The Offical Glasgow Celtic thread

[illdecide]

Given its a history making season its frustrating to see our transfer dealings stumble from issue to issue regarding players we are negotiating with,ajeti deal,forster deal,toney deal,fletcher also, nothing seems straight forward when the club are trying to get players.Eduoard needs to be offered new deal and keep him this season and cash in big time next summer.need a couple of quality signings to freshen the squad.

Yes, that's most peoples perspective but we really don't know what's going on behind the scenes. Do the players really want to come? Are they looking too much £, Do they really fit the Celtic way and style of playing...I could keep typing but what i'm trying to say is just not as straight forward as going out and buying them.

[GiveItToTheShooters]

This Scottish league thing and the standard is wearing thin too BTW, some people need to wise up. All the English supporters keep coming up with this crap every year yet 90% of players that are moved on from Celtic to other clubs seem to do rightly in the so called top English league...the same league that would put you to sleep watching a live game (majority of matches), the "Match of the day" does a wonderful job of cramming in 90 sec of action from a 90 min games to show us how wonderful it is.

There's probably double the amount of money spent in England than any other league but the Champions league winner in more likely to come from a different Country than England...funny that as it's the best league in the world.

It is the best league in the world. 2 english teams in the CL final and 2 english teams in the EL final last year. City have a good chance in the CL this year and United have a good chance in the EL. Wolves progressed tonight too.
Also cant understand why youre up Lawwels arse in the last post. An aura about him Celtic are the richest team in scotland and any player in scotland they want, they generally get. No one can compete in that regard.  He's happy lining his own pockets because they'll be grand wining trophies in scotland but they're really only in europe to make up the numbers. Unless he starts investing in quality for the team to take them to the next level in europe, which he's not, as every other fan knows.

[Main Street]

The EPL is a little league in europe this year.
Occasionaly they have a good year, one in six.

[ned]

I wasn't being totally serious about 15million but I do think Celtic will let him go. All this talk of Celtic doing everything to keep him and naming his price for a year is useless once a substantial offer comes in for him. Celtic have been quiet in the transfer market, they would need to get the finger out here quick.

"All this talk"  is normal respectful talk and I'm sure Edouard appreciates the support from Celtic. He's in a strong enough position to pick and choose from any offers and not just end up at a club like Villa because they met the reserve price. If no good offer comes in, he knows he can stay with Celtic on vastly improved terms for another season if needs be. It's a big  season for Celtic and a rare opportunity for a player such as him to be a major part of something special.

I'd say Lawell will let him off if the right offer comes in.

A premiership club should take a punt on him.  He's decent, can score goals and has the potential to develop more.

With Brentford not being promoted, Celtic might buy Toney for a few quid to replace him.  Window doesn't close to October iirc, so there a good fee games to be played before that.

I'd say with Rangers brining in 2 strikers, then Moreles' days must be numbered.

He's decent? He is already much more than decent.

Decent as he's playing against Hamilton and Livingston etc. on a weekly basis. At that, you'd expect 40+ goals a season.

Does not matter who he's playing against, if you watch him regularly you can see that he is a very good player by any standard.

[MoChara]

Word is that Griffiths ignored Club Covid Policy to attend a Garden Party for his girlfriends Bday, if true I can see him getting the road in this Window especially if we bring in Toney/Ajeti/Fletcher

Apparently was pics on his girls Instagram of him at the non-socially distanced party, they're removed now

[illdecide]

This Scottish league thing and the standard is wearing thin too BTW, some people need to wise up. All the English supporters keep coming up with this crap every year yet 90% of players that are moved on from Celtic to other clubs seem to do rightly in the so called top English league...the same league that would put you to sleep watching a live game (majority of matches), the "Match of the day" does a wonderful job of cramming in 90 sec of action from a 90 min games to show us how wonderful it is.

There's probably double the amount of money spent in England than any other league but the Champions league winner in more likely to come from a different Country than England...funny that as it's the best league in the world.

It is the best league in the world. 2 english teams in the CL final and 2 english teams in the EL final last year. City have a good chance in the CL this year and United have a good chance in the EL. Wolves progressed tonight too.
Also cant understand why youre up Lawwels arse in the last post. An aura about him Celtic are the richest team in scotland and any player in scotland they want, they generally get. No one can compete in that regard.  He's happy lining his own pockets because they'll be grand wining trophies in scotland but they're really only in europe to make up the numbers. Unless he starts investing in quality for the team to take them to the next level in europe, which he's not, as every other fan knows.

