08 Aug 2024 13:44:35
So, if as some people believe, we can never compete in Europe. How did we turn Celtic park into a fortress during the MON tenure? We gave a good account against top teams in Europe at that time. How did we manage that? Oh yeah, we paid the money and bought some really good players and paid decent wages. Even kept hold of HL for seven years. For any about to use the phrase' football has changed', yes is has. A lot of teams chose to build and invest in their future, our board chose to opt out and do less than the bare minimum, while point blank refusing to even be truthful to or engage with their own support.
Their time is running out. Time to look out the torches and pitchforks!
08 Aug 2024 13:52:01
Because we had quality players all over the park who didn't wilt under pressure and nade very few errors unlike recent years.
08 Aug 2024 14:30:14
We were spending £6m on players then. That was decent money back then. Our board would choke at the though of having to spend that now.
We were fortunate enough to have talents like Larsson, hartson, sutton, moravcik, petrov and lambert. These 6 players would have walked into most EPL teams back then. Now only Oriley would cut it.
Oniells team was much more experienced than any squad we have had since then.
This all comes down to the horrendous model in place by buying young inexperienced projects as opposed to experience which is obviously key to competing at that level.
Oniells team would teach our current team a lesson if they were to play each other. Just better quality and much more experienced.
But if you want a shorter answer the difference is all down us being an ambitious club back then that put results before money. Now its the other way round and has been for too long.
08 Aug 2024 14:38:11
Post was more of a statement than a question.
08 Aug 2024 14:38:24
The sad thing there is that twenty years ago we were signing players for 6 million, now fans would love a few 6 million pound signings. Others will know more than me but how many players have we signed since o Neil left that came for over 6 million. ? Eddy obviously but I can’t think of many more?
08 Aug 2024 15:07:15
Eddy and Julien for over, CCV and Jota about that level. Not exactly kept pace with inflation in the last 20 years. So much for a “world class” forward thinking football club!
08 Aug 2024 15:30:43
We did have a decent European reputation at one time, but several years of downsizing and cost-cutting have made us top dogs in Scotland, but third rate in Europe.
Their liquidation was the perfect excuse for extra caution and the five-way-agreement made sure we would at best stand still, but in reality go backwards and you just have to compare the caliber of player and the standards set by MON and even WGS to the present.
It's right to be cautious and careful, but why have we turned into a club that prioritizes (obscene) profit, dividends and bonuses, over progress and tradit. This can still be achieved by the right men in the right jobs. Smaller, poorer clubs than us do it.
I am luckier than most because I have seen Celtic in three European finals and although it may never happen again, what is the point of stockpiling £££'s and not even trying to compete at any European level, or are we just a feeder for better run ambitious clubs?
08 Aug 2024 15:56:24
Mentioned many, many years ago on this site, that I thought we were being deliberately held back by our own leaders. Nothing has ever happened to change that opinion. What ever motive our board have for the way they act, they obviously can’t be too proud or they would be happy to share it. The recent issue with the online blogger would suggest that something hit a nerve.
08 Aug 2024 16:31:43
I’m sure most fans would opt for prudent financial management that ensures our survival in a risky environment, over what happened to the team that play out of Ibrox. However, there has to be a better balance to the money we are generating and the money we are spending. Rightly, the perception of fans just now is that we are absolutely loaded and spending peanuts. That must change for all of the reasons in this chat above. I’m currently stopping short of lambasting the Board as I trust Brendan’s judgement… however if the window slams shut without at least 3 significant captures that improves our quality and chances in Europe then all bets are off!
08 Aug 2024 16:38:46
I'm open to correction but my understanding is that although we weren't anywhere near the dire financial straights the other lot have been in, when MON left, the financial reigns needed to be put on as we couldn't sustain the level of expenditure MON era had incurred. That's why GS, when he took over didn't have the luxury MON had. So in that respect, the powers that be at that time, did a good job of addressing and upturning what was initially a financial lurch in the wrong direction. Now we can argue with some justification the current board have went too much the other way in the name of caution. Me? I'm not going to panty wet. I trust BR implicitly. If we haven't added by the month's end and things are going pear shaped by Xmas, then I'll call out the board but not before then. Keep the faith guys. Give me a minute now till I get the armour plating on ?.
08 Aug 2024 18:06:32
9iar you are 100% correct, WGS was brought in with the remit to reduce the wage and age of the squad. But what that era showed is that money gives the chance of success. We now have that luxury but we are still being held back.
08 Aug 2024 19:17:08
Too much money in limited leagues. Too many restrictions on smaller clubs because of the financial disparity.
Division 2 clubs in England get more cash than us.
Look at Champions League set-up ("Champions? there's a joke) 4 richest leagues have entries into group stages while the CHAMPIONS of other member country leagues have to play "qualifying games" to get into the group stages!
Retaining top players is not as easy for us as it used to be as they want to challenge themselves at the top (and of course make a lot more cash in the process)
Celtic are not the top of quality players wish to play for list due to European restrictions, cash limitations and our small league.
Most who come here are using us as a stepping stone so building long term is difficult
(or players looking for a last paycheque before calling it a day.
Not always the boards fault.
08 Aug 2024 20:30:29
When we got to the last 16 of the CL back in 2007 we narrowly missed out on the Quarter Finals going out 1-0 in extra time. The player's that night didn't cost millions but they all had passion a united fighting spirit going into game under Strachan.
That night we had Telfer McManus O'dea and Naylor in defence. Lennon and Sno in midfield. Up against legends like Maldini Pirlo Inzzaghi Seedorf Ambrosini. Nowadays we are a red neck in the CL. Hopefully we can do our self justice and Compete!
08 Aug 2024 23:44:20
6million I. 2003 is about 10.2milliom I. Today's mo ey I just asked Google doe rhe conversion lol.