Stephen McGowan has revealed the salary cap that is clamping Celtic’s European ambitions.
During the summer transfer window seven players were added to the squad but none of them could be described as an improvement of last seasons squad.
Project is the term branded around with only Luis Palma making real progress towards nailing down a regular first team place.
Brendan Rodgers has already outlined that there will be a net outgoing of players in January but it will require a change in policy to bring in the quality required to be competitive in future Champions League campaigns.
McGowan is better briefed than any other reporter on Celtic business, in the Daily Mail he outlines the problems and restrictions.
Rodgers returned to Glasgow in the summer with ambitions to restore the club to a competitive state on that stage. Thanks to Celtic’s transfer model, he’s being asked do it with one hand tied behind his back.
This summer’s new signings generally followed the same prototype. Aged between 18 and 23, they had all received international recognition at some level. They were prepared to accept a salary in the ball park of £10- £16k a week. And their transfer fees came in below £5million.
In Scotland, that policy is enough to deliver trophies and titles. In the killing fields of the Champions League, it’s not fit for purpose.
It’s not just giants like Paris Saint-Germain, Lazio, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid inflicting the pain. In the last decade, Celtic have lost ties in UEFA competitions to Maribor, Malmo, AEK Athens, Cluj, Copenhagen, Ferencvaros, Midtjylland and Bodo-Glimt.
In the summer of 2021 Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jota were signed on loan, a year later those deals were made permanent with fees in the region of £6.5m and wages likely to be double that outlined above.
The January transfer window opens in just under seven weeks time, in recent seasons Celtic have announced signings ahead of the window opening with Alistair Johnston making his debut last season on January 2.
Aye well – you get what you pay for I guess…
Probably why I cut around in a Ford Fiesta and not a Ford F-150 Platenium –
Not that I’m a racer or anything like it and I’m very content with what I’ve got…
But not many people would overtake me in the F-150 –
However plenty would in The Fiesta…
I just want the best for ma Celtic FC –
And I certainly don’t want them overtaken in Scotland EVER AGAIN Mr Lawwell !
This is more likely Rodgers now working his angle and having a go at the Board.
This January will truly show where our ambition as a club lies. Will there be the turnover Rodgers suggested or will he be stuck with a few more projects.
There is only ever one winner when any of our managers go up against the Board.
Interesting times ahead.
Nobody will ever be on Peter Lawell wages at Celtic. The only person we can afford premier league wages for.
good concise article
” … To Deliver Trophies In Scotland.”
Nobody and nothing gives you the right to win football trophies in Scotland!
Even spending under £5M on seven or eight players doesn’t – and McGowan knows it!
You have still got to got to go out and win football matches – which is easier said than done!
When I’m playing in the UCL, I’m playing in the UCL. And when I am playing in Scotland, I’m playing in Scotland!
Celtic will never do anything under this board in Europe there happy just to make the group stages even talking already about the 72 million in the bank no debt saying well in future if we dont qualify money is there to compensate total lack of courage to go agressive into the market buy 4 pronund quality to help the young players at the club spend 30 of it on the team. Never hhappen tho bring ange back they seemed to be under his thumb rogers on about adding quality instead of project signings in January good luck getting the board to buust open that secure for years biscuit tin