For our pre-season this year, the team are off to Australia, my first thought is why? I’ve heard arguments for and against having a pre-season tour in some far off land.
For me, the negative points outweigh the positive points. In fact, apart from the club making more money, I can’t think of any positive points.
Using our up coming tour of Australia as an example, is there really any point in us going all the way over to Australia? Surely, we could play against some other team of similar ability?
There are enough lower league teams in Scotland that we could play against or we could go and play teams in England, Wales or Ireland so why do we choose to send the players on about a 20 odd hour journey to Australia?
Europe is a big enough continent & I am sure there are several teams who would like to have Celtic play against them in a pre season match or even in some sort of ‘glamour’ friendly.
From a fans point of view, how many of us can actually afford to travel to Australia to see any new signings in action? I certainly can’t and I am sure the majority can’t either.
However, if we were playing in Europe or the UK, we would be able to travel and see some of our new players and how the team is shaping up for the new season.
Are the club just putting money over fans? I think they are and it seems to be the case that this is happening more and more often?
Is the only benefit of going to Australia cash? If it is, then surely, the people who look after marketing at Celtic should be told to come up with alternative ways to market our club in Australia.
I am aware that without cash, the club can’t function but maybe it’s time for folk within the club who will be earning a lot of money to come up with other ideas.
‘Soccer’ as it’s known in Australia, really isn’t a big thing. They are bigger fans of ‘Aussie rules’ and cricket than what they are football fans so who exactly will be coming out to watch Celtic play and who will be paying to watch us on TV?
I remember Gordon Strachan saying, after playing some pre season games in the USA, that it was not of much benefit to the squad so why do we persist with it ?
Is our great club in such a financial mess that we have to travel the world to earn some cash? Not if you listen to the officials from the club who are often telling us about debt being at a manageable level.
An argument in favour of long distance pre season tours is that it will open us up to a larger fan base but is pre season the correct time to do that? Regardless of the answer to that question, how much money can we really make by selling some strips abroad?
And will it make us more money than the overall cost of the trip? Will any of the newly found fans be likely to travel from Australia to Parkhead on a regular basis or to watch us play away from home?
On one of my previous posts, I made the point that I would prefer Celtic players not to play international football because of the amount of travelling that is involved, the same applies for the current squad and long distance pre season tours.
Now forgive me if I am wrong but the point of pre season is to get the players into a mental/physical state to challenge for a league title, a League cup and a Scottish cup along with trying to qualify for European competition.
Although some might disagree, for me, it really is time for the brains behind Celtic to come up with new ideas for our pre season.
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Well Steven,
I am a diehard Celtic fan who lives in Melbourne. I am Irish and have only recently moved here, when I decided I was moving here, along with leaving family and friends behind, I was leaving Celtic behind also.
This was a very difficult thing to do.
I for one am delighted to get seeing the bhoys live and in the flesh rather than at 3am on a crap setanta sports feed.
PS. there are many thousands just like me all over Australia.
Bring it on.
Sean
I agree, the club is right to reach out to fans in Australia, America etc, of course it’s not ideal for our players to be travel that far, but i think it’s necessary, not only to promote the club to potential new supporters but to show supporters like yourself that your continued support is appreciated as much as anyone’s, for fans like yourself to continue to support a team from thousands of miles away is what makes us such a special club.
Hail Hail
Your obviously forgetting the 2 CSCs in Melbourne and Sydney each, plus CSCs in Perth, Brisbane and New Zealand.
Your saying that you can’t afford to come to Australia to watch Celtic, what about all the boys over here you have to put up with Setanta’s sketchy coverage, crazy kick-off times and commentary.
I was in Brisbane in 2009 to watch play Brisbane Roar with about 31,340 there, you’d struggle to get that in a friendly in the financial climate these days.
I imagine, as with the US tours, Celtic see this as an opportunity for the fans and even ex players i.e Willie Wallace to see the current team. I for one cannot wait, will beat sitting in -9c in November whilst we had our slump of three home draws on a trot.
I’m happy with some flag waving in far off parts for pre-season but the planning could be better.
The match in Perth should have been the first or last match, that would save the team a long return journey and also make arrangements easier for Australian supporters.
Some of the schedules in North America in recent times have revolved around travelling, playing one day, flying on to the next venue, check in hotel, play match and move on.
I’d love to see the club going back to Holland or Germany every second year and going to North America and Australia on a four yearly cycle. In terms of preparation I think it’s hard to beat the facilities and familiarity that you get in Germany or Holland.
One game in Ireland would be welcome, the Dublin Super Cup will be the first time since 2002 that Celtic have taken the first team to Ireland.
I’ve spent some considerable time in Australia, we have a massive fan base over there.
I’ve been to supporters clubs in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Sydney that have been packed out with passionate fans for Celtic games.
These fans are generally ex-pats or the sons and daughters of ex-pats who are genuinely supporters of the club and have passed this on to their own children. I’m sure you are aware, we are not just a Scottish club.
We have global reach, especially in Australia. I for one think it’s healthy that we let these supporters experience Celtic now and again, albeit a friendly.
