In Response to E-Tims

By: Matt | September 7th, 2009

Most of the Celtic community have seen the opinion piece of the Celtic online fanzine, E-Tims by now. It has shown up on numerous Celtic message boards and other locations on the Tim-ernet by now. If you have not seen it you, click here and read it. Go ahead, I’ll wait………Back? Did you read it? Good. Provocative stuff, right? Basically, the bhoys at E-Tims are saying that the current Celtic board should resign from the lack of transfer activity the last two seasons. Their criticisms were numerous, and in most cases, spot on. However, some of their criticisms seem short-sighted to me. I must also say that their final assessment seems short-sighted and way too much of a knee jerk reaction. Now why would I say this, let’s go through it, shall we?

“The transfer machinations of the Celtic board and management borders on lunacy. I will temper that statement by saying that perhaps, just maybe, Mowbray has seen enough in the reserves to give him confidence…I actually have no issue with the moves as all five players were peripheral figures at the end of last season, but where I do have a problem is in the players coming in behind them. N’Guemo has impressed, as has Fox. Zaluska is a Polish Mark Brown and Fortune has work to do to justify the 3.8m spent on him.”

I do not think you’ll find anyone more frustrated about the lack of moves than me last season. This will be discussed more later, but there were glaring weaknesses in the squad last season that were not addressed in January. However, this summer’s transfer season was a vast improvement on that. E-Tims admits that Landry N’Guemo and Danny Fox have impressed so far, which is half of our activity this off-season, as well as addressing two major problems that Celtic faced last season, a left-back and a midfielder. Out goes Paul Hartley to Championship obscurity and Lee Naylor to a life of the reserves and in come these seemingly good replacements. E-Tims comment about Zaluska is one that puzzles me the most. Well, yeah he is the “Polish Mark Brown.” That is what he was brought into be. He was bought to be better cover for Artur Boruc, either when he is hurt or mind wandering elsewhere. However, that’s not been needed so far this season. Artur’s been the Holy Goalie and not the Hole-y Goalie so far, meaning that one of the best keeper’s in the world is on form. I might be mistaken, but isn’t that what we want? Finally, they criticize Marc Antoine-Fortune, saying he “needs to do more.” Before we get into Fortune’s performance so far, I first return their original criticism of lack of activity in the summer. Celtic tried to address the lack of depth at striker, and they were successful signing a striker over two EPL clubs. Another attempt to rectify the problems Celtic faced last season. E-Tims is not convinced of Fortune’s play so far. To this I say, first of all, we are three games into the SPL season, so it does not seem the appropriate time to judge any striker as a bust or success. On that note, Fortune’s scored two goals in three games! Not a bad strike rate, if you ask me. He also has done well controlling possession in the final third and providing chances for the other strikers. I would include Forutne in their successes so far, with N’Guemo and Fox.

“The best thing to come out of the window is who we didn’t lose (Brown, McGeady, Boruc and McDonald) rather than those we gained. Once again, we have been let down and at best have stood still.”

So, we discussed how I feel this signing period has not been the worst, but E-Tims obviously disagrees. Fair enough. This comment is perplexing though. So, E-Tims believes we did not sign enough talent, basically because the Celtic board is too cheap, but they throw in this sarcastic comment about keeping our best players. None of the above players are earning peanuts, so in effect, the board doesn’t seem to be that cheap. All of those names above are key cogs to the Celtic machine. The fact that none were sold is a good thing, and shows we might not be as miserly as we appear.

“Anyone can see our team is crying out for one thing, QUALITY. Last years squad was mediocre and in urgent need of improvement and the same Board watched as Celtic’s title challenge disappeared quicker than Jim Traynor up Sir David Murray’s backside. Last years squad had Nakamura, Donati and JVOH. All 3 might be cited as let downs at times but all had clear Quality. This year all have gone. In their place we have journeymen and now ‘utility’ players who were released 2 months ago.”

