Celtic banter 2

21 Apr 2024 22:35:44
Ive been wondering what sort of wages our top players are on and how they compare to 15-20 years ago. Im just interested in knowing if we have kept up with rising wages over the years. I know larsson was on £25/ 30k pw and was our top earner then. Im not sure but im guessing our wage bill is less now than oneills time. Anyone in the know that can enlighten me?
Cheers.

22 Apr 2024 05:41:56
If I remember correctly Larsson was on 40k by the time he left.

With regards current players, I think Callum is our top paid player and is on 37k, next is CCV on 24k and then Kyogo on 19k.

Our overall wages is circa 22 million per year, which is around 20% of our income. This can be both amazing or depressing, depending on how you look at it.

While it shows amazing financial health, gives us more money for transfers and lots of room for growth. It is also likely the reason we don't attract an even higher calibre of player. It should also be noted that Sevco pay the biggest wages in Scotland, we are just lucky their recruitment suck.

22 Apr 2024 06:37:09
I’ve read that Callum McGregor earns by far the highest wage at Celtic.
The figures I’ve read is £37K per week for Captain Calmac.

The figure then drops to £25k per week for a couple of players and then a few other players are on about £20k per week.

This season Celtic signed a few £2M to £3M players and are giving them £10k per week.
I’m still not sure the reason why we chose to downsize as a club.

22 Apr 2024 08:57:19
The downsizing and wage 'freeze' certainly explains the absence of real quality in the squad and our steady demise in Europe.

22 Apr 2024 09:42:24
Well Said, Celtic decided to go for a cheaper option, that only they can explain why.

22 Apr 2024 13:38:05
Remember all quoted wages for Celtic players are at best rough estimates, usually come from sources that as a rule are not Celtic friendly . The problem with players wages in Scotland is that usually to attract players who come with a decent reputation we have to offer them a wage in excess of their worth . Celtic have been caught out several time, goal - keeper Barkas& striker Ajeti, we can’t anyone to match their wages and take them off our hands
Of course there are numerous players who could do a good job for Celtic who negotiations don’t get started because Board judge wages demands too high . We will have to continue to search for Head of Recruitment and recruitment staff that can satisfy Board ‘s wage restrictions and supporters football ability . So far we haven’t achieved that.

22 Apr 2024 14:34:22
Don't see any reason why we cannot pay a few players 40 -50k a week if they merited it. Its the only way to push the club forward, that and more selective and better recruitment.

There are clubs in Europe on similar or smaller budgets than ours but seem to do better in Europe than us, its a bug bear of mine how poor we have been in Europe the last few years.

22 Apr 2024 19:11:25
@Wee Des You are correct that the precise wages are unknown and the numbers quoted are just estimates. However, the overall wages we pay can be found direct on our annual accounts.

23 Apr 2024 15:01:32
I agree, do we know are the wages given under wages annual accounts all the wages paid, including ticket office, groundsmen etc . Or are they just the first team squad . Do all Scottish clubs do the same .
I think Weejoe Celtic could pay higher wages, but we haven’t got all the facts . Typical of Board keeping us in dark.

21 Apr 2024 21:24:40
At the end of 120mins on Saturday I was very disappointed with the performance of Celtic . I didn't see any individual players were any more to blame than others, except Yang who has never regained the form he had before he was blatantly dismissed wrongly v Hearts .
However we are in the S C final, just like Manchester Utd who year in year out are often amongst the biggest spending teams in the World . Utd drew with lowly Coventry who were last in EPL in 2001 . Utd struggling to win on penalties reminded me, something many may have forgotten, there is magic in the cup and strange unforeseen results often happen . Maybe Celtic like Manchester Utd suffered from the cup jinks and actually did well to win through.

21 Apr 2024 21:44:23
Yang was playing on the right wing when he had his best spell.
It’s not the best excuse, with him back to playing poorly recently.

21 Apr 2024 22:10:45
Yang needs a seat on the bench and personally I'd be looking to loan him out next season.

☘️ 🍀 ☘️.

21 Apr 2024 18:57:09

****** TEXT DELETED ******

{Ed007's Note - I'd contact the Club TT or if you're on Twitter put it on there maybe. 👍👍

21 Apr 2024 18:49:37
What we are noticing this season is that Starfelt was a far better player than most of the Celtic fans realised.

He provided pace and aerial prowess, which complimented CVV's attributes.

I know it took him a little time to settle, which was understandable as he was playing a new system that left the CBs exposed and he was having to play on his weaker foot.