I'm not up his arse...i'm just realistic that if he was to listen to the fools who keep calling for him to do this and that we'd probably end up like Sevco, most people don't like the way he runs the club and want him to spend millions and millions but he know's what he's doing and is doing a good job and as i said earlier majority of clubs would give anything to have someone like him run their club.
You are partly right that the days of competing in Europe are gone, our aim is to qualify for Champions League and get a few quid out of it. We all know we won't win it but so does 90% of the rest of the teams in the competition. Scotland's league and economy has deteriorated over the years and Celtic can do nothing but go with it and for me we're the best club in Scotland because we're run by the best people in Scotland.
We are a club like no other and long may it continue...

[GiveItToTheShooters]

This Scottish league thing and the standard is wearing thin too BTW, some people need to wise up. All the English supporters keep coming up with this crap every year yet 90% of players that are moved on from Celtic to other clubs seem to do rightly in the so called top English league...the same league that would put you to sleep watching a live game (majority of matches), the "Match of the day" does a wonderful job of cramming in 90 sec of action from a 90 min games to show us how wonderful it is.

There's probably double the amount of money spent in England than any other league but the Champions league winner in more likely to come from a different Country than England...funny that as it's the best league in the world.

It is the best league in the world. 2 english teams in the CL final and 2 english teams in the EL final last year. City have a good chance in the CL this year and United have a good chance in the EL. Wolves progressed tonight too.
Also cant understand why youre up Lawwels arse in the last post. An aura about him Celtic are the richest team in scotland and any player in scotland they want, they generally get. No one can compete in that regard.  He's happy lining his own pockets because they'll be grand wining trophies in scotland but they're really only in europe to make up the numbers. Unless he starts investing in quality for the team to take them to the next level in europe, which he's not, as every other fan knows.

I'm not up his arse...i'm just realistic that if he was to listen to the fools who keep calling for him to do this and that we'd probably end up like Sevco, most people don't like the way he runs the club and want him to spend millions and millions but he know's what he's doing and is doing a good job and as i said earlier majority of clubs would give anything to have someone like him run their club.
You are partly right that the days of competing in Europe are gone, our aim is to qualify for Champions League and get a few quid out of it. We all know we won't win it but so does 90% of the rest of the teams in the competition. Scotland's league and economy has deteriorated over the years and Celtic can do nothing but go with it and for me we're the best club in Scotland because we're run by the best people in Scotland.
We are a club like no other and long may it continue...

Yes but those few quid that you get in from the CL, you have to reinvest that into the team on quality in order to progress. That's what those "fools" are telling him to do, which he's not. Winning the treble every year in scotland is all well and good, it should be the bare minimum. Celtic have to progress in europe.
Dont agree about the majority of clubs giving anything to have someone like him. Teams that dont spend money on quality don't do anything. Look at Arsenal for example, except for fluking an FA cup, theyre nowhere.

[dublin7]

This Scottish league thing and the standard is wearing thin too BTW, some people need to wise up. All the English supporters keep coming up with this crap every year yet 90% of players that are moved on from Celtic to other clubs seem to do rightly in the so called top English league...the same league that would put you to sleep watching a live game (majority of matches), the "Match of the day" does a wonderful job of cramming in 90 sec of action from a 90 min games to show us how wonderful it is.

There's probably double the amount of money spent in England than any other league but the Champions league winner in more likely to come from a different Country than England...funny that as it's the best league in the world.

Who exactly are all these players Celtic moved on in recent seasons to the Premier League?

Tierney is fair enough as he's a quality player who has been unlucky with injuries. Dembele went to France. After that who else is there? Van Dijk was years ago when that Celtic team was far superior to the current one

[marty34]

This Scottish league thing and the standard is wearing thin too BTW, some people need to wise up. All the English supporters keep coming up with this crap every year yet 90% of players that are moved on from Celtic to other clubs seem to do rightly in the so called top English league...the same league that would put you to sleep watching a live game (majority of matches), the "Match of the day" does a wonderful job of cramming in 90 sec of action from a 90 min games to show us how wonderful it is.

There's probably double the amount of money spent in England than any other league but the Champions league winner in more likely to come from a different Country than England...funny that as it's the best league in the world.

Who exactly are all these players Celtic moved on in recent seasons to the Premier League?

Tierney is fair enough as he's a quality player who has been unlucky with injuries. Dembele went to France. After that who else is there? Van Dijk was years ago when that Celtic team was far superior to the current one

Armstrong at Southamption has been an excellent buy.

