When appointed as interim manager in October, Martin O’Neill did not know how long he had in the role, so would be inclined to make few dramatic moves. This time he has a straight run until May. That gives him scope to make a sustained change.
As a manager, Martin has seen footballers decline with age, it was a feature of his last season in charge at Celtic. Much is said about the impact Henrik Larsson leaving in 2004 had on the subsequent season, but 2004-05 was also the time the years caught up with 35-year-old Paul Lambert. 33-year-old Chris Sutton also toiled, as Celtic’s engine stalled.
Goalkeepers always perform better behind a competent and settled defence. Kasper Schmeichel has not had that luxury this season, however, his decline from the excellent form he enjoyed last term is marked.
The first name on the team sheet on Saturday, will be the first big decision Martin makes in his stint as interim manager. Lessons from 2005 should inform his thinking.
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Hello Wednesday, you getting me a striker today?
First names? Liama nd Auston – pretty solid under MON until Wilf unwisely rummeled them up.
After that, Kasper; Martin will know exactly what to say to him (aside from “easy on the leftover Ferrero Rochers”).
Re Shaun being in charge of signings.
Earlier on, I did a search to see which players he signed in his stints at Hibs and Wigan.
Almost all were frees or loans, with only two north of 300k.
Course, he also rubbed shooders with De Bruyne, Hazard, Kompany and Lukaku while assisting at Belgium.
Let’s hope our analytics and recruitment team was working on two lists; Plan A) potential Wilf signings and Plan B) possible squad improvement signings in case of a balls-up.
Hey Aipple ! We’re booked for Canada and US round WC time; no Louisville stop this time, but apprehensively looking forward to seeing some new cities and old friends even under the Donroe Era. HH
We don’t sign players in a hurry.
Some of our transfers can take a long time.
After all, we need to be certain they are duds.
As someone who carries a bit of extra poundage, I am reticent to criticise anyone’s girth. However, have a look at the youtube Lennoxtown Unfiltered video from Celtic yesterday, where Kasper appears after around 3 mins with a training bib that doesn’t fit.
Not a good look.
Personally, I would play him on Saturday as, for this particular game, but after that we switch to Sinisalo.
Quadraphenian
Are Oz i good shape for the world cup?
HH
If Nancy was still here I would have been half-expecting McCowan to be in goals. He played him just about everywhere else……
With 18 games left to play there is no room for passengers and projects.
I’d start by listing who I do NOT want on the team sheet and go from there.
Gaps should be filled by loan deals asap.
An T – I’d instinctively say NO, esp with Tony Popovic in charge.
Workmanlike side with lots of young prospects but few real class players.
Still; the fans are, like the Scots, generally good fun and well-behaved when repping abroad.
HH
QUADROPHENIAN re: Canada and US
What city(s) will you be in when in the US?
Quadraphenian
Enjoy fella,ye better get saving.:-))
HH
The £9 million we paid for Idah,will be a painful reminder, when trying to buy players this month
Ps Louisville a FIFA approved base, nice wee stadium and the chosen hotel is where I often do my happy hours.
AIPPLE: So far Vancouver, Seattle, Baltimore and San Antonio – not all WC cities I know but we’re doing other stuff. Would love to see Loovul but time is tight.
AN TEARMANN – hotel prices are mental. AirBNB going that way too ! As Aipple said, Happy Hours will be handy for budget management !
QUAD
Lots to do in Baltimore, have friends there. World class aquarium as well with a braw riverside walk.
Blogger GM 12.17
I think Martin showed previously that in organising Celtic differently he swung the axe,seem to recall nygren and balikwisha sidelined,Osmand reintroduced to positive effect.
His team will settle down to his conservative pick.
The 4-4-2 change will mean omissions.
As you infer we have to 31st to augment and bolster as we go for a title,I agree some positive additions please
HH
Chairbhoy
Apols, I don’t live on the blog, but pop on from time to time. Per last night’s chat, you said:
“Brendan Rodgers tendered his resignation – which means he certainly did not summarily resign.”
He ‘tendered his resignation’. Which means he resigned. Tendering one’s resignation is the act of informing one’s employer that one is resigning. And Brendan resigned.
Next, did he do so summarily or not? Well, he had a contract of service that expired in June 2026. He didn’t work the period through until his contract ended. He resigned and walked away from the contract, his obligations to it and his rights under it. Celtic accepted his resignation, meaning they accepted he would not discharge his obligations henceforth and that he forfeited the rights he was due under the contract.
