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Timing is everything in Scottish football. Especially when it comes to Statement O’Clock.
This has become one of the usual jokes in our game. When to emphasize the smart news and when to bury the bad news as much as imaginable. For years, the Rangers had mastered the art of stealthily pulling things out in ridiculous moments. The annual accounts, which look like Stephen King novels, were published with the fewest enthusiastic people imaginable at 10 p. m. Friday night. Aberdeen at one point sent out an email with his monetary statements around 4 a. m. , hoping no one would notice when he woke up.
But Celtic tried a new technique last year. They tried to bury the GOOD news. It’s another of the rare moments of a season in which they manage to score some smart goals. The transfer window hadn’t closed for a long time and Celtic began their Champions League clash against Feyenoord in the Netherlands. Rodgers doing his pre-match press conference and verbal exchange about European goals, memories of the 1970 final between the two men and a small talk about the events of the summer.
The manager had barely left the media room when the annual accounts dropped. The numbers were beyond impressive. Here was a Scottish club with more than £70m in the bank at a time for most when cash was tighter than a dart players vest. Yet Celtic were attempting to sneak it out under the radar. The manager couldn’t be quizzed about it and no one in a Celtic suit was up for talking beyond the website statement – which has been the case for about two years.
Why do we have to hide the most productive figure a Scottish team has ever achieved?We all know why. Because the next question is why the club had to keep this total money. And the bosses at Parkhead knew it all right. Hence the secret.
It will be interesting this week with Celtic’s half-yearly amounts due out any day now. When they get released into the wild will be interesting. If you’re a betting man, maybe at half-time at Hibs on Wednesday if the Hoops are ahead. Perhaps it will be in the old Rangers Friday 10pm slot. Go out of the Scottish Cup to St Mirren and they could appear at half 3 on Monday morning.
And the funny thing is that there is a great possibility that the numbers will be that way again.
Celtic have collected a percentage of the Champions League and all ticket sales that come with it. They made a net profit on their summer treasure transactions and were close to break-even in January.
There were moving fees and unpaid wages to pay for that time, but unless they’ve been quietly doing a bunch of tinkering at Celtic Park and Lennoxtown, there should still be a fair amount of cash in the coffers. And that’s why the moment of elevation will be revealing. Celtic enthusiasts need to know why their money isn’t being spent.
Because that’s how they see it. Celtic have made a lot of money from Europe and player sales, but the vast majority of their profits come from the bettors’ wallet. Selling season tickets, buying Champions League highlights, buying countless comic books, even those that look like they were designed by kindergarteners after a sugar rush.
Celtic enthusiasts are labelled as valid through their rivals, and even through some aspect of the club, but that’s why they feel valid. What happened to reinvesting every penny back into the field? Look, financially, Celtic are one of the best. – Manage clubs around the world. Good luck locating any aspect of the planet with money in the bank and the player switching style worked wonders.
Yet there are signs the wheels have come off the wagon in the past 18 months. Future proofing against not making the Champions League is like saying there’s no point in fixing the roof because you might need the dosh for slates if there’s a storm.
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There have been poor strategic decisions with players sold who shouldn’t have been, others replaced through inferior models and now a sense of loss of confidence in the move market. It may simply be because the coach has set his goals above what recruiting the team can accomplish, or it may simply be because Rodgers didn’t like too many features that landed on his desk.
He spoke of the need for the club to be braver, but now it’s all up to him for the rest of the season. He has been given a tremendous task. We may not know until the end of the season, but winning the clash against Old Firm at Christmas may have been the worst thing that has ever happened to the club.
The last time they lost an important game against Rangers in the Scottish Cup under Ronny Delia, they managed to engage danger and their play. Keeping the Rangers at bay last month created a sense of security that doesn’t really exist.
Given the existing fitness trends, you don’t have to be a stats gourmand to realise that Celtic are at the top risk of gifting the name to their friends across the city. And if we know the rewards that will be earned in Europe in the near future, we will in fact have to publish the annual accounts at stupid hours.