AshockasSWMBOcreepingupbehindme
with better payment for players. When I signed for Celtic in 1965 my initial wage was £8 per week.
Now that might not seem like much but at the time I was halfway through the fourth year of a five-year dental degree at Glasgow University and used to be given 25 shillings (£1.25) a week to cover all my expenses by my parents.
Later that year I made Celtic’s first team and after training one night Jock Stein called me into his room.
“I’m in a bit of a hurry, Cairney but I’ve got a new contract for you here.”
He lifted up a bit of paper for me to see but held on to it as we “discussed” the details and he pointed them out – “that’s the length of the contract, that’s the figure and this is where you sign”.
Within seconds I was out the door again with my wages up to £25 a week. I wonder if Coutinho’s talks lasted as long?
Nowadays the most worrying aspect for me are the huge figures involved. Big-name teams can not only pay fees that beggar belief but also wages which attract the attention of the modern footballing mercenary.
That description might seem harsh but it is true and I can honestly say I’d have taken the money had it been offered. You are a long time retired. There have been calls for FIFA to step in and insist on some form of transfer and/or salary cap.
But they have problems of their own and don’t have everyone’s confidence they can deal with the situation.
Perhaps SWMBO should be brought in as an adviser? he’s no longer going to be selected and a new era should begin.”
emailed: “I sincerely hope the next Scotland manager is as bullish as Brown and tells him to take a hike. Nobody should dictate when and where they will play for their country. It is an honour to be chosen to represent your country.”
said: “It’s time for Brown to step aside and allow the young pretenders such as John McGinn have a go with Scotland. He should concentrate on trying to prolong his Celtic career and let the new crop try to help the national side achieve a bit of success.”
said: “Brown is synonymous with Scotland’s failures in recent times and he’s not so gifted a player that we should be begging him to continue.
“It’s a disgrace we are still allowing such an average player to believe he can turn up when it suits him and an even bigger disgrace the SFA are still unable to appoint a new manager.”
Now some domestic stuff with Celtic’s potential comings and goings on the agenda.
emailed: “Celtic may be sitting with millions in the biscuit tin but they still keep that lid firmly closed. Just wait until they get £40million for Moussa Dembele, they will need to upgrade to a family-size tin to squash all those notes in.”
said: “I can’t believe Rodgers is swithering over signing Odsonne Edouard on a permanent deal. He says his English is getting better but what’s that got to do with it? He’s hopeless. He is the Harald Brattbakk of France – that says it all.” Finally a few calls on Steven Naismith.
said: “It would be great to see Naismith in a Killie strip again but I don’t think we can afford him. I just hope the Killie board don’t rest on their laurels as we need a couple of signings in this window.”
said: “I’d love Naismith back at Rangers. He’s exactly the type of player we need.” CALL THE HOTLINE TOMORROW FROM 11 TILL 12 NOON on: 0141 309 3306 or email us: hotline@dailyrecord.co.uk