Celtic Statement

I get that deals can fall through, players can want too much money, other clubs can move the goalposts, agents can advise their clients to hold out until later in the window - all of that.

But what that statement doesn’t address is the clear regression of the squad across the past 2 (arguably 3) windows.

If you sell your best players you need to get quality replacements in, that’s an absolute given. To do that you need a properly functioning scouting and recruitment set-up with multiple targets identified for each position. Not this wait until the last day of the window, get rejected and then scramble around for random loans or free agents in the last hour because it’s way too late and you have zero other options anyhow horseshit.

 

From yer man Alan over at ChatGBT

Fan Response to Celtic FC
Yesterday, the club met with the Celtic Supporters’ Association, the Affiliation of Registered Clubs, and the Association of Irish CSCs. We appreciate the dialogue, but the truth is simple: fans are frustrated, and we need more than carefully worded statements.

Ambition
Every Celtic fan wants the same thing — to dominate in Scotland and to compete properly in Europe. Falling short of the Champions League again is unacceptable. We hear the board talk about ambition, but we don’t see it reflected in transfer activity or results.

Finances
The board repeats that Celtic must be “self-sustaining” and points to UEFA rules. But fans see over £100m in the bank and wonder why the squad isn’t strengthened when it clearly needs it. Reserves don’t win football matches. Investment in quality players does.

Recruitment
We’re told every window that targets are identified, but too often deals are left until the last minute or collapse completely. Other clubs manage to get business done early. Why can’t Celtic? Supporters deserve a clear explanation of why the same mistakes keep happening.

Communication
We understand transfers can’t always be public, but fans are tired of being fobbed off with talk of “inaccurate media” or “misleading rumours.” If deals fall through, be honest. If the club is choosing not to spend, admit it. Silence and spin only create more anger.

Moving Forward
Celtic exists because of its supporters. We don’t want excuses — we want ambition matched by action. That means:

• Proper investment in the first team.
  
  
• Transparency about decisions and finances.
  
  
• A clear plan to compete at Champions League level, not just talk of it.

The time for vague reassurances is over. We will always back the team, but we demand the board backs the fans’ ambition for Celtic.

 

They will have a lot to thank Russell Martin for this season, a competent huns manager and theyd have nothing to hide behind.

 

Celtic - 'Wages and transfer spending are strictly governed by UEFA’s regulations, which effectively cap wages and transfer spending as a proportion of our revenues.'


Uefa = 'The new rule limits spending on player and coach wages, transfers and agent fees to 70% of club revenue.'

So let's take September's 2024 figures

Celtic 2024 Revenue = £124.6m
Labour costs = £65.6m
70% of 2024 club income = £87.22m

That's a £22m budget before any sales straight away.


Now let's imagine the 2025 PLC report coming out in the next week or 2.. after another year of champions league income, season ticket money, player sales, Frimpong money, money for winning the spfl, tv money etc etc..

I'm willing to predict that it'll be comfortably higher than the 2024 £22m budget and again that's before any player sales.


Celtic - 'Therefore, all investment decisions must be, and are, guided by responsible forecasts of future revenues and cash flow, In short, throwing money at transfers and contracts is not a sustainable route to success'


By not investing in transfer's that would have strengthened much needed areas of our squad they've jeopardised £40m worth of income that as a result will lower our ability to spend in 2026 when our yearly revenue decreases... essentially they HAVEN'T TOOK THE SAFE AND SUSTAINABLE OPTION, THEY'VE TAKEN THE DANGEROUS AND RISKY OPTION WHICH HAS NOW MADE OUR CLUB LESS PROFITABLE AND AS A RESULT WEAKER.



If 'throwing money' at transfers is not a sustainable route to success then they need to explain to us how their method is going to get us success with Uefa's regulations and in the coming years a much tougher set of qualification rounds to enter the Champions league..
They say their goal is to produce champions league players? When was the last time we managed to do that? Tierney over 8 years ago?




Also the cash reserves ' The cash reserves reflected in our accounts exist for the continuous improvement of Celtic Football Club and to manage the inherent volatility within football.
These funds are used in a measured fashion for investment in recruitment, infrastructure, and long-term development'


How are these funds being used in a 'measured fashion'? Where are the examples? Because every year the cash reserves are increasing and the only update in infrastructure/long term development is the barrowfield training complex announced 2 years ago at an estimated £20m, since then we've since ammassed £77m with no plans that they've let us know about.

 

The huns will click at some point, they need time to catch up and the custodians of Celtic are giving them that in abundance

 

What a complete joke they are.

Trying to cover up their incompetence with see through limp excuses, it's just astounding behaviour.

If they were any good at their job we wouldn't be in this mess. They've brought in some good players in the past but to leave us in this state is * at the very best.

It needs sorting now.

Idah is away, Maeda will be gone next summer if not January. Jota, well hopefully he'll be good but we just don't know.

Then when Rodgers third year comes to an end and he's away, I can see Engles and Trusty looking elsewhere. If a decent bid comes in for CCV, you know he'll be gone.

With these * sorting it all out? This more than likely to be a few seasons now with little prospect of CL income.

Incompetence.

 

Who releases a statement at 9 o’clock on a Saturday night?

* cowards.

This has backfired on them spectacularly.

 

Total rubbish, no apologies or promises to improve scouting or speed up the buying of players. Basically it says * off supporters and we are not listening to your concerns.
Maybe the next home game should be to an empty stadium.

 

They’ve thought * it and went

 

The “throwing” money about part is a classic.

Talking to the support as if they are clowns, and as though we can’t blatantly see similarly sized clubs leaving us in the stone ages with their approach to recruitment.

 

Saturday night, slabbering pish. Can only mean one thing... Mick Nich has raided the wine cellar.

 

The full thing is just lip service. No accountability for anything. They state they welcome fan engagement yet do not mention how they will go about it considering it is non existent. They hide behind UEFA regulation which realistically has no bearing on us in our current circumstances. They fail to address in any way shape or form specific questions which need to be answered. They just want this to blow over and for us to allow things to continue as they have been.

It is essentially 1000+ words of excuses or misdirections that someone was too embarrassed to put their name to.

 

"a big boy did it and ran away".

A litany of excuses, finger pointing and imaginary obstacles that NO OTHER CLUB on the planet seems to have to negotiate to conclude transfers.

Trying to point to "their" financial model as the direct is cause of our domestic dominance is also a complete load of dogshit. We've dominated because Sevco have been on their * knees, no other reason.
The one season they got their * together we fluffed the league. Where was this magic model then?

As others have said, they genuinely think we are * stupid.

Not one supporter is buying that * rag of a statement. Its quite literally LIES. Nothing more.

LIES.

Theyve dug their heels in. Time chop off their * feet.

 

Condescending claptrap from the clowns running our club.

 

Patronising weasel *

 

Wow, released that load of waffle while I was falling asleep to the Tele on a Saturday night.

It's shown them up for the out-of-touch, arrogant, spineless * that they are. Silence was frustrating, that page of drivel I've just read is infuriating.

So UEFA, the media and other clubs are all to blame for our failure to sign players then? Convenient

 

wonder what the we will always listen to our supporters ,who have the clubs best interests at heart line was all about ,if it was a dig at certain groups or a refusal to communicate with then then the braindead * dont realize the scale of bad feeling towards them .they maybe think they are being clever in an attempt to divide supporters

 

They released a statement and literally expected that not one single fan could interpret it. They were wrong on a massive scale and it will backfire massively. Blaming everyone but themselves for the recruitment failures and making up some bullshit that they think they can get away with.

I'm even angrier than I already was!!!