{Ed007's Note - Starfelt had a bit of a nightmare on his debut v Hearts and a part of the support never forgave him or gave him a fair chance. Just like Scales is the fall guy now any mistake at CB was blamed on him even when it wasn't his fault.
It didn't help that Starfelt had been cooped up in a hotel because of COVID restrictions at the time and was working alone to keep fit, people also forget that at the beginning of his Celtic career he was partnered with either of Welsh and Bitton at CB, CCV didn't sign until the last day of the window.
Our defence is a lot weaker this season because of Starfelt's departure, we've spent about £8 million trying to replace him and we've ended up with Scales in there.}

21 Apr 2024 19:44:17
Aye he got a bum deal from a section of our fans.

I actually think Nawrocki and Lagerbielke have potential. It could not have been easy moving to a new country, having a massive increase in expectation and walking into a team low on confidence and your partner kept changing.

Hopefully see them both kick on next season.

{Ed007's Note - Would it be a gamble to replace Scales with Nawrocki for the run in? I think he could have something about but I can't see Lagerbielke in our plans at all going forward and wouldn't be surprised to see both of them move on in the summer.}

21 Apr 2024 20:04:08
I would stick with scales as it is out most settled defence.

Like you it wouldn't surprise me if either of them were moved on in the summer.

I would say at least one defender has to move on and someone with pace and aerial ability needs signed.

{Ed007's Note - We don't need to sign an improvement on Scales or the other 2 imo - we need to sign an improvement on CCV to play alongside him. Imagine we could find a CB to come in and have the effect on the team of a Hatate or MOR?}

21 Apr 2024 21:00:15
100% agree Ed.

I'd also play Nawrocki for the remaining 6 games of this season, Scales is simply not fit for purpose.

Next season the aim should be to improve EVERY position of the starting 11 on the pitch where at all possible.

As I've already posted, regardless of where the remaining two trophies end up, I personally feel that given the level our players have reached this season, we need to replace 5 or 6 of the current starting 11 if we are to progress.

We've got more than enough cash already in the bank, as well as fees we'd get for the glut of players who are already surplus to requirements.

Lastly, I'd take the armband off CalMac and make CCV the captain as I think it's too heavy.

☘️ 🍀 ☘️.

{Ed007's Note - 👍👍

21 Apr 2024 21:09:10
I like the look of Jacob Greaves at Hull Ed! And he’s left footed. I really do think there are some gems
In the champ who wouldn’t cost too much.

Again I reiterate there is a number of top class players floating about the better teams uk shrewder leagues on the continent that we could afford. Teams like Salzburg, Copenhagen, Bodo I could go on.

The part that shocks me is that I can see it. Why can’t they?!

We need to conduct our business quickly this summer. The only hamper being the Euros which tends to cause problems, as we enter this new CL format.

The club will run the usual agenda “we tried”. I’d like to be proven wrong.

{Ed007's Note - They do try imo but do they try enough? Push the boat out on 1 or 2 "top" signings that will kick the team on, go out and look at a £10+ million striker to replace Kyogo, £8-10 million on a partner for CCV and the same on a proper CDM, offer higher wages to players that will take us to the next level, that's the important part, transfer fees involve so many variables but a players wages makes all the difference to where they fancy a move to.}

21 Apr 2024 21:11:40
Granted this has not been CCVs best season but I still rate him. When he is fully fit he bosses it up here.

{Ed007's Note - What about in the CL? Up here players like CalMac & Greg Taylor boss it but get found out BIG time in Europe. Kyogo has 4 goals in 17 games in European group stages, is that good enough?}

21 Apr 2024 22:08:25
We're in a great position financially to bring in proven players in key positions who will improve the first 11.

* cash in the bank
* fees from players to be sold
* sell on fees for players e. g. Frimpong
* CL money (should we win the league)

Im not a fan of the term 'marquee signing', as if it's some sort of bonus the fans should be excited about.

We should be scouting and signing TWO first team starters every single season, players who come in and are an automatic upgrade on the player they are replacing.

That way the bar gets raised higher, the team shape doesn't get upset as it's not wholesale change and the consistency of performance and results should follow.

The aim here should be to continue domestic dominance but importantly make an impact on the European stage, targeting the latter stages of the Europa League initially, which requires skills and experience we just don't have at this moment in time e. g. game management.

☘️ 🍀 ☘️.

22 Apr 2024 05:51:18
I think Callum has the talent but is not suited to the role when it comes to CL. I do think CCV is good enough but our system can leave him exposed and he needs a partner who compliments him and covers up his deficiencies.

22 Apr 2024 14:21:43
I think we all agree we knew better players in as many positions as possible and to get them in early so they can start pre-season training with the rest of our first team squad.
However it isn’t going to happen, it’s only about 6 weeks until summer transfer season starts . Our top people in our recruitment team are enjoying gardening leave and the only experienced people we have left on our Board are PL and
DD . Recent history has shown that to put it very mildly our supporters wouldn’t be happy with this pair . Like top Managers and Directors of Football (if we went that way ) bigger clubs than Celtic with more financial clout are finalising their entire Recruitment team, and we are starting out, looking at who is left, who isn’t wanted elsewhere and trying to coax him to come to us.

