On a blog last week I wrote, “A point for Michael Nicholson and Dermot Desmond. Two years ago you appointed a manager who, every time he has spoken this month, has put you in the dock for this one [Almaty]. Brendan’s is the only voice representing the club right now and it is not flattering.
“The lack of a constructive narrative is self-defeating and leaves fans wondering: What’s going on?”
The information vacuum from Celtic, apart from Brendan Rogers’ internecine comments, is not sustainable. A week later, calls for answers have become deafening. Celtic fans are not always right in their views, but I always find them easy to speak to (don’t be fooled by a few loons online, they’re pussycats face-to-face).
Plans do not always work out, but when that’s the case, stakeholders (which in this case includes Celtic fans) are best kept informed. Isolation is not your friend.
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Gets better doesn’t it ….BR will get the blame for the Maeda situation…jeez if we couldn’t replace Kyogo ( manager said he needed replaced in January and we didn’t replace Khun and we didn’t replace an outgoing Yang and we didn’t replace Idah how on earth were we going to replace Maeda ( who should have been sold at optimum value ) though it could be argued two left wingers could have replaced maeda and Jota ( out for the season) .
The problem being is that we have to play maeda up top as we didn’t even replace Idah 😃 so we would have needed TWO CFs as well as TWO right wingers if Yang had been allowed to go !!!…..
So all in all because we are soo bad at recruiting a decent calibre of player we have lost millions not only in transfer fees but also CL money ….if only we had the Bruges recruitment team or maybe I’m being unkind to recruitment team and they’d identified plenty but someone would keep low balling ( trying to trump a deal !!!!)
What a shtshow
Could you imagine if Paul had this site in the 90’s?
If we were lucky we’d be playing at Cambuslang.
The internecine comments gang;
Brendan Rodgers (2)
“We are clear on where we need to improve, and for whatever reason we haven’t been able to. There’s only so many ways that I can dress up that we don’t have the players here. It was pretty clear.”
Ange Postecoglu:
“Maybe I wasn’t clear enough, I don’t know. I think I’ve been pretty consistent in saying we need more players in. Obviously I haven’t done a good enough job convincing people we need to bring people in. I’m not going to shy away from it. I’ve tried to be as forceful as I can”
Neil Lennon:
“There was a lot we wanted to do in the summer, but the financial reality and club strategy meant you can’t always act as quickly as you’d like. Sometimes it feels like the process is just too slow.”
Brendan Rodgers (1):
“We have a recruitment model here. I can only work within that. We identify the players we want, but there’s often a delay in negotiations. By the time a deal goes through, the market has moved on. That’s always frustrating.”
Ronny Deila:
“We had players we wanted to bring in, but things take too long. Negotiations drag, and by the time we get them, the market has moved on. It makes it difficult to get the squad together quickly. That’s frustrating because it slows down preparation for the season.”
QuadBhoy
Back in the 1980s, John Divers once made a very similar point to me and other colleagues about watching Celtic.
What he said was, “Would you boo at the screen if the movie was rubbish?”
In my analogy, I was thinking more about the EL package because I’ve already met quite a few ST holders who have cancelled the HTCS.
Cheers.
Glenowen
Thanks for your comment on earlier post.
Fair comments. Tricky as some of my opinion is subjective and some a bit informed. Hard to not allow a confirmation bias. I accept that.
Re this region it is fabulous. Basque and Galicia in general. I must revisit and do the Camino walk sometime.
The only reason for us being here is adding a couple of weeks onto my son’s wedding in the Medoc last weekend.
My only other prior visits here were in 1967 and 1988 which were 2 auspicious years for Celtic of course.
Cab driver last night fondly remembered Sociedad’s incredible double title win in the early 80s and especially beating Celtic in the European Cup. A game they really felt they had no chance in. He spoke less well of poor David Moyes.
Could Nicholson’s clear lack of social skills explain his inability to get transfer deals closed ?
I think we heard a lot more from Dom McKay in 3 months than we have from Nicholson in 4 years.
Celtic Mac on 5th September 2025 12:37 pm
Communication breakdown…
It’s always the same
===================================
Can’t beat a bit of Zep 👍
Good afternoon all from sultry Gorbals.
Two years:
“It’s pretty simple in terms of how it works,” he said. “Ultimately, I will develop and coach the players that the club provide me, and the process of the club providing me with the players is we have a great network of scouts headed up by Mark (Lawell), who I’ve said before has done a fantastic job within the model of the club, which allows the club to be sustainable and successful at the same
“So, they have a pipeline of players that will fit in, but then it’s about packaging the profile that fits us best and of course, I play a part in that. But they do a lot of great work; they watch players over a number of months so that they have various players for each position. So whenever we do lose one – as you see with Gustaf – there’s a replacement to come in.
