Have we got a good enough squad to compete at CL level ?

[DJBlue72 0]

I reckon we might struggle if we do not bring any new players in as all big teams are buying players to add to there squads

 

even if its bosmans a squad needs depth , and we seem to have lost a few players this summer but wont be replacing any

 

a risky stratagy if you ask me , i know our hands are tied financially but we have freed up over �£50K per week in wages

 

so surely we could afford to bring in a few players to boost the squad for an assualt on the SPL and Europe

 

there are plenty of good players who are available on a free transfer just now.

 

I know we will give the younger players more games this season which is fantastic but my fear is we will struggle for quality

 

when it is required during the season due to injurys etc.

 

Are things really that bad financially at Rangers ??? are we poorer than Hearts ? the Tims ?

 

its so frustrating as its like we are the poor man of European football who has a everything must go sale every transfer window

 

i would even say we must keep the likes of McCulloch and Dailly if we arent going to replace them.

 

I am looking forward to seeing the youth get a chance at Ibrox but i fear we will come up short if we are drawn against the cream of Europe.

 

Also i must add this has been the most boring and Frustrating post season summer ever for Gers fans i reckon.

 

Roll on the Man City Game

[craig 5,196]

Freeing up the wages is great but lets not forget that we had a 1st team squad of 28 players last season which meant we greatly overspent on wages.

 

Because the Tims and Hearts are signing players means we are poorer ? Again, we had a squad of 28 and I would be willing to wager that neither Celtic nor Hearts had that many players last season - so them signing players could be put down to simply "making up the numbers".

 

Also, let's not forget that Celtic signing players is not really a sign that they are strengthening either. Super_Ally had a thread about this last week. They have brought in Fortune for 3.8 mill and his team-mate on loan. However, they have lost JVoH, Hartley and Nakamura - so are they really strengthening ? Not in my opinion.

 

Not signing players doesnt always mean that a club is poor - it could be that they already have the quality and depth that they want. I am sure this ISNT the case with us but it isnt always that indicator.

 

We are running at 25-30 million in debt, TV revenues will be decreasing and our Chairman has already said that getting auto entry to the CL was CRUCIAL to us - what more do we need to be told to understand that we are in a very perilous financial position ?

 

For me it isnt a matter of bringing players in to compete at CL level. We all want to compete at that level but the reality of our financial situation means that the CL should be treated as nothing more than a BONUS.

 

And I think we already have a squad that is capable of challenging for SPL honours again. We won the league by 4 points which would have been double digits but for suspect officiating. That means Celtic NEED to strengthen to compete with US.

 

Also, when you look at the players that have left us or are expected to leave, what did they bring us in our championship winning year last year ? My take as follows :

 

Hemdani - never played one game, made the bench once I think

Dailly - fleeting appearances, not really required

Ferguson - team did better after his being dropped for Boozegate. You could say we are a midfielder down but I dont buy that because BF was out till November anyway. When he came back in Thomson was injured. When he was subsequently dropped Edu came in and performed admirably. With Thomson and Edu fit we dont need to fill that position. I felt we were a central midfielder too many anyway.

Adam - only played 9 games and in a position where no-one secured the position. Still didn't cause us to lose the league.

Gow - never played, likely never will.

McCulloch - is still here and may remain. Decent enough cover at the back for "smaller" games but I wouldn't want him near the team otherwise, not as a striker nor LM. A squad position we don't need.

 

I don't think that our squad is that bad. I believe we need a CB and a LM (but even the LM position, only if we can move on Adam, Beasley and/or McCulloch - yes, would prefer better players than them but if they dont move on then we will have to make do with one of them or Novo or Laffety etc etc).

 

I would be happy enough to see McGregor leave if we got maybe 4 mill for him and we could use it to get Tonel and/or Brunt or another LM.

 

We all WANT to compete against Europe's cream but I would rather we bombed miserably against Europe's cream because we didnt spend any money than see us going into the financial abyss because we DID spend money (and likely still would struggle to come out of the group stages).

[Zappa 0]

We all WANT to compete against Europe's cream but I would rather we bombed miserably against Europe's cream because we didnt spend any money than see us going into the financial abyss because we DID spend money (and likely still would struggle to come out of the group stages).

