Back to the grind
I’ve several feelings going into tonight’s clash,,
An anger at the transfer window shambles,
A desire to be entertained putting footballing action above boardroom discussions,
A wish for one or two of our stars to grab the occasion and sparkle.
It’s natural to look at games in blocks, this mini block offers two home ties against much lower opposition, almost as if the footballing God’s conjured up easy tests before the hardest of all come game 3. It’s good timing for Jota and Schlupp,,,the later needs two impressive performances to start the next, the former needs to get back perfecting playing on the left wing for two games before the glamour tie of Bayern.
It’s good timing for Brendan who can now focus solely on the football, he surely must think about resting Callum in one of these next two.
I like to imagine Adam will enjoy a couple of lesser matches to try and boost his tally and confidence.
The board will be seeking a Jota pose, Engels stormer, or Reo to wave the magic wand, in order to get the support looking ahead and not scrutinizing the past.
It’s almost inevitable the next 180 minutes shall bear witness to it, his trademarked Statue of Posery was the source of worldwide eruption elsewhere,,it’s unveiling at home shall bring the proverbial roof down and bring many a tear. The Unrepentant Fist is now an instant classic in the lexicon of immortal Celtic images. I do worry a little about the burden to be placed on those Portuguese shoulders come game3, in reality our German winger should really be out to show his countrymen their talent is farflung and not just residing in the Bundesliga.
As for Reo, given him 60 tonight and ten on Saturday, keep him fresh and ready for his last great defining European battle at Parkhead.
Tony the Tiger started on Sunday, he can start against Raith Rovers too please, for I want AJ at his op-TIM-um come next Wednesday, so play tonight then rest at the weekend?
Could I envision a left flank of Schlupp/Jota versus Bayern? I would say Schlupp is two good performances away from stopping Brendan falling back on Greg,,but he hasn’t been playing which suggests being slowly introduced. There’s exceptions, he might be in excellent condition raring to go, and being of Ghanaian genes that wouldn’t surprise me.
If Greg starts tonight I think he starts in the knockouts.
If Jeffrey starts he shouldn’t aim for just a safe debut but rather an eye catching one.
The biggest window is not the transfer window, rather the window of opportunity playing for Celtic provides,,whether that’s for pride, adulation, or for our entertainment .
The signing window has closed, the others shall remain eternally open.
By Mahe
sentinelcelts@gmail.com
FRODSHAMBHOY now you tell me, ive booked a table tomorrow for myself and wee Joan😎😎😎😎😎
Forgive the BBC link but fair play to Dundee United for taking this stand…
Dundee Utd refuse to take part in VAR review panel – BBC Sport
Interesting take on transfers
https://philmacgiollabhain.ie/2025/02/05/with-hope-in-your-heart/
Auldheid
My points remain valid- contingency I accept as good business practice, on the projects I’ve been involved in it’s accepted practice obviously.
Excessive risk averse management is a refuge for craven bureaucrats.
An alien world to me, lacking entrepreneurial skills.
Auldheid
I can’t see there being any appetite amongst the support for any sort of boycott. In the early-mid 90s, supporters would protest in front of the Main Stand. They then had the choice of going to the boozer, or going to the game. Most of my mates chose the pub. I always chose to go to the game. The fitba was pish…but the craic was mighty. These days, with many supporters having held their season tickets for decades, the decision to boycott is not so easy. Best wishes with your current health issues.
Hail Hail.
just went upstairs and put my John travolta suit on to join in, but the bassa doesnt fit me, im flabbergasted😎😎😎😎😎
Just Sayin’
February 5, 2025 4:41 pm
Auldheid
Fair enough and thanks for the reply.
My main question is what catastrophic circumstances do the Board envisage that necessitate something in the order of £100m in the bank, best estimate currently accepted, and expected to rise by year end? That’s not a contingency that’s the footballing equivalent of an emergency survival fund like FEMA
What businesses, operating in any competitive environments keep 80% or whatever of their turnover liquid?
We must operate the most cautious, conservative, small “c”, financial probity policy short of the gold reserves hoarded in Fort Knox !
===
Just caught this before my last reply and I see where the confusion comes from.
The amount held as rainy day contingency is not £100m.
At last AGM PL reported that of the £100m a sum was set aside as rainy day money to cover the loss of CL income. Whilst amount not declared about £30m should cover it. Less if Celtic reach EL final. Another figure around £22m was set aside for Barrowfield leaving £50m to attract higher standard of player or keep our best.
That £30m should still be part of the reserve separate from the total balance left over (unless spent on other purposes) so need not be set aside again. A wee top up maybe but the point is there should be enough left over including any profit or savings from the window to allow squad improvement season on season.