[ned]

This Scottish league thing and the standard is wearing thin too BTW, some people need to wise up. All the English supporters keep coming up with this crap every year yet 90% of players that are moved on from Celtic to other clubs seem to do rightly in the so called top English league...the same league that would put you to sleep watching a live game (majority of matches), the "Match of the day" does a wonderful job of cramming in 90 sec of action from a 90 min games to show us how wonderful it is.

There's probably double the amount of money spent in England than any other league but the Champions league winner in more likely to come from a different Country than England...funny that as it's the best league in the world.

Who exactly are all these players Celtic moved on in recent seasons to the Premier League?

Tierney is fair enough as he's a quality player who has been unlucky with injuries. Dembele went to France. After that who else is there? Van Dijk was years ago when that Celtic team was far superior to the current one

VVD left Celtic in 2015. Five years ago!
Fraser Forster, Victor Wanyama. Not a lot of players but not a bad hit rate.
You obviously don't watch much of Celtic if you think VVD's Celtic team was "far superior" to this years.

[Angelo]

This Scottish league thing and the standard is wearing thin too BTW, some people need to wise up. All the English supporters keep coming up with this crap every year yet 90% of players that are moved on from Celtic to other clubs seem to do rightly in the so called top English league...the same league that would put you to sleep watching a live game (majority of matches), the "Match of the day" does a wonderful job of cramming in 90 sec of action from a 90 min games to show us how wonderful it is.

There's probably double the amount of money spent in England than any other league but the Champions league winner in more likely to come from a different Country than England...funny that as it's the best league in the world.

It is the best league in the world. 2 english teams in the CL final and 2 english teams in the EL final last year. City have a good chance in the CL this year and United have a good chance in the EL. Wolves progressed tonight too.
Also cant understand why youre up Lawwels arse in the last post. An aura about him Celtic are the richest team in scotland and any player in scotland they want, they generally get. No one can compete in that regard.  He's happy lining his own pockets because they'll be grand wining trophies in scotland but they're really only in europe to make up the numbers. Unless he starts investing in quality for the team to take them to the next level in europe, which he's not, as every other fan knows.

I'm not up his arse...i'm just realistic that if he was to listen to the fools who keep calling for him to do this and that we'd probably end up like Sevco, most people don't like the way he runs the club and want him to spend millions and millions but he know's what he's doing and is doing a good job and as i said earlier majority of clubs would give anything to have someone like him run their club.
You are partly right that the days of competing in Europe are gone, our aim is to qualify for Champions League and get a few quid out of it. We all know we won't win it but so does 90% of the rest of the teams in the competition. Scotland's league and economy has deteriorated over the years and Celtic can do nothing but go with it and for me we're the best club in Scotland because we're run by the best people in Scotland.
We are a club like no other and long may it continue...

In the past few seasons Celtic have got rid of:

Dembele c£20m
Tierney £25m
Armstrong £8m

A big compensation package for Rodgers, a £7.5m sell on fee for Van Dijk.

We're lucky if we reinvested half of that money back in the playing side, we replaced Rodgers with a cheap yes man in Lennon who had been sacked by Hibs in his last job.

Every season we turn over a profit in our accounts, we have a cash reserve building up year on year. In the season before last Lawwell took home a pay packet of £3.55m from the club while he was running it into the ground, it was the same season where he scuppered a bargain move for McGinn with his penny pinching and eventually his sort of miserly attitude that led to Rodgers becoming disenchanted with the ambition and direction of the board, though not excusing the manner he left in.

The bottom line is Lawwell should be despised by the Celtic fanbase as he lines his own pockets as he downsizes the playing operation.

This season alone we have lost:
Simunovic
Hayes
Forster
Gordon
Bauer
Arzani


We have so far added Barkas.

The huns are the opposite end of the spectrum, spending money they don't have and risking financial ruin.

Is there any other football club in Europe where the Chief Executive is the highest paid employee in a season? It absolutely stinks to the high heavens.

[bannside]

Hard one to call. On one hand we all want better player that can go into Europe and be much more competitive...because we all believe Celtic are big enough to do that - but on the other hand, whilst we know Lawell will not do that, we do know he will keep the club very financially sound, whilst Sevco run from one financial crisis to the next. His salary is high but much of that is linked to financial performance bonuses.

Having said that he got very lucky when Rodgers felt the need to do a midnight flit, in my opinion he looked at the remaining schedule with a few very tough looking away games, and was not convinced the treble was on. (Leicester had a very easy run in with all bottom 6 teams to play so he went there for his bonus instead) but then Lenny came in out of nowhere and secured the treble after all.