I don't think we'll bomb miserably, but I pretty much agree with your point. Credit permitting, we could go out & spend between �£20m and �£30m on some quality players & still not make it out of the group stage. You could sign a couple of really world class players for �£50m & still get nowhere in the CL. IMO, anybody that thinks signing another center half & a left midfielder (both of limited ability due to our finances) is going to improve our CL chances significantly, is believing too much of the gossip that's going around amongst the fans. Yes, we could do with strengthening those positions, but a couple of bosmans or cheap (in footballing terms) signings aren't necessarily going to do anything much other than add to our wage bill at the moment.

[craig 5,196]

I don't think we'll bomb miserably, but I pretty much agree with your point. Credit permitting, we could go out & spend between �£20m and �£30m on some quality players & still not make it out of the group stage. You could sign a couple of really world class players for �£50m & still get nowhere in the CL. IMO, anybody that thinks signing another center half & a left midfielder (both of limited ability due to our finances) is going to improve our CL chances significantly, is believing too much of the gossip that's going around amongst the fans. Yes, we could do with strengthening those positions, but a couple of bosmans or cheap (in footballing terms) signings aren't necessarily going to do anything much other than add to our wage bill at the moment.

 

I didnt say we WOULD bomb miserably Shroomz. Look at what I said again and you will see that.

 

I also did not say that we needed a CB and LM to improve our CL chances. Maybe I should have been more specific but given I said that the CL should be seen as a BONUS I would have thought it was implied I would be talking in general about our squad and challenging in the SPL.

 

Bosmans or cheap signings won't necessarily do anything but lets not forget that we have, sporadically, done very well in the Bosman market. Would we not all like to see another Prso or another Boumsong arrive on a Bosman ? If we got two Bosman's in of that quality at a reasonable age and got one season out of them before punting them for 5 mill each it wouldn't take long before our debt were reduced (Caveat : I am not saying that we have always done well in the Bosman market).

[Leppardized2001 0]

Have we got a good enough squad to compete at CL level ?

 

 

No.

[Gazza_8 233]

We'll be lucky to score more than 3 goals in the CL.

 

Smiths statement about not needing to sign anyone is a joke. Who's he trying to kid?

[CammyF 6,783]

It'll depend on the group we are drawn in.

 

Can see is winning, losing and drawing 1 each of our home games and picking up a draw away from home if we get a decent draw.

 

Cammy F

[Whosthedado 1,499]

We just about made it through the group the last time we were in it with the German Champions French Champs and Barcelona so lets not right our chances off just yet before a ball is kicked. The draw could be a lot more favourable this year? That could also work to our disadvantage though because then we might think we have a chance. Last time we were major underdogs

[Gribz 743]

Squad wise I actually think we have done the right thing this summer by trimming it. 28 players was far too many as you cant keep everyone happy. For me, we are a first choice centre half away from having a good team.

 

We arent near the Man Utd's, Milans etc but we wouldnt be any worse than half the teams that will be in the CL

 

Our problem isnt whether the squad is good enough, its all about WS getting a system right and knowing his first choice XI. For 2 seasons he has tinkered a bit much with both.

 

So if we got a partner for Bougherra (Tonel would be nice, and the return of Hutton would be nicer!!!) and played a 4-3-3 then I cant see us getting any hidings in the CL especially at home.

 

4-4-2 may be the other option but id prefer to stop wasting Davis on the rgight, plus Im not sure who is going to be the regular on the left.

 

So for a 4-3-3 we would look very offensive:

 

___________________Alexander________________

 

Whittaker______Bougherra____Tonel_______Papac

 

________Davis_______Thomson______Mendes____

 

________Novo_______Boyd/Miller_____Lafferty____

 

Obviously when Edu is back its another option in midfield.

 

Upfront Id choose Miller in the bigger matches but Boyd will score in the majority of matches against Falkirk and Co.

 

That leaves the following players:

Weir (Can fit it any ANY time)

Broadfoot (Decent back up for SPL)

S Smith (Depending on injuries)

McCulloch (Hopefully is sold)

Naismith (Has a lot to prove)

Beasley (Could be decent LM if he gains muscle)

Aaron (We need to see him first)

Fleck (Needs to advance one step further)

Velicka (Carbon replacement for Boyd)

Edited July 22, 2009 by Gribz

[ian1964 10,415]

I'm not too worried about our squad tbh, I think we have a good squad and young squad with a few of these young players to make further development ie: Lafferty,Whittaker,Edu,Fleck,Arron ect and with Thomson coming back,so all in all I'm ok with what we have, although I do think if we can get rid of all the players that Walter wants to get rid of it wouldn't surprise me to see a late signing coming in. CL ?, I agree with Craig we should be treating it as a bonus and trying to finish 3rd in the group