Here, E-Tims is calling for players who have “quality.” Apparently, quality is another word for famous names who are injured most of the years. Naka, God love him, had some great times in the Hoops. However, last year he was hurt often and, let’s phase it, sometimes disappeared when the opposition used physical play against him. Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink was also hurt, lacked pace, and never really scored buckets of goals. Once again, he had some great moments with Celtic, but also disappeared at times. The Massimo Donati situation last year is a messy one, and he has seemed to have played better in his time at Celtic. However, he wanted to leave because he missed Italy, even after Strachan left and Ladnry N’Guemo seems to be a good replacement for Donati. A healthy Shaun Maloney seems like a fair replacement for Naka in the starting XI, hardly a “journeyman”, and has all the pedigree that Naka had that E-Tims seems to covet. Marc Antoine Fortune seems to do everything that Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink can do, with a bit more pace.

What E-Tims criticism here boils down to is the signings made by Celtic are not expensive, well known signings. First I must ask, when has Celtic ever been Man City or Chelsea? Celtic has always used mid level signings to our favor. Celtic’s best team ever in 1967? All grew up within 30 miles of Parkhead, hardly signing some big name, expensive player. The best player in Celtic history since then, Henrik Larsson, was not exactly a huge money signing. He was for Manchester United and Barcelona after his time at Celtic, but those teams were not competing with Celtic for his signature originally. Secondly, E-Tims use of Naka, JVOH, and Donati show that they want big names, despite their performance. Neither of those three players shined last season, but were three of the more recognizable names from Celtic last year. Why bring in big names for just bringing them in for big names sake? Celtic have instead brought in at least two (and I would contend three) talented youngsters this window.

“Questions can also be levied at the Manager. Why spend so much on a non striking striker?”

Like Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink?

“Why have no challenge to Scott McDonald?”

What’s there to challenge about 50 goals in two seasons?

“Why not get the Caldwell situation sorted once and for all? Couldn’t he have been punted and O’Dea kept?”

First of all, who is going to buy Caldwell, in his last year of his deal and give you fair market value for him. An idiot, that’s who. As far as signing Caldwell, he’s clearly asking for more money at the beginning of the season, but has seen a dip in form. Why not wait to see his performance and perhaps get a cheaper price, as Caldwell’s price has become after the beginning of the season.

Why didn’t Tony Mowbray sign the Chinese captain back in June when he became available?

A fair question that I agree with.

“The big question for me though is can Celtic survive another season of dire mediocrity? The worms are turning and their voice is getting louder despite the Boards advocates citing prudence and patience. Jesus we are being told to wait a few years to see the real benefit of Mowbray’s signings. Get a grip! Slowly more and more despondent fans are realising that something is wrong at Celtic Park and I fear we are heading into the dark ‘Sack the Board’ days. If you think that’s over the top, fair enough but ask yourself this. When did supporting Celtic become all about asset management?”

Whoa! “Sack the Board” days? Now, I was into X-Men at those times, but from what I understand, Celtic had a lot more serious problems in those days. You know, financially staying alive. Their last questions there is supposed to be a provocative statement, but I answer there question with one of my own, who among the greats in Celtic history have ever been secured with huge money splashes and dramatic transfer season signings?

“Another window slams shut, another door slams closed on the fans. In our face, actually. Another occasion where we were promised much yet got little in return. Good people I know have looked at what happened during this window and said “Ahh but we brought in a good striker, solved the left back problem, got some decent backup for the keeper, replaced the aging Paul Hartley with genuine quality and now we’ve got ourselves a new attacking midfielder, with an Asian wonderkid on the way in January …… what’s wrong with that?” Well …….. plenty, as it happens.

Where is the 30 goal striker we’re crying out for? Where is the replacement for Nakamura, perhaps the most pressing position of all? And why are we letting our best central defender go out on loan, and retaining the services of Stephen McManus? In fact, why the Hell are we letting ANYONE go from the centre of defence when that’s one of the position some of us wanted to see strengthened instead?”

If you could point out the thirty goal scorers that were available in our, or even Manchester United’s price range, you might have a career in football scouting. The types of strikers are few and far between, and we happen to have one already on the books at Celtic. The Central Defender question is a far one, but attempts to loan out Stephen McManus were rebuffed by McManus.

