Arne Engels has agreed terms with West Ham over a move to East London, although the two clubs are still miles apart in their valuation of the Belgian Internationalist…
Arne Engels will most probably be leaving Celtic, and whether that’s to West Ham or another suitor, he will be off sooner rather than later. Over the last day or two his proposed West Ham move has seen some interesting opinions being shared on fan media sites and on social media.
Some reckon that choosing a club such as West Ham, who will play in the English second tier after their relegation from the Premier League, is a slant on our reputation as a big club, as having a player leaving Celtic for a ‘lesser’ club is not a good look for a club of our supposed stature.
West Ham is a also a big club
But bypassing the fact that West Ham is also a big club, with a decent fanbase, albeit not as big as Celtic’s, players have always, and will continue to leave Celtic to join theses so called ‘lesser clubs’ who will have little chance of winning trophies or playing in European football.
Daizen Maeda to Ipswich is a perfect example
They are comparatively a small club in a big pond that West Ham will spend the season trying to get back into at the first time of asking. Other clubs in the Premier League, for example Bournemouth, Brentford, Ipswich Town (who have just signed Celtic talisman Daizen Maeda) and Coventry City are small clubs compared to a club of Celtic’s size and stature in the game.
Several English Championship sides can match Celtic for wages due to the TV money that’s pumped into the English game, with relegated EPL clubs receiving £60 million plus in parachute payments, with the Hammers being one of those clubs.
Highlighting the financial gap
To highlight that Financial gap, it would take Celtic more than a decade to make that sort of cash from the current TV deal in place with the Scottish top flight, or two or three shots at the Champions League group stages.
It isn’t just the salary aspect, there’s also the fact that the English Championship is seen as a more attractive option on the pitch for players, not just because it’s a stepping stone to the EPL, but also due to the competitiveness, better players, bigger crowds, and playing the same side just twice over the course of the season.
Unfortunately just the way of the modern footballing world
Players leaving Celtic for clubs of a smaller stature, is nothing to do with the size and prestige of our football club, and it will never alter our status as a big club.
It’s unfortunately just the way of the footballing world. Being a small fish in a big pond to most players, is now seen as more rewarding as the other way around.
Celtic’s transfer model should always recognise this so when we bring in a player like Arne Engels ideally we are selling him onto to a Premier League and NOT a Championship side because the next wave of Celtic targets will take notice.
Outbid by Norwich or did players prefer a Championship side as best route to a Premier League move?
In recent transfer windows Celtic missed out on a few sighings, players who have for example opted to go to Norwich City or perhaps they just outbid Celtic, which points to other factors for another day. Tired of talking about that rabbit hole to be honest.
Engels to Nottingham Forest for the £25m that they offered in January would suit Celtic perfectly just now. A lowball offer from West Ham can’t be considered financially or strategically. Same goes with any crazily low offer David Moyes and Everton put in for Alistair Johnston.
Market value has to be paid or Celtic’s transfer model itself weakens and no-one – including potential new recruits and their advisors – will believe in it.
West Ham will have to show that they are a big enough club to pay the going rate for Arne Engels who should be in the Celtic team to face Dundee tomorrow evening unless a suitable bid is received ahead of our Flag Day season opener at Paradise.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
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1 Comment
It’s also the price of success in keeping dominance of Scottish football intact also imo?
How many titles and cups with the medal count, do players need, in order to keep the motivation factor as high, which is required?
So new challenges, with better financial packages for themselves, is always going to be attractive to them, at some stage?
So having a number of big players, that lasted beyond our usual 2 season turnaround, has been a massive bonus, within our core group of players, which Ange formed.
Even with the potential value of players, able to grow hugely within our club, the contract value, won’t grow at the same amount either?
It’s ok to say Engels is a 25M player, but we certainly won’t be paying him the going rate of a 25M player, even if offering an improved contract?
Even the bigger players, who we are able to keep hold of, with improved contracts?
Is there a potential release clause within it also?
Especially if given so many seasons to our success? A potential loyalty bonus as such, with ourselves unlikely to be able to pay the going rate of the players value?
The answer potentially lies within the budget figure of our 25man European squad, in what our club is working on imo?
Totally different story, for our 8 homegrown quota requirements within our 25man European squad?
They will be the heart beat of our squad, even if the quality factor might not be as high as elsewhere within our squad?
So can understand as to why, we are looking for those players to have the same mentality, as our supporters?
Especially when it accounts for over a third of our overall squad, if you include the B listed players within it?
Therefore, as much as it’s disappointing to lose big players. Don’t think there’s to much that can be done about the situation really imo?
If we can get at least good value from playing, over at least half of the term of there contract, is potentially the best we can hope for, and it’s the added bonus, if we get the extended contracts with better financial terms?
Don’t tend to follow any of our departing players, especially if they end up in the English leagues?
As in general, they don’t give Scottish football any credit whatsoever?
And that won’t change, unless bigger achievements are made within European football, on a regular basis?
Yet to achieve the likes, you need a strong core group with stability within it, which won’t be able to kept maintained, if that success keeps attracting the vultures?
So for all the moaning regarding the situation, don’t know what the actual solution is going to be imo?