Liam Scales D Celtic b.1998

[Stuttgart88]

I read one criticism of him in Celtic twitter that he only ever looks to play the ball backwards. That said it all for me.

He’s had a great season and surpassed all expectations. I’m a big fan. That said if I was managing / recruiting for Celtic I’d probably look for an upgrade.

[Eirambler]

Yes I think it's possible to argue that Celtic are absolutely entitled to look for an upgrade on him as a first team starter, but still feel that he is fully deserving of a four year contract based on the season he's just had. Even if they do sign an upgrade he could easily be an important squad/rotation player for them over the next four years, so it makes sense to upgrade his contract. The response to the contract decision from Celtic fans is nothing short of appalling and yet again shows them in a very poor light.

[Rayzor]

Some of the replies on here are horrifically comical, ie Celtic play in scotland so their fans should be gratefull he signed a new contract, they watch him every week and are entitled to judge if he's good enough. Scales started the season very well but the general feeling amongst their fanbase, is that he's been fairly rank for the last few months and shouldn't be starting for them every week.

[seanfhear]

Some of the replies on here are horrifically comical, ie Celtic play in scotland so their fans should be gratefull he signed a new contract, they watch him every week and are entitled to judge if he's good enough. Scales started the season very well but the general feeling amongst their fanbase,is that he'd been fairly rank for the last few months and shouldn't be starting for them every week.

Fair enough ~ ~ But Celtic fans are usually delusional, so it is easy to feel that they are being their usual delusional !

[Eirambler]

Some of the replies on here are horrifically comical, ie Celtic play in scotland so their fans should be gratefull he signed a new contract, they watch him every week and are entitled to judge if he's good enough. Scales started the season very well but the general feeling amongst their fanbase, is that he's been fairly rank for the last few months and shouldn't be starting for them every week.

If they had better players I'm sure they'd be playing instead. They don't, he'll have been a major contributor to their title win if they go on to win it, and he fully deserves a contract on what is unlikely to be exceptional wages. Scales isn't the problem here.

[Stuttgart88]

Prompted by Eirambler's mention of Scales in the Duffy thread, his end of season (maybe excluding the cup semi final - though I can't decide whether Scales or Taylor was more to blame) showed a real return to his early season form I think. I'm actually impressed by how commanding he is in the air, defensively at least. He has a good leap and times his jumps well. Kilmarnock had a guy with a dangerous long throw-in and he attacked the ball well a few times.

He was unlucky with a shot from distance tipped over by O'Hara. All players get lucky with a pot shot now and again and I wouldn't point to it as evidence of anything you'd expect to see more regularly, but a spectacular goal would have been a deserved reward for a good season. That said, I think he has left a few headed chances from set pieces out there. He could be looking at 5 or 6 goals a season.

[nigel-harps1954]

Goal and a clean sheet today as Celtic won the Scottish Premier League again.

[CraftyToePoke]

Was watching this today and Kilmarnock were playing so deep, he was in the midfield probing role on the edge of the box at times and he found one really nice through ball down between the CB & FB with the dead ball line very close, it had to be just the right weight and fair play, he found it.

[Acornvilla]

Another start and clean sheet today. Glad he's managed to tough it out and BR has trusted him to play consistently.

[Rayzor]

Celtic fans are a pretty delusional bunch ~ Especially when you consider the earning power of Celtic re; The Scottish Premier League.

Scales is certainly good enough to be a squad player for Celtic and fighting for a first team place.

Celtic are absolutely loaded, their last set of accounts showed they have 80m in the bank, they probably have another 20m from this year's season tickets, they are guaranteed at least 40m with the change of champions league format, they are in process of selling OReilly to Brighton for 30m. So that's about 170m budget for players that their board won't spend. Unfortunately for Scales, a lot of the fan base believe they should be signing better players and their frustration are heaped onto him and Greg Taylor.

