Last night, the window officially slammed shut and the general consensus is that this was an outstanding summer which delivered in every way that we could have wanted.
The signing of the big Dane right at the death was the culmination of a very good spell in which we strengthened every key area of the side. We did everything but bring in a striker.
And let’s be honest, guys, we’re scoring goals for fun and it’s the one area where we didn’t need to do anything dramatic. There is such a thing as overkill.
Every part of this team looks stronger than what it was. We’ve signed the left back we needed, the centre back to provide top class competition, two midfielders, a wide player and a good backup keeper … and all of this in addition to completing the deals for Maeda, Carter Vickers and Jota. Those who said we hadn’t actually strengthened are wrong.
The question as to whether this has been the best transfer window ever would be easily answered if not for one thing; last summer’s window was pretty damned good as well. And when you consider that the transfer window itself is a relatively modern construct – it wasn’t introduced until 2002 – it does seem likely that this has been our finest hour.
We have certainly spent more – in terms of pure outlay – than in any other that I can remember. Net spend overall for Ange is £8 million but we finished the last campaign with a trading surplus and this year we’ve been lucky to bring in a handful in loan fees … that means we’ve spent more than £15 million net in this one window alone, and no Celtic boss has ever had that sort of cash.
What makes this window special, then, is that it has brought genuine strength and depth to the team and it’s done so on top of a title winning campaign; we are, at last, seeing Celtic get stronger from what was already a position of strength.
Some of us have waited a lifetime to see that.
To me that’s why there is simply no argument here; this has been the best transfer window at Celtic since the idea was introduced. The manager has had more support from the board than any at this club in my lifetime. It is incredible the changes we’ve seen here in a very short time … and not all of the positives are down to the man in the dugout.
According to the sage of wordsmiths ,the Daily Record’s Mark Pirie, the Rangers taught Celtic a lesson in how to have a successful transfer window! The Record raises its prices to employ a harlequin like him, while their readership numbers fall off a steep cliff ! As the doyen of football commentators David Coleman might have said. Quite remarkable ! It really is quite remarkable !
I think Pirrie’s utter dross offering shows just how besotted he is with the new club playing out of Ibrox. He was obviously so busy adoring every fart and cough emanating from there that he never noticed Celtic continuing the unbeaten run with Abada, Forrest and Jota filling in as the main striker. Kyogo’s and Turnbull’s long lay offs were the direct result of them being flogged to the point of breakdown in the first part of the season. Giaco’s may have come about because he was thrown in without a proper pre season. We also had a couple of months with our 1st choice RB covering at LB.
Ange has already mentioned “running on fumes.” He is well aware of the load that was placed on the squad last year and the even greater demands we will face this year. I don’t think Ange looks across the city for lessons on how to do things. Lessons on how not to do things – that’s a different matter.
Spending the highest amount of money is one thing in terms of the support the club has given to Ange, and he appears to have made good value signings with it.
We will though ultimately only be able to judge if its been a successful window if we are successful team on the pitch and bring in a haul of trophies at the end of the season. I believe the club, the board, Ange have done exceptionally well in this window and now its down to the players.
They managed to put 3 passed the huns at Paradise last season but I can’t see that happening again not when we are capable of scoring 4/5 or 6. This is the time to shatter all hun delusion. C’mon a Hoops
I can agree that this transfer window has been the best one, but if there had been a transfer window in 1997 then that would have been the ultimate one. I have no idea who else we signed that season, but we signed Henrik Larsson and that surpasses anything we have done since. He was a genius.
Johnny
Off the top of my head, in that wonderful season we signed:
Henrik
Rieper
Burley
Lambert
Harald
all mainstays of Win’s Tims.
Hail Hail.
I see Barry Ferguson is predicting a 2-1 victory for his team the morra. I don’t have a problem with that. One, it is very possible and two, it is his team. So fair enough.
What I do have a problem with is the title and the content of his article that asserts “Gio” has Ange sussed because they should have won the last match at CP.
Well I am not going to patronise you by telling you why that claptrap is all shades of wrong. But, as always, I just want to get it out there. Celtic. Smash these cunts. Grind them into the dirt. Humiliate them.
Hun pricks.
Ferguson says “Gio ” has plans B C and D he can deploy if need be. Would this be Beaton, Clancy/Collum and Dallas (in the background)?
Can you believe bawwy the bigot put his cloven hoof mark to the article in the daily rancid what these scum will do for crumbs die sevco die and take all the vermin with you down the plughole
I absolutely agree that this is tbe best transfer window we have ever had. We brought in more quality players and lost nobody that was ever going to be a first team player week in week out. In Ange we trust ps fair play to the board for backing ange completely HH