The postponement of last night’s game at Pittodrie means Celtic will have at least four games more than Hearts before the post-split Scottish Premiership fixtures being in April. If they reach the Scottish Cup semi-final, it will be six more. If Celtic progress through another two round of the Europa League, that figure would grow to 10 more games before the split. That is a material difference.
Newco are out of Europe and therefore have two fewer games on their roster, with a cup game against lower-league opponents, whereas Celtic face Dundee in the cup on Saturday. The next 10 weeks will exhaust the players physically and mentally; Martin O’Neill will need all his experience and his entire squad to keep momentum rolling.
Winning this league would be a huge achievement, one of the biggest this century and an ominous sign to others.
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Friday eve!
Primero ?
Dagnabbit AIPPLE !
Wooooft!
As if we don’t have enough problems with bias officials and a loaded schedule we have our own ‘so called’ supporters to overcome.
Good that Martin and Shaun and Fozzy have broad shoulders.
Photos and videos doing the rounds, of a rat infestation at Poundland last night……fill in your own joke…
Our player trading operation does not satisfy our footballing aspirations.
We really do ask a lot of our brilliant manager.
If only all others performed their role so well
I was actually optimistic about our short term signings, of Araujo, Cvancara, Mvuka and Adamu.
Up and comers or mid-career stallers with a bit to prove.
But I fear this Oxlade-Chamberlain move reeks of back to the future. And desperation.
Like when we used to sign ex-EPL bigshots when they felt like a stroll in a northern paddock.
It rarely worked out well.
Maybe I need to calm the farm and trust in Martin’s judgement.
And to think we’ll eject someone from the EL squad to accommodate Alex – yikes !!
I agree this would be the best achievement of any this century if we do win the league.
That said MON first season overcame a massively over spending wee Dick and likewise WGS in 2008.
What’s the consensus on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who may have medical and sign today? Martin speaking openly of wanting to sign him.
Supposedly fit but not match fit (so in that regard similar to when Araujo), would he be pushing to start games?
Wee Chris Union Jack having his bestest ever fantasy in this morning’s Herald:
“A trip to Motherwell awaits (Rangers) next midweek before Hearts visit Ibrox. Two wins there would lay down a marker. Another two at Livingston and in the Old Firm would put Rangers in a position of real strength in the Premiership. If the points are to be earned the performances must improve.”
Talk about getting ahead of yourself. Wee Union is winning games four at a time. What chance do Celtic and Hearts have against such consistency and dominance. He’ll have the Teddy Bears invading Poland if his fantasy comes true.
I’m glad Martin believes in taking one game at a time.
One of the best ways to dampen down the anger and dismay amongst fans is to win games. Even if we do win the league I do not believe all is going to be fine. It has gone too far. It really saddens me as a Celtic fan and taking my teenage sons to the matches is not an enjoyable experience at the moment. Not due to performances or results – as that builds their character seeing harder times – but due to the feeling of negativity that floods through the ground. I haven’t spoken to one fan who thinks the club is being run efficiently and as you can see it is well over 50% of the ground that stand up in disgust against the board. You can see or hear that many don’t want to chant with anger or vitriol at people but if we start to lose I do believe that will change. I also think we may see Celtic fans turn on each other.
A lot of this is avoidable even now. If the board would only speak about their plans for the summer, talk about changes and directly address all fans. The GB and others have direct problems with the board but for the majority of us that is not our priority.
Parking it for now suits the board but what happens in 4 months time when season tickets come out. Are we going to continue to behave like a club in financial peril or are we going to replace members of the board and try and modernise the club a little. Who knows because they don’t talk to us.
We can already see fan turn on fan on social media and it is all caused because the club do not speak to the fans. WHY????
Paul 67,
“Winning this league would be a huge achievement, one of the biggest this century and an ominous sign to others”
———–‘
Can you imagine winning the league in Istanbul on the 20th May.
Now that would be one of the biggest achievements this century.
It’s just as well our tickets against Stuttgart are selling really well as 30k German fans have applied for Parkhead tickets.
Would all the boycotters refuse tickets for Besiktas Park or would Gloryhunting prevail. ?
HH.
I am a fan of the Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain move.
AOC would definitely lighten the load on the midfield but I wouldnt put too much faith in him being more than a squad player for a while yet. He hasnt played competitive football for a long time and he has an unfortunate record with the sort of injuries that get worse and more frequent as you get older.
I’d be wary of relying on him to make a serious difference or be a regular difference maker as a starter.
But he has been working hard on his fitness at Arsenal and Arteta has been talking about what a good influence he is in training so the downsides arent great
arent that big
I’m assuming MON knows more about Oxlade-Chamberlain than all of us put together.
If he’s happy with it, I’m happy with it.
“Winning this league would be a huge achievement, one of the biggest this century”
———————-
Well it would be one of our lowest points totals, but I suppose if you factor in the shambles of the summer transfer window and the Nancy appointment it would be an achievement of sorts.
With a busy fixture schedule it’s good that our squad has been improved – in terms of quantity at least. Quality-wise we are miles off where we should be, thanks to a three-year regression.
Been great for the old firm though…..
If we win this league title it will be the most satisfying in a long long time . All hands to the pump people .
For me, the news that Celtic fan organisations have come together to publicly call for a boycott on Saturday is probably more worthy of discussion than theoretical Cup games.
It’s a shame things have come to this but sadly, since calling for unity, our interim chairman has refused to meet representative groups. Some supporters still remain banned for the alleged actions of a few.
It’s unsurprising that this website appears unable to discuss the job performance of Celtic executives.
