The Transfer Window Waltz

[Super_Ally 0]

Last August, ArsÃ?¨ne Wenger cautioned against the typically British opinion that “In England, people think all problems can be sorted out by buying players”. Certainly, as Tony Mowbray and Celtic have discovered thus far, that is not always the case.

 

As the third transfer window in succession closed without a new signing arriving at Ibrox the blue half of Glasgow cast envious glances across the city as the hordes of hooped horrors bared their behinds in our direction. The temporary signing of Robbie Keane, a man who has amassed Ã?£70million worth of transfer fees over his career, is undoubtedly a real coup for Celtic. A player of EPL pedigree should run amok in Scotland. But I’m not ready for jumping off the Kingston Bridge just yet.

 

During the summer I wrote an article calling for calm amongst the support as stage one of the Mowbray revolution was underway. The point was made then, and is perhaps more appropriate now, that the reason for so much turnover at Celtic Park was due to their greater need. Walter Smith presided over a team of double winners whilst the new manager at Parkhead was tasked with rebuilding a team that could challenge for the title. The vast number of transfers in and out, in addition to a change of management, did not just demonstrate a financial strength currently unavailable to Smith. It was a clear indication of turmoil in the East End.

 

First team stalwarts of previous seasons; Nakamura, Hesselink and Hartley were moved on as a number of fringe and youth players also exited Parkhead. 12 players left Celtic either permanently or on loan, with Darren O’Dea (now back at the club) among their number.

 

At the same time 7 players were brought in, all to questionable success so far. Zaluska has rarely featured with Boruc number 1. Zheng Zhi had an Old Firm cameo that ended in defeat, whilst left-back Danny Fox has already returned to England. Young defender Josh Thompson has only featured due to a recent lack of viable alternatives whilst N’Guemo and more strikingly Fortune have yet to justify their fees.

 

As I quoted in the summer article ArsÃ?¨ne Wenger is a firm believer that purchasing players is not the only way to develop and improve your team. Consistency of selection with a group of players who know and are willing to work for each other can be far more valuable than a high-profile transfer earning mega-bucks who could disrupt dressing room harmony. How will Keane’s team mates react to Celtic reportedly paying half of his Ã?£130,000 wages?

 

The flurry of activity in this transfer window, like in the summer has further highlighted our lack of incoming business. During the summer, only Jerome Rothen arrived on loan whilst Barry Ferguson, Brahim Hemdani and Christian Dailly amongst the high profile departures. A large number of players left the squad, but the majority of the double winning squad were retained with the impact of those leaving questionable at best.

 

I appealed for calm in the summer as just because Celtic were making a lot of moves, there was no guarantee of success. No one could judge how the signings would settle and it was not as if they were merely adding to an already strong unit. Only selling key players from the first team allowed to finance their summer spending spree, as has been the case this January.

 

The effect of continuity is there for all to see. Despite a first team squad reduced to around 20-23 first team players, Walter Smith has led Rangers to a ten-point lead at the top of the SPL table. All this achieved despite a desperately unlucky run of injuries and suspensions. With Bougherra, Boyd, Miller, Edu, Beasley, Naismith, Mendes, Novo and Broadfoot all unavailable at various points in the season (and most of our star performers missing in January) many predicted our title challenge to falter as we started the new year. Instead, we extended our advantage at the top.

 

There was no doubt an element of luck in coping without so many key players, but it is also testament to the character and collective will of the players who performed in their absence. We are undoubtedly a better unit with the likes of Bougherra, Boyd and Miller in particular are available. But we have the players to keep picking up the points when the first team is down to the bare bones.

 

It is highly unlikely that we will contest the rest of the season with the number of players unavailable that we suffered through January. Bougherra, should he not lose himself or his passport, will be back for this weekend’s match and if he has aspirations to return to the EPL should relish the challenge of Robbie Keane when that arrives.

 

Kenny Miller seems to have aggravated a long standing injury and may miss a few more games but should hopefully be available for the tougher upcoming fixtures. Kris Boyd should be playing bounce games next week ahead of a first team return and will look to renew his partnership with his international team mate.

 

So we may not have strengthened the squad with new bodies, but we will have a host of the key players from earlier this year to bolster the squad that battled valiantly in January. The loss of Mendes weakens the squad but due to injury his contribution to developing a ten-point lead was minor. There is every reason for positivity in the ability of those who remain in spite of his absence.

