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Celtic’s latest transfer business has pushed Ibrox further into madness.

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As everyone who reads this blog regularly knows, one of the most astonishing things we encounter repeatedly is the Ibrox obsession with Celtic. It’s relentless. They’re forever looking over the fence at what we’re doing before they even think about taking action of their own.

Anyone paying attention to events over there knows that basing their policies on what Celtic does is doomed to fail. It’s doomed for many reasons, but the most critical is that our transfer policy, particularly, has been grown and developed over many years. Clubs trust us when they sign players from us. Whether it’s after successful loan spells or through direct purchases from the first-team squad, they know they’re getting proven talent, players who have impressed both domestically and in Europe.

I’ve often said their transfer policies verge on the ridiculous. Over the past few days, I’ve criticised our own decision to sell Kyogo at this particular moment in time. To do so without a replacement lined up is indefensible—dumb, even. Selling him before the Aston Villa game essentially writes that game off. It sends a message to the fans and the opposition that we don’t take the match—or the competition—seriously.

But while we’ve made mistakes, we’ve got some of the fundamentals absolutely right when it comes to selling players. For starters, we recognise that players are worth what the market will bear. Valuations aren’t set by us but by other clubs. We let the market decide.

At Ibrox, though, they seem to think they can demand ludicrous fees for players they’ve already deemed not good enough to challenge Celtic. What logic is there in that? How do they justify these ridiculous valuations? By pointing to what Celtic gets for its players? That’s flawed thinking.

We sign good players. We have a manager who develops them into better players. We’re a successful, title-winning, trophy-laden team. That reputation counts for more than people realise. When our players consistently prove they’re the best in the country, where else are other clubs going to shop when they want SPFL talent? Sure, you’ll get the occasional standout from another club, like Bojan Miovski, but if you’re serious about quality, you come to the champions.

It’s obvious, isn’t it? If you’re trying to sell players across Europe while simultaneously making it clear they aren’t good enough for your own team, why would anyone else want them? And if the club is desperate for cash, everyone knows it, which means you’re hardly in a position to demand top dollar. Desperation stinks, and football is full of ruthless operators.

Right now, we might look desperate as we scramble for a striker, but at least we’re buying. They’re trying to flog half their first team.

For all my criticisms of our board, they’re savvy enough not to hawk our players across Europe or use discredited outlets like The Daily Record to inflate valuations. They don’t brief fan media with pie-in-the-sky expectations, either. That kind of nonsense creates false hope, which inevitably collapses when no bids come in.

The events of the past week show that our board aren’t the geniuses some make them out to be. But the people running Ibrox? They’re far worse. Their obsession with copying us is a disaster. They don’t have the players, the patience, or the intelligence to let the market work for them.

This transfer window has been an unmitigated disaster for them. From the start to where it’s nearly finished, it’s been a mess. Yes, a lot can happen in the next few days, but I don’t see them getting the significant budget cuts they hoped for. The hard choices they’ve dodged this month will only be pushed further into the summer—and beyond.

Photo by Craig Foy/SNS Group via Getty Images

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16 comments

  • BhilltheTim says:

    Point of order, Mr Speaker, Sir! It’s Kyogo we just sold!

  • Johnny Green says:

    Correct James, our board are not the geniuses that some think. They are human beings and they make mistakes. I am fairly ambivalent when it comes to judging them, for I am not qualified to do so, I don’t know who on the board are pulling their weight and are doing a decent job, or not. I can only judge them on the success of Celtic, for if we are doing well then collectively they must also be contributing something to that effort. So, in that sort of generalisation they get the benefit of the doubt from me…..for the time being at least.

    • Johnny Green says:

      Cue SFATHENADIROFCHIFTINESS accusing me now of being a board apologist. LOL

      • SFATHENADIROFCHIFTINESS says:

        No need for me to reiterate or belabour the point.
        The whole tone of your comment confirmed it.

  • Brattbakk says:

    BR said he knew for months about Kyogo, well we didn’t. If that was across the city, Clement would have spilled it in a press conference as soon as he knew, the record would write a story slating the player and defending the club, then they’d tell us Real were interested, the onion brats would unfurl something barely legible, and no one would come in for him.
    Our way is probably better.

  • fun time frankie says:

    Sevco board members have been pumping millions into the huns for years.Our board? LIEWELL ALONE HAS TAKEN MORE THAN £22 MILLION IN WAGES AND BONUSES ALONE ,IF LIEWELL IS CELTIC THROUGH AND THROUGH HE DOSENT NEED BONUSES.

    • PortoJoe says:

      And look where that has got Sevco. Our board is appointed by the shareholders to look after their investment – they are a paid executive management team. They are rewarded for securing success on and off the pitch. The same as the players are paid bonuses for securing success.
      Our board may not be perfect but I’ll take it over any other football board operating in Scotland every day of the week.

  • wotakuhn says:

    Seems to me many people are disregarding big Adam atm. That’s disrespectful, Celtic will benefit from the introduction of AI

  • wotakuhn says:

    The world is not flat, we are not doomed. BR is doing a great job, the board, like it or not are backing him and I welcome Jota and KT. We as a club are in a fine position. P

  • Jackson says:

    Jota off already after signing last night:)

  • SaigonCSC says:

    Well said. Just one little pick, I’m not sure many of our fans think our board are geniuses. I’m a fan that defends them, but I defend only against over the top criticism. I want to hold them accountable like yourself when they fall short but I feel the criticism is way to heavy in the grand scheme of things.

  • Clachnacuddin and the Hoops says:

    When it (The Window) closes at 00.00 hrs on 1st February I’ll do ma judging at that point all being well !

  • Sophie says:

    Let’s keep another player that wants away thought we learnt t lesson in COVID season Kyogo brilliant as he was for us well he’s 30 now and finding it harder to beat offside and his goal return has dropped off a cliff.Timing isn’t ideal but that’s some negativity writing about us losing the game before a ball is kicked did you see Villa today?

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