“Our chief executive certainty talks a good game. He talks about us “doing another Seville” but hasn’t given the manager the funds which he needs to get us there. Peter Lawwell can talk a good game all he likes but he has two responsibilities; the first is to find the money to back the manager. If it isn’t there, that’s his fault. And we KNOW it’s his fault, because his failure to buy quality in January cost us the Champions League cash. His other responsibility is to see the manager is properly funded. In making such a mess of the first, he has blown the second.”

Believe it or not, I agree with most of this. Celtic’s lack of activity last January were one of the reasons that Celtic even had to play in Champions League qualifiers. I’d also say, there was a short ginger reason why we didn’t either, but we’ve covered that on this blog before. However, I think we can get through the group in the Europa League. Honestly, though I am not concerned with the Europa League. We need to win the league this year and worry about Europe next year. My formula for doing so will be addressed later.

“We have ZERO DEBT. Who said that? An uppity Celtic supporter pissed off with the boards policy of spend as little as is possible or Dermot Desmond in conversation with a Dublin-based Radio station earlier this year? Yep, ten bonus points for guessing it was the Cork-born man with the diamond encrusted moustache.

What other football club in Europe has 60,000 supporters at most home games, while paying through the nose for it……….has a multi-million pound deal with Nike……….has issued a new away strip certain to be one of if not thee biggest sellers………..is guaranteed a minimum of £8-10m from European football income this season…………..has an annual turnover of £70m and still spends in relative terms fcuk all on the football team?

And if you know your history…….In 2002/03 Celtic spent £33m on wages and this increased to in excess of £41m the following year. In June 2008 the figure was £39m…..By the way the figures shown covers all employees of the club not only football staff.

However, these figures don’t paint the entire picture….If kept at the 2003 levels (420 employees) and passed on a relatively low pay increase of around 3% per year the salary for 2008 (with the now 500 staff working for the club) would be in excess of £46m.

Who says we haven’t been downsizing since Seville in 2003? If anyone denies this call them exactly what they are……..a lying bastard.

Let’s cut to the chase here, Tony Mowbray should have been allowed a minimum spend of £10m this summer to build his own team as this is debt that is easily manageable for a club of Celtic’s size. Instead 15 players were chased off the wage bill and replaced with 5 with all the savings on wages over the next 12 months pretty much making up Mogga’s budget. Our board really has no shame.

Martin O’Neill once famously commented on the return flight from Donetsk following a three goal drubbing in the autumn of 2004; “We’d better get used to life in the slow lane”…………..sadly Celtic now sitting on the hard shoulder is a step beyond even what the great man once predicted.

Welcome to Celtic FC and the board of Peter Lawwell, Eric Riley and co who beckon to their masters every whim and treat the Celtic support with complete disdain. It’s about time they were dished out some of their own medicine…..so what are you going to do about it?”

All fair commentary about Celitc’s place in the financial world of football today. However, might I offer E-Tims a hypothetical situation? Celtic obviously bottled it last January and subsequent rest of the season last year. This we both agree. We might differ when it comes to our opinions of this off-season, while I am not saying it was perfect and what we needed I am more inclined to give it a B- as compared to last January’s Failing marks, Celtic were dealt a bad hand when it came to qualifying. Yes, it was a hand that should have been avoided completely last year, but we cannot do anything about that now. The cruel ping pong ball draw god’s said we were to play Arsenal. We know what happened there. We now are missing a sizable income from our budget because of this. What would you say if Celtic used a bare bones team to win the league this year and then made the necessary strengthening of various positions after we are back into the Champions League? This is the situation I am hoping for, but obviously have no idea if it will occur. If Celtic were to do this, I would be smitten. To me, Celtic made signings within their means this offseason, especially after being knocked out of the Champions League. However, if we were to win the league this year, which I believe we can easily, I would expect the type of signings that E-Tims are calling for now. If that were to occur and we saw the same type of signings we saw this offseason, well you can save a pitchfork for me. Until then, calls for the board to resign seems premature to me.