Celtic are linked with two transfer moves tonight, and nothing could better demonstrate the sheer contempt people at our club have for the supporters than the nature of these.
In the week we’ve been knocked out of the Champions League groups, as the club tries to get back on its feet, we are linked with two more players fitting into the broad outlines of the now colossally failed “strategy” … and these are even more bizarre and worrying than what’s come before.
We have, it seems, made a £500,000 move for young Ryan Christie of Inverness.
I like Christie.
He’s a fantastic young footballer but does anyone think he will strengthen the team in any way at the present time?
Of course not.
He’s clearly not an experienced player, which is what we desperately, clearly, obviously need … and what’s more, the people who have sanctioned this offer know his limitations full well because the word is that he’s going to be allowed to go back to the Highland club on loan.
Is it just me who wonders why in God’s name we’re bothering?
Why we’re giving Inverness money that we could be spending elsewhere?
This is baffling. Absolutely baffling.
We’ve just lost as much as £15 million in a week … so of course it makes sense to give away £500,000 more.
At the same time, we’re linked with a loan move for 21 year old Manchester United reserve defender Tyler Blackett.
(Yes, I had to look him up too.)
I’ll tell you, it’s bad enough that we’re locked into this diabolical cycle of signing young players, “developing them” and then selling them off … but the latest transfer policy of the club is even more scandalous and contemptible.
We now develop other clubs players for them.
So this, then, is the future.
Signing Scottish youth and developing English teams young players.
Do we have a hope in Hell of getting even one little bit better with this in place?
Do we stand even a ghost of a chance of making this squad into one that can compete?
Absolutely not.
We better hope – we better hope to God – that our domestic rivals don’t sufficiently get their act together over the next few years to seriously challenge us, because we are not remotely in a position to hold that challenge off whilst we’re also playing European football, in permanent flux, whilst we pursue the policies of a Hibs or a Dundee Utd.
Because that’s where this garbage is taking us.
Today’s developments are outrageous and the contempt they demonstrate for the supporters is breath-taking.
We are facing six very tough games, and I said in the earlier article that we need to sign at least one proven player, someone with European experience.
He doesn’t have to be elite, but he has to know his way around this level.
Instead this.
An offer than makes no sense whatsoever as it squanders resources without strengthening the playing squad … and an offer to help Manchester United blood one of their youngsters.
It benefits them without doing anything to help our own future prospects.
What a shambles this is.
And Ronny Deila is going right along with it.
If this was another club I’d be watching in rapt fascination as the manager placed his own head on the chopping block and readied himself for the axe.
Watching it happen at Celtic is infuriating and depressing, especially when this guy is better than that and we’re essentially helping ruin his reputation.
I have never been so scunnered with this club.
It really is becoming an embarrassment.
So when is the 500k bid going in for Henkes nipper ?
First time I have disagreed with you James.Christie has nothing to do with strengthening the present team.He is for the future.How many are still whingeing about Mc Carthy.Even Mc Arthur changed hands for £11 million.We have let too much,talent slip through our grasp.Commons in his last season.
Your slaughtering of the Man U player is bewildering.How good was Denayer for us?.Man City valued him around £10 million even then.Not possible for us to buy.Name me a CH with the quality you seem to be demanding,that we can afford.
Sorry James,not this time.
James I normal enjoy your writings but I do feel you’ve jumped the gun. Christie was voted young player of year last season, for that fee why not? We were rightly criticised a few years ago for not pursuing McCarthy when he was at Hamilton, and to lesser extent Russell from Dundee Utd. Both went elsewhere and now well out of our reach.if the window ends without an effective striker, and quality centre half (assuming Virgil goes) I will be more inclined to share your view, but think we should wait and see.
Well you can’t lose what never had (£15m) Delia outlined his plans at the very start to sign the best of young Scottish talent, that last time we spent a reasonable amount of money it was on Scepovic which to be perfectly honest with you, the should have taken that money and threw it around the Celtic way, there’s a lot right at our club but there’s also a lot wrong. We will win the league this season but my real concern is that if we fail to qualify for next years champs league it will be a sad reflection on how far we are actually behind the rest of the leagues in Europe and it will be very easy to point out the reasons why, that’s something the board should be concerned about, especially when they ask fans to dig deep.
Largely agree with your comments James, although I think the Christie off makes sense. 1/2 million is nothing to Celtic and Christie is a cracking prospect, as he ably demonstrated at Celtic Park a couple of weeks ago. I’d lend him to Hibs though, not back to ICT……….
As for “the strategy”, I’ve never been a fan of that. For every Wanyama we’ve had a Balde, for every Forster there’s a Pukki. This obsession we have of signing from other clubs greatly inhibits our own youth players. We recently signed THREE players from a mid table SPFL Prem rival – an inferior team – and immediately dropped them into the Celtic team competing in European competition. In what universe was that move going to improve us? Forrest, Henderson and Griffiths are better than GMS, Armstrong and Ciftci. Those three are a complete waste of money. Armstrong might eventually make the grade, the other two won’t. Our development squad is full of talent that won’t get a chance at Celtic. Take Jackson Irvine for example. He was the best player on the park when we played Ross County. I could rant about this all day and don’t get me started on Johansen, the most over rated player at Celtic Park…….
I’m away for a lie down. Hail Hail
It doesn’t matter what any of us say about the clubs current signing policy, Lawwell, Desmond and Bankier are stuck in their own little world of the way they see Celtic’s future and clearly don’t give a toss if we are going backwards, i’m beginning to think that the downsizing is part of Lawwell’s plan to get Celtic onto the same level as the new club that has been around for only 3 years so that there is a challenge for us next season and the further season’s after. Club is a shambles and won’t be better any time soon as long as those 3 are still there.
Scottish football is going nowhere. For too many years it’s relied on two teams. Now there is only one because other clubs don’t have enough ambition. They are too quick to sell off any half decent players. Those who want to succeed or want stupid money move to England. The mentality won’t change until stadiums start matching the size of the big clubs and are filled week in, week out. Then, and only then will the national game be treated with respect and the money men come in.
The most unfortunate thing is that now that there is no representative in the Champions League, there will be even less interest. The Europa League is second best and there are some very good teams in there. Winning it is now a must. Celtic can never become a nursery for other clubs or continue being the cash cow for other Scottish teams to survive.
The down-sizing continues we really are a nothing team in Europe now. Scotland is our standard and I hate to say this but I do not think it will be long before the Hun catch up with us.
I think they’ll prove to be good signings James. However, I agree re signing an experienced player or two to ensure that we make a decent stab at the Europa League. If we’d have got through on Tuesday, these moves would maybe been better received. Still very sore that we failed against an average team.
I would love to know exactly who we should be signing Edison Cavani Ibrahimovic maybe eh. The days of any Scottish club making a big name signing are long gone, that’s why most clubs are buying young and cheap to develop them for the future
Vvd departure may not be that bad . Malmo just put a man on him to block his defending challenge at corners on three occasions and he could not cope. Also goes wandering up the park and loses the ball to leave the defence stretched. Gets away with this in SPFL.