Bayern elite up next

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Bayern Munich sit six points clear at the top of the Bundesliga having lost only one game from 19 this season (at Mainz).  As a guide, they sit 22 points head of Borussia Dortmund.

They are in the Champions League playoffs because of a bizarre result in Rotterdam.  They had 80% possession against Feyenoord and missed all of their 30 shots on goal.  Feyenoord scored with each of their three attempts.

The German side are smarting after they failed to win 12 domestic titles in a row last term.  They are one of the strongest clubs in world football and will inevitably progress beyond Celtic.

None of that matters.  Celtic still have lots to gain and learn from this tie.  There will hopefully be challenges later this year in the Champions League against teams of this calibre, let’s arrive at them with a honed plan.  We play Bayern free from the stress of expectation.  Let’s enjoy the occasion.

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  1. Our recruitment has been at a different level since Micheal Nicholson was CEO.

     

     

    The management of players out, players Since Ange Left has been great – one we fly in the ointment, most of ML’s signings.

     

     

    MF Aaron Mooy

     

     

    FW Jota

     

     

    GK Conor Hazard

     

     

    DF Osaze Urhoghide

     

     

    GK Vasilis Barkas

     

     

    DF Carl Starfelt

     

     

    DF Bosun Lawal

     

     

    MF Ismaila Soro

     

     

    FW Albian Ajeti

     

     

    MF Yosuke Ideguchi

     

     

    MF Kwon Hyeok-kyu

     

     

    FW Marco Tilio

     

     

    FW Mikey Johnston

     

     

    MF David Turnbull

     

     

    FW Liel Abada

     

     

    GK Joe Hart

     

     

    FW Sead Hakšabanović

     

     

    FW Rocco Vata

     

     

    FW Oh Hyeon-gyu

     

     

    GK Benjamin Siegrist

     

     

    DF Bosun Lawal

     

     

    MF Daniel Kelly

     

     

    DF Yuki Kobayashi

     

     

    MF Matt O’Riley

     

     

    DF Gustaf Lagerbielke

     

     

    MF Tomoki Iwata

     

     

    MF Liam Shaw

     

     

    DF Stephen Welsh

     

     

    MF Odin Holm

     

     

    DF Alexandro Bernabei

     

     

    FW Kyogo

     

     

     

    Players In Since Micheal Nicholson and Brendan Rodgers Took Recruitment by The Scruff of The Neck

     

     

    Engels – 11 mn

     

     

    Jota – 9 mn

     

     

    Idah – 8.5 mn

     

     

    Trusty – 6 mn

     

     

    Bernardo – 3.5 mn

     

     

    Kuhn – 2.8 mn

     

     

    Sinisalo – 1.0 mn

     

     

    McCowan – 1.0 mn

     

     

    Schmeichel – Free

     

     

    Players Brought In By ML As Head Of Recruitment

     

     

    MF Kwon Hyeok-kyu

     

     

    FW Marco Tilio

     

     

    FW Oh Hyeon-gyu

     

     

    DF Yuki Kobayashi

     

     

    DF Gustaf Lagerbielke

     

     

    MF Odin Holm

     

     

    DF Alexandro Bernabei

     

     

    FW Yang Hyun-jun

     

     

    FW Luis Palma

     

     

    DF Maik Nawrocki

     

     

    Tuesday morning will see a strengthened squad as we push for European glory and another treble…

     

     

    Hail Hail

  2. TT

     

    And you make coming to Celtic sound like a dead end job lighten up a bit we’ll either get suitable players or we won’t sign any.

  3. GFTB @ 10:26 AM,

     

     

    Yes, lots of great memories, think the next twenty five years will be good for the Monklands if the Economy can lift up, great links to Glasgow and Edinburgh – a central belt revival well overdue.

     

     

    Hail Hail

  4. The huns got a CB on loan who has hardly started a game in 3 seasons, squad management is about getting guys out the door as well, which we are steadily doing, still trying to get rid of Lawwells duds

  5. bournesouprecipe on

    Schmeichel

     

     

    AJ

     

    CCV

     

    Trusty

     

    Taylor

     

     

    Engels

     

    CalMac

     

    Hatate

     

     

    Kuhn

     

    Idah

     

    Maeda

  6. bournesouprecipe on

    Chairbhoy @ ages ago

     

     

    Yip, £40M guaranteed this season from the CL alone so makes sense to be ready to get past auto qualification next year if we win the league, and we go again.

     

     

    Brendan Rodgers was influential in Jota coming back he wanted him in place of a 30 year old striker, that didn’t want to be here. Funny, how it goes under the radar a bit, Jota is by far and away biggest ever January signing.

