As this transfer window drags on without a major signing, many Celtic supporters are starting to ask a dark question: is the club seriously not planning to spend until Matt O’Riley is sold?
The longer this window remains open without significant transfer business, the more it feels like the tens of millions in the bank are going to stay essentially untouched, even if that has consequences for the manager and the squad.
It seems like the club might be piling up cash to no obvious benefit, gambling with season, and effectively writing off progress in Europe, by robbing the manager of transfer funds unless they’re generated through sales.
Look across the city at our rivals – they can’t do transfer business unless they sell first. But they have no choice. We do. Wouldn’t it be appalling if we had adopted the same policy? Who could possibly mount a defence for that?
But increasingly, it does feel as if Celtic has chosen not to spend until a mammoth fee comes in for O’Riley. I wonder if, in fact, we have deals virtually done and which we won’t push the button on until the O’Riley cash is safely sitting in the bank. But what if no acceptable bid comes in? Does that mean no significant transfers, no matter what the team needs?
Even the staunchest apologists must now be asking what the Hell is going on here.
The defence that it’s difficult for a club of our size to attract players doesn’t hold up. If we end up with a weaker squad than last season it will be for the usual reasons; we’re shopping in too shallow a talent pool and we’re trying to do it on the cheap.
The notion that players won’t come here is nonsense. The real barriers are the club’s willingness to adapt the policy. Celtic could enhance this squad significantly whilst living within our means. I wrote about this last night in the piece on the difference between how the club views worth and view and the way we, in the stands, view those things.
The other excuse we hear is that we are willing, even keen, to spend money but that no-one would take it from us. That always makes me laugh. It was particularly funny when people were making at the end of the January transfer window and promising that we’d do it here in the summer; in hindsight that’s starting to look like shameless trolling.
This transfer window has been a disgrace. Yes, some players become available late, but we should already have three or four strengthening signings. Instead, we’ve brought in one outfield player, who was already with us last season.
The only area of improvement is the goalkeeper, but that’s from spending £1 million on someone from England’s lower leagues. Schmeichel might be a better keeper than Joe Hart, but it’s effectively one in, one out for our first choice; we’ve got a backup. Our midfield, defence, and forward line remain weak, and the clock is ticking.
I’ve long believed this window wouldn’t meet the manager’s needs.
If we’re waiting by the phone to sell O’Reilly before buying, it basically comes down to our leaders having made a conscious decision to restrict funds and delay rebuilding. This makes us no better than our rivals. Having money and not spending it is the same as not having it at all; in fact, it’s worse, because all we’re doing is hamstringing ourselves and keeping them in the game.
Critics might say I’m being negative, but by the end of this window, we’ll know if I’m right or wrong. We’ll either come out stronger, or we won’t. If Matt O’Riley is sold before significant reinforcements arrive, Celtic supporters are right to be pissed off.
With the Scottish League Cup tie against Hibs at Celtic Park coming up, and the club charging season ticket holders £25 each, it’s high time our fan-base considered sending a clear message to the money counters: no more of this. No more.
If they aren’t prepared to spend our money on our priorities, maybe we shouldn’t keep piling it up on their door.
Agree entirely,how many biscuit tins do we need to fil before any money is spent,the same lame excuses every transfer window from this board are becoming monotonous,we are going backwards under this board.
Conjecture. There is absolutely no evidence to suggest what you said here is true.
I’m sorry to say this, James but all this serves to achieve is fortify the arguments of the echo chamber “it’s a bloody diz-graaaace” crowd who seek out no logic to back up their mutterings.
We need a centre half, a left back, at least one striker (preferably two) and a quality replacement for big Matt IF he does leave. The order in which this is achieved will not impact on results before September 1.
By going into the detail of consequences if we don’t do as you want is not helpful in the slightest.
Oh you are becoming a bore yourself you know, with this nonsense you talk.
We are about to sell O’Riley. To a progressive club with a transfer policy which blows ours out of the water, by the way, and we’re doing so without having brought in more than one outfield player.
