For the past couple of days, I’ve had people telling me that I’ve got the transfer window countdown wrong. And guess what?
They’re right. I thought the window closed at midnight on Saturday 31, but it actually shuts 24 hours earlier, on Friday night at midnight.
So, we’ve got a day less than I initially thought. Not that it makes much difference.
This is the final weekend, and I don’t expect any business to be done over it. That means we’re likely down to five days and counting as we head into next week. It has to be busy. Nothing could be more reckless than letting this drag to the final day. It should never come down to that.
Frankly, I’ll be glad when this transfer window is over.
It’s been one long, depressing slog all summer, and while there are still some who believe we’ll pull it off in the next seven days, I have no idea where their confidence comes from. I genuinely hope they’re right, but I don’t share their optimism.
I can’t see us selling any key players at this point, other than maybe Matt O’Riley. I can’t imagine the manager would allow it, and I can’t see how the club would justify it to the fans.
If anyone at the club thinks that ending the window by saying, “Yeah, we sold Matt, but we held on to Kyogo, Carter-Vickers, and Hatate,” is going to cut it, they’re mistaken.
It won’t impress me, and it won’t impress the majority of our fans. The mandate was simple: improve the quality of the first team, strengthen the squad, and make us more capable of meeting the challenges ahead in Europe and domestically.
So far, we’ve failed. I have no hesitation using that word, even with a week to go. We’ve failed because in any other year, we might have already crashed out of Europe due to this lack of preparation, this lack of urgency, and the foot-dragging that’s been going on.
This club can move fast when it wants to.
We saw how quickly things happened when Kyogo went down with that injury the other day. It became clear he might miss a few matches, and suddenly, the club shifted into high gear.
We signed Adam Idah for a much larger fee than originally planned.
So, for those who claim that this stuff has to happen in the final moments of the window, they’re lying to us—or they think we’re stupid. Either way, it’s insulting. And as sick as I am of this window, I’m even more fed up with listening to their bullshit dressed up as wisdom.
There’s no wisdom behind this. No strategy.
It’s just senseless, a complete abrogation of responsibility at the highest level of the club. Those who say that it has to be this way are lying through their teeth and I’ll prove it.
Last season, our first six signings were done before August.
We only completed one permanent deal this late—Luis Palma. Phillips and Bernardo came in on loan on the final day. The majority of the business was done well in advance, so this idea that deals only happen this late is demonstrable rubbish.
And yes, that window was a disaster, but consider this: the season before, we completed all but two deals before this point. The exceptions were Abildgaard on loan and Haksabanovic permanently. Seigrist, Carter-Vickers, Jota, Mooy, Maeda, Jenz, and Bernabei were all done well before now.
The year before that?
Three deals on deadline day, two of which had been in the works for weeks—Carter-Vickers and Jota on loan with an option to buy, and Giakoumakis. These were crucial deals, the ones that won us the title in my view. The only other late deal was for Liam Scales, on 27th August.
But by this time in that window, we had already signed Juranovic, McCarthy and Hart, all in early August and in July we had completed deals for Starfelt, Lawal, Kyogo and Abada along with a handful of project footballers who never quite made the grade.
The year before that, the window followed a different timeline, but we still signed Elyounoussi, Barkas, and Ajeti before now. And the campaign before that? Jullien, Bolingoli, Abd Elhamed, and Forster—again, all done by this point.
I could keep going. Every window from the last few years disproves the nonsense that we’re being fed about how things have to happen late.
We signed two keepers, Bernardo, and Idah, but we all know that if Kyogo hadn’t picked up that knock and forced their hand, we’d still be haggling with Norwich over the fee for the big guy, hoping to save a few quid. If we moved fast on the keepers, it’s only because we had no other option, and even then, it took Rodgers calling Schmeichel personally to get that done.
And if this year’s window is supposedly slow all round, how have we managed to get Haksabanovic, Lawal, Kobayashi, and Siegrist off the wage bill and find loan moves for three more? Lagerbeilke and Mikey Johnston are practically out the door as well.
So, to those still defending this, just stop. You’re embarrassing yourselves. We know what positions need filling; they’ve been the same since last season ended.
There’s a week left, and we’re weaker as a squad overall than when the full-time whistle blew in the cup final. There’s no excuse for that. No excuse at all.
We’re still short a centre-back, a left-back, a midfielder, and a backup striker. We’ve been looking for a left-back for two years now.
There’s a week left. Enough is enough. I’m beyond fed up with the excuses.
