So Mr Giovanni has posted his farewell.
Obviously, most of it is meaningless feel-good nonsense.
He says all of the right things to the Ibrox klanbase.
Of course, he will have several million reasons not to feel bitter about the departure.
However, within the saccharin sentiments is a small explosive device that the Stenography Corps will studiously ignore.
“I faced unique challenges and some very difficult circumstances to operate in.”
Regular readers will have no problem deciphering what the likeable Dutchman is almost certainly alluding to there.
It is essentially a tale of two transfer windows.
Last January, the resource picture for Sevco became clear.
As I had reported at the time, the Director of Fantasy had been told to inform Mr Lets Go that players would have to be sold and only loan deals would be considered to plug the gaps in the squad.
The Liverpool icon was told the in the months leading up to the RIFC AGM last November.
Stevie G was gone within weeks, and Mr Giovanni was in his place on the top table.
Consequently, the plans for the January window went ahead as planned.
I wasn’t surprised when the Sevco High Command contrived to win Transfer Headline Day with the loan signing of Aaron Ramsey.
It was stated that he was brought into the ten-year-old club to make a difference in Europe.
Well, I’m certainly grateful for his contribution on that score!
Then this summer, towards the end of the window, IU reported that Mr Giovanni was promised THREE acquisitions if he managed to get Sevco into the Champions league.
Well, he kept his part of the bargain.
Obviously, those players didn’t arrive, and you know the rest.
Regardless of who replaces him, the new manager will be faced with the same resource landscape.
Meanwhile, across the city, the champions are going quietly about their business.
Lawwellball is a thing of the past.
The Celtic manager, operating within a pre-agreed budget, gets what he asks for, with the CEO merely doing the paperwork on acquisitions.
Giovanni knew that he was up against it when the Sevco High Command couldn’t financially back him and the added realisation that the fans were revolting.
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Now that things have become “clearer” regarding Sevco’s new Manager …I thought I’d offer my twopence worth.
First up….
As a Celtic man of long standing (over 60 years) I never thought I’d see the day when a Catholic would be the manager at The Govan Club…but thanks to Agent Paul…I did.
However, I NEVER thought that I’d see a Mick in charge….and that is something to cherish.
So just to clarify…. I think our support should take every opportunity, in the future, to refer to him as Mick…and so watch them squirm.
On a “serious” note…
I see that, according to Chairman Parks (other car franchises are available and recommended), his funding for new signings in January is dependent upon the Club selling first.
Good luck wi’ that Mick.
Finally, it was good to see GVB’s agent shed some light on the trials and tribulations his client had to endure whilst in charge.
Payment of loans back to Investors took priority…. thus, leaving GVB hung out to dry.
But a wee word of warning to Mick….
Future “litigation” payments will be the new priority….so good luck wi’ that as well.
Isn’t life wonderful.
If you listened to talksport today. GVB Agent was on the radio and he said that the club owned money to people who had put money into the club, so I’m guessing some of these soft loans were paid back.
I notice Beale has lost four and drawn one in his last five matches. That’s what happens if you are not great and can only have 11 men on the pitch at any one time as opposed to Scotland, where he had fifteen.
As I write…. Beale is confirmed as their new Manager.
What has me severely puzzled,however,is…where does the money for this debacle come from?
They obviously have to “pay off ” GVB and his 3-backing staff members…with no incoming compo.
Then they have to pay compo to QPR. for the 4 incomers.
And we’ll give them the benefit of the doubt that the incomer’s salaries are the same as those who left.
Without any knowledge on the subject, I will hazard a guess that the total could be 3 or 4 million pounds.
And for a Club that doesn’t have a pot to piss in….where is that money coming from?
Oh, and has he taken the job on without written guarantees of money for new players?
I seriously doubt it…. So that means more carnage for the Accounts.
How the Hell they are still here is one of life’s great mysteries.
Finally…I was disappointed in GVB’s “Farewell statement”.
