Celtic are in Japan at the moment.
The sportswear superpower Adidas is putting all its considerable heft behind the hype.
There will be no embarrassing fallout or threatened litigation from this jaunt, just a mutually beneficial brand-building exercise for all concerned.
This morning I spoke to a well-placed source in the football finance world.
He told me that the Sevco High Command are currently “scouring the world” looking for potential investors.
One possibility, in particular, had caught his attention.
Apparently, a private equity company based in Miami has instructed Tifosy to find them a sports franchise.
My guy thinks Sevco might be one of the brands being looked at.
Here is a long read from across the Pond about the last time a potential American investor looked under the hood at the Ibrox franchise.
When the numbers were crunched, the Wall Street guys decided To Do Walking Away.
Of course, any sporting franchise worth investing in must have a positive brand image.
The brethren in the Blue Room will be hoping that this little issue in the Sunshine State has been forgotten.
At the time, I contacted the competition’s media people to ask them if they knew that the song in question lauded a card-carrying member of the KKK.
Suffice it to say they were horrified when your humble correspondent explained the song’s origins and who was the street gang’s eponymous leader.
In an unconnected development, Sevco has never taken part in that tournament again.
Despite desperately needing investment, it must reassure the Ibrox klanbase that they have a transcendental chairman who is an oasis of calm amid the financial maelstrom.
Indeed, he is making a name for himself as the Dalai Lama of the Blue Room.
A lesser man would be totally losing it at the moment, ranting and raving at underlings.
Indeed the sound of broken delf might be the soundtrack to crisis meetings.
As there are no competitive matches to be played, these are the glory days for anyone wearing the traditional Norwegian Blue of Sevco.
The featured image is a reminder that the club formed in 2012 ALWAYS wins the Close Season Cup.
That summer, the hashtag “jealous about Joey” was popular amongst the Ibrox klanbase.
No, seriously…
However, those pesky competitive games did put an end to that one.
Triumphing in this fictional summertime competition is an essential requirement of Operation Soothe, and the heroic chaps on the sports desks play their role rather succulently.
Across the city, everything is so well run it is quite boring.
The appointment of Brian Rose is another piece of evidence that the Celtic board is being made fit for purpose.
Highly competent people are being placed where they can deliver with no drama for a journalist to uncover.
Indeed, the only thing that breaks the monotony at Parkhead would be another treble.
Of course, Celtic can never, ever win the Close Season Cup.
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I don’t know how sevco could raise the scale of fresh investment it needs,
from anyone without a sentimental connection to the Ibrox club?
…unless Bisgrove is also a ‘genius’, and can sell the proverbial sand to the Arabs?
IMHO, it ALL hinges on securing that CL Group Stage qualification.
It certainly wouldn’t solve sevco’s problems,
but it would buy time: another season of big talk, but probably no trophies.
IF Beale does not deliver qualification, then Bennet might spontaneously combust…? 🙂
Scouring the world for investors? There can’t be many businesses that want to buy into a firm that fails year after year to make a profit. There will be a few barrels being scraped, and not for the first time. HH
I hate this negativity.
There should be no unattainable trohies for Celtic, neither a European Champions Cup nor, a far harder, Close Season Cup.
Yes, we may need to wait until the 12th of Never or Hell freezes over but we never stop, right?
Just watched Celtic v Yokohama. Not a clue. Defense was abject. CCV got a minor operation in May. Still not back. What’s the definition of minor?. Maeda the only man trying.
Yes, it was hot. It was hot for the other team too.
6-3 for Yokohama F. Mariners in the friendly over in Japan.
A few defensive mistakes being the cause.
Better to hopefully get these mistakes over with in preseason.
Scratch that 6-4 Turnbull strike, deflected but into the net.
That ‘jealousy over Joey’ was a fond memory and the sound bite to follow complimentary.
I’d forgotten Scott Brown had them on strings or safely tucked into his roomy back pocket. Joey didn’t phase Broonie one wee bit.
As regards that lot’s financing, well; anyone daft enough deserves all they get.
11 years now and they’re consistently losing money year on year.
They’ll never learn, I hope.
Any investor looking for a sports franchise in Scotland would easily have two options to compare:
– Buy the Norwegian Blue for £20m, pump in £20m every year to keep them afloat, then hope to offload at £20m in 5 years time, but all the while hoping that the Klan songs (and behaviour) don’t get them banned from Europe; or
– Pay £130m to buy the best team in Scotland, with a truly marketable worldwide brand which has demonstrably added net value nearly every year since 1995, put in nothing extra, then sell for £180m in 5 years, or signigicantly more if things go well in Europe.
I know which option makes sense to anyone not on the deludamol.
As you sure Desmond would sell for 130m? Unless he could buy a good English championship side for the same I doubt it would be enough. IMHO guaranteed income streams are worth much more than potential income streams (unless you are punting hi tech).
Just going by the Market Cap on the stock exchange (£125m). Personally, I think that it’s worth far more, but that’s what it’s currently priced at by those wishing to buy or sell – and that’s what any outside investor will look at, then add a premium to force it through. You can argue what the premium might be, but it’s pure speculation.
Allow the SMSM scoops into the pressers , let them ask their banal questions and then ignore them for answers , completely . Every single time ! Of course to rub their noses in it , be open and considerate to the Celtic bloggers and affiliates , the rest of the glorified typists will soon get the message …loud and clear !