Thatâs a fairly imbalanced article to be fair.
Rodgers is not without criticism for some of the defending but the criticisms of European campaigns are very one-sided and forgot to mention the positive results.
I donât think Celtic not beating AEK when expected to do so was ignored at all. Itâs been a huge story for the last week, and in fact before then since the poor first leg result.
The spending is almost completely tied to the increased revenue too. The bonus payments for securing Champions League qualification arenât really a negative but they look that way when Ewan doesnât mention the increased revenue.
And how dare he have a go at Patrick Roberts.
Itâs fairly shameful stuff from the Celtic board.
The way they fucked up the McGinn deal said it all about them, he should have been in for the first round of qualifiers, we should have forked out ÂŁ2.5m, Allan and thrown in Christie on a loan. Deal done, one out of the way in where we needed to strengthen.
The centre back position has been a bit unforeseen so you could forgive that, Boyata is acting a cunt and Simunovic is having a rough patch. Commper was just an utterly baffling transfer.
We should have had a right back lined up from about last January, the fact nothing has been done here says it all.
Celtic should be spending ÂŁ15m on a right back, central midfielder and winger in the next week, if Boyata goes they should be reinvesting that money in a centre half. They wonât though and they will get away with it.
Rodgers must already be regretting wasting another season with Celtic.
Itâs appalling execution alright.
McGinn we were too slow on. Ultimately it was his decision but Celtic could have had it wrapped up quicker.
Based on numerous reports it seems we had also agreed a deal with Piccini to solve our right back situation but then Valencia matched the offer and he went there. Not easy to compete with Valencia. But youâd think weâd have another right back in mind if that one fell through.
I think Simunovic is more than a rough patch. Heâs physically fragile and I think mentally too. He misses far too many games and makes too many sill mistakes. Hendry is taking a lot of criticism this season so far and itâs mostly understandable but I donât think heâs been worse than Simunovic.
Itâs the penny pinching that is the most galling,
Every season we are making profits, we are raking in more money than we are spending year on year.
Surely one season we can push the boat out and try and address the situations we are weak in and they just point blank refuse to show the manager a bit of backing. I do believe we could probably have got Roberts for around ÂŁ10m this summer if we wanted - I donât think the board were even interested in trying.
If a guy like Bruma is available for ÂŁ5m then it should be a no brainer for Celtic but again the board will try and do things on the cheap. Celtic can afford to give Rodgers a ÂŁ20m net budget this year and let him try and really take Celtic on another level.
Celtic will probably end up selling Dembele for about ÂŁ12m in January to balance the books.
I agree that they havenât spent enough. Thatâs absolutely clear and Rodgers clearly shares that opinion.
But I wouldnât think Roberts for ÂŁ10m would necessarily be a good buy and Iâm not sure Roberts wanted it either. He could have come back but he was very clear in saying he didnât want to.
Bruma makes sense if heâs fit and can stay fit. But heâs had injury problems. I donât think we should sign a developmental project but I donât know if Bruma is the answer either if heâs not going to be a mainstay of the defence. At ÂŁ5m he might be worth the risk but who knows what his fitness is like and thereâs lots of talk that Wolfsburg are fed up with his injuries.
Any chance of signing anyone this week, bhoys?
Boyata will probably be sold on Friday.
Anything happening?
Some French clubs coming in for Dembélé apparently.
Dembélé missed training as he and his agent were at Celtic Park holding talks with the club about his future.
I thought he might be sold after 2 years of a 4 year deal in the absence of signing an extension.
But not as part of a wider transfer window when the club loses a few players and barely strengthens at all.
Dembélé and Celtic have agreed a deal with Lyon.
On hold until Celtic can secure a replacement over next 36 hours.
Probably an on loan EPL reserve striker.
is the window still open in Scotland to get in a replacement?
Closes tomorrow at some stage.
How much?
is he not a bit of a busted flush anyway? apart from his first season in Scotland heâs had a shit return as regard goals in a dominant teamâŠ
take as much as you can get for him
A ÂŁ15m-ÂŁ22.5m range mentioned in this morningâs papers.
Celtic usually insist on a sell on clause for âassetsâ like DembĂ©lĂ©, e.g. picked up another chunk of cash when Van Dijk went to Liverpool.
So much for Lawwellâs standard mantra: We come out of every transfer window stronger than we go into it.
Armstrong, Roberts and Dembélé gone. Boyata playing under protest and likely to be either sold tomorrow or will sign a pre contract in January.
Signings include two chaps who were on loan last year. Fair enough, Edouard looks to be a massive talent but Bain is a back up keeper. Add to that a back up left back in Izaguirre who was with us before and looks past his best and on loan prospect in Arzani. The first team squad year on year is appreciably weaker.
Missed out on key target John McGinn and failed yet again to address glaring weakness at right back and centre back just to round things off.
Has anyone been sniffing around Tierney @Bandage looks like someone who could do a job at a higher level the times Iâve seen him, and only a young buck, surprised heâs still there.
He was heavily linked to Everton earlier this summer but nothingâs imminent. He seems like a grounded, home bird type and comes from a Celtic supporting family who still go to games on local supportersâ club bus etc etc. Feeling is heâs happy to stay for another while and signed a 6 year deal last year. That could change though.
he looks really good. Probably end up taking same route as Andy Robertson
Busted flush is harsh. He had recurring hamstring injuries last season and only scored 16 goals. He wasnât as explosive as his first season but still had some games where he looked top class.
That said, he signed a 4-year deal when he joined and I guess the expectation would have been to get 2 seasons out of him and sell him on. The Boyata stand off shows what happens when clubs operating in conditions like Celtic donât sell players when their value is high.
Itâs just a pity that Celtic are fully aware that theyâre operating in this model of buy low/young and sell high along with developing talent from their own youth set up, yet are shit at keeping the conveyor belt going. They shouldnât be selling him and be scrambling around for a replacement on the last day of August. It should be ordered and streamlined.