[tetsujin1979]

Its tough to get players to move to Scotland as well

[CraftyToePoke]

Its tough to get players to move to Scotland as well

It is & Celtic could empty that bank account into the first team & still end up with a Scottish title & out of Europe somewhere around Christmas, just before or after & would it have represented value ? Nope.

[Eirambler]

Well spent, through proper scouting and top level coaching once players are signed, there's no reason why they couldn't be another Ajax, PSV, Bruges or similar. They're just not well enough set up as a club to do it though.

[CraftyToePoke]

Well spent, through proper scouting and top level coaching once players are signed, there's no reason why they couldn't be another Ajax, PSV, Bruges or similar. They're just not well enough set up as a club to do it though.

Yeah but that isn't what the fan unrest is about. They want marquee names I'd wager.

Where are they in comparison to the three clubs you mentioned, European performance wise in recent seasons ? Wouldn't know without looking it up. Can't be too far off those as it stands?

[Eirambler]

In terms of UEFA club coefficient those clubs are 25th, 26th and 32nd. Celtic are 69th.

[CraftyToePoke]

In terms of UEFA club coefficient those clubs are 25th, 26th and 32nd. Celtic are 69th.

Right.
& where they got to in the European comps last year before meeting real teams ?

[Stuttgart88]

Yeah but that isn't what the fan unrest is about. They want marquee names I'd wager.

Where are they in comparison to the three clubs you mentioned, European performance wise in recent seasons ? Wouldn't know without looking it up. Can't be too far off those as it stands?

I don’t think Celtic fans are looking for marquee players. I think they’re frustrated with the persistent purchase of speculative young players rather than experience. Every purchase seems to be with an eye on a profitable sale in 2 years. There’s no real evidence of planning. Even this week MOR is off to Brighton with no hint of a replacement. And with a new CL format you’d want to be strengthening the team rather than struggling to keep it the same.

[Poor Student]

Yeah but that isn't what the fan unrest is about. They want marquee names I'd wager.

Where are they in comparison to the three clubs you mentioned, European performance wise in recent seasons ? Wouldn't know without looking it up. Can't be too far off those as it stands?

Celtic fans' unrest emanates from the antiquated, stale and stagnant governance of the club which adopts almost pathological levels of fiscal conservatism whereby there is almost no risk appetite and the club has stockpiled over £60m cash and growing. Scales is serviceable and generally adequate defensively in the SPFL but for a possession based team playing against the low block he does not move the ball quick enough and accurately enough. He's also prone to getting caught under high angled diagonals. He's good enough to be relied upon as 3rd or 4th choice centre half but Celtic definitely have the resources to upgrade on him. Celtic will still probably finish ahead of Rangers without upgrading on him (and some others) but they won't progress in Europe and this is what frustrates fans. Fans don't expect to be winning the CL but there are peer European clubs with similar or smaller budgets and less resources doing better. The scale of ambition of Desmond and his appointed Board and Executive seems to be to do enough to keep their nose ahead of Rangers and continue to stockpile enormous amounts of cash for no communicated purpose. That would frustrate the fans of any club.

[Poor Student]

Celtic are absolutely loaded, their last set of accounts showed they have 80m in the bank, they probably have another 20m from this year's season tickets, they are guaranteed at least 40m with the change of champions league format, they are in process of selling OReilly to Brighton for 30m. So that's about 170m budget for players that their board won't spend. Unfortunately for Scales, a lot of the fan base believe they should be signing better players and their frustration are heaped onto him and Greg Taylor.

You forgot about the outgoings for the season - wages, operational expenses etc.

[Rayzor]

You forgot about the outgoings for the season - wages, operational expenses etc.

Nah I didn't, Celtic revenue last season was 119 million, their wage bill was around the 24 million mark, so when I said 20m from this season season tickets I was been very conservative. They also have the 17 highest shirt sales in world football and with guaranteed more money from this year's champ league format, they are absolutely minted.