as soon as possible.

....I think that is what you call 'uncertain'. If you are unsure of the definition you can Google it................kbt1978

Seems to me kbt and a lot others that ure jumping in the bandwagon of youth policy and acceptance of no CL. Poor decision making I'm afraid and if we're to portray ourselves as a cut above the mediocre in scotland then that will only happen through sustained CL involvement and progressing to last 16. We will not achieve that with the current quality of side, the defence is a joke at a high level as was shown on sat yet again. End of day there is only so many times the board will keep coming to the well expecting our total financial commitment before it runs dry. It goes both ways. Some of the points kbt makes are simply point scoring, the guy made valid points felt by many, myself included. Stevo Dundee

Will say two word's The Bunnet,without him where would we be,now we have CELTIC supporter's threatening to PACK IT IN if we don't spend.Well sorry mate i would rather you packed it in along with your thousands of mate's than see CELTIC go to the wall.
Tambhoy (original )

Re Stevo Dundee:
I've never said I'm accepting no Champions League qualification.
What I'm saying is people have short memories - we have just seen Rangers go to the wall for a financial strategy that was started in the 90's doing what?........spending �millions on 'marquee' signings to 'take the next step' chasing the Champions League dream.
All I'm saying is be realistic. Football in this country has changed dramatically in a matter of WEEKS.
We simply cannot afford to spend any major money without selling players. We will certainly NOT be handing 3 year contacts for �20k+ a week to guys that will walk away for free when they expire - like plenty in the past.
I will pin my hopes on the further development of this squad, I simply cannot see us splashing out any �millions in the near future - unless someone leaves for a decent amount. One thing is sure though - we will be back in the qualifiers this time next year.
(but some of the players mentioned on here recently as potential signings are laughable)................kbt1978

Every year we are told the same story buy young players sell them on at a profit but where does this profit go ? the season tickets are still selling the tv deal is higher the sponsor deals are bigger and better but still nothing every year the profit from selling players is bigger than what we spend the standard of players has dropped and the wage bill is less than half what it was under oneill but every year its the same story we tried to sign players but couldnt am fed up hearing about this 7 million pound debt anyone who knows about tax in sports clubs will know that tax is only paid after debt so every club will leave a debt at a level to suit their income and reduce tax substantially or face being wacked with huge tax bill on their turnover lewwell is as fly as a bag of monkeys

Football clubs are a business like any other and are liable for tax like any other.......kbt1978

22 Jul 2012 16:34:57
Last night was yet another piece of evidence that wee do need a CB who is strong and commanding and has experience in Europe! I don't like slagging off the bhoys we've got at the back but come on Lenny its time to pull out the cheque book and get us what wee need! what about Ciani ED? was there any truth in that or was it just paper talk he seemed like the kind of guy wee could have used aswell.

Flynny {Ed007's Note - I said all along that if CFC want to sign Ciani they would have to pay 3 - 3.5 million Euros for him, Roma still look the favourites to sign him.}