Had this not happened I think there would have been a lot more heat on Lawell and a massive push to strengthen the squad and deliver a big name manager. He got very lucky the way it all panned out.

[marty34]

Hard one to call. On one hand we all want better player that can go into Europe and be much more competitive...because we all believe Celtic are big enough to do that - but on the other hand, whilst we know Lawell will not do that, we do know he will keep the club very financially sound, whilst Sevco run from one financial crisis to the next. His salary is high but much of that is linked to financial performance bonuses.

Having said that he got very lucky when Rodgers felt the need to do a midnight flit, in my opinion he looked at the remaining schedule with a few very tough looking away games, and was not convinced the treble was on. (Leicester had a very easy run in with all bottom 6 teams to play so he went there for his bonus instead) but then Lenny came in out of nowhere and secured the treble after all.

Had this not happened I think there would have been a lot more heat on Lawell and a massive push to strengthen the squad and deliver a big name manager. He got very lucky the way it all panned out.

Why did Lennon leave Celtic first time round?

Was it not that he saw Lawell wasn't interested in investing and progressing the team and knew that they could win the league etc. handy enough without spending much cash?

Get a lucky run in Europe i.e. beat Barca at home or get a decent run in the Europa league etc and keep the fans  happy.

[Angelo]

Hard one to call. On one hand we all want better player that can go into Europe and be much more competitive...because we all believe Celtic are big enough to do that - but on the other hand, whilst we know Lawell will not do that, we do know he will keep the club very financially sound, whilst Sevco run from one financial crisis to the next. His salary is high but much of that is linked to financial performance bonuses.

Having said that he got very lucky when Rodgers felt the need to do a midnight flit, in my opinion he looked at the remaining schedule with a few very tough looking away games, and was not convinced the treble was on. (Leicester had a very easy run in with all bottom 6 teams to play so he went there for his bonus instead) but then Lenny came in out of nowhere and secured the treble after all.

Had this not happened I think there would have been a lot more heat on Lawell and a massive push to strengthen the squad and deliver a big name manager. He got very lucky the way it all panned out.

Keeping the club financially sound is one thing but it's the money he is taking out of the club personally that is absolutely disgraceful.

He took home £3.5m in the 2018/2019 season. His salary for that year accounted for 6% of the total wage bill

He is up there with the highest earners at the club on the basis of his salary nevermind his bonuses.

How many other football clubs in Europe have their Chief Executive as one of the highest paid employees at the club?

https://videocelts.com/2020/01/blogs/latest-news/report-in-the-times-makes-peter-lawwell-the-highest-paid-football-director-in-britain/

Lawwell is the highest paid football director in the whole of Britain yet Celtic fall further and further behind English clubs every year in terms of spending. Can some of ye not see how absurd this is. The only one benefiting from this is Lawwell, the squad is consistently downsized. We sell a star talent like Tierney for less than he's worth, our wage bill probably reduces, we only reinvest half of that in the playing squad but Lawwell's earnings keep going up and up. The people who back Lawwell are as fickle as they come.

[ned]

Hard one to call. On one hand we all want better player that can go into Europe and be much more competitive...because we all believe Celtic are big enough to do that - but on the other hand, whilst we know Lawell will not do that, we do know he will keep the club very financially sound, whilst Sevco run from one financial crisis to the next. His salary is high but much of that is linked to financial performance bonuses.

Having said that he got very lucky when Rodgers felt the need to do a midnight flit, in my opinion he looked at the remaining schedule with a few very tough looking away games, and was not convinced the treble was on. (Leicester had a very easy run in with all bottom 6 teams to play so he went there for his bonus instead) but then Lenny came in out of nowhere and secured the treble after all.

Had this not happened I think there would have been a lot more heat on Lawell and a massive push to strengthen the squad and deliver a big name manager. He got very lucky the way it all panned out.

Why did Lennon leave Celtic first time round?

Was it not that he saw Lawell wasn't interested in investing and progressing the team and knew that they could win the league etc. handy enough without spending much cash?

Get a lucky run in Europe i.e. beat Barca at home or get a decent run in the Europa league etc and keep the fans  happy.

It isn't black or white. I don't like Lawwell's running of the club and I agree that it's scandalous what we haven't invested and who we possibly have missed out on. However, he has not run the club into the ground.
Lennon certainly was the easy choice but in hindsight he has done a good job. Benitez or Mourinho were pie in the sky.
From your list of players who have left only two really need replacing. Barkas replaces Forster. We need a CB, in fact probably two. None of the rest of those players are a miss.