It’s just that PL has scarred our past coĺlective memories of wait and see CL qualification that we do not see changes since.
I thought it important to bring to blogs attention in spite of PL inspired cynicism.
20 Minute Tim’s don’t miss the target.
Nicholson for those who don’t want to watch.
https://youtu.be/lcpbQ6V4nBE?si=52dlm-V5fxULA3zi
Auldheid
Name a business that “ring fences” the equivalent of 80% of turnover as “ contingency “?
Totally nonsensical when the opportunity cost, risks attached, require an 20/25% level of investment which in turn has the prospect of producing profit.
There is a law of diminishing returns which states you’ll reach a point beyond which additional increases will result in a progressive decline in output. In other words, there’s a point when adding more inputs ( cash) will begin to hamper the production process( success on the pitch).
In footballing terms draw your own conclusions.
For a hugely successful entrepreneur DD is remarkably cautious and bureaucratic about Celtic.
Magua
Joe O Rourke CSA discussed boycott in the Honest Mistake season but saw no appetite for it which remains the case.
If Dirctors peed into the Bovril before serving the complaint would be they were holding some back rather than the Glesga Kiss.
big packy
February 5, 2025 6:09 pm
just went upstairs and put my John travolta suit on to join in, but the bassa doesnt fit me, im flabbergasted😎😎😎😎😎
———
Must’ve been a big relief for wee Joan 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
just managed to get the sisters to watch the bay city rollers, now its the rubettes sugar baby love FFS when does the celtic game start😎😎
FRODSHAMBHOY no answer to that one😎😎😎😎😎😎😎
big packy
February 5, 2025 6:09 pm
just went upstairs and put my John travolta suit on to join in, but the bassa doesnt fit me, im flabbergasted.
————————
Sounds like more than your gast is flabbered.
Maybe amend your moniker to bigger packy?
HH
Iniquitous IV😊
INIQUITOUS IV yes good point, hope you are well
👍 👍
Teams up…
Schmeichel, Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Taylor, McGregor, Engels, Hatate, Jota, Idah, Maeda
Subs…
Sinisalo, Scales, Kuhn, Yang, McCowan, Schlupp, Kenny, Bernardo, Ralston
Just Sayin’
February 5, 2025 6:11 pm
Auldheid
£30m of £100m is 30% not 80%
That seems reasonable to me.
In fact if money for Barrowfield and rainy day are not deducted that still leaves contingency untouched an £100m available to invest.
Rebus idea the stock plie is to help a sale is as sound as any.
The cash in bank and why is a mystery although one possibility is spend is never going to be full throttle because it renders the SPFL an uncompetitive model to sell.
The consequences of interdependency of football.
I’m not advocating it to be clear, it should be possible to go full throttle but add some of the proceeds to the Solidarity Payment.
If Celtic were coining it in year on year why not help other clubs to develop players who might become good enough to join the rich bhoys?
Auldheid
Without wanting to bore the blog into submission my 80% is £100m cash pile out of a total turnover of £125m(last years accounts).
It feels like financial squad building sabotage even typing that.
Celtic: Schmeichel, Johnston, Trusty, Carter-Vickers, Taylor, McGregor, Hatate, Engels, Jota, Idah, Maeda.
Subs: Sinisalo, Scales, Kuhn, Yang, McCowan, Schlupp, Kenny, Bernardo, Ralston
Jota starts
bigpacky now in Ring o Bells
Still only £8.45 for our drinks. Happy Days.
Will be home in time for kick off too 😁😁
Sorry for this very long missive and apologies for any repetitiveness. I haven’t read back recently or lurked for a while.
Just popping in to boast about already having secured my tickets for the Bayern Munich away match. Taking two tims from Scotland and one from Ireland with me. My only wish is that the tie is not beyond us after the first leg. Holsten Kiel’s performance at the weekend must be encouraging. Even if it is over after the 1st leg then I’m not too bothered. I used to work in Munich and have managed to secure tickets through my Bayern mates so it’s a double reunion and really looking forward to my Celtic mates teaming up with my Bayern mates for a day and a half. The Bayern lads have been fantastic with regards: tickets, hotels, travel, reservations etc. Let’s hope we do ourselves justice and it’s fantastic that we are still in the competition. I have no expectations of us going through.
We are still in the competition due to a few factors. Improvement under Brendan in Europe. An incredibly good draw. I mean who knew that Red Bull Leipzig were going to be so poor this year? Double delight for me as Eintracht are in danger of altitude sickness in the bundesliga. Parallels with both my teams selling there talisman striker in the January window. I’m convinced my name was mentioned in both countries during board room discussions. Also the swiss league format hasn’t only helped us stay longer in the competition it’s reinvigorated the entire competition.
