Just what is a “marquee signing” in football?
Does that term change from club to club?
Perhaps so.
Anyhow Mr Let’s Go recently had an intense conclave with Sevco’s Director of Fantasy about two such potential acquisitions.
Although the resident MBE at Ibrox appreciated Mr Allen’s efforts heretofore he wanted a step up in quality.
Of course, it isn’t Mark’s fault that he has been reduced to rummaging around in the bargain bins of English football.
The Sevco manager told him that he wanted two players that would give them a fighting chance with the champions.
One player would cost in the region of £3.5-£4.5m and the other £1.5m-£2m.
My guy said that the initial response of the Director of Fantasy on hearing the names, especially the most expensive one, was simply to laugh at the very prospect.
Quite simply there is no money at Sevco for such a net spend.
Ironically it fell to the Director of Fantasy to reveal the reality of the situation to Mr Let’s Go.
The ex-Liverpool legend was told that he would have to sell in order to buy.
Even then there was no guarantee that he would receive all that he generated from player sales.
He did suggest to Stevie G that it might be an idea to showcase some of the players that were no longer in his long-term plans.
Sevco are still in the market for free transfers, but the signing on fees will be paid over the lifetime of the contract.
For the avoidance of doubt, across the Clyde, such a conversation just would not take place.
Quite simply, if Neil Lennon wanted to sign a player in the £3.5-£4.5m price range then it would simply be actioned and funded from currently available cash reserves.
Indeed, that is what happened this week with the signing of Boli Bolingoli-Mbombo.
Moreover, anyone who thinks that the Celtic manager needs to sell in order to buy hasn’t been paying attention.
If you think that IS the case, dear reader, then keep taking the tabloids.
Yes, it does all rather come down to money, or the lack of it.
It is almost as if having lots more of that stuff than the opposition confers some sort of sorting advantage.
Admittedly that’s a controversial point of view, but one that your humble correspondent readily subscribes to.
One the matter of money and Sevco there is certainly a story brewing apropos their commercial relationship with Hummel.
Also, I’m hearing that the folks at 32 Red are less than Zen-like about official club photos of Stevie G’s galacticos in unbranded training gear with no sight of the main sponsor on their off-the-peg shirts.
I’m told that Sevco’s main shirt sponsor did not get the joke in this tweet from the official club account.
Yet another PR own goal from the basket of assets.
It’s at times like this that I feel for the Serious Professional.
Once more, to compare and contrast the commercial realities across the city is greater than night and day.
Indeed, to belabour the point would be rather cruel.
Suffice to say that New Balance and Dafabet are rightfully delighted with their ongoing relationship the biggest club in Scotland.
As I have stated here before, at the end of this transfer window look past the gushing pish on the back pages and calmly examine the data.
That is what I am here to do with you dear reader.
Of course, I shouldn’t have to as there are chaps on the sports desks who know what’s what.
Indeed some of them work for newspapers that once, very briefly, told the truth about what was happening at Ibrox.
Have a great day.
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El Buffoono: No one has made any bid of any kind for him. But if anyone wants him they better bid HIGH and QUICKLY!!! REALLY??? Sorry. Is it just me or is there a wee logic failure here? IF, and it’s a big IF, there is a potential buyer out there somewhere, watching the situation, knowing that Sevco are desperate for cash, what would make him move high and fast. He’s thinking, “If NO ONE else is interested in this guy, I’m leaving it until as late as possible, until it gets to the stage where they’ll take anything.”
It’s the same scenario with the spot-kick king.
When it comes to Sevco, it’s a buyers market.
Well, well. Stevie G’s plea for Morelos suitors to put up or shut up now could be interpreted as a plea for someone, anyone, to put up the cash required to pay back the Close Bros loan and any Sports Direct invoice incoming.
Of course the Ibrox clusterfuck wouldn’t be complete without another court case or two, hence the pursuit of Charles Green, a previous saviour of the club, in the dock for who knows what?
