Celtic European Campaign 2014-15

[H_B]

Celtic are the gift that just keeps giving

The only downside to this is that they slither their way into the Europa League undeservedly.

Can understand the frustrations of the fans. Liewell and co have taken them for an absolute ride. It's fantastic to watch.

[H_B]

Remember it was suggested that Izaguirre and Kayal were on their way to Manchester United? It's only in retrospect sometimes that you realize how fucking inept the Scottish football media are.

Wasn't that Ambrose abomination of a player also touted for a big move?

Struggling to decide who is worse between him and that Mohni character Rangers have.

[TheScarf]

Both Celtic and Rangers fans have been fooled by false promises and big words by their respective boards in the last 5 years. And they're were all too fucking thick to listen to everyone else telling them so.

[The OP]

Wasn't that Ambrose abomination of a player also touted for a big move?

Doubt it, unless it is based upon his Nigeria performances (although he tends to be pretty calamitous for them too).

Although good with the ball at his feet, he has been a liability from the get-go and I think everyone has always recognised this. The problem is that Denayer, despite his Man of the Match against Dundee Utd, looked like a potential liability in that game. Supposed pub teams like Maribor would punish the mistakes he made in the early stages of the game.

[The OP]

Both Celtic and Rangers fans have been fooled by false promises and big words by their respective boards in the last 5 years. And they're were all too fucking thick to listen to everyone else telling them so.

lolwut?

Everyone knows Celtic have been downsizing and buying players to sell them on. It doesn't help that when you do spend money you get Boerrigter.

Your suggestion that Celtic supporters have never whinged about the board or the way the club is heading is ridiculous.

[gannonball]

Both Celtic and Rangers fans have been fooled by false promises and big words by their respective boards in the last 5 years. And they're were all too fucking thick to listen to everyone else telling them so.

Eh?! We've been moaning about downsizing since Seville, that was over 10 years ago.

Every man and his dog knows Lawell is as slimy as they come. Whilst we have been slashing our paying budget over the past decade his wage has gone higher than most of the squad you would imagine.

Having said all this he's a business man and to that extent he has turned us in to a profitable organisation, hence his handsome rewards. We are now in a position where we cant make that jump of year in year out champions league matches when we cant even match the wages of some English championship teams. The gap is too big now for us to make a go of it.

We are really at a cross roads now where we cant attract the managers or players of any real calibre which is why were looking to turn to youth now instead and hope to grow from there.

[TheScarf]

Yet the majority of you lot still think you should be making the last 16 of the CL. Wind up.

[H_B]

We are now in a position where we cant make that jump of year in year out champions league matches when we cant even match the wages of some English championship teams. The gap is too big now for us to make a go of it.

This is absolute bollocks. Celtic still have a wage bill greater than many Premiership sides.

And one which absolutely dwarfs minnows like Maribor. You are just dreadful, with a manager who looks out of his depth and a squad of utter mediocrity you are vastly overpaying for.

Legia ripped Celtic a new arsehole with a much cheaper squad and playing budget. Maribor have just sworded them with a vastly inferior wage bill and spend.

[H_B]

The facts are Celtic have been astonishingly lucky the last 2 seasons. And the Champions Route means Celtic should be qualifying every year for the CL. Only Red Bull Salzburg of their potential opponents are financially stronger.

Shaktar Karagandy were awful, and Lennon made a meal of beating them. Then Celtic were brutalised in the actual group games.

This time out Legia destroyed Celtic and after the incredible fortune of winning in the stewards room, drew a club from a much smaller country, who Celtic should be beating every time.

Result? Embarrassing failure. A disaster for Scotland that our champions are so pisspoor.

[Ross.]

This is absolute bollocks. Celtic still have a wage bill greater than many Premiership sides.

And one which absolutely dwarfs minnows like Maribor. You are just dreadful, with a manager who looks out of his depth and a squad of utter mediocrity you are vastly overpaying for.

Legia ripped Celtic a new arsehole with a much cheaper squad and playing budget. Maribor have just sworded them with a vastly inferior wage bill and spend.

Just out of interest, are you able to provide an accurate figure for the wage bill at Celtic and the top 20 clubs in England?

