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Did Chris Sutton Really Suggest We Copy Sevco’s Transfer Policy?

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Today some internet sites are suggesting that Chris Sutton has said Celtic should copy Sevco in the way they go about player recruitment.

The notion makes me laugh.

For many reasons.

First, I read what Sutton actually said, as opposed to what these outlets think he said, and he’s certainly not suggested anything of the kind.

Whatever else you might say about Celtic’s transfer policy, we’re not the ones saying we won’t be held to ransom by Brentford and St Johnstone.

We’re not the ones subsisting on cheap deals, loans and free transfers.

Sutton doesn’t think we show enough ambition, and neither do I, but the notion that in the same breath as he’s pointing that out that he’s suggesting we trawl Accrington Stanley and the like for players at the end of their contracts … I think not.

There’s a lot of optimism gushing out of Ibrox at the moment, including some wonderful stuff about these future prospects being looked at by clubs like Arsenal, and about how a player they’ve given only a five month contract to will “set Scottish football alight.”

It’s all bizarre and hilarious in equal measure, the kind of stuff we’re used to from this slobbering media which got all similarly gushy about the players they are now telling us aren’t SPL class.

I don’t know whether they have short memories or if they think we do, but these kind of press reports just heap ridicule on them.

Sutton’s comments do bare some scrutiny, however.

Because he did say that club need to sign “better players than what they’ve got” and he did suggest that Crooks, one of the two Accrington players Sevco are going to sign was a decent player and that “might be the way to go.”

And I laugh, I have to admit.

I laugh at the notion because if we did sign a footballer from the English lower leagues and tried to pass that signing off as “better than what we’ve got” I wouldn’t be writing a laudatory article on it and nor do I believe that Sutton himself would be praising such a deal.

I’d be screaming blue murder and he’d be questioning our ambition ever more loudly.

And rightly so.

Except that many people are getting gooey over one player; Jamie Vardy.

Before I go on, forget this notion of “late bloomers” and players who don’t ping on the radar of big clubs.

It does happen but it’s rarer than hens teeth.

The scouting systems are almost fool-proof.

Talent shines through, always.

Vardy is the big story at the moment because he came from amateur football, where he was playing when in his early 20’s.

But who was the last player to do it?

Ian Wright.

How many years ago was that?

So was Vardy some kind of undiscovered gem, then?

Actually, no.

Vardy’s goal-scoring record has been exceptional since he was a youth player, and he’s improved at every level he’s played at.

His first senior club was Oxford, and his scoring record there was better than a goal every 1.5 games … but he was only there for one season.

At Fleetwood, where, again, he only played 30 odd games, he was even more impressive, and it’s whilst he was there that he was watched by a number of clubs including Celtic and, as it turns out, Rangers.

Vardy didn’t slip through the net.

He was being monitored from the minute it became clear that his Oxford scoring exploits weren’t a fluke, and after he’d proved he wasn’t a one season wonder it was a matter of time before someone made a move for him with serious cash.

Over 30 clubs expressed interest in him during his single season at Fleetwood, and many of them put down offers.

Our interest spiked in January 2012, during a window when his manager refused to let him go although he had numerous concrete offers including one from Blackpool, who offered £750,000 for him. It’s not a lot of money … but he was scoring goals at a very low level.

In the close season, he signed for Leicester for £1 million, which was a record fee for a non-league footballer.

He was only 24.

A player still developing.

All this “late bloomer” nonsense is just that.

The player he clearly was, and which clubs had identified, better developed once he swapped part-time football for the professional grade, but it was there.

Leicester have done well to hang onto him as long as they have, and in no small part his form is a consequence of playing in a good team – top of the EPL and not just as a result of his goals – with a damned fine manager.

His success story is not the rag-to-riches tale some would have you believe, and it in no way vindicates a lower-league footballer signing policy.

Even if Vardy is what people say he is – a guy whose talent only blossomed in the last few years – the idea that we would, could or should re-structure our strategy to target non-league players “just in case” … it’s arrant nonsense.

I’m sure Chris knows this.

In the same article he’s talked about the team needing experience, something I’ve long argued is a big part of the problem at Celtic Park.

If reports that we’re trying for Steven Fletcher are to believed then that’s a step in the right direction, and a far better proposition if he’s fit.

You can’t have it both ways.

Either Celtic needs to get serious about signing “Champions League quality players” – which I agree with – or we need to stick to the present policy of “buy young and cheap” and sell for big bucks.

