Behind the gushing stenography, the structural difficulties at Sevco remain extant.
I’m told that Mr King’s commercial contract expert has been called in by his own law firm for a rather difficult conversation.
Apparently, they do not appreciate the brand linkage with the basket of assets.
Of course, all of Planet Fitba remembers the vignette unpaid face painter when the old club went bust.
Now Sevco have the face-saving painter!
A small contractor who was hired by the basket of assets to tart up Ibrox needs to be paid.
This sole trader chap hired three part-time brush wielders to do the job on the stadium that John Brown played for.
Now I’m told that the outstanding invoice is around £29k.
The Sevco High Command functionary who brought him in to do the work is so embarrassed by this situation that he is considering finding the funds himself!
Meanwhile, Mr Gerrard seems oblivious to these trifling matters.
My information is that he contacted the Director of Fantasy yesterday to pursue the signature of Wigan player Nick Powell.
When Mr Allen approached the Serious Professional the response was one of risible incredulity as talking starts at £6m for the lad.
Across the Clyde, I’m told that Celtic are chasing three centre-backs in the hope of landing at least one.
What particularly interested me was that apparently these deals are not being actioned by Heated Driveway Recruitment.
It I almost as if someone had massively messed up recently.
Almost…
In more worrying news I hear that the representatives of John Terry have been in touch with Celtic.
Please, Celtic just say no!
One thing I’ve always admired about Celtic is that they tend to avoid signing scumbags.
You know – the sort of folk who might… ooh, let’s say, spit on a child at a football match; or stub a cigar in a youth player’s eye; or be convicted of assault on their girlfriend, throttling her, throwing her into a wall, and then kicking her after she collapsed on the floor.
It’s true that none of these qualms have much bothered Celtic’s city rivals, as the signings of messrs Diouf, Barton and Flanagan suggest.
However, the club of Maley and Stein has tended to remain pickier about the moral stature of its players.
Which is why I would be surprised and disappointed to see any application by Mr John Terry entertained.
I think you are living in cloud cuckoo land mate. Trust me there have been a few headcases played for Celtic!
There have been a few headcases at just about every football club, but that’s not what I’m talking about.
There are certain human standards that John Terry falls below, and we shouldn’t be touching him even with rubber gloves on and a vat of sheep dip at the ready.
I would take JT in a heartbeat, the guy is still a decent defender (My da is a villa STH so I saw him play a few times last season when I wasn’t at the Celts games). Yes it would be a one season sticking plaster for the defence, but after the complete mess Lawwell has put us in after thinking he is a DOF, it would certainly be a decent short term solution.
Well, decision time for the SFA…..Hampden or Murrayfield?
Given the football authorities inability to make the correct decision over a multiple of issues there is no doubt that whatever the decision it will be the wrong one.
I see when flicking through the league tables poor old Fort William are sitting bottom of the Highland League with minus 9 points, having lost every match this season then being handed a 9 point deduction by the SFA for fielding an ineligible player in 3 of those games.
Who said the SFA didn’t have any teeth?
I’m surprised Fort didn’t fall back on the Bryson defence as a get out of jail card.
If a club can field a multitude of players over a period of 10 years whose contract details were not included in the contracts lodged with Bryson, and get away with a slap on the wrist, then Fort William have been hard done by.
Has this guy Maxwell turned up at his new SFA gig yet?
If so he’s doing a grand job of impersonating the invisible man. Let’s face it, given the performance of his predecessors he hasn’t much to beat.
You would have thought that at some stage in the modern history of the SFA at least one of the CEO’s could be hailed as a true leader, someone who could drag the organisation into the 31st century, but hey ho pigs will fly first as we have a group of nonentities vying with one another to be top dog in a private club.
With EBT’s back in the news it’s hysterical listening or reading of the media’s attempts to support the continuation myth without putting forward an argument that supports why Newco has inherited Oldco’s titles without inheriting the tens of millions of debt left by SDM’s masterclass in how not to run a football club.
Just don’t go there would appear to be the message.
Bhoys and Phil, I do not understand the resistance to JT at all. The guy played 32 games in the English Championship last year within a fairly bang average Villa side, who were unlucky not to reach the EPL, falling only to Fulham in the playoff final. The Championship is by far a better standard than our own league, can be pretty frantic at times, and given JT played the entirety of the season that speaks volumes about Terry’s capabilities and fitness. Domestically I think he’d be great. Not so sure about the second rate Europa League but I could care less about that tournament tbh. If a sensible wage could be agreed then he’d be brilliant. He’d instantly improve upon what is there and he’d pass on a wealth of experience to the up and coming Hoops and those in-situ, but struggling, like Jack Hendry.
Also NT, your comment about his preference for the 1872 lot is nonsense. He has stated on the record before that he always went for Celtic in our historical head-to-head clashes with those who no longer exist and he also came up to Celtic before to play in a few Charity matches. I also attended Ibrox (long story) when Chelsea came up to Scotland in a pre-season friendly in 2007. Whilst Frank Lampard was cheered (confessed Rangers fan) and in return applauded the bile being sung from the stands at every corner kick, JT was booed throughout because of him having been on the record before about his favoritism towards Celtic.
Any of the CB names?
I’d hope Celtic would waste no time in telling Mr Terry and his agents exactly where to go!
John terry, I would rather get ambrose back.
I would bring Terry in, definately…Just to teach Kolo how to teach Kennedy how to teach a defence how to play footy ball.
What? Didn’t the face-saving painter realize that all work done on the iconic stadium is considered pro-bono simply because of the honour it bestows…… 🙂
Speaking of this, Phil, any follow-up on the roof issues and the safety license application?Were there any answers ever provided by Glasgow CC after your original FOI request?
Excellent piece Phil.
In fairness I’m not keen on John Terry either.
He’s not Celtic minded (by that I mean he’s very ahem, well he is very 1872!) He’s also past it.
But I’m sure he knows Brendan from their Chelsea days as player and young coach.
As much as it pains me to say, board has done SFA for our defence. Who is to say terry on a 6month deal at £40k a week would be that bad.
I’m sure he could show our youngsters, namely Ajer and hendry and thing or two on defending, as much as I love JK, he hasn’t got the art of defending over to our defenders for a while.
Big kolo whatever good he is doing and he fits into our club well, hasn’t done anything on the defensive side.
If Brendan fancies a punt on terry, (let’s be honest if half fit he will reinforce the back line) then who are we to grumble, our board along with Lee congerton has left us desperate for players that would make us easily untouchable again this season.
Either buy someone and make sure it ain’t a Marvin Compper, or just get us terry in our desperation for some options.
How sad
Not sure why you thing he’s 1872…always been touted as a Celtic fan…mind you so was a certain Mr. Gerrard…I’d be more worried that he has the stamina or knees for a full on SPFL season
Terry is not short of a bob or three, so the Celtic Pension Top-up Scheme need not be applied in his case. I think celtic have reached that point of the road where they no longer need “marquee” signings. This rumour should be drowned at birth, along with any notion that we should bring in an assortment of EPL “has-beens”, and “never-were’s”.
I would take John Terry in a heartbeat as he is better than we have at the moment. Let`s get real here. We must win on Sunday . End of .
ps, get a new job for John Kennedy , he`s contributing square root of frig all to this defensive problem .
I have raised the JK question many times…what exactly does he do ?
Our CB’s are all Beckenbauer wannabees….
Get it sorted…!!
In full agreement with you Phil on Brave John Terry.