I've said it a few times on here, but Celtic seem to get terrible value for money for what they pay.

[The OP]

Just out of interest, are you able to provide an accurate figure for the wage bill at Celtic and the top 20 clubs in England?

I've said it a few times on here, but Celtic seem to get terrible value for money for what they pay.

You need to pay over the odds to get players to play in Scotland. We are limited in the type of player we could attract to our pishy league, even if we had limitless money to spend, but our top earners would be the likes of Brown on about £25k per week. Our squad may be too large, but there's no doubt most Premiership teams could beat that salary.

Our scouting system has turned up a few gems but it can't be expected to replace quality players year in year out and there simply isn't enough quality coming through the youth set up. This isn't unique to Celtic however, most British clubs aren't producing quality youngsters.

[~~~]

Yet the majority of you lot still think you should be making the last 16 of the CL. Wind up.

Well that's just nonsense

[H_B]

Just out of interest, are you able to provide an accurate figure for the wage bill at Celtic and the top 20 clubs in England?

I've said it a few times on here, but Celtic seem to get terrible value for money for what they pay.

Swissramble is a great site for this. For the bigger European sides.

For the smaller clubs, like Celtic and Burnley, you have to go digging for their own accounts, and any public pronouncements.

This is the Celtic wage fill for 30/6/13. Shows their wage bill is about 40 million pounds.

http://www.google.co.uk/url?url=http://www.celtictrust.net/index.php%3Ffunc%3Dd_home_documents_view%26id%3D48&rct=j&frm=1&q=&esrc=s&sa=U&ei=t7z9U7DUHpHnaqP3gjA&ved=0CBQQFjAA&usg=AFQjCNGMO19yjAhnXvfESPxpqIys4sOY3Q

Hull City - "Allam said the City wage bill is now up to around £36m a year," (Nov 2013)

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/nov/12/hull-city-losses-premier-league-promotion

[H_B]

You need to pay over the odds to get players to play in Scotland.

Whereas of course, players are scrapping with each other over who gets to play in the Slovenian league.

[The OP]

H_B has moved the goalposts from the Premiership to Slovenia as it suits his trolling.

Also, after a quick search of newspaper articles, Celtic's reported wage bill is £32.66m, whereas the lowest Premier League clubs are £44m.

[H_B]

H_B has moved the goalposts from the Premiership to Slovenia as it suits his trolling.

Also, after a quick search of newspaper articles, Celtic's reported wage bill is £32.66m, whereas the lowest Premier League clubs are £44m.

Yes, of course newspaper articles are more reliable than... Celtic's accounts

I understand yuo wish to take the focus away from being utterly humiliated by slovenian minnows, but last time I checked no one from the Premiership plays in the Champions Route qualifiers Celtic do.

Unfortunately for you, any semi-competent mid level European side is more than good enough to sword Celtic, even when they do spend a small fraction of what Celtic do.

Unlucks.

[Ross.]

H_B has moved the goalposts from the Premiership to Slovenia as it suits his trolling.

Also, after a quick search of newspaper articles, Celtic's reported wage bill is £32.66m, whereas the lowest Premier League clubs are £44m.

Does that £44m include the sides promoted this year or was it based on last season? Can't see Burnley having a wage bill that high. Would have thought Celtic would come in around 15/16th place.

[The OP]

Does that £44m include the sides promoted this year or was it based on last season? Can't see Burnley having a wage bill that high. Would have thought Celtic would come in around 15/16th place.

It's a 2012-13 article. The majority of Premier League sides and numerous Championship sides could outspend us, notwithstanding their more appealing league.

H_B is focusing on this season of course, because it suits his purposes. I'm not saying we should be losing to Legia or Maribor, however in the last two seasons we have competed amongst our peers in Europe so I'm unsure what point he is making. It's a transitional period at the moment and changes are clearly needed, however I don't see him servicing any larger point other than consistently being a bit of a c**t.

[The OP]

I see now that H_B's figures from the accounts are total labour costs, having given the document a quick scan. I'd imagine the discrepancy comes in because newspaper articles tend to focus on the playing staff rather than everyone selling burgers and what have you.

[Winston Churchill]

Ra Sellick