 

If the squad turnover at Celtic in the summer was a sign of turmoil, their January spend has done nothing to dispel that view. Summer signing Fox had already returned to England whilst Darren O’Dea, packed off down South on loan, has returned and already taken the captain’s armband (if temporarily) with McManus going out on loan... Hardly the sign of a manager with a clear vision for the future of his club.

 

A further 12 players left the club last month, most notably the captain McManus, his centre back partner Caldwell, Barry Robson and top scorer Scott McDonald. These players have been replaced by South Korean Ki, Jos Hooiveld, Rasmussen and 3 loan signings in Keane, Diomansy Kamara and defender Braafheid from Bayern.

 

With Celtic’s preference for masking their transfer business with undisclosed fees and using the press to augment their signings values by increasing their wages across the duration of the transfer it would take a more financially astute poster (visit our forum for our two accounting experts' views) to assess the impact of their transfer dealings and hence gain insight to their real financial standing. However, with the fact that the big name players have come in on loan and the departures of their top scorer, captain and first XI players it appears their incoming transfers have only been possible by flogging half their squad.

 

Suggestions of financial strength appear wide of the mark. Having lost the title last year and missed out on the financial bounty of the Champions League, Celtic cannot afford to miss out again. Having fallen ten points behind after their match with Kilmarnock last night they have taken an enormous gamble by throwing money at expensive imports in an attempt to wrestle the title from our grasp. Should they fail their financial problems should become more apparent.

 

The rumour that Dermot Desmond has put up the money to cover the cost of Robbie Keane’s expensive loan stay further supports this theory. As does Redknapp’s insistence on Sky Sports News that it is only a temporary move.

 

Essentially, Celtic have not spent much money this transfer window to flex their financial muscle over Rangers. Mowbray has wheeled and dealed better than Del Boy Trotter, or even dodgy ‘Arry to manoeuvre his club into a position to attract big name players from down south. The suggestions out with Parkhead suggest falling attendances were a further motivating factor.

 

Whilst bringing in EPL class strikers is most surely going to strengthen your squad, selling your top scorer, your captain, your first choice centre backs and your most effective combative midfielder does not. Celtic are not going from strength to strength. They are trying to resurrect the phoenix from the ashes of the last 18 months.

 

By contrast, whilst we do not have the funds to bring in EPL squad players, we do not have to sell Boyd, Bougherra and Davis to try and turn round a misfiring squad. It is distinctly unlikely we will suffer the injuries and unavailability of player that we have over the first half (or so) of the season. A full strength Rangers in December was a ravenous beast - chewing up and spitting out the best the SPL had to offer out with the Old Firm. When our player of the year candidates return there is every reason to expect we will be strong enough to maintain our title advantage and secure a second consecutive title. The lack of continuity at Celtic is an unknown quantity that could backfire for Mowbray as he tries to rebuild a squad in January and the sensible money will be on Rangers retaining the SPL championship.

[Frankie 8,148]

An excellent analysis of the last few days and more reasons why we have nothing to fear over the coming weeks and months...

 

We have just as good a squad as them and if we play to our abilities/strengths; we win this league.

 

:spl:

[craig 5,195]

Cracking read as usual S_A.

 

Couple of points :

 

1. I think Celtic, or more specifically, Desmond is paying all of Keane's wages. It comes in at 65k. The press made it 105k because Desmond also paid a loan fee of 1 million (which works out at about 50k a week too).

 

2. Of the Gers players missing through injury you should also probably mention Thomson - regardless of his input he is a 1st team squad member who has been missing through injury.

 

It really his high testimony to WS and the Gers squad how well we have competed this season given how threadbare our squad is on top of the injuries and suspensions we have had.

 

I know some of us complain about the standard of football sometimes offered up but to be 10 points ahead at this stage with such a small squad really does speak volumes about how effective WS is domestically. And whether we like it or not, winning the SPL is paramount for us in our current financial predicament - just getting to the CL is a bonus for us.

[Bluedell 5,329]

1. I think Celtic, or more specifically, Desmond is paying all of Keane's wages. It comes in at 65k. The press made it 105k because Desmond also paid a loan fee of 1 million (which works out at about 50k a week too).

Do we know for sure if Desmond is paying his wages?

[Danny 0]

An excellent analysis of the last few days and more reasons why we have nothing to fear over the coming weeks and months...

 

We have just as good a squad as them and if we play to our abilities/strengths; we win this league.

 

:spl:

 

I'd say they have a better squad tbh. We have a better team though and crucially a better manager.

[rbr 1,247]

It really makes me laugh when we see their balance sheet and results being held up as some sort of financial trophy when the reality is that they are being propped up by secret deals with their primary puppet master Mr Desmod Dermott , as Hugh hates him being called

[Frankie 8,148]

They probably have more strikers than us but I think our squad is just as good as theirs - man for man IMHO.

