Worrying times for Celtic

These must be worrying times for the Celtic fan base.

Another day and no angry vengeful statement from the chairman.

Moreover, the fact that Ian Bankier is not a convicted criminal must be a concern.

Yes, yes I hear you.

The Double Treble and all that.

Open-topped bus.

The Celtic Way a thoroughfare of joy.

However, I am hearing that Celtic’s application to play in UEFA competitions next season is all in order.

Indeed, there have been no forensically precise questions sent back from Nyon about the debt ratio and Financial Fair Play.

In fact, no questions at all!

Then there is the Chief Executive Mr Lawwell.

I am not aware of him being, well, unaware of what the club’s PR machine puts out.

In fact, he is consulted at every turn.

Very concerning…

Then there is the merchandising operation.

It is worryingly well run.

Celtic’s kit supplier is one of the biggest sportswear brands on the planet.

Then there is the commercial sponsorship.

There seems to be an awful lot of it.

Indeed, it could get worse.

Much, much worse.

I’m hearing of the prospect of stadium naming rights guaranteeing millions in extra revenue to the Parkhead outfit.

That has to be a concern.

Then, as part of the same deal, Brendan Rodgers would have the first pick from a world-class academy in England.

I fear that this deal is worryingly close to completion.

Now, some in the Hooped corner might be cheering at the prospect of all that.

However, this week there hasn’t been a single delusional bunker rant coming out of Celtic.

Not one.

Worrying times.

58 thoughts on “Worrying times for Celtic”

  1. Its the weekend and the media is full of predictable crap.
    Sounness quoted as saying that Stevie G can win the league in his first season just as he himself did.
    He will need to be backed and will need to have a large slice of luck. Wow!
    Where do you start with that nonsense?
    Sounness had the backing of the bank within the bank at HBOS and there was the UEFA ban following Heysel, though I think it’s well known that it was pay packets that brought the England internationalists North, more than the prospect of European football.
    Again HBOS funded the wages.
    Apart from some talk about a £6m share issue in June from King there is no indication that it will go ahead.
    King, in one of his many statements, pledged to be a net investor in the transfer market and couldn’t be pinned down on a specific transfer budget.
    Net investor? The only saleable assets that they have are Morelos and his petted lip, Tavernier one of the worst defenders in the SPFL and Windass whose scored a few goals but gets absolute pelters from his own fans for disappearing during a match.
    These are the current ‘best’ three players that they have. None of them would get a seat on the Celtic bench.
    Is the story that Gerrard doesn’t have a licence to manage in UEFA competitions have any traction?
    Also there is a story out there that the Green/Sevco switcheroo cutting Whyte from the deal still has some mileage in it.
    Was the list of teams eligible to play in UEFA competitions not due to be released by the SFA on Friday past?
    The Goldson deal story has been running for weeks now. The 3rd alleged bid was to be submitted a week ago, according to Level 5, oops silly me should be according to the Scottish media.
    There is a suggestion, from a source close to the deal, that though the £3m fee quoted has been met, £2m of which Brighton want up front rather than staged payments over 2 years, that the deal may collapse.
    With Bruno linked with a move to one of Portugal’s lesser teams, salary permitting, that would leave Cardoso as the only central defender on the books and he’s another that’s weekly slammed by the support on the rare occasion that he gets game time.
    Not a penny spent to date on transfer fees. I wouldn’t be surprised if Gerrard is aware of the lack of funds but thinks that his own stature in the game and he and Mark Allen’s contact book will unearth a number of Bosman gems.
    If Gerrard and his new club don’t hit the ground running and go to Celtic Park in September needing a result to keep the gap manageable and fail, then what?
    The COS/TOP order has not been actioned by King and aparrently is not worthy of a mention in the press.
    Has King called their bluff and can’t be touched for failure to comply with their orders or are the wheels turning slowly but surely?

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  2. Hey Phil,

    Can we start a new thread under the heading, “Someone who once played for / managed the Rainjurrs states the bleedin’ obvious” ?

    “Steven Gerrard’s Ran*ers need to push Celtic” – Lee McCulloch. 1-6-18

    “Gerard needs major investment” – Archie Knox 1-6-18

    “Gerrard will revive competition between Old Firm” Dick Advocate 1-6-18

    “Closing gap on Celtic should be Steven Gerrard’s first target” – David Weir 26-5-18

    It real is time for the cut ‘n’ paste brigade within the MSM up their game.

    Hail and Hail again !

