Celtic Vs Malmo, Who Will Qualify ?

[Angus_Young]

I've been saying for a very long time that he's an absolute liability. Even last night he almost cost a goal by running up the pitch with the ball, losing it and being caught out of position. It was only a superb save by Gordon that spared his blushes. And that's before we even get in to all the times he was outmuscled/fought by the Malmo forwards.

I honestly wonder what games folk when they rave about him. Reminds me of Boumsong and Bogherra, who were clearly liabilities defensively, yet the Glasgow press raved about them. Baffling.

Aye not a bad comparison in fairness. Boumsong got found out very quickly down south. I enjoyed watching the guy play up here in fairness and he cruised it in a LOT of games, but when he came up against guys who had similar pace/fitness levels as himself, he was fecked.

[dandydunn]

Kari Arnasson's interview is fantastic

#onceadonalwaysadon

[ShedTA]

£33 million sure about that?

He's an Arab, he probably believes everything big Pete Lawell says ;-)

Total staff wages for last year was £33m m8. That will include all staff in your group though, not just players, so those numbers are only comparable if the £7m for Malmö includes all of their staff as well. I'm sure I read somewhere that your manager alone is on over £1m per year?

Back to the game, think Malmö deserved it. Very poor goals to lose last night and definitely unlucky at the other end with your 'goal'. 66% of the ball and only two shots on target really isn't good enough at that level.

Noticed this morning that VVD will no be listening to offers. No real surprise there. What's your thoughts on him in Europe? Don't get me wrong I rate the guy whenever I see him domestically but Euro games he doesn't look as good as some of your fans (and assistant manager) would have folk believe. Found out in the EPL you reckon or is he good enough?

Thats ok Slasher/ Usain, I dont need an apology - really...

Thanks AY for the clarification.

[sbcmfc]

To be fair to Ronnie he's used to fist pumping and roaring after beating sides with 1/20th his budget, so coming up against a team with 1/5 his budget is a tough job!

[Langtonian]

lets be honest celtic only have themselves to blame,tie should have been done and dusted in the first leg.

they would however have been an embarrassment in the group stages

Edited August 26, 2015 by Langtonian

[shaggycoo]

Just read there are 5 Spanish teams into the group stages of the CL this season. IMHO this is what is ruining this competition. It would be far better to spread the wealth and reduce the number of teams from bigger countries i.e Spain, England, etc, and have more teams from different countries involved.

Sorry, strayed off topic slightly there as Celtic were honking last night and the better team won

[Angus_Young]

Thats ok Slasher/ Usain, I dont need an apology - really...

Thanks AY for the clarification.

It's available in their annual report, which anyone can view. Also worth pointing out that although that amount, is clearly a lot of dough, they are operating within their means.

[Fairbairn]

It's available in their annual report, which anyone can view. Also worth pointing out that although that amount, is clearly a lot of dough, they are operating within their means.

It makes a mockery of Sutton and McInally bleating about the reason Celtic not qualifying being down to money though (although I realise they are not speaking on behalf of Celtic). If Malmo can qualify on a significantly smaller wage bill and as far as I can see a transfer spend 10% that of Celtic's then surely Celtic should be able to qualify. It's either down to poor signings, poor management/coaching or poor performances, it's nothing to do with budgets.

[Angus_Young]

Just read there are 5 Spanish teams into the group stages of the CL this season. IMHO this is what is ruining this competition. It would be far better to spread the wealth and reduce the number of teams from bigger countries i.e Spain, England, etc, and have more teams from different countries involved.

Sorry, strayed off topic slightly there as Celtic were honking last night and the better team won

Totally agree, in fact it's a discussion I have annually now. Unless two bigger sides are drawn in the group stages together eg Man City - Bayern last couple of seasons I would highly doubt I'll watch any of it. It's quarter final stage before I take much interest these days.

[Angus_Young]

It makes a mockery of Sutton and McInally bleating about the reason Celtic not qualifying being down to money though (although I realise they are not speaking on behalf of Celtic). If Malmo can qualify on a significantly smaller wage bill and as far as I can see a transfer spend 10% that of Celtic's then surely Celtic should be able to qualify. It's either down to poor signings, poor management/coaching or poor performances, it's nothing to do with budgets.

