18 Dec 2017 18:12:27
I'm not one of these people who constantly calls for Celtic to spend, spend, spend or break our transfer record just for the sake of it but the reports of Compper coming in for a medical have annoyed me. Since the beginning of last season we've taken in 2 lots of CL money, plus 3 match packages and 2 qualifiers both seasons. Chuck in 100,000 season tickets, the fact the anniversary home kit (no sponsor) sold out for 3 months due to the sheer demand plus the £35 they're wanting for Zenit - I just don't see where the money is going. A £900k fee doesn't bother me, like I said I don't need the club to pay megabucks to be happy but the profile of this guy just screams "cheap option". He's 32, he's warming the bench at Leipzig and he can't play for us in Europe. What is the point? People might say he's better than what we have and would improve us domestically but that goes for plenty of younger defenders who are playing every week at a good level that we could afford if we just showed a bit of ambition. One opinion is that we will go for 2 CB's and that the other will be the big signing but look back to the summer when we could all see we desperately needed at least one CB the only CB we tried to get was Coetzee (again under £1m) . If this guy comes in then I'd love for him to do really well and I'll give him every chance but I feel that IF this is the extent of our defensive recruitment then the board are sticking 2 fingers up to us as the level of investment in the playing staff is hugely disproportionate to the money coming in.
18 Dec 2017 19:21:01
its the usual penny pinching of the highest order.
18 Dec 2017 22:53:15
I don't think we need to spend big money in order to get a great player as I can remember The Rangers spending big money and some of it was spent on shoite whilst one of our greatest players didn't even cost 1 million. I know his age goes against the policy of buying cheap and developing for a profit but who knows playing for the Celts under BR he might turn out to be a revelation. What age was Lubo when he came to us? In any case if he turns out to be no better than what we have we won't have lost a lot.
19 Dec 2017 00:19:59
Sorry donjim but I’m not buying the Larsson and Lubo examples. Both were absolute exceptions to the rule. The fact is we must have more than enough money to spend a reasonable amount on at least one right good CB on the right side of 30. Nothing crazy, perhaps £4-6M on a proven quality CB who would not only show that quality with his own performances but benefit Jozo, Boyata and Ajer. I’d much rather a guy like that who would be a big surprise if he didn’t live up to expectations than get a guy who won’t have lost us too much money if he doesn’t maybe turn out to be a revelation under BR.
19 Dec 2017 09:31:42
I mean is there a chance that he is being signed mainly as back up cover for LB as well as extra CB option.
I had a conversation with someone recently of who we could get that would come to Celtic knowing full well they would be sat behind KT nearly every week!? If that was the case you would have to say it could potentially be a decent signing. If as ED mentioned big Caulker follows him then I'd be pretty happy with that.
19 Dec 2017 11:51:54
Bang on Kev. We kept hearing about how we want to be seen as a CL team. Things have gone quiet in that front this year, this signing looks like a stop gap. Not an ambition to improve in the bear pit of the CL.
We have made plenty of money, yet that team, that is going bust again yesterday actually spent more than us.
I am old enough to remember the instinctive reluctance of successive boards to invest when we are ahead. After Seville still depresses me.
We are in danger of fecking it up in the same, tired, shitebag attitude. We know we can't compete for the best. But by feck, a 33 year old player who is cup tied?
Do me a favour.
If anybody could watch us this year and not know we need a total overhaul in defence and new blood in the midfield, they have got a fecking clue.
I have always thought the only team capable of fecking us up is us. Our dithering and hoping things will work out has failed every time in the past.
I think we will do something better this time, I have to admit that this signing smacks of the cheap short term option.
Imagine that useless defence against Zenit and the absolute reality of getting humiliated home and away. How will that help us get better.
The board better spend it they are guilty of taking the absolute piss out of us all.
Get it done for once Celtic.
19 Dec 2017 21:23:16
Kev, let us see whether Compper does a good or bad job for us before we pass judgement on him and the team management who authorised and recommended his purchase.
I think everyone involved in bringing him to Celtic expect him to be a success .
It is probably much easier to sign a £8 - £ 10m centre half and pay ridiculous wages and then our fans will be happy.
20 Dec 2017 10:49:41
Chris, I have nothing against him and I hope he is a massive success but there are other players at a much better age out there that I think we could have signed and wouldn't be surprised if we got another.