If I were to analyse our transfer business this summer, I’d begin by asking myself ‘are Celtic currently a better team than we were last season?’. The answer to that question, in my opinion, is no.
Having lost Jota, the wings are undoubtedly weaker. Aaron Mooy departing leaves the central midfield options weaker than previously, and Carl Starfelt’s departure may or may not leave the centre of defence weaker. One hopes that Nawrocki is a replacement of similar or even superior calibre.
Last season we had a strong team and the hope was that we would add two or three players of real quality to the squad in order to reach the next level and be competitive in Europe. Instead, we have lost three players of quality rather than building on what we had.
This lad is a Jota upgrade 🍀 https://t.co/XBzH0iXuGv
— The Retro Celtic🍀 (@RetroCeltic) August 17, 2023
The mental thing in all this is that we have made tens of millions in the process. We have Champions League money guaranteed, which totals circa £40m, along with bagging £25m for Jota, £4.5m for Starfelt, and the Japan Tour money – all adding to last season’s Champions League money, Australia Tour, and the sales of players like Juranovic and Giakoumakis.
Nawrocki aside, most of the players we have brought in are projects. These young prospects may turn out to be excellent and there are promising signs with Holm and Yang already. But we have the money there to sign established players of proven quality, rather than taking a gamble.
If we are serious about competing in Europe, getting third spot in a Champions League Group and having a proper crack at a run in the Europa League (our last opportunity to do so before the Champions League format changes to prevent teams dropping down), then we need to invest.
It is unimaginable and underwhelming to think of Celtic earning record profits, bringing in a top class manager, and ending up weaker, or not improving, on the park. This would be even tougher to swallow when all the summer talk was about £30m budgets, and Rodgers being back for European football.
There is still time left to get business done. But time is running out. The Champions League groups start in a few weeks and the first Glasgow Derby is two weeks away.
We need to see some movement and some established players come in soon, to get us to where our ambitions should be. If not, one has to wonder what the point in the transfer model is. After all, the whole point in making money is to then be able to spend it on improving the team. There comes a time when the model can be scaled up, and it would hopefully work the same way with sell on value being higher, in line with the initial buying price.
Few could honestly say we have improved the squad since Brendan arrived, but that could change if the rumours about Daniel Podence are true. He is exactly the marquee type of signing we should be looking to secure. A proven English Premier League star and Portuguese international – Podence is a man capable of filling Jota’s boots.
Players like Podence represent improvement of the type that is necessary if we want to avoid finishing bottom of the Champions League Group without a win again. Let’s hope he comes in and another couple of significant statement signings join him.
Guess what. The ready made seasoned skilful CL ready players you dream of DON’T want to play in the SPFL. Even if they do they are usually on wages that the club CAN’T PAY. Having the money in the bank to pay the transfer fee doesn’t change that fact. There are exceptions but Celtic are consigned to scouting in a gambler’s market and that’s just reality. So stop dreaming and face facts. I hope a marquee signing is made but if it’s a player currently plying his trade in the EPL it’ll be a loan.
A good transfer window does not need to be how much is spent on one individual, its more important to get the right player.
Celtic have wasted loads of money on players who were never scouted properly, ie Peter Lawells PC manager signings.
I never want to go down the slippery path that Rangers did, we all know how that ended.
Celtic are original and must remain original.
Never want the tag of impersonators aside our name.
I don’t buy that everyone signed is a project apart from Maik. £3 million for Lager (as his friends call him) an international cap, isn’t a project. Ever present buy the team sitting top of the Swedish league. He is a player who we believe can improve us in the years to come and also he himself feels that Celtic can improve him.
Holm was in the top 60 young players voted to make the very top. Over 60 games in the Norwegian top flight, wanted by Juventus, Liverpool and Man utd a few years ago. However he decided to play first team football in Norway’s top league making his debut at 16. Also over 60 games in the Norway top flight.
Yang was young player of the year in the K league last season.
Tilio was young player of the year in Australia and was brought into the Australian men’s team squad. Again not a project.
Kwon was signed from the second league in Korea but has completed his national service which Yang hasn’t. Not playing in the top league I would say he is a project.
The others are more than decent players in their home leagues. The question now is can they make the step up to a top 10 league in Europe (as we are ranked 9th currently)? Also moving abroad on their own for the first time!
Were Hatate, Maeda, Abada and O’reilly projects?
Anyone that answers this with a yes or a no is a liar as all of us didn’t know what they were or how good they were when we signed them. Look at Matt, signed from the 3rd tear of English football and has been great from day 1. The job he done when CalMac was out was unbelievable, and now with Rodgers here and giving him individual coaching like Rodgers does to all players willing to learn and work to improve he has started the season even better than he has played before, 2 goals in 2 games from a midfielder. Wow!
Abada again 1 assist and 1 goal in 2 games but benched by Ange. Looks to have improved already in the 7 weeks Rodgers has been here.
These players had made a name in their own leagues, that is how Mark Lawell and his team knew them. Top prospects and really good where they were. Could they make the step up? Well some have and some haven’t, the ones I have mentioned have however, Ideguchi hasn’t, Yuki, hasn’t, Iwata hasn’t, Said hasn’t.
When you think that Ideguchi was supposed to be a top player in the J league, Said had over 25 caps at international and Iwata was the J league player of the year last year. These were the guys who weren’t supposed to be projects as they were established.
Well Holm, Maik and Yang look better than those 3 already. As I said, not projects but players who are good in their own enviroment but can they step up to Celtic level?
If you watched the recent Martin O’Neil interview, he talks about a Brazilian who was a very top player and came here and was pish!
We are not signing projects, a project is what Man city have signed in the £1 million 14 year old boy.
We are signing established players with potential, big difference!
Well said John.
Great Post, I like what you said.
Can I also say well done to the Edinburgh clubs as reaching the next round has netted Scotland at least 5 co-efficient points. Better than Motherwell and Dundee Utd last year.
UEFA Europa Conference League points
1 – Awarded to each club eliminated in the first qualifying round
1.5 – Awarded to each club eliminated in the second qualifying round
2 – Awarded to each club eliminated in the third qualifying round
2.5 – Awarded to each club eliminated in the play-offs
2 – All wins from group stage onwards (except knockout round play-offs)
1 – All draws from group stage onwards (except knockout round play-offs)
2 – Group winners
1 – Group runners-up
1 – Each round clubs reach from the semi-finals
https://www.uefa.com/nationalassociations/uefarankings/club/about/
T
he Brazilian was not pish he was shite
If Daniel whatisname (who struggled for a game at Wolves) is classed as a marquee signin then we’re in a terrible state!
He didn’t struggle for a game Rabbie. A new gaffer came in after Portuguese Spirito Santo left and he doesn’t fit in with his plans. See KT on the bench at Arsenal? Same thing. These EPL clubs hoover up world talent.
What worries me is that he’s only 5ft 5ins.
Towers over Ryan Fraser then! 🤣