21 Apr 2024 14:44:50
A concern for me yesterday was how passive our defending was especially our full backs Johnstone and Taylor were nowhere near aggressive enough how many crosses did they allow. if your a full back in my book your doing your job if you stop crosses and yesterday was nowhere near good enough.

22 Apr 2024 14:10:25
Mallythetally67 . I agree our defence is very passive, in fact we are very passive all over the field . I think that comes about because our managers are very keen in us finishing game with 11 players . The way Scotland and Rangers2012 top elite referees handed out yellow cards to Celtic players and hardly awarded frees for fouls committed by Sevco players, must have left no doubt in Celtic players minds as Rangers2012 attacks became desperate that any contact by a Celtic player was a straight red or second yellow . Rangers2012 third goal came about because both AJ and Yang were both afraid to get too close .

21 Apr 2024 14:03:59
If we win the league this year it will be the worst Celtic squad I've seen win the title since the Delia days. There's talent in the first 11 but the squad is incredibly weak in my opinion.

Seen a lot of debate over Scales. It's like Turnbull and to a lesser extent Soro during the 10 season. He stood out in the first half of the season because of how bad the rest where. He's an Aberdeen level player. On the same level as Welsh but the difference being Welsh is homegrown hence why he's still here.

Massive changes needed in the Summer. Question is do you back the manager and blame the board or blame Rodgers for not improving these players and showing consistency throughout the season?

21 Apr 2024 16:43:15
Here is our team from 2014/ 15 season.

Gordon

Lustig VVD denayer Tierney

Brown McGregor

Forrest Johansen commons

Griffiths

We had a good team back then and most of them would start this season.

21 Apr 2024 17:14:19
Good team Weejoe,
No players in their 30s in that lineup.
None were past their best.

Half that team were at their peak best and the other half had still to peak.

21 Apr 2024 17:22:43
If u name our best 11 in any season, there wouldn’t be an awful lot between them . This season we seem to have a long list of key players missing at different times. Take out players of calibre of Hatate, CCV, Mc Gregor, Maeda, Scales, our 2 new centre backs . Many of these played when not fully fit for team and many returned before completely ready . As our season isn’t over we cannot fully assess their worth and even more important, whether our team is as good as other yrs, and with 6 games left, surely it is far more important for Celtic to win league and maybe even the double . If we happen to manage to do that maybe this years team may be viewed better than now during season.

21 Apr 2024 13:05:05
Does anyone know if we have got a new head of recruitment yet? Surely IF not we should have season is running down summer window is fast approaching players need to get sourced typical board will they wait until the last week of the window before announcing one? Or is Peter Lawell going to take up his old post?

21 Apr 2024 17:32:26
I agree Tony2bhoy, it was relatively easy to get rid of M Lawwell plus his side kick . However as most of us reckon that even as top of the SPL for years it isn’t easy to get quality players to come to Scotland. It appears we cannot get quality Head of Recruitment. The internet tells us after we press a couple of keys, all about any possible candidate. The time we should have been recruiting our Head of Recruitment was a year ago and we should have been announcing him within a week or 2 of Lawell leaving.

21 Apr 2024 12:55:53
Hampden in the Sun yesterday and
Hampden in the Rain today.

Topped up my tan sitting near the front yesterday.
The peepul sitting in those seats today will get soaked. 😂.

21 Apr 2024 21:03:12
As the old saying goes BuzzBomb, 'the sun shines on the riotious' 😉


☘️ 🍀 ☘️.

21 Apr 2024 11:27:30
Over the last several seasons since Brendan first took over,
Celtic have conceded a last minute equaliser or winner, on average about ONCE a season.

This season Celtic have conceded a last minute equaliser or winner SIX times.

It's not the first time this has been mentioned this season but Celtic need to do better at seeing games out.

21 Apr 2024 10:29:11
Our problem all season is we never kill teams off we get a goal in front and miss a catalogue of chances and the fans are rubbishting themselves.

21 Apr 2024 11:35:44
Celtic have surrendered the lead 16 times this season in all competitions.

On the plus side,
Celtic are usually good at scoring that 1st goal.

21 Apr 2024 17:46:56
Mallythetally67 We don’t score enough when we are on top. Are we too fond of trying to walk ball into net . We need to get Hatate M O’R and others to shoot from 20-25 yds, that may open defence so Kyogo and others have room to manoeuvre openings.