James, I have said from the start, this is a power play. Lawell and his yes men didn’t like his boy being removed. They are showing the manager who’s in charge. We are a football club where bonuses for directors and dividends for shareholders are paramount. These people ran out of fresh ideas years ago and would have been removed from any sane operation. Our European record over the last 20 years shows they don’t know how to move with the times, instead of investing to process we sell to cover failure. We needed 1st team players at the start of the window, we have 3. Still only 1LB, 1LCB at the club, no natural left midfielder, no 3rd Stiker, and no new midfielder. All positions the manager has said repeatedly he needs. The board needs a complete overhaul but too many fans are just happy with domestic success. They are going to rake in £10 million purely in Champions League tickets, that a £5millon player and a 4 year contract pre paid, but they can’t see it. I am paying for nothing outwith my season ticket from now on.
So if people like me hold a view different from you, James then we just “ stop”, because somehow we’re making excuses. I’m no board apologist, I’m really not, but I think I can see what’s at play here. We’re holding out for Brendan’s top targets and if that’s the case then I don’t care if they come in confirmed and registered at 10pm on Aug 30th. If on the next day when the dust has settled on the window, we’ve not done the business BR wanted then I will judge accordingly. I really don’t care how we did our business in the past, I’m only concerned with the here and now. In the final analysis I remain expectant that we will still end up stronger after the window has closed.
You are either right or you are wrong.
I think your faith is ludicrously misplaced, and my strategy of holding their feet to the fire is the wise course of action.
You do realise that it is POINTLESS to make noise AFTER the fact, right? You have to do it BEFORE the disaster.
James just like complain and negativity and when he his not complaining about Celtic he is complaining about SMSM negativity regarding Celtic which is quite funny
Word of advice; learn to fucking type.
Spot on James I’m certain tens of thousands of Celtic supporters worldwide are totally fed up with this window and the clubs total lack of ambition in strengthening the squad for the Champions League. Lawwell & his cronies are happy to take our hard earned cash and dominate Scottish football knowing well they have to spend the bare minimum to do so, such a mess that mob in Govan are in.
Considering it took 50 odd days to get the Bernardo deal done I can’t see much happening in the next 7. Hope I’m wrong but until o Riley goes no money will be spent the window works one way at Celtic that’s players out.
Agree with everything you said,we are being treated like mugs AGAIN.
Spot on.scunnered with these Tory imposters.filling there own pockets with our cash it makes me sick to the pit of my stomach.beyond raging now
James
Desmond I feel lost interest when he seen that we couldn’t get into the EPL.
With the huge bank balance and the share price increasing recently, do you think there is a possibility that he has manufactured this in order to sell his shareholding to an interested buyer?
Because holding onto the money and not investing it in quality players to take us further is bad business practice.
Ditto!
I’m on the HTSC to guarantee my seat for UCL games.
As things stand I’ll be cancelling my direct debit and my seats can go to whatever mug will buy them.
As long as Lawwell remains anywhere near the club nothing will change.
Such a disappointed fan of 50+ years.
Your just about to be dipped for another £25 for the Falkirk game. Got me email earlier, at least I can opt out.
Don’t cancel your direct debit, email them and ask them not to give you the CL package and explain that you’re not prepared to pay for that whilst the board aren’t prepared to back the manager and the fans for European football.
Blame Rodger’s he said we need quality players ready to play now we worse off he has maeda as third striker how many goals have we conceded from set pieces how many have we scored can’t score but conceded plenty we need big striker and big defender we be laughing stock of Europe fans need to stand up money in the bank waiting for money from Riley sale greedy bastards the rangers have nothing but he’s trying to build
I’ve always believed that zje only thing that can stop Celtic, domestically and in Europe, is Celtic. Our board talk the talk about being a “big club” but when it comes to backing it up and making a decent fist of it in Europe, they show themselves for what they are. Unambitious, lying schemers who are only in it to line their own pockets. Not, supporters. They sicken me.
I said last week not to hold your breath regarding the sale of not only Matt O’Rielly but Kyogo Furuhashi as well because this board will do it without hesitation. Will anyone be surprised (I won’t), this lot are going to continue to line their pockets until there’s nothing left. I’m seriously beginning to lose heart because it’s painful to watch. I’ll tell you something else and call me what you want but I am not going to participate spending my hard earned money to give it to a bunch of people who are treating Celtic little more than a business. They don’t care about Celtic Football Club, only what they can take from it so waken up everyone. If you want your Club back boycott Celtic Park, it’s the only thing that will stop them.
Time will tell in the next week. I really haven’t seen any literature from the board saying it has to be done in the last week and to chuck out words like liars is a nonsense from you. No more than people saying it has to done early and because it hasn’t they’re liars.
The transfer window is over a period of time and can be utilised in a number of ways. We have made permanent signings and ones I believe you approve of. They are not or no longer are loans that have ended. That is a stronger position. It’s a lie to present it differently and worse still to use that lie to stir up anger before the window has shut is pretty irresponsible really. Next Saturday morning however may be the time that but if it’s not and decent signings have been made I wonder if an apology will be the responsible course of action you’ll follow.