The introduction of the Swiss league format the year before FSR kicks in for sure is no coincidence. In my opinion it’s a highly integrated move to enforce the new FSR rules. As I have stated before I’m convinced we will see the acceptance from UEFA with regards to the inevitable new creative accountancy measures that we have already witnessed with the likes of Man City, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG. We shall see but it’s clearly having an effect. Closer to home Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal even the huns,their spend has been curtailed and they are all fretting over wages.
Will we see a watershed moment this summer when all clubs have to adhere to the 70% cut off line? Players will become available at better prices. I reckon that’s the thinking.
Will this be a better time to push the boat out financially? I reckon so and that will be a better market to recruit in. Not for one match that we have little hope in. It’s a glamour friendly like the Villa and Nereday game was. The next CL draw will not be so kind to us. Is this why Brendan is having to put a brave face on this window? Is he swallowing the more jam tomorrow line ? If it is just spin then I also reckon he will not be up for renewing his contract.
If it’s the same same old as I fully expect it to be then a few rebel rigid belief systems will come crashing down. The rebels will have won the argument. We will continue with our European profile sliding into EL and conference football. The huns haven’t revolted yet. They will eventually. See Fergus McCann
There’s clearly a massive division internally within Celtic when it comes to recruitment. Dr. Tisdale, The recruitment team that’s currently on gardening leave and it’s clearly personal. I don’t think that it’s black and white. A good side and the bogey men.
Having that amount of money sitting on the bench after our annihilation at Ibrox is a very pertinent point.
You all know I’d designate the cups to a Celtic youth team tomorrow. I have been saying it for years. Nothing is more infuriating than being up 5.0 at h.t against the likes of Ross County, Morton etc and the only players who get on the pitch are first team squad players. Yet at 3.2 down against Villa we put on Murray and Cummings. That for me was jaw dropping. I was perplexed and a bit like the Ne’rday game it was a message being sent out by Brendan. In my opinion both were poor. These squabbles, power plays, frustrations should not be played out on the pitch.
Tierney only coming to Celtic if Brendan is still in charge. Where’s the official acknowledgement of his signing ?
Did I hear Brendan call out for more Centre backs yesterday ? If he scouted Trusty then a worry
Two left backs on 16 week contracts when we have been unable to source a decent one in years. A worry.
Lack of 1st performances from our backup goalkeeper. A worry
Lack of change and fresh ideas within the coaching team and administration a very serious worry.
The biggest issue within Scottish football this year was/is the huns not getting 2nd place. That would have been a catastrophe for anyone with business interests in the Scottish game as it would mean an insolvency moment. I noticed that the preferential officiating that Aberdeen were benefitting from vanished after the huns managed to steady the ship.
I expect the huns to win the cup.
Messiah complex needs curtailed.
Hope you are all keeping well.
Just Sayin’
February 5, 2025 5:52 pm
Auldheid
My points remain valid- contingency I accept as good business practice, on the projects I’ve been involved in it’s accepted practice obviously.
Excessive risk averse management is a refuge for craven bureaucrats.
An alien world to me, lacking entrepreneurial skills.
===
Two different aspects. We agree contingency is prudent.
We don’t disagree that the excessive balance raises questions. I just dont have sensible answers to explain except the impact of going full throttle on Scottish Football being a possible reason for a more gradual approach
Hope Bernardo gets some game time and shows what he can do.
We must be some team if he isn’t good enough to start.
Hope he doesn’t sign up with Kyogo’s agent.
Auldheid 6.54pm
The reason for my dogged determination on not letting this issue go.
“I just dont have sensible answers to explain except the impact of going full throttle”
Your words.
You are an advocate on the blog of integrity and transparency and truth.
I respect that.
When an argued, alternative view is expressed don’t dismiss it as the ramblings of knee jerk, anti board propaganda.
I see plenty that is good, but enough to convince me that it could be led a whole lot better.
Aw Naw
You seem to have changed your tune on FSR. It was too tight for me in detailed coverage not to be serious.
In doing so you provide another reason not to spend needlessly and that is player wage demands will drop in 2025.
