I reckon that it is a rare enough event that Celtic have lost two games on the bounce under Brendan Rodgers.
The loss to Salzburg didn’t matter in the end, but being beaten by Hibernian really does have some import.
There was always a danger that the summer recruitment shambles would come back and bite Celtic.
It probably has.
January is a notoriously difficult time to do transfer business.
By the start of this month, I’m told that Brendan had settled on three positions that he would need to strengthen.
Now with Leigh Griffiths being on long-term sick leave that becomes four.
On that very private matter, I think that Celtic FC has discharged their duty of care to the player impeccably.
I had been aware of these issues for quite a while.
Of course, I would not write about what was an entirely private matter.
I did apprise Celtic blogger James Forrest that the Celtic striker was dealing with a lot more than a calf injury and not to expect him to figure in Brendan’s plans for the foreseeable future.
For the avoidance of doubt, I didn’t go into any of the details that I was in possession of.
I’m grateful that young James handled the information sensitively and appropriately.
All football clubs have a duty of care to their players.
That is probably especially true if another club has loaned you their player.
The plural of anecdote is not “evidence”.
However, the racist vitriol that I have seen aimed at Ovie Ejaria on social media from elements of the Ibrox klanbase since the Dundee game utterly appalled me.
The official Sevco line is that the Liverpool midfielder could not cope with the rough and tumble of footie in fair Caledonia.
This is strange as the lad played for Sunderland last season when the Black Cats were in a relegation dogfight.
I am sure that the lad had the full backing of Mr Allen and Mr Gerrard during his time at Sevco.
Those two have been in conclave regarding the January transfer window.
The ex-Liverpool captain has identified seven positions on the pitch that he would like to strengthen.
It fell to Mr Allen to remind the rookie manager that the finances for such an overhaul just were not there.
Mr Gerrard was quite clear in the pre-match presser that substantial funds continue to bleed out of Sevco as a legacy issue of Pedro’s reign of error at Ibrox.
Eduardo Herrera Aguirre and Carlos Alberto Peña Rodríguez are both still on the Ibrox payroll.
The figures quoted by the Sevco manager-£50k per week on two players-will not have surprised regular readers here.
Then last Friday Mr King had to have complied with this important legal matter:
- Take all such steps as are required to instruct a third party cash confirmer in the United Kingdom (the “Cash Confirmer”) that is considered appropriate by the Panel and confirmed as such by the Panel in writing, as soon as practicable and in any event by no later than 17:30GMT on 14 December 2018, being the date that is two weeks from the date of this undertaking, to do all such things as are required in order to provide a public cash confirmation statement for the purpose of assisting Laird Investments (Pty) Limited (“Laird”) to make an offer for the entire issued share capital of Rangers International Football Club Plc (“Rangers”) on a fully diluted basis (or on such other basis as is agreed in writing by the Panel and the Cash Confirmer) (“the Offer”) including, if required, transferring all such funds as are required into the United Kingdom.
My information at the time of writing was that on midday of Friday last (14th) this had not been done.
Of course, he still had until close of business that day.
I may find out more in the week ahead.
What I do know was that two final demands landed Sevco in the past week.
Given the sums that are owed they really shouldn’t be a problem to pay.
However, it has got to the final stage before legal action.
Perhaps Mr Gerrard is not aware of this reality as he plans his January spending spree.
It is self-evident that the people at Celtic have important recruitment matters to address during the January shutdown.
The important data point is that the champions have millions in the bank to spend.
For the avoidance of doubt, what cannot happen is a repeat of the summer shambles.
Those entrusted with getting deals over the line at Celtic must realise that it isn’t their time to show off.
They are merely there to get the paperwork done.
That fact was rather forgotten in the euphoria of the Double Treble.
Further self-indulgent own goals cannot happen in January.
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I believe Celtic are heading to the sun for a warm weather break during the January shut down.
Are Rangers on Florida Cup duty or has Stevie G other plans for his charges during the break?
So Rangers time at the top has been even shorter than the previous one.
The Spanish media will be all over this.
By kick off time in Perth on Sunday they will be looking at a 4 point gap to the Champions.
Let’s see how they handle that.
A big blow to see Rogic out of the squad for the Rangers game, to add to the substantial injury/unavailable list…Lustig, Boyata, Tierney, Christie, Edouard and Griffiths, most of whom would be starters.
Two big away asks next week but generally, domestically, we have risen to the challenges put in front of us over the last few years, so come on bhoys one more time.
An Ibrox win could be the nail in the coffin for Stevie G’s title challenge and will leave them with only the Scottish Cup up for grabs.
Tav will need to wait another season, or two, before a treble comes his way.
A couple of quality additions in January will seal the 8 IAR deal and possibly a historic treble, treble.
8 IAR will be the gateway to 9 and 10 IAR. There is every likelihood that Gerrard will see one or both of his best players, Tavernier/Morelos, sold against his wishes in the window, to keep the lights on. It’s a long time to June ST revenues come in.