“It’s not always straightforward. It always takes time. But like I say, a lot of great work goes on and ultimately I will coach and develop the players that I am provided. of course I have a part in that.
“The club is run very, very well. It’s very sustainable and that’s what’s given it that sustainability over a number of years and it’s my responsibility to adhere to that.”
A plan that worked. Now we don’t have one and recruitment is a mess
What changed?
Not surprised by the Maeda story,but doesn’t look the type to down tools
Let’s have a look at the ole Celtic Quisling News,
Kuhn sold Brendan Rodgers fault
Idah sold Brendan Rodgers fault
Maeda kept Brendan Rodgers fault
GLENDALYSTONSILS on 5TH SEPTEMBER 2025 1:31 PM
I don’t think Michael Nicholson sold Adam Idah against Brendan’s wishes. It goes against everything we’ve been told is how it works these days.
It didn’t happen last time he was our manager and I don’t think he’s less in control than then
Can anyone tell me ANY POSTIVE aspect of keeping an UNHAPPY Player at Celtic ?
Likewise, if Brendan is unhappy at this point in time and decides to leave when his contract is up, I wouldnt blame him ?
As for ” LOONS”….They were also TROUSERS back in the 1970’s and I had Two or Three pairs of them at one stage or another.
LOON TROUSERS etc….The 1970’s, the Decade that fashion forgot.
LOL
HH.
BelmontBrian on 5th September 2025 1:44 pm
Celtic Mac on 5th September 2025 12:37 pm
Communication breakdown…
It’s always the same
===================================
Can’t beat a bit of Zep …..
…………..
YES BB Mate.
Ive been playing ZEP and ” BRING IT ON HOME” a few times this morning.
MAGIC !
Magic Mate.
HH.
CELTIC40ME on 5TH SEPTEMBER 2025 1:56 PM
GLENDALYSTONSILS on 5TH SEPTEMBER 2025 1:31 PM
I don’t think Michael Nicholson sold Adam Idah against Brendan’s wishes.
——
That’s certainly one of the questions that needs answered as soon as he emerges from under his desk.
From the outside looking in it does look like we’ve gone from a coherent long term strategy that delivered success to nothing. A series of sound bites and actions that don’t match. Confusion about who does what and to who’s plan
So clarity would be welcome. Unless opacity suits which could also be true
The Celtic Board always have guys that ‘bleed Celtic’ just depends on context.
Celtic Mac at 12.37 –
Now yer talkin’
https://youtu.be/3EH7QMVnSRI?si=EUMlfUgFowp4j4NG
It used to be the same people saying the same thing every day.
Now it’s the same people saying the same thing every 5 minutes!!
James Forrest on 5th September 2025 12:51 pm
An Tearmann:
Knock yourself out, state your case.
But if you mean my deliberate slamming of certain individuals … I’m not apologising for that. They deserved it, and a lot more. That’s their whole “debate style” on here, which is why I don’t debate them.
=================
No I won’t knock myself out James,:-))just pointing out your used to 1 or 2 colloquial approachs(see last blog) yourself,you do bring debate to the blog James,why not debate with those your uncomfortable with,or reply to their narrative in̈ your own way.Otherwise your introducing a form blocking which you do on your own space,here.
All good here sipping moet lookin over Galway Bay
The Celtic Supporter’s Association invited to a meeting with the CEO this afternoon, this corrupt freebie. mob ,shouldn’t be representing the Celtic Supporter’s, time the bloggers put the heat on these sleeket shower ,
!!BADA BING!! on 5TH SEPTEMBER 2025 1:52 PM
Not surprised by the Maeda story,but doesn’t look the type to down tools
….
I see where you coming from , I agree he won’t do a Van Honydonk …. However he won’t consciously chuck it but expect his form to shade off ….
I’d sell to a league where the window hasn’t creaked shut yet
HH
An Tearmann:
Fair point my man!
BADA
I agree Daizen doesn’t strike me as the huffy type . His drop off in form could just as easily be explained as having a wife and new baby back home in Japan that he only sees on facetime .
An Tearmann 2.19
All good here sipping moet lookin over Galway Bay
Fook off 🤣🤣
Dom McKay in through the door invited all fan media into a room and let them fire away with their questions.
Time to step up, Michael.
Releasing a Europa package without answering the fans seems extremely ill advised to me. But it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest
Burnley78 on 5th September 2025 1:02 pm
An T
Best ignore folk whose only interest is to try to get interest in their sad little enterprises.
The guy does not even go to watch Celtic. He has done nothing in life but has a view on everything wrong.
No solutions but he can sure tell you all that others are doing wrong.
These types are 10 a penny in life. Even 100 a penny.
==≈÷==÷===============÷==
B78.
I read James sometimes,like cqn its riven with adverts so I don’t usually spend long.