What have I told you about perception vs reality?
If O’Riley goes without us spending serious money the perception will be appalling. Appalling.
It’s not the first time I’ve been called a bore! But nonsense? That’s a bit harsh! LOL
I will say no more until the window is closed.
Hahaha not at all 🙂
You are one of the best contributors on here my friend and we won’t cope with a month without you 🙂
You’re living in a blinkered world my friend.
Are you honestly trying to say that the boards recruitment policy is up to scratch ?
Are you saying that we weren’t fortunate last season to retain the title. BR played a masterclass with the introduction of a few players and we had to rely on them wobbling …..remember ????
Are you saying that the clubs signing policy didn’t play a major part in Scotish Clubs losing the European Coefficient???
Are you suggesting that we are not underperforming given the means at our disposal ?
There’s being risk averse and there is stagnation to the point where you hurt yourself and I know where I think we are.
I still maintain the bank balance is being fattened up for sale and who knows BR may well be getting his slice but until I start seeing positive actions that dispute this then I remain totally underwhelmed by the boards abilities.
How can you say its not going to impact on results before September?
How do you know this?
You are totally deluded.
In answer to your headline question, yes. Obviously. I would bet the season ticket money on it. We are a club run by accountants. While that is better than being run by gamblers, the down side is that there will be no chances taken. Ever.
I used to like reading your articles but you have now become boring and repetitive with your anti-board diatribes. You are unwilling to accept any suggestion why it is difficult to buy players in the current market. Every article is the same click bait.
Probably because the board give him good reason to say what we all think! How can anyone justify over 100m in the bank when we have ONE left back and ONE striker who needs surgery? We have a weaker team than last season and have currently made a PROFIT this window which promised so much in terms of strengthening the squad. That’s WITHOUT the massive sale of ORiley. The downsizing is embarrassing and reeks of no ambition. Nobody can argue that
Hiyya Peter
And depressing and uninformative to boot. Same old attack on PL, who we know is a tight arse, but still has nothing to do with transfers. Give it up.
Officially he has no powers at all as a non executive director, however everyone knows he was brought back buy Desmond to run the club again, without him Ange bought who he wanted without any bother at all, biscuit tin Liewell returns and suddenly we can’t spend anything, we lowball every club we approach, even Benfica, Norwich and any other club.
Liewell is the problem, his lies and then more lies about the five way agreement should have seen him booted out, but Dermot and him think only of money and bonuses.
Why is it difficult….?
Yeah we are unwilling to accept the Board’s excuses because it’s the same lines trotted out every Transfer window.
I’m 70 and during that time there has been a pitiful few occasions when the Board has conducted recruitment according to the Football manager’s plan for the Team.
Yet every other Club manages to spend money in the Transfer window. Other Clubs don’t appear to have a problem with medium to long term squad building I the Transfer Market.
The inertia around Celtic’s approach to Transfers is institutionalised. It’s deliberate choices from the Board. Not events.
It’s the Board’s policy to shop in the ‘shallow pools’. It’s the Board’s policy to leave it late trying to pick up ‘bargains’. It’s the Board’s policy to ignore the Manager’s requests. It’s the Board’s policy to buy low and speculate. It’s the Board’s policy to ignore established quality if it’s for the +25 years age group.
It’s not hard luck, or negative perception of Scottish Football.
It’s the Board’s deliberate policy to run the Club first and foremost as a money making institution and secondly as a Football Club. Yes we must be sustainable but with over £100;million in the bank and £30/40 million virtually guaranteed and we supposedly can’t find quality or Clubs willing to accept our money or find players willing to come to Scotland.
NONSENSE.
Its deliberate choices from our Board.
We’re going to end up with 2 loans in wether O’Riley goes or not and probably Idah
I called this over a month ago. I said it wouldn’t surprise me if the board waited to see how much they were getting for O’Riley before they spent any serious money on new signings. I also said if the board managed to get a new keeper, Bernardo and Idah, that they would be congratulating themselves for a successful window and a job well done! At this rate we’ll be lucky to even get those three!