 

While I'm not the most objective of observers and it is a close call in terms of contributions, out of the following, they're only stronger in a few positions even if they have a couple of surplus senior squad players to us in terms of depth.

 

McGregor > Boruc

Alexander > Zaluska

 

Whittaker = Hinkel

Broadfoot > Caddis

 

Papac = Braafheid

Smith > Naylor

 

Bougherra > Loovens

Weir > Hooiveld

Wilson > O'Dea

 

Novo = McGeady

Kamara > Naismith

 

Davis > Brown

Thomson = N'Guemo

Edu = Crosas

McCulloch > Zhi

 

Beasley = Ki

Little < Maloney

Wylde < McCourt

 

Boyd = Keane

Miller > Fortune

Lafferty = Samaras

Fleck = Rasmussen

[gisabeer 409]

Cracking read as usual S_A.

 

Couple of points :

 

1. I think Celtic, or more specifically, Desmond is paying all of Keane's wages. It comes in at 65k. The press made it 105k because Desmond also paid a loan fee of 1 million (which works out at about 50k a week too).

 

2. Of the Gers players missing through injury you should also probably mention Thomson - regardless of his input he is a 1st team squad member who has been missing through injury.

 

It really his high testimony to WS and the Gers squad how well we have competed this season given how threadbare our squad is on top of the injuries and suspensions we have had.

 

I know some of us complain about the standard of football sometimes offered up but to be 10 points ahead at this stage with such a small squad really does speak volumes about how effective WS is domestically. And whether we like it or not, winning the SPL is paramount for us in our current financial predicament - just getting to the CL is a bonus for us.

 

Walter Smith hasnt done anything out of the ordinary this season craig. we have been mediocre bar one month. Our thanks really should go to tony mobray for making a complete arse of it with our inbred cousins from the east side of the city. Not trying to dampen the atmosphere but its the truth. Good fortune and circumstance favour smith again.

 

As for the CL. This seasons campaign was an utter embarrasment yet again under smith and he really has to acknowledge that he is severely out of his depth at this level. Accepting that you are making up the numbers in any competition is not good enough for someone like me who forks out money i can ill afford. If we are going to accept that attitude then the fans may as well not show up for the CL games.

[craig 5,195]

Do we know for sure if Desmond is paying his wages?

 

Nope, hence my use of the words "I think"

[craig 5,195]

Walter Smith hasnt done anything out of the ordinary this season craig. we have been mediocre bar one month. Our thanks really should go to tony mobray for making a complete arse of it with our inbred cousins from the east side of the city. Not trying to dampen the atmosphere but its the truth. Good fortune and circumstance favour smith again.

 

As for the CL. This seasons campaign was an utter embarrasment yet again under smith and he really has to acknowledge that he is severely out of his depth at this level. Accepting that you are making up the numbers in any competition is not good enough for someone like me who forks out money i can ill afford. If we are going to accept that attitude then the fans may as well not show up for the CL games.

 

Smith can only beat what is put in front of him.

 

In 23 games he and his squad have lost only ONE game and drawn 6. He has won 70% of the league games this season which is a very decent return when you consider he hasnt been able to sign anyone on a permanent deal for 2 YEARS and at a time when Rangers are, financially, not much better off than the rest of the SPL (some would say worse given other teams could actually sign players in recent times).

 

You must admit that you are looking at this from a performance perspective ? Because, from a results perspective we can't really complain. When you add in the financial restrictions (ignoring whether you believe WS was culpable of those restrictions in the first place) then the fact that we top the table by 10 points is particularly impressive.

 

Sure, the performances have not been outstanding, excepting December, but we are in a position where winning is crucial. WS is doing what he needs to do and to suggest otherwise from the perspective of the table is churlish.

 

As for the CL, I want us to compete too - however we all know that the major nations are far and away financially superior to us. Why is it we should have expected to compete with Stuttgart and Sevilla ? They play in far better leagues with far better resources than us and with much more money than us. Unirea ? Eastern European teams have always been technically sound. Again, why is it we should actually EXPECT to beat these teams ? Have we not been seeing how far a Scottish teams stock has fallen ?

 

Accepting we are making up the numbers may not be good enough for you but from a financial perspective it has to be. Without the CL money the club is fucked. By spending what would need to be spent to COMPETE at that level... the club would be fucked. Simply, we don't have the revenues to be able to get the players in that would assist us in competing at that level.