     

     

    The jibes at BR’s are predictable when agendas are unshakeable. FWIW he recalls Dane Murray from Queens Park to develop him, he was registered for the CL and is very highly rated at Celtic. He was more suitable for Aston Villa for twenty mere minutes, because he was fitter and has more game time than Nawrocki, besides, even tier one managers are allowed perceived mistakes. The myth around BR not developing players, is just that.

     

     

    We’ve got all the money we’ll ever need now but don’t seem to able to find a shop that’s open in which to spend it. Keyboards are being sharpened no doubt, and the blame battle between the bedwetters and the boardroom sycophants could be about to commence.

     

     

    It really shouldn’t be difficult to replace a left back that wasn’t even permanent signing, that could be done with a phone call. ‘Talismanic strikers’ are much more thin on the ground, so were the Steven Fletchers and the ‘ironic’ John McGinn, I agree Celtic have moved on now a look at your names, shows a lot more than Brendan’s contacts list, it shows Brendan’s in control of recruitment. One or two ‘soft seaters’ don’t like it?.

     

     

    Reasons to be cheerful, two days is a long time in football.

     

     

    HH

  7. After the Young Boys game, I posted a comment regarding the cup semi final game against R2ngers when Ange was manager and the similarity to the team that played against YB…

     

     

    Celtic: Schmeichel, Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Taylor, Engels, McGregor, Hatate, Kuhn, Kyogo, Maeda.

     

     

    Now, in June 2023, Ange’s team at Hampden to face R2ngers in the Scottish Cup semi~final.

     

     

    CELTIC: Hart, Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Starfelt, Taylor, McGregor, Hatate, O’Riley, Jota, Kyogo, Maeda.

     

     

    Two good teams, yet in-between we had James Forrest testimonial, during the 2023 summer transfer window.

     

     

    We won the game Celtic 3–2 Athletic Bilbao, yet did we really want to go into a UCL group stage in 23/24 with this squad…

     

     

    CELTIC: Siegrist, Tomoki, Carter-Vickers, Nawrocki, Taylor, Kwon, McGregor, Hatate, Maeda, Forrest, Kyogo.

     

     

    2ND HALF TEAM: Bain, Ralston, Starfelt, Scales, Bernabei, Holm, Turnbull, O’Riley, Yang, Forrest (Abada 49), Oh.

     

     

    Subs not used: Hart, Haksabanovic, Kelly, Welsh, McPherson.

     

     

    Not only was that summer of ’23 window a set back, but it was expensive on cash and resource management, a lot of hard work to take us in January 2025, where we were in April 2023.

     

     

    Now, according to BSR…

     

     

    Where we are at the beginning of February 2025

     

     

    Celtic: Schmeichel, Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Taylor, Engels, McGregor, Hatate, Kuhn, Idah, Maeda.

     

     

    Our recruitment now I’d argue has a much better structure and strategy.

     

     

    Hail Hail

  8. BOURNESOUPRECIPE @ 11:19 AM,

     

     

    Yes, totally agree, to support the position there are lists of players, talk of results.

     

     

    To support their’s the soft heaters talk of structure, strategy, constantly shifting sands…

     

     

    If we get back to the old regime maybe we can get back to the good aul’ excuses…

     

     

    No good player will come to Scotland

     

     

    We need money for a rainy day

     

     

    Spending more money on transfers won’t improve us in the UCL… etc, etc, etc…

     

     

    Oh, and what are the R2ngers dae’n!?

     

     

    Hail Hail

  9. I would really like to find out if Daniel Cummings is good enough for us

     

     

    I don’t want to read about him sitting on West Ham ‘s bench..

     

     

    HH

  10. GREENPINATA @ 11:40 AM,

     

     

    Seen him play a few times for the B team, UCL I19 team, and Scotland…

     

     

    He seems a very front foot striker, who definitely knows where the goal is, he’s not first team ready imo, and needs some games time at a senior level to improve his overall game and see if he can play at that level.

     

     

    Signing a new contract with Celtic and going out on loan in the summer is what I’d recommend.

     

     

    A few years in the West Ham academy is not going to advance the lad to EPL status any quicker.

     

     

    Hail Hail

  11. Burnley78

     

     

    You are bitter as for some reason,now openly divisive as to what we attempt to get

     

    If it goes badly its Brendans fault

     

    The board are behind BR

     

    Who else would do the signings?

     

     

    Show me the strategy and structure over the years? Take out PL for the majority of them,it has been trash,our reputation trashed and the club trashed all over Europe.That is what previous strategies snd structures were.

     

     

    Patience B78,its tough,you are being fed nonsense.

     

    Celtic will be doing all it can up to the last minute.

