Last night, Sky Sports New generously “updated” us on the status of our transfer negotiations with Jota and Cameron Carter Vickers. All they did, actually, was recycle stories which have been in the media all week, and came from elsewhere.
But they added a little fun detail to the Carter Vickers story, as if we needed it.
Apparently, there is no “wiggle room” on the price-tag.
This is not news. This is the nature of a set price in a loan-to-buy option.
Of course there is no wiggle room. On either side.
Although the Scottish press has been pushing the line that Spurs have upped the ante and that the price for Jota is a “starting point.”
Honest to God, does the average football really know more than the sports media?
Because every fan I know understands how the loan-to-buy option works. The fee is set. Negotiations are not necessary. They take place before the contract is put in place. Everyone knows where they stand.
If negotiations over the deals are really taking place – and both could wait until the close season or at least later on in the campaign, and so I’d question the reports on that front – then nothing that has happened in recent weeks that will have taken either party by surprise.
Jota himself seems happy to wait.
Carter Vickers would probably sign his deal tomorrow, but there is no hurry for Celtic to get it done, not when other priorities exist, not where there are still other positions in the squad to be filled.
In spite of much media nonsense to the contrary – and yes, Keevins, that means you – fans are not ignorant or stupid or lack basic comprehension when it comes to how this stuff works.
If you have already bought three players and want a couple more, and you have these guys on loan already and set clauses ready to be activated, why would you do it now?
Would it not be smarter to wait a while, and get the other business done instead?
Celtic fans can understand that.
Who is feeding the press this stuff?
I respect the excellent work Anthony Joseph does at Sky, and his name is on the article in which the “no wiggle room” phrase originates. But most of our fan-base knows that already; he shouldn’t mistake us for the Daily Record’s target audience.
Sky Sports News is a pointless channel in my opinion. A station that broadcasts live every day between 6am and midnight. How is it possible to fill those long days with pertinent news? Oh I know, how about we regurgitate some old stuff and spruce it up a little with assumptions a 4 year old could have come up with?
The advent of 24 hour news all those years ago has been nothing short of disastrous in terms of how the public is fed current events in my opinion. What happened to the good old days of a News Flash then back to the snooker once further updates are available? Apparently now we need a running commentary from some big busted bimbette whose father is an ex footballer or golfer, and live updates from Social Media where the slackest of slack-jawed mouth-breathers are entitled to an opinion.
Rant over.
“Big busted”??? You and I have very different jubbly standards.
Agreed on the 24-hour cycle though, and 24-hour broadcasting in general. To fill all that airtime more programmes are needed but all that has done is lessen the quality by showing more and more cheap reality TV garbage. I no longer watch broadcast TV because it’s just terrible, populated by vacuous idiots and scumbags with all the appeal of fresh vomit. Thank God for Netflix and internet piracy!
Just sign the 2 of them now
And save all those idiot’s at bay
Also look at Ivan Toney we let that 1 go because we wouldn’t pay up money and look at him now ??