Recruitment - An On-Going Shambles

[Gary67]

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand that recruitment, lack of, speed of, planning of, is the biggest immediate issue the club has.
Last December, 8 months ago, we knew Julien would be out until October, we already knew Ajer would be off this summer and Duffy would return to Brighton, leaving us Bitton as the only CH at the club who was likely to be available for CL qualifiers. Welsh came through post Lennon but should be back up at best. 8 months we have known we need 2 new CHs, first team ready, integrated and ready to start our first CL game. We are now out of the CL and no CH has arrived. We delayed the signing of Starfelt by a fortnight, no reason given why, and are not even close to signing another.
Then we have the RB position. We sold our 2 RBs in January for circa £12m and replaced with a loan signing who was awful. Again we've had 7 months to get a new first choice RB into the team and we still don't have one, and won't have one for the EL qualifier against Jablonec.
We've known we have 3 x 3rd choice keepers at the club since last season. Looks like we haven't even looked at signing a new keeper until Desmond decided to play Billy Big Baws and get involved in transfer and we're now linked with an EPL has-been who is probably worse than what we have.
Add the fact we have no left sided attacker, no striker good enough or bothered enough and a very lightweight midfield and we are an absolute shambles going into the first league game on Saturday night.
But we shouldn't be surprised our recruitment is such a clusterfuck, it happens every year. The difference this year is that it was required on a massive scale and required very early in the window. We don't have a Director of Football, the de facto DoF for the last decade has stepped down and will now influence from the sidelines (boardroom), our Head of Football Operations left in March, our Head of Recruitment shortly afterwards and, unrelated, even our Head of Sports Science has had enough and left as well.
We need players in today or we will be out of the league title race by the end of the transfer window. We are that desperate. We need to sign UK based players who can come in immediately and not someone who comes in from abroad, isolates for 10 days then takes time to settle in new country/league.

 

[Bridie Bhoy]

I think you have summed up my many posts every summer. It is a ridiculous way to run a business. Yes, we were very successful domestically for the last decade but that was mainly due to having such a massive advantage over everyone else as a direct consequence of fantastic managerial decisions and planning made 25 years ago which set up so well for the future.

The problem I have had isn't so much the fact we haven't spent money on players, but instead have wasted so much buying projects that simply weren't suitable or good enough. PL constantly tried to find the next Wanyama, Ki or Van Dijk and make massive profits on cheap purchases. That is fine if it is successful but there must only have been a 10-15% success rate usung this tactic.

Lawwell was like a gambler in a casino who remembered that time he bet on number 9 and it came in for a big win but forgot the huge number of times he lost so much money when that bet never worked. Sometimes you have to go for the shorter odds and make a little less but a lot more often.

Hopefully that is the past now and we will move onto a more structured approach to recruitment. Proper foresight and succession planning where you develop players, sell for a profit but preferably already try to have his replacement in our squad to step in seamlessly to continue our success. This takes proper planning, scouting, coaching and managing to be successful. Also as fans we have to realise that many of our players will be looking to move on in 2-4 years so we should not get annoyed with them or our management for "selling our best players" as that is how we have to compete - but that is easier for us to accept if they are replaced quickly and we have an established track record of doing this well (which we currently do NOT have).

I blame DD, PL, Brankier & the rest of the invisible board and Lenny for poor coaching, fitness training and refusal to develop youngsters. But Lawwell and Lennon have gone now so we hope that the new guys can take us forward and upward in a proper structured manner.

 

[Frank Owen]

I think you have summed up my many posts every summer. It is a ridiculous way to run a business. Yes, we were very successful domestically for the last decade but that was mainly due to having such a massive advantage over everyone else as a direct consequence of fantastic managerial decisions and planning made 25 years ago which set up so well for the future.

The problem I have had isn't so much the fact we haven't spent money on players, but instead have wasted so much buying projects that simply weren't suitable or good enough. PL constantly tried to find the next Wanyama, Ki or Van Dijk and make massive profits on cheap purchases. That is fine if it is successful but there must only have been a 10-15% success rate usung this tactic.

Lawwell was like a gambler in a casino who remembered that time he bet on number 9 and it came in for a big win but forgot the huge number of times he lost so much money when that bet never worked. Sometimes you have to go for the shorter odds and make a little less but a lot more often.

Hopefully that is the past now and we will move onto a more structured approach to recruitment. Proper foresight and succession planning where you develop players, sell for a profit but preferably already try to have his replacement in our squad to step in seamlessly to continue our success. This takes proper planning, scouting, coaching and managing to be successful. Also as fans we have to realise that many of our players will be looking to move on in 2-4 years so we should not get annoyed with them or our management for "selling our best players" as that is how we have to compete - but that is easier for us to accept if they are replaced quickly and we have an established track record of doing this well (which we currently do NOT have).

I blame DD, PL, Brankier & the rest of the invisible board and Lenny for poor coaching, fitness training and refusal to develop youngsters. But Lawwell and Lennon have gone now so we hope that the new guys can take us forward and upward in a proper

Terrific post BB. Very well put.

