A good manager can always use a defeat, especially an unexpected one to his advantage.
As with the 4-0 defeat to Hearts last season the Irishman deployed it to good effect.
His message at Ibrox was the same one that he had uttered at Tynecastle, “remember how this feels. Put it right next time out”.
Moreover, he didn’t want to use the outbreak of a vomiting bug in his squad during that week as an excuse for the lack of energy that his players had clearly manifested during the match at Ibrox.
It is clear that the champions need to be reinforced before hostilities recommence at the end of the month.
Failure to do so could be costly.
Celtic fans may well recall the January transfer window of 2009.
The Parkhead side was ahead in the league, but it was clear that they needed to strengthen up front.
Steven Fletcher of Hibernian was the player identified by Gordon Strachan.
The deal fell down in a fashion that was very similar to what transpired over last summer with John McGinn.
The explanation from the Celtic CEO for not getting the player was “no one wanted our money”.
It was spin and it didn’t wash with many of the Celtic fans.
Now the problem is that might actually well be the case during this window, but because the same chap is doing the deals then the suspicion will linger.
I spoke with a well-placed chap in the agent world and he shared this vignette by way of explanation.
He told me that “Man City currently have 14 twenty-year-olds on £25 k per week. None of them has played a first-team game!”
The dilemma at Celtic is that do they break with the model that has seen them bring in young talent that they then sell on and go for proven players who are near the end of their careers.
Sevco are bringing in Steve Davis and now, reportedly Jermain Defoe, are putting it all on this one.
They believe they can stop Celtic this season.
Mr Gerrard and the Sevco High Command should be encouraged by some of the dangerous complacency emanating from the same source that came up with “no one wanted our money”.
Now, a loan deal for Timothy Weah does make sense for both clubs if it is for 18 months and not six.
The former allows PSG to take their asset off the balance sheet and that makes the Financial Fair Play figures look a bit better.
Certainly, Brendan wants him on the plane to Dubai.
He would also be delighted if Vakoun Issouf Bayo was also airborne with the Hoops.
If both Lubo and Kolo Touré rate the kid, then he is obviously a player.
Celtic have now built up a reputation with two mega-rich clubs: Man, City and PSG.
They both know that the Parkhead side is a useful proving ground for promising young players.
Over 18 months they can see how the kid develops while temporarily removing an asset off the balance sheet.
However, Rodgers needs first team starters to help tip the balance in favour of the champions.
Celtic have seriously messed up in the last two transfer windows.
A hat-trick of failures could hand Sevco the league.
No amount of smirking spin will conceal such an event in May.
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Once again our transfer window becomes a saga….with negotiations dragging on and on. Meanwhile the great unwashed bring in new players in jig time….What the feck goes on at our Club…?….Does everything have to be a problem..? We are financially sound…and claim to be a World leading Club…..well we need to start acting like one….before its too late….again.
Why the desperation?
The old Rangers went bust trying to emulate Celtic’s NIAR and big cup win. They’re just repeating old mistakes. Let them.
Fergus McCann ran Celtic properly and got us to where we are. However tempting, Celtic must not deviate from being financially sound.
By the way, Steven Fletcher was utter gash and still is. It is a blessing that we didn’t sign him.
Sevco bringing in Defoe, 36, on an 18 month loan? C’mon King! Give him a permanent deal. AND Davis, 34, AND Adam, 33. A combined age of 103 and not a penny in resale value between them. C’mon Dave! Permanent deals all round. You KNOW it makes sense. The bears will lap it up. You’ll be a hero!
Every week we dismiss fabricated stories in the press, but when the window opens all of a sudden we believe every word they print about proposed targets, collapsed deals, offers rejected, etc…….
We then get more of the ‘we’ve got the money go spend it’ after reacting to newspaper ‘stories’. I’d rather we buy the right player at the right price at the right time.
If we have to get a loan in until the right player arrives, we have to accept it. Yes, we’re developing someone else’s player, but nobody shouted that when Roberts was taking men on in games in our winning team.
We can’t buy a player that’s not for sale
We don’t want to buy a player that isn’t better than we currently have.
We (as a nation) have difficulty in attracting the best players in their field.
We do have to trust he manager and the club. That’s the reality of things
Amazing what a win against us can do for the tribute act. We have not been consistent enough this season dropping silly points away from home. They have been just as bad if not worse but you could be forgiven for thinking they were world beaters given the hype around the result on Saturday. We were bad. No two ways about that but the reaction in the press and from some of our own has been horrendous. As things stand we undoubtedly have a better squad than the other teams who are challenging us. Obviously we cannot be complacent and we could do with a good January window to strengthen the squad. If that happens and we get back to putting in the performances we are capable of then we should be too strong for our challengers come the business end of the season. Keep calm and keep the faith fellow tims.
Willo Flood.