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  3. If Stevie G makes a statement backing the ramblings of his unhinged Holding Company Chairman, without a clue as to what he’s talking about, he will be adding to the fury of their downtrodden, cheated fans.
    Should give him a free run to Xmas anyway unless Arfield and MacGregor added to his inherited squad are already trailing in Celtic’s wake.
    I’m at a loss to understand why the new manager wasn’t paraded to the nation yesterday,
    Right up till Thursday there was a presser arranged, lots of fans were expected outside the stadium.
    Then nothing, no Presser, no Stevie G?
    Taking in unders matches in France instead apparently, really?
    They need 5 or 6 experienced pros ready to go straight into the first team not a couple of unders from wherever.

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  4. Normally look to your blog for reasoned (possibly biased) commentary this article is so facetiousit does a serious professional journalist no favours

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  5. I see it’s Archie Knox’s turn today to pedal the pish. Wee dick yesterday along with McCulloch and wee thick EBT bazza the day before.

    Rangers need to invest blah blah. does my tits in so it does.

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  6. Most of my past comments have had a little of the Devil’s Advocate about them, from being positive on the Gerrard appointment to DK’s immunity from anything the Take Over Panel will lamely through at him. However, I feel SG not turning up today is beyond belief, despite some predicting it. The coverall statement, probably Jabba’s, about him working “outwith” etc. is quite telling as it begs the question. Could SG stand to work at Ibrox or Murray Park given the supposed state they are in? Will Sevco be the first club to be managed from afar through Twitter and Instagram? A world’s first.
    Perhaps he advised to light the fuse, “Let’s Go” and then stand well back.

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  7. I’m getting pure scunnered with all this dignified silence at Celtic.

    Think I’ll organise a March to Hampden…

    Next May when we lift another treble ???

    ????

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  8. Superb article Phil. Love your stuff. Always cutting edge. We’ve gone from Pedro the snake oil salesman to the Shameless and glib liar putting his last dollar on a spin of the wheel at Las Vegas. And the hordes of gullible half wits are standing up saying I’m ready to be duped again. Sevco – It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

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  9. Phil, I wonder whether we are witnessing the last days of the current entity that inhabits a crumbling Ibrox. These statements, the ramblings of fever-browed fan leaders and the tuppenny worth of former players is akin to the last days of Berlin when old WWI warriors and children tried in vain to defend the city

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  10. I see those eejits at IN are highlighting a court case in Ireland concerning Independent Media News and selling it as further proof of corruption at the SPFL.
    Ffs what next?
    They deserve everything thats heading their way.
    Clutching at straws doesn’t cover the level of desperation being shown.
    Why are they not talking up Stevie G, Macca and the multi million pound signings…..oh wait!
    I’m all in favour of an independent enquiry into the goings on at the SFA/SPFL.
    Lets start with Gordon Smith’s reign who then passed the baton on to Campbell Ogilvie, fresh from Ibrox with his £96k EBT safely tucked away in his bank account.
    Let’s review Ogilvie’s barefaced lies around EBT’s and the side letters that everyone knew killed the argument that the payments were legal.
    Let’s make public the 5 way agreement.
    Let’s review the LNS farce.
    Ditto Bryson’s unique take on dozens of players whose full contract details were not included in the paperwork lodged at Hanpden.
    Let’s review Johnston and Dickson’s involvement in the 2012 fraudulent UEFA licence application.
    Let’s review whether the Ibrox club pass licence criteria on UEFA FFP rules for next season.
    Let’s review the behavior of the Bawbag King acting as a Shadow Director since 2012 and bringing the game into disrepute with his unsubstantiated nonsense.
    Is the SFA happy that a Shadow Director of a member club is thumbing his nose at orders made by TOP and COS.
    The list is endless so let’s go Dave but we all know that any independent enquiry you are calling for must steer clear of all things Rangers because they have never done a thing wrong and the South African judge who called you A Glib And Shameless Liar was Black Irish and obviously biased.
    Yep Dave, we are all behind you, bring it on.

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    • Dont worry Ian . We will soon be back and then “the Friendly Derby” betwixt the two oldest professional teams in Glasgow will teturn.

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  11. Laugh all you want Phil, but I can’t decide where to go on holiday in July, and I haven’t heard a word from Brendan Rogers on the matter. Doesn’t he know that football without the fans is nothing?

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    • Sevco are not at all happy with ASDA in Govan. Too much GREEN in the signage. They’re clearly part of a dirty fenian conspiracy designed to spoil the sheer class of the area.

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  12. Very worrying Phil, what with Frank Lampard joining the Stevie revolution….. Must have missed that during King’s statement blizzard.
    Wee tip for King in his bid to provide proof of his claims….Dave mate just refer them to the last two seasons roll of honour…..dirty, cheating, Taigs.
    Rest my case m’lud.