 

[dungloe67]

Gary 67 and Brodie Bhoy.
I think the both of you have said what we have been trying to say in the past few years.
It’s a pity none of the board read this.
But you are both spot on.

 

[dungloe67]

Gary 67 and Brodie Bhoy.
I think the both of you have said what we have been trying to say in the past few years.
It’s a pity none of the board read this.
But you are both spot on.

Sorry Bridie Bhoy not Brodie predictive text

 

[Bridie Bhoy]

Sorry Bridie Bhoy not Brodie predictive text

I have been called much much worse on here and deservedly so - so don't worry about that. And I was at Brodie Castle on Saturday so I suppose I was Brodie Bhoy at the weekend!

 

[John nó]

Recruitment is by far our biggest issue within the club at present, yet we need to remember it's also a 2 way street.
We still need as many players out as we do with getting them in, to try and form a settled squad for the coming season.
We are no longer an easy sell within the European Market with the league we are stuck in and all that goes with it.
We have also fallen from grace with the lack of decent coaching that has been evident for all to witness.
We also have a new manager in place that is a total unknown within the European game, and yet to show if he is of any value.
All huge stumbling blocks for potential player recruitment.
Even harder now with the enticement of CL football gone yet again.
Looking at the ages of players we are after then it's a huge decision to be making as a career move. 2 in already with there age, you would expect to be here for the long term.
Still 4 who you would say need to prove themselves to move on to bigger things in time to come.
The real decision has to be made, in regards are we prepared to operate on less of a sell on value and be able to sustain the wage structure with a lower income on player sells.
I believe it is still very much achievable, yet finding them players with that business model in place brings in a much higher risk value.
Seeing what has happened last season with the value of players plummet and careers totally stalling and we're still stuck with many of them then what should we do?
I personally would be in favour of buying out all of them contracts if they offer no use to us going forward and letting them off on free transfers, established players along with the youngsters.
Stands to cost us a good few millions in wages but how many of us would be in favour?
So as things stand, still far to unhappy players within the club who couldn't give a fuck about us as a club, yet we want more to come into a potential toxic working environment and create a whole new pleasent playing environment with success.
A very big ask still and one that seems to be harder to resolve than I imagined still.
Got another 5 weeks of this nonsense to go yet so can see a very testing time ahead that will call upon patience on our behalf until things hopefully settle down a bit.
How will it all pan out?
Your guess is as good as mine, haven't a clue still.

 

[Shadow2]

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand that recruitment, lack of, speed of, planning of, is the biggest immediate issue the club has.
Last December, 8 months ago, we knew Julien would be out until October, we already knew Ajer would be off this summer and Duffy would return to Brighton, leaving us Bitton as the only CH at the club who was likely to be available for CL qualifiers. Welsh came through post Lennon but should be back up at best. 8 months we have known we need 2 new CHs, first team ready, integrated and ready to start our first CL game. We are now out of the CL and no CH has arrived. We delayed the signing of Starfelt by a fortnight, no reason given why, and are not even close to signing another.
Then we have the RB position. We sold our 2 RBs in January for circa £12m and replaced with a loan signing who was awful. Again we've had 7 months to get a new first choice RB into the team and we still don't have one, and won't have one for the EL qualifier against Jablonec.
We've known we have 3 x 3rd choice keepers at the club since last season. Looks like we haven't even looked at signing a new keeper until Desmond decided to play Billy Big Baws and get involved in transfer and we're now linked with an EPL has-been who is probably worse than what we have.
Add the fact we have no left sided attacker, no striker good enough or bothered enough and a very lightweight midfield and we are an absolute shambles going into the first league game on Saturday night.
But we shouldn't be surprised our recruitment is such a clusterfuck, it happens every year. The difference this year is that it was required on a massive scale and required very early in the window. We don't have a Director of Football, the de facto DoF for the last decade has stepped down and will now influence from the sidelines (boardroom), our Head of Football Operations left in March, our Head of Recruitment shortly afterwards and, unrelated, even our Head of Sports Science has had enough and left as well.
We need players in today or we will be out of the league title race by the end of the transfer window. We are that desperate. We need to sign UK based players who can come in immediately and not someone who comes in from abroad, isolates for 10 days then takes time to settle in new country/league.

I think you have summed up my many posts every summer. It is a ridiculous way to run a business. Yes, we were very successful domestically for the last decade but that was mainly due to having such a massive advantage over everyone else as a direct consequence of fantastic managerial decisions and planning made 25 years ago which set up so well for the future.

The problem I have had isn't so much the fact we haven't spent money on players, but instead have wasted so much buying projects that simply weren't suitable or good enough. PL constantly tried to find the next Wanyama, Ki or Van Dijk and make massive profits on cheap purchases. That is fine if it is successful but there must only have been a 10-15% success rate usung this tactic.