No doubt the European run, prize money and gate receipts, will have added millions to the revenue stream.
However there is a bloated squad, many of whom are picking up substantial wages and not contributing, to which Gerrard has added expensive recruits and a whole new backroom staff, so another substantial loss for the current financial year is probable, with King’s legal bills adding to the defecit.
Lets see where we are after the split and the transfer window and watch how the media spin the latter.
I think last night showed us a couple of things very interesting indeed….
We don’t need a RB and we badly need 2 strikers at the start of January. Not the middle of january, not the end of january but as soon as the window opens.
the motherwell defender breathed on Eddie last night and Brendan panicked and took him off instantly.
Watch for the huns hit him the soon as he takes the ball into feel on the 29th
With regards to young Ejaria, he was a fish out of water in that Sunderland side.
The whole side was rank rotten and nothing he did made me think he was anything but another stray that might eventually find his level further down.
He had a broadly supportive crowd at the SoL who were understandably frustrated by an inept boardroom, manager and squad, Lord knows what Gerrard was thinking throwing him into the bear pit.
1st things 1st.
We were woeful, there’s not a man there yesterday who deserved his place. Simple.
We need 3 players at least.
2nd DK has up till now treated the TOP case like a civil action that to all intents and purposes is what it is, however, he now faces a criminal justice dilemma.
Failing to produce a cash confirmer from the date of said signed legal agreement is a criminal offence in that he should be held in contempt. Although he is ordained in said agreement failure to abide by it is contempt.
There’s only one out for this and it’s the agreement to speak to TOP but I cannot see them take any excuse. He will try but let’s hope theyve had enough.
Roll on January
Well said Phil regarding Lee Griffiths and I hope we see him back whenever he is ready to take to the field again in the Hoops.
My disappointment today was trying to figure out why an intellectual football thinker such as Brendan Rodgers would stick to a system that was exposed after only 46 seconds of football.
His 3-5-2 system left us open to constant pressure from the wide areas and it was painfully obvious that it was not going to work.
Simply having Emilio step back into the left back position and Ajer over one to the right back position would have given us far greater protection of our goal.
Hibs looked as if they could score every time they broke upfield and ran the channels.
At times it was embarrassing to watch that a team that was sliding down the league table so fast should cause us so many problems.
However, I’m sure all the Hibs fans are looking forward to the huge surge up the table with that level of commitment on a weekly basis from their players.
Mind you, that does not excuse the lack of urgency from so many of our players today. The Winter break can’t come quickly enough because we really look as though we need it.
Well said.
Thanks for keeping us updated Phil,appreciate your time away from the WordFace.
As they say; ‘the plot thickens’
Cannot wait until dck has his fateful day in court,We can only hope it’s been worth the wait.
And as the dinner ladies in my school never said when serving dessert,’custodial with your plum pudding anyone?,how about you dave?’
HH🍀
Phil, any update on Friday’s deadline for DK – is he already in contempt or has he slithered over the line again?
Think anything to do with DK would entail slithering under any lines 🙂
History has taught me not to be optimistic and I’m not. I’ll believe it when I see a player paraded for media. Somebody at Celtic needs to start riniging alarm bells that the league and 8 in a row isnt automatically coming this year. Brendan needs to realize that every league match is crucial and it’s time to stop wholesale changes to lineups. Put your best 11 on the pitch for every game and don’t give me nonsense about being tired.
Agreed. Well said Peter.
Absolutely. Give me 10 in a row before any europa league run
NOTHING ELSE matters. Sevco going tits up would just be icing on the cake. As would any decent European run. For ALL Celtic fans10 in a row is a non negotiable requirement.
Peter, I agree it’s wise to be taught by history. But let’s therefore recall the last time a Celtic manager was backed financially to the level Brendan Rodgers has been backed. That was Martin O’Neill, and despite his positive qualities as a manager, his team raked in only three out of the five possible league titles during that period.
The reason for that is still clear in my memory. Celtic were fighting on two fronts, home and Europe, and O’Neill refused to rotate the team, sticking instead with a trusted group of (ageing) players. As a result, they were dead on their feet for the last 2-3 months of the season, and were pipped to the title twice by Rangers.
Player exhaustion is not nonsense. The number of games played nowadays, and the standards of fitness expected in them, would have the players of bygone eras in hospital, never mind on rotation. Sure, continuity is important, and there needs to be balance – but sticking with the same unchanging eleven domestically or in UEFA competition is a recipe for disaster.
I remember that and get your point, to a degree. But that team and this team are not the same. All I know is, you can’t keep making wholesale changes to the team, game to game or couple of games, and expect to get the same cohesion and chemistry you get from the regular starting 11. This group of players are far from being ageing veterans (other than Broony) and so I think can handle more games. My main point was that the only thing that should matter is winning the league and in those games we should always start and play our best players.