– “I’m resigning.”
– “Fine. See you.”
I’m not privy to the typical terms of a football manager’s contract of service but because in this case it is time-bound, it wouldn’t naturally have a notice period as you and I would be used to seeing in a standard contract of employment – which is not time-bound. It’s possible that there might be a clause allowing early termination in given circumstances at specified times of the year. For example, if BR decided he wanted to leave at the end of year 2 – close season June 2025 – he might have required to let the club know, say, 3 months beforehand. We just don’t know.
Brendan was contracted to work for the club until June 2026. He resigned and left immediately. That very moment. Summarily, if you will.
I’m content with the vocabulary. Much more of this and we’ll end up splitting the hairs of the angels dancing on the head of the pin.
I’m not content with the circumstances that led to it. That is a different matter altogether.
TBB
Aipple on 7th January 2026 12:33 pm
QUAD
Lots to do in Baltimore, have friends there. World class aquarium as well with a braw riverside walk.
——
I had hoped to do some location scouting around The Wire TV show too, but apparently that’s deemed Ghetto Tourism and a no-no in these enlightened times.
Can I play with madness? The prophet stared at his crystal ball
Can I play with madness? There’s no vision there at all
Can I play with madness? The prophet looked and he laughed at me, ha, he said
Can I play with madness? He said, “You’re blind, too blind to see”
Can I play with madness?
Smith/Dickinson/Harris 1988.
NB Also entirely possible that BR resigned and proposed some terms around salary, bonuses, disclosure and whatnot. And Celtic accpeted them.
Point being, whether there were terms attached, and regardless of any such terms, Brendan resigned on his own terms. Immediately.
BRRB.
Last year when Iron Maiden came to Melbs, Steve Harris came along pre-show and played for our Legendsteam.
I was injured and managing the side that week and brought him on in midfield. Nice touch, good passer. Fanatical West Ham fan as I recall.
quadrophenian
You thick Nancy & Tisdale had a Plan A and Plan B.
Good luck with that.
Glad to see them gone.
Nicholson next.
He’s read Mark Twain though, so he’ll say nothing.
TBB
I am 100% certain he was in no position to negotiate any terms.
Quadrophenian 12.03
Aye, met him in London, talked about McAvennie and Celtic. No music chat.😂
Quad
I am in Boston and that area for 9 days 11-20th June. Not sure re other plans.
If you are around there then it would be good to grab a beer or so.
BRRB – from his stage pics he looks like a tatted madman dun’t ‘e ?
Real nice little fella in real life.
BURNLEY – we’re based in Baltimore from 15-20th, so ideal if we could grab a brew somewhere (a Celtic supporters club ??)
HH
Quadrophenian
He sure is, bought me a drink so I gave him my autograph. Fair’s fair.
Yogi bang on it today
https://www.youtube.com/live/v33HC1Sg6wg?si=ddJH7x152l4nap-6
CHAIRBHOY
Several times during my working life, having successfully applied for a new job, I always began my resignation letter with “I hereby tender my resignation from my position with the company…”.
Tender (verb) in this context simply means ‘to present for acceptance’ or ‘to offer’.
There is nothing complicated in Brendan Rodgers ‘tendering his resignation’ and the use of tendering does not imply any hidden financial or notice period ramifications.
Brendan’s tendered resignation was accepted. Celtic owe him nada. Not one thin dime.
I wonder if Martin will defer to Stevie Woods when it comes to Kaspar.
We can make a judgement based on what we see in the games, but keepers’ form, or if their powers have waned to the point where they are no longer up to the is a specialist call. Different physical needs, different mentality from outfield players
Stevie would be a much better judge if it’s temporary or permanent if he’s working with him every day imo.
We should have had a new striker in for the game against the Huns. Now we’re hearing that Shaun has been working in the background. Recruitment is a shambles.
We need a few improve the team immediately signings.
QUADROPHENIAN re: Ghetto Tourism
That made me chuckle.
—————–
BRRB re: singing yir wee songs.
Glad you made it back!
——————
Should really head to the office now. Burnley78 didnae offer to buy me a drink in Boston!
Just on the aging squad thing …
… apart from Kasper and Callum … do we have any other players in their 30s ?
Someone needs to tell Yogi on ACSOM that Brian Wilson offered the Celtic Collective a ‘sit-down’ rather than just asking for unity.
How much do we owe Wilfried Nancy and his crew?
BACK TO BASICS – GLASS HALF FULL
Only Jamesie, then 12 between 27 and 30.