We can mix and match a little if need be, utilising both, but in neither one of them should we be going for unproven players at England’s non-league teams purely on the off-chance we “discover” the next Jamie Vardy.

Chris is one of the finest players that I’ve ever seen in the Hoops and he loves the club with passion.

His ambitions for Celtic are the same as ours.

But he ought to think sometimes before he talks.

Because the media loves headlines like this, and indeed anything to make it look like Sevco are on track.

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  • Ruggygman says:

    Over analysis and mis interpretation of what Sutton meant.

    He is obviously aware of the the young guy Cook from Acrington, through his football contacts. He is merely stating that the young lad is rated from various quarters.

    Compare that with us splashing 1.5 million on Cifti and Boyata.

    There’s his point exactly, spend 3 million on 2 duds, or recruit wisely and economically

  • schoosh71 says:

    I could not care less than any comment Mr Sutton makes. He knows, as we all should do, that Mr Sutton ‘opinions’ will not be heard or paid for unless they are negative variety towards ‘The Mighty Glasgow Celtic’. Why he choose to participate in this charade only he will know, but it will not be forgotten or forgiven. HH

    • edward says:

      Sutton is a soup taker and a money grabbing loud mouthed whiner.
      He uses his Celtic background to make money from our enemies.
      His actions are completely self serving and selfish.
      Agreed these self-centered antics will not be forgotten or forgiven.
      Hail Hail

  • Samson says:

    Sutton has a point. Ronny has signed 19 players and virtually all of them have been duds. It says something about the entertainment on offer when Partick Thistle – yes Partick Thistle – fans make more noise than us. More worrying than Suttons comments are those from Collins etc who insist they have strategy and things have improved over the last year.

  • tonybhoy says:

    Cant believe the comments above, although not surprised that that there are a few Celtic fans out there who see our club through tinted green spectacles. I would much rather listen to Chris Suttons comments on our team than a manager who tries to pull the wool over our eyes and state “we dominated the game”, “we had many chances”, “Stefan Johanson is recapturing the form from last year” and the most alarming of the lot “we are making progress”.

    Sutton often speaks through passion and love of the club. He dislikes the way we are performing under a clueless manager, and before anyone starts, this manager has been backed by the board.
    Question I will ask, should Sutton simply say everything is rosy in at Celtic? Why should he not state what many Celtic fans feel.

    Sutton, Hartson and now Petrov love club and entitled to their views. They feel for the club and the fans for what we are having to watch.

    Season ticket holder for 20 years….Hail Hail

  • John says:

    Sutton was a great player but he is a critic not a supporter of celtic

  • marko says:

    I have all lost all respect for Sutton….I think he is very negative and he plays right into the hands of people who hate our club…I wouldn’t give him the time of day now…I don’t feel any pleasure saying that…but let’s face it-he knows where his bread is buttered in Scottish media-get negative about Celtic-and he certainly does that.

  • sharkybhoy62 says:

    Tony bhoy Chris Sutton is another in a long line of ex celts to put the boot into the club which gave them a very good earner for years and now prostitute themselves to the highest bidders from the daily rags

    • tonybhoy says:

      So, Sharkybhoy an ex Celtic player is not allowed to voice any concerns regarding our/his club?
      As afore mentioned, I would ra ther listen to an honest opinion rather than a someone (Deila) trying to pull the wool over my eyes.

      Ican think two ex Celtic players who I cant listen to, Walker and Burley. Both have a chip on their shoulder were Celtic are concerned.
      Give me Sutton, Hartson, Petrov, Nicholas, McAvennie or McGravey any time of the week than listen to Ronny’s rants.

  • Allycely says:

    My reservations have always been that PL was the man that signed off on RD this was wrong! However this is not the most galling part of RDs appointment……. If a manager is successful and you bring him in on those grounds fine BUT! Why did his back room staff not acompany him to Celtic Park after all they must have been part of his winning formula NO?
    Instead we are lumbered with a total rookie as defensive coach and subsequently the worst defensive record for many years and if anyone can tell me any reason why they think John Collins is fit for his position I am all ears.
    In a nutshell we have been sold down the river by our executive staff at Celtic who apparently have our clubs best interests at heart? I think NOT they merely have their Bonuses at Heart that is the cold truth and we will not improve until we start holding onto some of our uncovered decent players.

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