That’s how the Board think I reckon.
while im on I endorse everything auldheid said , we are not a champions league team, europa league at best, im sorry to all you celtic supporters who think we are a champions league team, we will never ever win the champions league, I was fortunate along with auldheid and a few others I watched us being the champions of europe, that will never happen again, the only chance of us doing anything in europe is the europa league that is where we are ,if we talk about the champions league we are just cannon fodder, yes the big teams want to come to parkhead 1 to feel the atmosphere 2 the guaranteed 3 points, I dont want my team to be humiliated in the champions league ,id rather have a go in the europa league where we might just might have a chance of winning it👍👍👍👍
FRODSHAMBHOY you dont hall get around😎😎😎😎😎
Just Sayin.
I was not dismissing just adding information to separate the rainy day contingency from the big figure. Just truthful input.
Nothing more nothing less but if you want to see it different that is down to you.
In admitting I don’t know the answer to why a large amount is being kept aside I could not be more honest.
I would have to look back at the language you used originally that prompted my clarification but I think the blog is too exhausted by now for another round.
Auldheid
Thanks for the reply.
Big Packy
I used to have a white suit in the mid 80s, when such a look was all the rage. Unfortunately, I looked more like Marty Hopkirk than John Travolta. Tell Joan she should have been a Killie fan. They used to play ‘Paper Roses’ before home games. 😁
Hail Hail.
MAGUA she is laughing at that one😎😎😎😎😎
Auldheid
I agree a truce.
Celtic await.
Hail Hail.
Auldheid,
Not one bit. I fail to see how you come to that conclusion. Those with the capability. The breakaway league contenders will be allowed their creative accountancy without punishment from UEFA. As I have clearly stated above or there will eventually be a breakaway league.
Man City get Marmoush. Eintracht get Michy Batshuayi from Galatasaray for 6 months we keep Cummings. Maybe next year Brendan gets the quality he is looking for from a club like Galatasaray.
So nothing really changing at the top level.
We agreed to revisit this at the end of the summer. To see how UEFA punishes these “Elite” clubs with their own unwritten discretion.
No change my side.
https://youtu.be/5TEvacFETvM?si=YuI6097lv_u2iGEC
Uefa=Hans Blix
Kim Jong=”Elite clubs”
Big Packy
👍
Happy Hoopy Birthday,BIGPACKY.
Sorry to hear Joan hasn’t been at her best the last few days.
Sounds like she’s recovering though!
b p
Naw
Based on the discussions today on the blog.
Enjoy the game tonight.
Hail Hail.
Btw Happy Birthday
BOBBY, JUST SAYIN👍👍👍👍
Just Sayin’
February 5, 2025 4:58 pm
I IV
Never had the pleasure!
Have occasionally considered looking in on the BRRB inspired reprobate nonsense for a Diet Coke or two.
Don’t know if my sensitive constitution is up to it !
———————————————-
You should definitely show up at the Shipbank. You will be made to feel really welcome.
A couple of years ago, in the Horseshoe Bar, I met for the very first time BMCUWP, COSY CORNER BHOY, THE LURKING TIM, BBRB and LEGGY. I had exchanged emails with several ahead of time, and had communicated sporadically with BMCUWP for years, but they had no idea what I looked like.
I told them to look for a 6’4’ bald guy with a white beard, and had a wee laugh when I watched them looking for me ( I’m 5’8”, no beard, and still have my hair ). I introduced myself by deliberately bumping hard into BBRB, and telling him to watch where he was going. As he looked down at me with some astonishment, I told him he looked like a Fenian troublemaker. He grinned, and said, “You’re Iniquitous!”
I went back to where I was staying 5 or 6 hours later. My jaw was sore, and not for a typical Glasgow reason. It was sore from laughing.
You will find the Shipbank Shipwrecks are the salt of the earth. But don’t tell them I said that. We don’t want them getting ideas above their station.🤣
HH
Iniquitous IV😊
Maeda just not quite and AJ buggers up reboundi.
I IV
I am very much aware of the sort of company to expect!
BRRB may not remember but as ex Holyrood alumni(?) we know mutual school pals😀
INIQUITOUS IV
That is a day to remember. Well anticipated and enjoyed even more. An absolute pleasure.
JUSTSAYIN
BIGRAILROADBLUES might have trouble remembering last week,but he can remember everything from his youth. Though just the good things,like all of us!
Goal Engels, good penalty
Two corners, two stonewall pens for holding.
Ref totally ignores both.
Called to monitor now.
Gives 2nd one.
Scandalous reffing.
1-0
VAR penalty,hun ref. Engels,nae bother.
Playing well again.
Hunting the ball in packs.
Bmcuw
Back in the day it was a great place to be.
An ACSOM regular and celebrated playwright was part of our teenage “team” who went to games home and away.
Working like dogs to get that ball back!
Fucking brilliant!
Trusty with ridiculous booking.
Yessssss. Idah 2-0