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  13. And there’s no orange top in the pipeline either – they’re doomed I tell ya!

    Menawhile EBT McLeish is mumbling on about StevieG needing time and money to rebuild Rangers. And there’s the problem really – living on borrowed time and unable to borrow money – oops – bit of a pickle really. But what Big EBT Eck doesn’t say (or understand) is that StevieG also needs intelligence, skill, experience, a stable board, a fit & proper chairman, realistic expectations, a viable business plan, and a fanbase capable of reasoned thought – to name just a few. Oh well, never mind, there’ll be another manager along after Xmas in time for the new tops.

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    • Has McLeish repaid his tax yet?
      As Scottish football fans we have the right to know.
      On that subject has the biggest benefactor of the EBT illegal tax scam repaid the millions owed to HMRC or is it one rule for Knights Of The Realm and another for ordinary folk?
      Again I think we have a right to know, the public purse has been denied and recompense must be made.

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  14. We need to do something about this….

    I am also worried at the complete lack of discord in the Celtic dressing room. Matey complacency is all very nice, but needs to be replaced with in-fighting and managerial disrespect. A few internal disciplinary cases can only indicate a desire to win! Only then will a ‘champions mindset’ be instilled.

    There are lessons to be learned from other clubs.

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  15. It’s ok to be glib when pointing out frivolous things that matter little to the average supporter. Yet there are a number of crucial issues you tend to skip over in your somewhat blinkered view.
    My wife snores and often interrupts my sleep pattern, yet Lawless has yet to offer a solution.
    I Cannot find my rubber -handled secateurs and consequently am unable to cut back my Peony rose bush, despite the so- called Rogers’ revolution.

    The last two offerings from the Star Wars Franchise have been somewhat unedifying, and have included the death of Luke Skywalker and a Hans Solo that isn’t even Harrison Ford.
    Despite this, there has been an increase in season-ticket prices.
    As you can see, while there has been undeniable success on the field of play, elsewhere there is room for improvement. Perhaps the sense of smugness that permeates your article is misplaced.

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  16. Are you trying to emulate The Clumps?
    Very Clumpesque in it’s reading.

    They were the best of times, they were the worst of times, seems a very apt quote for the two clubs at the moment.

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  17. Not to sure I like the idea of our stadium being named; I know we’ll still call it Paradise, Parkhead etc but I guess it’s that little voice in my head saying “it’s not quite right” that will bother me.
    Millions of pounds of course and the board have to act for the shareholders and all that, but not for me.

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    • I am a share holder and I think that renaming Celtic park to make millions is a sound strategy. Everyone will still call it Paradise.

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      • Yes John all us supporters will, but every time it’s mentioned on TV or radio or even in the press they will have to use the new commercial name.

        R

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        • Most media commentators don’t give it the correct name anyway!

          Won’t matter a jot to me what they call it. We know it’s name.

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        • If we’re really lucky then it’s the band Guns n Roses who are looking to get the rights, then we can rename the whole area ‘Paradise city’.

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      • Agreed, the fans will always refer to it as we currently do but so what if the media have to give out the new full name.
        Emirates Celtic Park
        Guinness Celtic Park
        Magner’s Celtic Park
        There you go, didn’t hurt a bit.

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    • I was reading through the comments waiting until I came to one like this!

      Some fans/supporters never refer to it as Celtic park. Its always Parkheid. Paradise is optional and occasional. If we want to be a modern 21st century club, then we need to ditch these kind of attitudes. How much opposition was there to the stadium naming deals in England.

      If it brings in more cash and further cements our place in Scottish football as a progressive forward thinking club, then its fine by me.

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    • Wouldn’t be the least bit concerned on stadium name. As we all agree, we’ll still call it Paradise, Celtic Park or Parkhead.
      The media filth will do their bit and use the commercial name with great emphasis no doubt.
      But, they constantly refer to “Rangers” yet everyone outside of Ibrox still calls them Sevco!

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    • For the right cash I could live with “The Aviva Celtic Park” or “The Emirates Celtic Park” or something along those lines.

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  18. You have to wonder where it will all end up, what with us turning Scotland green and white and bagging yet another treble. I think now that the natural order has been restored at Paradise it’ll be downhill from here, especially as another club in Glasgow who are rolling in dough are able to usurp us right, left and centre back in the transfer market. That highly respected and dignified club even has a King ffs. Oh well, I’m a ‘tic through and through and will still support them even throughout all these sad and worrying times. 🙂 HH

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  19. I am worried about so many worries that I worry how I can function properly with all the worry but don’t worry it’s all in hand

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