It’ll take more than references to Martin O’Neill to stem this tide of anger. The vast majority of Celtic Park made their feelings clear on the board during the Falkirk match. This ain’t going away, regardless of how much it is ignored by Paul.
Chris Jack writes in the herald?
Can it sink any lower?
James Forrest used to slaughter him regularly but I thought he was red top ‘journo’.
” The Blogger Formerly Known As GM on 5th February 2026 12:37 pm
I’m assuming MON knows more about Oxlade-Chamberlain than all of us put together.”
I have thought that about most aspects of the running of our club quite often :-)))
Re the photos , some people saying that theres rats in the stands and rats on the pitch-do you know what – I agree with them !!
The Collectives view on boycott
https://x.com/i/status/2019056903746146338.
To me a boycott is the nuclear option.
Other options should have been looked at
A little misguided as I feel at this time as
We have a league to win and it will only create further division.
On a rough poll many Celtic supporters I have spoke to will be going to see Celtic.no boycott.They want accountability and communication to improve and those in their towers to be less remote
Most online definitely are remote.They want sackings,a black n white issue.The inactive Cellic da,we all know one,not been near CP since been lifted over,but wants every one out.
HH
Yes, if we win this one it will demoralise the others beyond measure. It would be proof of the massive margin for error that Celtic can exercise and still win the league. Even if there is no change in the Boardroom (calamitous in my view), those that remain surely can’t oversee another catastrophe on the scale of this season? Surely even their groupthink and egotism isn’t impervious to learning from this season? And we cannot have the same terrible misfortune with injuries. Even the weather has now gone against us.
We have superior players and superior management staff to the others.
Against us is the continuing schism with the support and lack of atmosphere in the ground. The Board are choosing not to resolve this. They can mitigate this risk. Both the club and fans need to find a mutually acceptable accommodation.
The officials are another huge risk factor, which is becoming more apparent as the huns’ chances improve. Some public and private pressure on the SFA/ Willie Collum please Michael! PL was always very strong on this point.
Volume of games is also a huge risk factor per today’s blog. Rest some key players against Dundee. We should still have enough to get through and if we don’t we just need to accept it was a risk worth taking.
Likewise against Stuttgart. Who really cares about the EL in the current domestic context? Getting through one further round in Europe whilst undermining our league prospects makes no strategic sense. We can prioritise these matches next year when we’re 10 points clear in the league…
We can’t really control that much in terms of restoring player resources, but the sports science team need to play their part as far as they can. Oxlade- Chamberlain might make sense just in the sense of an extra quality body to select from.
Finally, now is not the time for boycotts. It really isn’t. Far too high a risk of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Martin and the team need our full support. Be smart.
Just saw this.
https://youtu.be/SqPD82MFSOU?si=SPhHQ0maHvQkqQrP
We’re not going to win the league. It will not be allowed.
100% agree , the board MUST be gotten rid of, no doubt, and I am all in favour of action by the Collective, BUT
it is crazy to boycott the Dundee game. The team is beginning to get on an even keel and St Martin is doing a brilliant job we agree on that.
We all support CELTIC, not the board, or even the manager and players, don’t get me wrong in that, but we ARE Celtic, no one else.
Mentioned earlier, we have enough enemies within the game, we must stop the fighting and slagging off of people on the site and concentrate on us winning, just support the team , please
kingLUBO
In the Trusty sending off footage did anyone else notice the hearts player ,Krysiridis i think , actually screaming into the refs face when he only showed a yellow card.
People have been sent off for that alone
Kent threw a punch at Scott Brown at Celtic Park in full view of the referee and TV cameras, he wasn’t sent off, so in my opinion these cheats with whistles will and can do anything to help their team Sevco.
An Dún on 5th February 2026 12:48 pm
“For me, the news that Celtic fan organisations have come together to publicly call for a boycott on Saturday is probably more worthy of discussion than theoretical Cup games.”
To boycott an early round cup game is weak imo as these games are traditionally less well attended. Our bus has 23 just, others in area similar levels (< 50%) and that was before the boycott was announced.
A real statement would be to boycott the next home derby if the game is meaningful when it comes around but I doubt they would call for that as it wouldnt work imo.
QB
AOC – No brainer if we can do it. We need some more big time experience in the squad
Sad news coming out of Dublin with a major road incident.
https://m.independent.ie/regionals/dublin/dublin-news/number-of-pedestrians-hit-in-major-incident-involving-double-decker-bus-in-dublin-city-centre/a930039555.html
HH
Paul67 et al
Let me get this straight, the more successful you are in football the more games you play. Have I got that right?
If so all I can say is…….Bring It On!
PeterLatchford’sBelly @ 1.29 pm
That was the truth of it.
There is one, and only one, clear objective for Celtic at this time and that is to win this league. If we achieve that it will be despite malice from a hostile media and from officialdom.
That there are clear faults in our club’s structure is blindingly obvious. But to switch focus from events on the park to demonstrations off it is a self-indulgence which will only harm us.
Whoever devised the idea of a human blockade preventing directors’ exit needs help. With the best intentions in the world, that will be a platform for thuggery. In turn, it will damage the good reputation of Celtic supporters. It will also give comfort to all those who wish us ill.
PeterLatchfordsBelly,
“Likewise against Stuttgart. Who really cares about the EL in the current domestic context”
——–
Me.
HH.
KINGLUBO on 5th February 2026 1:40 pm
“Gotten” alert, 1st paragraph.
It’s “GOT”, unless you are a Sepo.
Aff outwith
Boycott the boycott!
Oxlade Chamberlain on Celtic transfer brink with medical booked before key deadline.