Celtic Share Discussion Threads

[louie76] 08/6/2009 15:54

What would we do without our peanuts?..

[lbo] 08/6/2009 11:02

Setanta on verge of administration

[louie76] 29/5/2009 07:49

Still no RNS. Perhaps they're close to signing a replacement manager and are going to kill two birds with one stone.

[louie76] 27/5/2009 16:10

Charlie Nicholas LOL
If it was left to idiots like him and Davie Provan we'd probably be in a Leeds Utd situation. If you'd have offered me the situation we are in now when wee Gordon arrived i'd have bitten your hand off.

[borderriever] 27/5/2009 14:57

I just hope they dont sign one of those unproven,unsuccessful managers thats been talked about so far. Mowbry,theyre having a laugh surely, Owen Coyle no Euro experience what so ever,the ex Charlton manager? no euro experience.

Theyve got to get a good euro manager in,back him with cash and isnt it time we moved away from the "its got to be a Celtic man" tosh?

[lbo] 27/5/2009 14:16

Charlie Nicholas told Sky Sports News he believes Gordon Strachan was driven out of the Celtic managerial job by the financial policies of the club's board

"I think Gordon became a glove puppet manager because the people controlling the funds were controlling the issues. It's not a surprise he has flown away today.

"I'm led to believe Dermot Desmond, who is the real financial muscle man has said Gordon Strachan has left Celtic football club far better off financially. Well, you tell the Celtic fans who are grieving after blowing the title that -are they really that interested that the budget is in a good state?

"I think most of them would rather the team was better. This team has hit a brick wall and it will take a lot of financial repair to get it back to a decent level.

"Rangers are probably the poorest Rangers team to win the premier league in quite a number of years.

[thwaiteuk] 26/5/2009 08:16

Why is there no RNS re Strachan leaving?

[louie76] 24/5/2009 15:34

mryesyes
I'm just back from the game and I don't share your sentiments.I'm still hopefull we'll qualify for the Champions League and I think now is the time to bring in some quality now that Rangers have papered over the cracks once again. Roll on next season!

[mryesyes] 24/5/2009 15:17

Don't forget this saves CCP the cost of the win bonuses.
To be honest, the Champions League is too hot for these players
UEFA cup is better as it gives them likely a longer run than Rangers
Hopefully there will not be too much money spent on players because CCP always have to play a premium but the world's top players will not go north of the border when there are far better teams in and out of Europe playing in superior leagues
Playing in the SPL just doesn't add to their CV

[louie76] 24/5/2009 00:14

Could this be one of the most memorable days in the club's history?

[mickinvest] 18/5/2009 14:17

No point spending money when we have in my view, a sub-standard manager.

Mick

[louie76] 15/5/2009 22:24

mryesyes
If we don't qualify for the CL the share price will suffer.

[louie76] 15/5/2009 22:21

LBO
Strachan has my 100% backing!

[mryesyes] 15/5/2009 12:12

Usual problem if we win the league the share price goes down owing to the player win bonuses

[lbo] 13/5/2009 23:44

Celtic Must Make Changes Starting With Strachan or We Will Get Worse

[lbo] 08/5/2009 09:04

Setanta in talks to trim SPL contract costs

[louie76] 09/4/2009 16:23

'mon the Hoops!

[louie76] 21/3/2009 22:08

A win tomorrow puts us five points ahead and would be a huge step towards the Champions League pot of gold.

[louie76] 22/2/2009 08:25

Peter Lawwell: We haven't been penny-pinching, no-one wanted our money
Feb 22 2009 Mark Guidi

PETER LAWWELL last night insisted Celtic were desperate to splash the cash in the transfer window - but nobody wanted their money.

The Hoops only managed to land Cardiff's Willo Flood for £50,000 last month and fans are upset the club failed to bring in more stars to bolster the squad.

Celtic used past winter windows to snap up Roy Keane, Craig Bellamy, Paul Hartley and Barry Robson but punters were starved of a glamour signing this year.

However, chief executive Lawwell has hit back at accusations of penny-pinching by claiming he was ready to spend big.

Figures were agreed to bring in Spartak Moscow utility man Radoslav Kovac - now on loan at West Ham - and West Brom left-back Marek Cech only for the deals to collapse.

A bid to land Hibs hitman Steven Fletcher also faltered because the Easter Road club weren't prepared to put a fee on his head.

And a bold move for Egyptian golden boy Shikabala hit the rocks when the Zamalek midfielder turned his nose up at a trial.

Stability

That left Lawwell frustrated but he insists Gordon Strachan still has enough quality in his squad to seal a fourth consecutive SPL crown.