     

     

    HH

  12. Greenpinata on 2nd February 2025 11:40 am

     

    I would really like to find out if Daniel Cummings is good enough for us

     

     

    I don’t want to read about him sitting on West Ham ‘s bench.

     

     

    HH

     

     

    That is up to Daniel Cummings Gp.

     

    Its his choice,in his career to make Gp

     

    It is up to him,the contrasts laid out as you imply.

     

     

    HH

  13. transfer window strategy.

     

     

    get rid of players who want to leave and ones deemed not good enough.

     

     

    buy more players.

     

     

    thats it, and succesful it is too

  14. I remember my brother Philip in the 80s at Easter Road telling a young fan if he threw anything else towards the pitch he was going to throw him after it, and that was just a toilet roll.

  15. a quick scan of the timternet says all is lost on the good ship celtica.

     

    because kyogo has not got an immediate as good as him replacwment in the door.

     

     

    dearie me.

     

     

    how do we ever win anything with that brendan fella and that board.

  16. B78,

     

    Your agenda driven posts are embarrassing.

     

    Now after years of supporting everything our board has ever done and with not an ounce of criticism you now believe all our problems are due to the manager. We have never had a strategy since the Lawells have been involved or at least not a football strategy . Now however you’re a big fan of a strategic plan? Absolute joke.

     

    To be clear I’m not a huge Brendan fan but I’ve been complaining about the lack of a strategic plan for about 15 years. Whatever our issues are in terms of strategy its not the managers fault.

     

    Is it a private school thing that most of us don’t understand?

  17. I was and remain unconvinced with Kvistgaarden – identified by the Club almost 18 months ago.

     

     

    But for some reason we seem to have waited until the last few days to open talks and now reportedly those talks have broken down.

     

     

    Now some will argue that opening talks for your number 1 target with days remaining in the window is how serious football club’s operate. I remain unconvinced. I don’t see what was stopping us getting to Brondby’s bottom line some weeks ago as to them leave ourselves more time to move on to other options.

  18. Weebobbycollins on

    B78…

     

    “Off for a cycle up in the Bathgate Alps for a few hours.”

     

     

    I hope you get a puncture!

  19. Best not bite bhoys we know what’s best for success plenty of proof and example in the world of football meanwhile others are stubborn or agenda driven.

  20. the strategy is there in the annual report, every year.

     

     

    i cannot be bothered copying it all again,

     

     

    but in purely basic business strategy, kpi’s and outcomes, it is all there, and if you take the emotion out of your thinking, they delivery what they say.

     

     

    when someone as clever as B78 is complaining about the manager doing his own think, or getting his own way, or being boastful or has an eho, well i cant help but feel it is a personal thing.

     

     

    it is obviously so for P67.

     

     

    but seriously, at this moment, and looking at the bigger picture (strategically) they dont get much wrong, i mean celtic plc.

  21. In the immediate aftermath of Celtic’s Champions League goalless draw at Dinamo Zagreb in December, captain Callum McGregor was asked how many titles he had won, just for the record.

     

     

    He hesitated for a split second, which spoke volumes, before answering: “22, I think.”

     

     

    “You don’t get to where you’ve got to by chasing the numbers or chasing that type of status,” he added.

     

     

    “I’m humble enough to know I’m very lucky to play at this club and to have the career I’ve had. I’ve done that by hard work and trying to be the best I can every day.

     

     

    “Nothing changes for me.”

     

     

    Nothing much does change. Winning titles has gone hand in hand with McGregor’s time at Celtic.

     

     

    For the record, those comments came days before the Scottish League Cup final, in which Celtic edged past Rangers on penalties.

     

     

    It’s now 23 medals for the Celtic captain, as he prepared to make his 500th appearance for the club against Motherwell.

  22. bournesouprecipe on

    TIMMY7_NOTED on 2ND FEBRUARY 2025 1:19 PM

     

    B78,

     

     

    Your agenda driven posts are embarrassing.

     

     

    ……………….

     

     

    👍 🚴‍♀️

  23. CELTIC: Schmeichel, Ralston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Taylor, McGregor, Hatate, McCowan, Kuhn, Idah, Maeda.

     

    Subs: Sinisalo, Johnston, Scales, Jota, Yang, Nawrocki, Kenny, Engels, Bernardo

  24. Some incredible sport on at the Wankede stadium in Mumbai.

     

     

    I see Sunak in the crowd. I wonder how he scores with Norman Tebbits cricket team test.

     

     

    India running riot at the cricket. Astonishing batting by the Indians.

  25. Timmy 7

     

     

    Obviously you are happy with our window and the managers game playing.

     

     

    That’s fine. I see it differently.

     

     

    Personally long term Celtic success matters more to me than it maybe does to others. That’s ok too.

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