Unfortunately it is all about the money. The club will have all expenses paid plus a fee of 500k-1M for their efforts to play in 3 meaningless games.
They proved that a couple of years back with flying to Japan in between two league fixtures.
At the end of the day, we call ourselves fans of the club but to the club we are just customers who make them money.
What about all the fans here in oz.A crowd of around 50000 is expected at the sydney game.
I’m flying from Brisbane (2 hours)then to Perth the following weekend (5 hours) to see Celtic play. Don’t we as loyal and paying hoops fans deserve to see our beloved Celtic play once in a while as well
Absolutely, Celtic fans are proud of their global support, the club has to show it’s appreciation by making these sacrifices.
I think its a great idea these tours in foreign climes.
Aus and the US have tonnes of Celtic support, and its only fitting that we should repay these fans by touring there countries once in a while…
I feel that it is very wrong to suggest that the negative outway the positives.
Repaying fans of this club wherever they are… Making money for the club, which let’s remember we are a PLC so we need to take advatage of the money on offer from these tours – this can hopefuly be used to find another Izzy or Kayal!
Europe is great don’t get me long, and everybody loves traveling of to great cities like Barca and Lisbon… However I must argue that we should leave European games for the Europa League and Champions League… Friendlies should really let people who otherwise wouldn’t see the club see them in the flesh, and let the club reward long partnerships with specific clubs…
hello Bhoyos….I live in Auckland, NZ and there are heaps of us payin big $$$ to go to Australia to see Celtic. I have also been home 3 times in the last 5 years to see the Hoops, as have many of us ex pats.
So remember that the club have fans all over the world, who have to put up with watching games in the middle of the night ….so thanks to Celtic for coming over…we as fans deserve to see the team as much as anyone else…yakee da….shirls
live and stay in scotland but have to agree with the bhoys and gHirls in australia and new zealand. it is about money, sadly thats what football is ALL about these days. yes we have a large fan base in other climates but if these tours earn us 100 new supporters of the club each year then its a good thing. fans buy merchandise, mainly strips so 100 people buying a £50 strip each year (possibly 2) is a good thing for the plc and club. as a fan, the celtic famaily growing each year in new countries is great the more the merrier bhoys and ghirls!! HAIL HAIL!!!!!
What a negative article,,,as usual,,,dont the bhoys and ghirls from the likes of Australia and the USA deserve to see the hoops in the flesh every now and then,plus we do need the cash that is on offer,whats wrong with that if it helps pay for a new player or keep the likes of Izzy or Kayal then whats the problem,,,,,seems to me this is just another pathetic excuse to have a go at the board,,,get a grip man!
Hail hail
Steven1888,
What a narrow minded article. You seem to forget, or maybe you just don’t know, that we are the Celtic Family. We are ‘more than a club’.
As with all families, sometimes members of that family move away from the place of their birth, and go on to have families of their own who are born in those far off lands. Does that make them any less of a family member, or in our case Celtic supporters.
Please note the use of the word supporters. ‘We are Celtic supporters’, as the song goes, ‘faithful through and through’. Other clubs have fans, who follow when the times are good. As part of the Celtic Family, we support the bhoys through thick and thin.
No matter where we are throughout the world, the thought of being part of that Celtic Family gives us something special to be part of. DOn’t ever lose sight of the difference between us and virtually every other football club in the world.
It’s part of what makes the hoops special. Having just returned from Australia, I can happily report that the Family are all well and good!!
The welcome I received from the Perth Celtic Supporters Club, which incidentally is the biggest supporters club of any team in the entire Southern Hemisphere, was truly outstanding, and something that made me proud to be part of a special family.
So give it up, and keep in mind our ‘relations’ Down Under, and don’t be so narrow minded to think that Celtic is there for you and you alone!!
you’re forgetting steven that one of the things that makes the celtic support special is the worldwide support. australia actually has a strong celtic support within it, considering how far away it is. apparently the last time they played in australia on the tour most of the celtic fans that turned up were living in aussie land at the time. this tour is good for the celts that cant make it to glasgow for a game, and im sure it will be a great occasion for them. HAIL HAIL!
Have to disagree with you Steven. These pre-season trips are money making enterprises but it is more than just the money they receive for making the trip, there are also the benefits of expanding the fan base.
I live in Canada and began following Celtic in 2003 when an ex-pat brought me out to watch some of the games. I enjoyed the games but when I saw Celtic play a friendly in Cleveland that summer I was hooked. I’ve been an avid Celtic fan ever since. Which means as well as watching the games I also subscribe to Channel 67, and buy Celtic merchandise. Even if there are 40 or 50 other people like me every season, that is 40 or 60 more fans of Celtic bringing revenue in to the club.
I also believe that these trips abroad build a team. There is nothing like a good road trip to help a team gel and become one.
This article is missing the point big time. Australian Celtic fans have shown brilliant support for our club over the years, the long travelling time for the players, shirt sales, quality of opponents etc are not as important as the club showing its gratitude to the fans who continue their loyalty to the hoops from the other side of the world.