Lawwell said: "We had targets and moved for them but for a variety of reasons it didn't happen.

"As can be the case in January we found it to be a dead market but we will work hard again to strengthen in the summer.

"Our focus is now firmly on retaining the league title. Gordon is happy with the squad and feels we can win four-in-a-row."

Celtic had debts of over £30million five years ago but the latest figures show that figure has fallen to under £1m.

The wage bill has been cut dramatically and the days of loan stars like Bellamy coming on around £40,000-a-week are over.

However, Lawwell knows he still has to bring in big names to appease fans who care more about trophies than balance sheets.

After announcing pre-tax profits of £8m, he said: "We spent £7m on players in the summer and that's not a significant amount of money compared to clubs in the big European leagues.

"But we spend every penny that comes into the club. That's the way we will continue to operate and the challenge is to be successful on the pitch and have stability off it.

"We've managed to do that for the past few years because we've had great managers in Martin O'Neill and Gordon. It has been a real team effort and we will continue to work hard over the next few years.

"If we could have the same success in the next five years that we've had in the past five there wouldn't be too many complaints."

Strachan has twice led the club into the last 16 of the Champions League since taking over from O'Neill.

And Lawwell believes Celtic can still make an impression in Europe despite facing a financial handicap.

He said: "It isn't getting any easier for us to compete with the main European clubs.

"We have now re-focused on ways of getting players to the club and need to create our own Champions League stars.

"We want to press on in the Champions League."

However, Celtic will only be guaranteed a place at Europe's top table next season if they keep hold of the SPL title.

And losing out to Rangers could have a huge effect on how many season tickets are sold.

At the moment the club has a record 54,700 season-book holders but in the current economic climate supporters might think long and hard about renewing.

Two summers ago Celtic beat Rangers to the £4.4m signature of Hibs star Scott Brown.

That kind of signing will be required again to appease the punters. And possibly the manager.

Lawwell said: "It's a challenge and one we look forward to.

"We know how important it is to win the league in terms of prestige and the rewards that come with it.

"That's why the championship is our main focus."

[louie76] 21/2/2009 16:56

Peter Lawwell: Despite strong financial results, prize Celtic want most is SPL title
Feb 21 2009 By Gary Ralston

CELTIC chief executive Peter Lawwell revealed a glittering set of financial results and then stressed the prize his club wants most is four in a row.

The SPL champs have announced profits of s8.36million on turnover of s46.78m for the six months to December 2008.

Celtic are now carrying debt of less than s1m and Lawwell is adamant they are among the best-equipped clubs in Europe to deal with the economic downturn.

However, he insists what he wants to see most at Parkhead is the SPL trophy, not plaudits for financial and business acumen.

Lawwell expressed regret at being unable to add significant quality to the playing squad in the January transfer window, but maintains the market was stagnant.

However, he reckons Gordon Strachan still has the talent at his disposal to see off Rangers and book a Champions League slot again next season.

Lawwell said: "They're good numbers and we're delighted with them because they give us a stability and a strong foundation as we enter deeper into this recession.

"We're in as good a shape as any football club going into it.

We're prepared and agile enough to cope with what's thrown at us and see it through.

"However, we don't want to show the balance sheet as a trophy. The trophy we want to see most is the title and the opportunity to play at the highest level in Europe again next season.

"The only reason we're here is to win football matches and our job is to help that happen within our financial means.

We've got to strike the right balance but I don't hide from the fact we're all as frustrated as the supporters we couldn't deliver on more good players during the January window.

"We did all we could to bring fresh faces in,as we have in the previous three years, but were unable to do so because of a lack of availability.

"The resources were there and we were intent on doing business but if you look at other big clubs in England and Europe hardly any was done. It was a dormant market.

"Nevertheless, we still have a very good squad and will hopefully go on and win our fourth title under Gordon."

Celtic's turnover was up by 10 per cent. Profits were down slightly from last year's figure of s10.07m due to reduced activity in player sales. Celtic spent more this season on new players than last,s7m against s1m.

Merchandise sales were up 6.4 per cent to s10.89m.

Season-ticket sales are at an all-time high but Lawwell says the club will look at their pricing structure closely ahead of next season.

He added: "We froze the price of season-tickets last year and introduced very low costs for kids, which has been a fabulous success. We understand the hardship people are facing and will be considerate of that."

Lawwell insists the club's business model is not dependent on qualifying for the Champions League, important as that is.

He added: "We aim to get there every year but don't budget for it."

Lawwell spoke of the responsibility to sustain Celtic for the future.

He said: "The easy thing would be to go out and sign players for the sake of it but you often have to make some difficult decisions in the short term to benefit the club in the long term."