Alas those ‘sad little enterprises’ carry info to the Celticfan in today’s info age.They tell they report,they communicate with fans –
Whether we read them or click them is our choice,maybe if our club upped our game on this front we would not have a problem with communication.
Will try get back to you on your essay this morning.
HH
bigrailroadblues on 5th September 2025 2:30 pm
An Tearmann 2.19
All good here sipping moet lookin over Galway Bay
Fook off 🤣🤣
…………….
All good here in The CALTON….NOT Sipping any alcohol cos I never drink in the hoose.
Good view of The SALTMARKET though.
This Celtic Mob will eventually drive me to drink…No Doubt.
LOL
HH.
An Tearmann:
Since you suggested I engage to some extent let me do so now.
He ought to read me once in a while. Then he’d know that I attend Celtic Park for every home game and occasionally follow them in Europe as well. That’s a long-time slur against me which has no basis in fact at all, as those who actually do know me know well.
It’s not the only slur. His penchant for ad hominem is why I won’t discuss stuff with him in any way. He (and others) have made reference to how much money I make without any of them having the first clue, or that it has the slightest relevence to anything that I write or anything at all really except that some of them seem awfully obsessed with the question.
I loved this site. Long time posters know much I loved it. They know how regularly I used to post. This site has no moderation worth a damn, otherwise the torrent of personal invective that gets thrown about never would be tolerated. That’s dragged the level of this site downward steadily for years.
And yeah, I resort to it myself from time to time. I’m one of those people who when things descend to the gutter and when I’m getting attacked on a personal basis is perfectly happy to respond in kind, but it’s tiresome and we all have better things to do. Some of us anyway.
And yeah, I make my living writing and talking about Celtic. Some people seem to take that as some kind of personal affront. I won’t apologise for it. I’m fortunate in that I’m able to do that. I consider it a pleasure and a priviliege. Too bad if some folk can’t handle it.
Mate, the reason I’ve come off this site sometimes for months at a time isn’t because I don’t enjoy talking Celtic with good people. It’s because this place has become bogged down in this kind of nonsense, and it’s just boring. It’s pointless. It’s stupid.
I’ll talk Celtic and Celtic issues all day long. I do. It’s what I do. It’s what I’ve been doing for more than ten years and I’ve defended this club ten times more than I’ve given it a kicking, and I take no satisfaction in having been right about this summer right from the start of it.
If people want to talk issues, if they want to talk Celtic, if they want to discuss them reasonably and rationally and if they can keep their petty, personal, unfathomable animosity towards me out of it then I’m here for that, I’m game. If they want to act like little bitches bollocks to them.
I’ll ignore them. I’ve been ignoring some of them elsewhere for a long time now.
And this is the last time I’m explaining myself on here.
BRRB/ BIGJIMMY.
Haha…of course miss the shippy:-))))
Tis a tough life
Hope all well
HH
glendalystonsils on 5th September 2025 2:24 pm
BADA
I agree Daizen doesn’t strike me as the huffy type .
………………
Plenty of time for that to happen.
SOME would say that hes been ROTTEN during and since the Scottish Cup Final v Aberdeen ?
HH.
The manager has been left a carcass of a squad now,but keep blaming him…..
Big Jimmy:
The whole team has. They don’t all wanna leave. Or maybe they do!
I said recently that it seems to me that a lot of players in the team saw that night in Munich as the summit of where they could go at Celtic, and part of the reason some of them would have come to that conclusion is that we, as a club, hadn’t even attempted to strengthen for that game and were very obviously satisfied just being there that night.
A lot of folk were of the view that because we would still win the league without him that it was cool to sell him and not replace him. I always worried that it would send a bad signal to the manager and to the squad and I’m not really surprised that a lot players look like the chucked it from February onwards. We were flying before the January window and then everything stalled.
We showed our level of ambition in that window. In short, we showed we had none. I suspect that’s why the whole team has a hollowed out “walking through the graveyard” look to it. If people thought they were at a serious club they were disuaded of that notion during that window.
!!BADA BING!! on 5TH SEPTEMBER 2025 1:52 PM
Not surprised by the Maeda story,but doesn’t look the type to down tools
—-
I agree. But downing tools isn’t always a conscious decision- he could simply lose focus.
His form this season means he doesn’t warrant his place for me. But we’ve little choice but to play him.
James Forrest
Fair enough James.:-)
Keep popping in anyway.
HH
I don’t think Maeda is the type to down tools. However, he is human and a drop off in form is natural if his mind is elsewhere.
Selling him now would leave us incredibly short. If Rodgers can motivate him to keep his head up and promise a move in January, it might suit all parties.
Well, I’ve never seen anything like it!🎶
I’ve never seen anything like it!
I’ve never seen anything like it
In my life!
Dr Dolittle CSC
An Tearmann:
I think I’ll be in more regularly from now on.
There is still a lot of good debate on here, you just have to sift for it.