I think he has been treated really badly….and I would have hoped that he would nail them to the wall.
I wish him well.
GVB is a genuinely classy guy, even though he’s well known as one of them. There’s nothing dislikable about him in my eyes, he’s honest in pressers, he’s magnanimous in defeat, he’s really everything that goes against sevcos values. I wish he’d stayed with that mob longer because it wasn’t working but I’d wish the guy all the best in future endeavours.
A number of financial matters to be settled and no one else on the payroll who could he sold for big bucks.
If Celtic win the New Year fixture then the league is all but over. That in itself will put Beale in the firing line especially given that he wasn’t everyone’s hoped for appointment.
5m pay off for GVB and co
1.5m compensation to QPR
2m in wages
55m wage bill
All this to beat Hibs
That job is a poison chalice and anyone coming in is behind the eight ball before they start, there’s no money to buy players, no saleable assets, they’re already nine points behind, they’ve got an ageing squad. Celtic on the other hand have won fourteen out of their fifteen games, have a superb squad and are bringing more depth in in January. Only someone narcissistic, with a massive ego and the most optimistic outlook on life or a total moron would take the sevco job, over to you Mick Beale.
Or maybe someone who knew his jacket was on a very shaky nail with QPR as a result of his recent run of results?
All this talk about the 9 point gap is meaningless, the tribute act is not the next game, we both have four games to negotiate before playing January 2. The gap could be doubled or wiped out🤣 calm down. Champloniiiiiiiiieeeeeees
To be fair they have ALWAYS been revolting
It will not change anything whoever becomes their new manager
The financial restrictions will still be in place .
And the large hand of Eufa watching too .
The new manager will be coming in with a 9 point gap to close .
Meanwhile over at Celtic their are new players being earmarked for January and apparently a few definite signings.
Beating them at Ibrox next game could finish them off regards the league .
If we are still 9 ahead pre that game .
12 point gap would be fatal
Mssm are already ignoring the Hummel litigation case which is huge.Biggest elephant ever crammed into a room.Some neck they all have,for sure.
Eamonn I’m less convinced. Suspect this may never come to much as it’s Elite, not hummel, who are suing. And they’re going out of business. They might not last until the court case. Hopefully yes, but that lot have more luck than anything else.
If Beale can galvanise the squad we may see an uptick in form as they definitely as players decided Gio had to go a while ago and haven’t tried their erses. I think we are still a much better team and squad, but I would expect new manager bounce to see them struggle less against the lower ranked teams than they have been.
I’m glad (for him) that Gio has gone, hopefully he can get a job elsewhere and stand or fall on his own merit. I don’t like to see his career torpedoed by a lying board in a rotten setup. If he’s a crap or a good manager let him succeed or fail based on that.
If there is a valid contract that has not been honored then the administrator of Elite will pursue it. This will not be a “hope everything is alright in the morning” type situation, they will be on the hook for the whole thing (plus costs).
Their delay in announcing a new manager is not a great sign for them, it suggests that promises made verbally are being asked for in a more tangible fashion and that is awkward.
Their new manager, whoever that is, will have to hit the ground running and maintain that pace with a squad that either has one eye on the door, is largely past their prime, or both.
Our squad is younger, secured on longer terms and prior to the WC had come through some tricky fixtures largely unscathed.
Hopefully we can lay to rest any potential dead cat bounce early in January.
Martin, I believe both Hummel and Elite Sports have pending cases against the Clumpany, and as Andrew points out the administrator has a legal duty to try and bring in all monies owed to the company in administration.
Anyone taking over that job must be mindless every Penny there is a big minus.
I have no sympathy for this guy whatsoever! Twice he has been involved with that klub. Low on morals,and values…? He knew what kind of institution he was going to be managing……yet still did it…
Couldn’t agree more. First time in over a decade? Well I guess it’s better than saying first time in their history!
Absolutely brilliant as always👌 luv reading your posts