Today there’s a truly remarkable article in The Guardian; everyone ought to read this, because it’s first rate journalism and a glimpse into our future. It’s about Manchester City and their plan for global football domination.
The idea is not new, but the execution of it most certainly is.
Their scheme, to buy clubs around the world, to make them all play in the same colours, and utilising the same style of football, will create little Manchester City’s all over the globe and with the massive TV reach of the EPL they hope this will turn them into the world’s leading football brand.
It’s audacious, and it’s very achievable considering the enormous wealth at their disposal.
But the article also makes it clear that this is not just a financial move, or one designed to maximise brand awareness. It’s also an effort to tie up the best players on all five continents. That’s something other clubs simply have to take seriously.
And it answers a question; it reveals the method behind Celtic’s plan to buy a stake in an Australian club, as well as examining our options in North America.
This is a thing now.
This is going to happen.
Whether we do it on the same model as City – whereby we create a bunch of little Celtic’s – or whether we simply make sure that we have interests there on the ground, effectively setting up feeder clubs and affiliates everywhere, we’re moving in the same direction as City, only without the wherewithal to do it on their scale.
But we are ahead of other clubs, that’s for sure. We’re ahead of almost every other club, and certainly no-one in Scotland will be able to match us. There are also benefits to this which might not immediately be apparent; one player sold by City’s Australian club has already earned them a profit on the purchase of the club itself … an amazing statistic and something Celtic will be well aware of and be part of their considerations.
You can read The Guardian’s article here; if you were wondering what’s at the end of the rainbow, what the strategy is behind buying a team in a foreign land whilst we still have issues to settle right here at home, well this should give you some insight as to the bigger picture.
This is the level we want to be at, or around.
It is breath-taking in scope and ambition.
Our club should be applauded for it, and supported all the way.