Whether, Jesus.
Who’s that lurking in the background of the picture,there lies the problem .
Bigger profits bigger tax liability invest some of this yers profits in some quality players the manager needs.
You think this would make sense to an accountant?
I think a lot will be to do with The Sevco result tonight and in the return leg next week…
Should they win (Heaven forbid – as they’ll be nearer to a big big player investment which their very fine custodians in comparison to ours will throw every last penny of it on the team)…
That scenario might see them be forced – against their every sinew of their fibre being – into spending…
If Sevco go out of The Champions League (hopefully) then they might just hoard it all once again…
I just wonder if the cash heroin fix of £100 million in the bank is the craving for Daddy Lawwell and Lord Lucan-Nicholson !
I can’t remember being this angry at the club. The downsizing has escalated so much in recent years yet the prices have gone up. With all that money in the bank and not willing to improve the squad to then selling ORiley is just a step too far. Hideous management from people who clearly don’t care one bit about the FOOTBALL club. Guarantee they will give themselves millions in bonuses too for bringing in so much profit. It’s time the fans acted because this is only going to get worse. The time to act was Sunday but as usual we only showed our great support, happy to be treated as mugs and invite more rubbish from the board. Enough is enough
I fear even if we get a record price for o Riley this board will probably give BR a tenth of that to spend and that will not buy a suitable replacement,by the time that happens we’ll probably have 100 million in the bank plus CL 30 million but we will be horsed out of Europe again without even putting up a fight but never mind we’ve got 100 million sitting in the bank so the directors and share holders can stuff their greedy hands on money that should have been used to strengthen our team for Europe.
Good luck with that James. Its gonna’ take a lot, LOT more than a few sensible words on here to get it through Celtic minded people’s heads. In fact I think both you, I and countless others have all tried this before and what for, Nothing!… the grand sum of squat all, happened. More likely it’ll take much more, like thousands, many thousands of us piling up to C.P. and kicking up merry hell before they take the slightest modicum of notice. They… the board must surely be reading your articles among others who really care for OUR club with not a word anywhere to show they are listening. We’ve done it before but this time and if its not already too late we’d better get a shift on because January’s window might be a tad beyond us. There’s no doubt we got a fright last year and if this happens again we may not be as lucky to pull it back this time. Who can know what these peepil are going to get up to, coupled with the cheats in the SFA and Referees still to conjure up, especially this new penalties rule as yet unannounced.
This is now the third season that we’ve needed back up or an upgrade for left back, so here’s a question for the happy clappers, how much fkn time does it take to get one in the door. The managed decline of the team is our boards way of making sure Rangers stay relevant and it makes me sick, believe me if rangers were to pull away do you honestly think they would do the same for us, no fkn chance HH
‘Rangers’ won’t stay relevant Chris – For our board nor anyone else as they are as extinct as dinosaurs…
And ‘Rangers’ won’t pull away as they also are as dead as the said dinosaurs or do-do’s or anything in a cemetery…
However SEVCO might pull away – But hopefully to goodness it’s not the case !
We are one bad challenge on Kyogo away from having no recognised centre forward for the foreseeable future. McCrory almost managed it on Sunday so don’t think other teams will not also know this. On that subject where will we be if O’Riley also picks up an injury preventing his sàle.
Apologies… SEVCO is their proper name I hang my head in shame?HH
James, it’s an awful thought but is it possible the board is stockpiling the cash to settle the boys club scandal. ? Something stinks and that’s all I can put it down to.
Nope. That settlement is not going to be as big as some people want to believe.
James, wouldn’t it be great if an offer came in for Matt, but he refused to leave unless the board give Brendan the players he wants, then and only then agree to leave?
What really anoys me about this board is, don’t they realise that if Celtic progress in Europe
Then the coefficient would increase. therefore we wouldn’t have to go through tricky qualifying ties to get to the group stages; (if we keep winning the league that is) or are they just stupid as well as tight fisted?