Absolutely spot on Phil. If you add in, that the team currently at the top of “the best league in the world” has a central defender who came to prominence with us and is now being touted by some media sources in Engerland as the “best player in the world” – which he clearly is not – our stock should be high, both in terms of loans from seriously big clubs and young guys with potential reaching the end of their contracts.
We need to get this window absolutely right. There is NO room for error. Today’s announcement by the SFA that no action could be taken against More-or-less because the match referee, Mr Beaton, saw the THREE incidents and deemed that no action was necessary, basically declared open season on Celtic players. The very clear message sent out was if you KICK, STAMP ON OR PUNCH A CELTIC PLAYER NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN AGAINST YOU.
The decision has been taken. The league run WILL BE STOPPED THIS SEASON by any means necessary!!! BR AND the SQUAD are in for a BRUTAL FIVE MONTHS.
The football powers are prepared to let a tribute act to a dead club, losing money hand over fist and made up of mostly loan players win the title rather than see what they STILL perceive to be a bunch of taigs win it.
Not sure if I spelled “taig” correctly, but I’m sure you get my drift.
If you haven’t spelled it correctly….Charger will probably let you know….He’s good at that kind of thing.
At least I’ve got the brains to know I might be spelling it wrongly. Incidentally you didn’t spell “your” incorrectly. You used the wrong word. It should have been “you are” or “you’re”. Now go away and and give me peace.
Pax Vobiscum Charger… as requested.
As for “your” and “you’re” …that was late night human error…nothing more…nothing less.
I really do know the difference….but thanks for your input.
I added a reply to your – correct use of the word – original post. I suggest you go back and read it.
Why would PSG want to take an asset off their balance sheet? That would make their financial fair play situation worse. They want to remove debts from their balance sheet.
Because the financial outlay on the player (wages) is shifted to the loaning club.
But by loaning him out, he is still an asset on their balance sheet.
Lawwell has no option now but to sanction big money moves for Defenders.
Boyata is for the off and Lustig needs replacing.
The arrival of Defoe willhave cemented this with Brendan.
They are going all in to deny us the League and ultimately Champions League revenue.
King has nothing to lose it’s not his money.
As for Weah?
We need a proven quality ,experienced Target man for Europe not some pup from PSG who needs wet nursing for 18 months at our expense.
Thanks for being there for us Phil – just wish you were on the board at Parkhead.
Phil , if we don’t win it this season , we’ll regret it for years – I hope to God himself that DD & PL share our thought – or are they prepared to burst us at 7?
Rangers are signing Defoe for 18 months and Celtic are signing Weah for 6? I’m sorry but I’d rather have Defoe than a 6 month loan deal for Tim Weah.
Phil; good summation of where we are at. What I don’t get is the reluctance to add some proven veteran help to make sure that the cash cow of Champions League produces the milk! I mean it is not as if Celtic are lacking in young up and coming players, but there comes a point where you have to look at the reality of what you have a position and then act. My case in point for this is at CH, where it is obvious that Boyata is on way out and you need a replacement. And it needs to be a replacement that can step right in alongside Benkovic and solidify the defence. Same goes for the striker role.
That kind of player won’t come cheap, but it is reality that has to be dealt with if we want to see the league won!
If Celtic don’t wake up Sevco could well lift the Double at Hampden come May
Or Aberdeen!
I wouldn’t panic just yet Phil. Defoe and davis are just two more over the him pension topper uppers akin to Barton and Alves. If we stick to plan A and go with the players we have plus a couple of additions at the back, we’ll win this league by 10 points. Defoe wont be up to speed till around late april. Davis wont be up to speed…ever.
I’d love to know where sevco are finding the money to pay wages to these heavy hitter signings… between the two returning and the aforementioned incoming pair there must be well north of 100k a week being added to the bills.
3 million in wages just on those 4 between now and season end! Money must be incoming from somewhere or they are gambling that it will, although I can’t see where without any European football income…
Unless of course ‘El Bufoonalo’ is already as good as sold and they are commuting the income to the wage bill…
It really does look like an ‘all in’ ‘kitchen sink , sash and all’ effort to stop Celtics run.
They will of course know that they have a special SFA ‘license to mame’ for all their players while at the same time have a wee bit of a bonus in favourable decisions (going their way) in any game Celtic play.
Incidentally…. I see no reason for the Celtic board to take a leaf out of the Dave King SFA manipulation manual and issue a statement that Referee Beaton is biased against Celtic and needs to be held to account…
If the rules are applied equally it should mean that we don’t see him officiating at another Celtic game this season ( well I bet you won’t see Collum at a Rainjuurz game)….
… couple of disrepute misdemeanours and an exchange of statements ….
Et voila !
….. and all for the bargain sum of 6000 pounds.
Over to you Mr Lawell
Then again, he maybe has other more pressing things to worry about!
( do golf clubs count as excess baggage on Emirates First Class?)