The money argument always sounds like a bit of an excuse to me anyway, especially when it comes to individual games, and I don;t limit that to Celtic. It seems to be the first thing clubs and fans want to hide behind these days instead of just looking at themselves. Yes I get the fact that over the course of a season or competition, those with the biggest budgets will have the best chance of doing well/winning for obvious reasons.

Celtic qualifying for the CL would most definitely have been an achievement given what they spend in comparison to a LOT of sides in the competition. That isn't the reason they haven't made it though. They are out because they were garbage on the night. Simple as that. In fairness my Celtic supporting mates have all been pretty honest about that as well.

[Parklife]

It makes a mockery of Sutton and McInally bleating about the reason Celtic not qualifying being down to money though (although I realise they are not speaking on behalf of Celtic). If Malmo can qualify on a significantly smaller wage bill and as far as I can see a transfer spend 10% that of Celtic's then surely Celtic should be able to qualify. It's either down to poor signings, poor management/coaching or poor performances, it's nothing to do with budgets.

Correct. Celtic would have a better chance if they didn't spend rakes of cash on average players:

Scepovic - £2.2 million + wages (£10k/wk? = £500k/season)

Boerigter - £1.75million + Wages (500k/season?)

Ambrose - Fee? + Wages (500k/season?)

Pukki - £3m million + Wages

Amido Balde - £1.8 million + wages

And that's just off the top of my head. I'm sure there's more dross that i've forgotten about.

Easier to blame other Scottish clubs for getting pumped though, rather than address their own failings in the transfer market and on the training pitch.

[RenfrewBlue]

Malmo had 34% of possession but had more shots, more shots on target and more corners.

Kind of says it all really. Celtic were just totally lightweight middle to front.

[Larky Masher]

Correct. Celtic would have a better chance if they didn't spend rakes of cash on average players:

Scepovic - £2.2 million + wages (£10k/wk? = £500k/season)

Boerigter - £1.75million + Wages (500k/season?)

Ambrose - Fee? + Wages (500k/season?)

Pukki - £3m million + Wages

Amido Balde - £1.8 million + wages

And that's just off the top of my head. I'm sure there's more dross that i've forgotten about.

Easier to blame other Scottish clubs for getting pumped though, rather than address their own failings in the transfer market and on the training pitch.

I think what you describe is now Celtic's business model, they're going for volume and hope they'll occasionally strike gold (e.g. Wanyama or Forster) and make an overall profit on the transfer activity.

[Dalgety Bay TA]

Malmo had 34% of possession but had more shots, more shots on target and more corners.

Kind of says it all really. Celtic were just totally lightweight middle to front.

I would agree with that. Normally one of the areas where we do quite well, middle of the park, but they pressed Brown and Bitton a lot last night, never let them settle, Bitton got caught on the ball a few times. Johansen was mainly MIA too and the only one who seemed decent was Armstrong, playing out of position, which makes his substitution all the more surprising.

[North East Loon]

I would have watched group stages had Celtic qualified but they let Scottish fitba down yet again, they were rank.

John Collins walloper ??

[Parklife]

I think what you describe is now Celtic's business model, they're going for volume and hope they'll occasionally strike gold (e.g. Wanyama or Forster) and make an overall profit on the transfer activity.

Yeah, though their scouts do seem to have all the accuracy of a Victor wanyama cross field pass.

[Barney Rubble]

Correct. Celtic would have a better chance if they didn't spend rakes of cash on average players:

Scepovic - £2.2 million + wages (£10k/wk? = £500k/season)

Boerigter - £1.75million + Wages (500k/season?)

Ambrose - Fee? + Wages (500k/season?)

Pukki - £3m million + Wages

Amido Balde - £1.8 million + wages

And that's just off the top of my head. I'm sure there's more dross that i've forgotten about.

Easier to blame other Scottish clubs for getting pumped though, rather than address their own failings in the transfer market and on the training pitch.