Lawwell was like a gambler in a casino who remembered that time he bet on number 9 and it came in for a big win but forgot the huge number of times he lost so much money when that bet never worked. Sometimes you have to go for the shorter odds and make a little less but a lot more often.

Hopefully that is the past now and we will move onto a more structured approach to recruitment. Proper foresight and succession planning where you develop players, sell for a profit but preferably already try to have his replacement in our squad to step in seamlessly to continue our success. This takes proper planning, scouting, coaching and managing to be successful. Also as fans we have to realise that many of our players will be looking to move on in 2-4 years so we should not get annoyed with them or our management for "selling our best players" as that is how we have to compete - but that is easier for us to accept if they are replaced quickly and we have an established track record of doing this well (which we currently do NOT have).

I blame DD, PL, Brankier & the rest of the invisible board and Lenny for poor coaching, fitness training and refusal to develop youngsters. But Lawwell and Lennon have gone now so we hope that the new guys can take us forward and upward in a proper structured manner.

Same as it ever was bhoys!

Jeez I remember complaining about almost all of these very same issues before the Noise even existed and we were all still posting on The Celtic Blog. Yet here we are fuck knows how many years later talking about the exact same problems.

Why are we still in this position? Well either this Celtic board are incapable of learning from their past mistakes, they're incapable of coming up with an alternative vision/strategy/fresh ideas and have no idea how to remedy the situation or they simply don't care and don't see these things as a problem.....whichever one it is it's limiting our club's potential and that for me makes this board unfit for purpose.

No doubt someone will be along in a minute to make the exact same excuses for this board that were being made all those years ago on The Celtic Blog and those excuses rang just as hollow then as they do now!

 

[Vigobhoy]

I am wondering what the hell is keeping the Buta deal from being completed..

 

[Niall J]

I am wondering what the hell is keeping the buta deal from being completed..

Turns out he has a Premier Sports subscription

 

[Smelltheg-love]

I am wondering what the hell is keeping the buta deal from being completed..

i'm not, the same dithering and penny pinching thats always been prevalent

 

[McGarrell]

Iif big ange is saying we are not signing a goalie, this season is fucked before it even starts

 

[Richybhoy]

I'm watching the Japan v New Zealand on Eurosport. The English commentator said that centre half Itakura was rumoured to be on his way to Celtic after the Olmpics as replacement for Ajer.
Anyone heard of this?

 

[Richybhoy]

He was cool as fuck taking his pen in the shootout, rolled it in calm as ye like. He is a Man City player apparently.

 

[Gary67]

I'm watching the Japan v New Zealand on Eurosport. The English commentator said that centre half Itakura was rumoured to be on his way to Celtic after the Olmpics as replacement for Ajer.
Anyone heard of this?

Was reported about a month ago then re-emerged this week. Man City want a big loan fee for him but he only has 1 year left on his contract so a permanent move would be better for us. Looked a very good play at Groningen in the Eredivisie last season

 

[Richybhoy]

Thanks for that Gary.

 

[johnjj004]

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand that recruitment, lack of, speed of, planning of, is the biggest immediate issue the club has.
Last December, 8 months ago, we knew Julien would be out until October, we already knew Ajer would be off this summer and Duffy would return to Brighton, leaving us Bitton as the only CH at the club who was likely to be available for CL qualifiers. Welsh came through post Lennon but should be back up at best. 8 months we have known we need 2 new CHs, first team ready, integrated and ready to start our first CL game. We are now out of the CL and no CH has arrived. We delayed the signing of Starfelt by a fortnight, no reason given why, and are not even close to signing another.
Then we have the RB position. We sold our 2 RBs in January for circa £12m and replaced with a loan signing who was awful. Again we've had 7 months to get a new first choice RB into the team and we still don't have one, and won't have one for the EL qualifier against Jablonec.
We've known we have 3 x 3rd choice keepers at the club since last season. Looks like we haven't even looked at signing a new keeper until Desmond decided to play Billy Big Baws and get involved in transfer and we're now linked with an EPL has-been who is probably worse than what we have.
Add the fact we have no left sided attacker, no striker good enough or bothered enough and a very lightweight midfield and we are an absolute shambles going into the first league game on Saturday night.
But we shouldn't be surprised our recruitment is such a clusterfuck, it happens every year. The difference this year is that it was required on a massive scale and required very early in the window. We don't have a Director of Football, the de facto DoF for the last decade has stepped down and will now influence from the sidelines (boardroom), our Head of Football Operations left in March, our Head of Recruitment shortly afterwards and, unrelated, even our Head of Sports Science has had enough and left as well.
We need players in today or we will be out of the league title race by the end of the transfer window. We are that desperate. We need to sign UK based players who can come in immediately and not someone who comes in from abroad, isolates for 10 days then takes time to settle in new country/league.

Spot on,agree with every word

 

[dmac]

The same stagnant process that has seen other teams come in and take the players we were negotiating with for a couple of grand more