Don’t you just love the Boyne day celebrations in Glasgow as the most uneducated of the population take to the streets to celebrate the victory of a very gay, and happy, William Of Orange victory, at the head of a mercenary army, financed by none other than the Vatican.
Why oh why are none of the bands named after the Pope who signed off on the deal?
It’s a great shame that the contribution from Rome appears to have been erased from history, well at least Orange history!
Oh dear. The Daily Ranger is running with an article where one of the St Joseph ‘stars’ is making no secret of the fact that he and his team mates will be doing their best to wind up El Buffoon and get a reaction.
They will have a big advantage on Scottish players at the wind up as Morelos has little or no English whereas insults in Spanish will no doubt hit the mark.
Not a huge test of Stevie G’s new disciplinary code for the season but if the Colombian reacts as is his wont then all bets are off.
There’s a video on the go showing all of El Buffoon’s goals last year which must look impressive to potential suitors.
On the other hand if a video appears of his numerous sending offs plus the other incidents where he should have been red carded no one in their right mind will touch him with a barge pole.
I see Mark Allen now backing up SM in saying that the Gruffalo is a “wanted man”
Well if he knows his whereabouts he should do the decent thing and phone police Scotland immediately, I am sure there’s a crimestoppers number where he could do it anonymously and get a reward, God knows they need the dough.
The current avtivities of some agents and players in the transfer market gives us a glance at the black arts employed by players, agents and the clubs themselves.
West Ham have been forced to sell their top scorer to China at a price well below the norm for the EPL, especially for a goal scorer.
He’s such a bad apple in the dressung room that West Ham’s desperaration to get rid is reflected in the transfer fee.
Give it a season and he will be poisoning his new club’s dressing room with a transfer request.
Look at Pogba at Man Unt. Pre season training has started yet no one knows where he is.
The sooner they get rid of him the better as he’s been a complete waste of space.
No doubt he has the ability but only shows up when it suits him. If he’s still around when the games kick off this season then Man Unt can write off any chance of success and that could impact on the manager’s future as well.
It’s obvious that Gerrard isn’t the brightest when he just wants to spend, spend, spend his way to getting anywhere near the most successful team in the country but he must also be a gullibillie if he refuses to see that they have little or no resources to achieve this. HH
Looks as if Ryan Kent will be on Liverpool’s tour of the the USA and therefore take no part in the Ibrox club’s early Europa Cup games.
No problem given the number of other wingers on their books.
The name of Daniel Sturridge is being banded about on Rangers sites as a no brainer free transfer with the thinking being that if they can afford Defoe’s wages then they can soak up Daniel’s as well.
Seems like a good fit with Sturridge filling in for Morelos whilst he’s serving his latest suspension and vice versa when Sturridge picks up yet another injury which has plagued his career.
Nice one. Potential drawback though. What if the injury and the suspension occur at the same time? Ach, I suppose it could give a ready made excuse as to why they failed to stop 9IAR!!!
SG is thick, no doubt, he has a daughter named Lourdes and he is managing the Klan.
That can’t be denied.
But, if your stark choice is either an Anfield ‘meeter & greeter’ or manager of TRFC…desperation might trump rationality / self-respect ?
Desperate AND thick it is then…?
Phil, help me out here please? The Herald headline – RANGERS FOOTBALL CLUB BORN 1872, DIED 2012 Define RANGERS? When one reads a report e.g. Rangers sign Edmundson – do they mean the company sign Edmundson? and one reads a report e.g. Kamara to make Rangers debut – do they mean the team? and finally when one reads Rangers go for 55 – do they mean the club?
Aww! The Daily Record says ‘Rangers’ so it must be true..
Diddums!
As reported, I find it incredible that Gerrard is even requesting players of that value – and more pertinently – he seems surprised at the answer of “No”.
Is he really that thick?
I think we should be told, Phil.