Bangoura springs to mind.

I'd exempt Ambrose from that list - at least he's played more then 6 games for them, unlike the others. He's always got comedy value.

Scepovic is a strange one though. He's a player but for some reason (personal?) he just doesn't fit.

[Dalgety Bay TA]

I think what you describe is now Celtic's business model, they're going for volume and hope they'll occasionally strike gold (e.g. Wanyama or Forster) and make an overall profit on the transfer activity.

Without a doubt. The problem with that model is that unless you have the best scouting set up in the world, you are always going to end up with some turkeys. You could add in Ki and Hooper to the "done well out of" category as well as probably VVD this coming week but also Bangoura to the turkey list (Cheers Henrik!). That and loan signings and signing players on Bosmans (Ledley, Matthews, Wilson) and then ensuring you get some sort of fee for them when they move on.

Everyone who is signed for a fee now is done so with the belief that they can be moved on in 2-3 seasons for a higher fee.

[Flora MaDonald]

It's feckin heartbreaking. I've got a relation who is captain of their U-15's (centre-half). I know I'm biased, but the Donegal Herald (where else ) made him 'player to watch' in a recent tournament over there. He knows (we all know) he has phüq all chance of playing for them. And you see shïte like that.

[RenfrewBlue]

I would agree with that. Normally one of the areas where we do quite well, middle of the park, but they pressed Brown and Bitton a lot last night, never let them settle, Bitton got caught on the ball a few times. Johansen was mainly MIA too and the only one who seemed decent was Armstrong, playing out of position, which makes his substitution all the more surprising.

All of the substitutions seemed to weaken Celtic. Kind of calls into question the managers tactics and ability to change them during the game.

Ronny is not covering himself in glory.

What does a successful season look like now for Celtic?

[ShedTA]

It's available in their annual report, which anyone can view. Also worth pointing out that although that amount, is clearly a lot of dough, they are operating within their means.

oh absolutley - no issue with that AY. But i made a point and was accused of bull sh*tting. Now i post a lot of sh*te on here and dont mind being called out for it when i do, but when i am correct (not often) its a tad annoying.

[ShedTA]

I would agree with that. Normally one of the areas where we do quite well, middle of the park, but they pressed Brown and Bitton a lot last night, never let them settle, Bitton got caught on the ball a few times. Johansen was mainly MIA too and the only one who seemed decent was Armstrong, playing out of position, which makes his substitution all the more surprising.

aye, you want Armstrong in the middle for a game like that. When he is on his game he has the speed and accuracy to open things up. having said that he did have games at Utd where he disappeared, when you would have thought he would shine, though he seems to be on form just now.

[Larky Masher]

Without a doubt. The problem with that model is that unless you have the best scouting set up in the world, you are always going to end up with some turkeys. You could add in Ki and Hooper to the "done well out of" category as well as probably VVD this coming week but also Bangoura to the turkey list (Cheers Henrik!). That and loan signings and signing players on Bosmans (Ledley, Matthews, Wilson) and then ensuring you get some sort of fee for them when they move on.

Everyone who is signed for a fee now is done so with the belief that they can be moved on in 2-3 seasons for a higher fee.

But once you factor in agents fees, contracts that have to be paid up for free transfers, wages of the diddies that simply linger in reserves the margin (if there is any) must be wafer thin.

[slasher]

Thats ok Slasher/ Usain, I dont need an apology - really...

Thanks AY for the clarification.

There are some big earners on the board and Lawell is on circa £1m a year. But the general point you are making is spot on. We are getting too little return for the money being shelled out. So apologies ;-)

[slasher]

Noticed this morning that VVD will no be listening to offers. No real surprise there. What's your thoughts on him in Europe? Don't get me wrong I rate the guy whenever I see him domestically but Euro games he doesn't look as good as some of your fans (and assistant manager) would have folk believe. Found out in the EPL you reckon or is he good enough?

The Boumsong comparison is a fair one. If someone is willing to pay out £10m or close we should take it. As to whether he'd make it down south? He'd have to improve although he's young enough to do that. Overrated is my opinion on him.