Celtic’s half-yearly accounts have confirmed the clubs’ stand alone policy.
While the so called leaders of Scottish football were squealing through the summer about Armageddon and social unrest Celtic continued with their easy-to-understand business plan.
Buying young and emerging players while accounting for Europa League football has served the club well and kept them off the radar of the tax authorities with a boardroom full of high finance experience.
On the park the aggregate victory over Helsingborgs opened the door to Champions League riches but there would have been no fire sale if Celtic had tumbled into the Europa League.
Explaining a pre-tax profit of almost £15m over six months Lawwell said: ““Going back to the summer, I said we could work on a stand-alone basis. We have our own business plan and strategy and that is what we go for.
“We’re not complacent as there are constant challenges in Scottish football but we have a good foundation to take the club forward for a number of years. We are in very good shape.
“The group stage stuff is in here, including the market share. That gate and market share (for Juventus) is over and above and that’s a healthy number. It’s worth several millions to us.
“The market pool for Europa League is way short of Champions League and so are attendances, so clearly this is where you want to be.
“But our model is flexible enough to cope with either or. If you put all of your eggs in one basket and it doesn’t come off, you’re in bother.
“We’re on a break even with Europa League, which means Champions League is a bonus. It’s a balance, but you have to be agile enough to cope with any changes.”
Looking on the pitch the Celtic chief added: “Part of the model is we bring in talent, develop them, give them a stage and then sell them on. We’re agile and flexible enough that we can move the model around. If we didn’t get into the Champions League, then you could look at the value we have in the squad.
“We are in the Champions League, so we don’t have to do anything with the squad. We can keep our big players. It gives you that very solid financial foundation that allows you to have choices.“
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It’s vital we continue to search for new talent, make more contacts and enhance our reputation for promoting young players. With out more than healthy lead in the SPL, we can easily allow more experienced players time to recover from knocks / injuries and give highly promising youth players a run of game.
I wouldn’t expect Lennon to keep making 8-9 changes to the side but certainly expect to see more of McGeough, Watt, Herron, Twardzik etc.
Excellent interim results and a real chance to push the club forward at all levels. Youth system is good but it could still be improved.
Thankfully we are now able to approach sponsors etc on an individual basis and long may that continue.
Well said Willie, I know I have a wee bit of a fixation on it, but at “break even” on the Europa stage, it is not rocket science to deduce we should always be aiming for CL to enable us to improve on our improvements.regarding players. As such, the best decisions this year, have given us the choice, not to do “business”. Looking forward to the thunderstorm at CP tonight! Who in their right minds would send an Old Lady, out in that. Hail Hail, as well!