Hearts’ lead, which extended to 8 points after their win over Celtic 16 days ago, now looks more precarious. Subsequent draws against St Mirren and Dundee United, when they were fortunate to take a point in both games, has seen dreams of “This is the season” dissipate from Hearts fans’ minds.
Still, we are in no position to be complacent. Late wins over St Mirren, Kilmarnock and Motherwell postponed Celtic’s league breakdown until it eventually hit the buffers against Dundee and Hearts. Martin O’Neill has given the players a confidence they were lacking, but Martin knows too well how quickly that quality can disappear.
When you are seven points off the pace (with a game in hand), every game feels like a must-win. Inevitably, that will not always work out as planned. It is little wonder Martin attended St Mirren’s game on Sunday, their visit to Celtic Park in 11 days is already on his mind.
What Martin has in his favour is decades experience as a serial winner. I like Derek McInnes as a coach. He is accomplished and would have been a better choice than several of the serial losers Newco have appointed over the last 13 years. What he doesn’t have, is a track record of winning trophies.
In 18 years as manager he delivered Aberdeen a League Cup (on penalties against Inverness), as well as lower league titles with St Johnstone and Kilmarnock. Another former St Johnstone manager, Callum Davidson, won more major trophies in a single season.
If we look harshly on McInnes, he lacks a winners’ edge, whereas Martin O’Neill drips with this quality. Martin is unlikely to be in place for the title run-in; whoever takes his place will need the same edge.
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Hello
Afternoon BRRB,Where be you?
HH
An Tearmann
Morrisons, Newlandsfield.
And no, they don’t have a bar.
From last blog:
DENIABHOY on 11TH NOVEMBER 2025 11:48 AM
TheOriginalSadiesBhoy – just to clarify, the proposed line up was from ChatPGT based on the squad available. I guess Nygren or the lost Bhoy Bernardo would also be able to play in that set up.
I thought the most interesting thing is that it did not have any room for wingers so potentially no Balikwisha, JF, Yang, Jota or Tounekti.
…………………….
I know nothing about Wilfried Nancy other than he’s French and is employed in the MLS. So if the AI information is in anyway accurate it is helpful eg to know his preferred style and how they play.
I don’t like three at the back with central defenders and wing backs instead of full backs. I can’t get out of my head how MON used to play with the three at the back and Lovenkrands destroyed us in the Cup Final at Hampden. I also like our wingers. I prefer them to wing backs. However, I’m prepared to wait and see who we appoint.
You’d think we would be speaking to candidates at the moment and hopefully name the new manager this week or next or if he doesn’t want to be named until his contract is up then say we have made an appointment who will take up his post whenever.
However, I fear that 67 EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS is absolutely correct in the searching questions that the candidates will ask and the fudging of the Interviewer(s) will lead to worthy and willing candidates to turn us down. I particularly fear who that will leave us with.
Timmy7_noted @ 10:52 am,
Yes, there is absolutely no one on the Celtic Board that seems to have the credentials to move the club forward in any way.
Ironic for me – that the people who support this Board on here, tell us how well clubs like Brugge, Midtjylland etc are operated.
Can’t they see, the way our Club is operated and the way those Clubs, that punch way above their weight, operate is night and day.
Also, they would argue black is white…
“Also DD pulled the plug on Brendan without a plan in place.”
How do we know that!?
Because…
a) DD released an official statement that stated this
b) Celtic have an interim Manager in charge for the forseeable future.
Shrugs shoulders!!
Hail Hail
Money usually sways minds one way or the other, por cierto
“It is little wonder Martin attended St Mirren’s game on Sunday, their visit to Celtic Park in 11 days is already on his mind.”
Paul we play St. Mirren in Paisley not at Celtic Park, making the game even more hazardous.
Very true – we find ourselves in a position of needing quick wins, not always the best place to start from if you’re looking for a manager who can also be part of a longer term plan, which is something we’re also badly in need of.
Finding a serial winner who will come to Scotland and still have the fight in his belly to prove himself here and deal with all the noise of being our next manager wont be at all easy. It will probably mean a bit of unconventional thinking but we’ve done it before.
I’m not sure that any of us can identify what it takes to win at Celtic better than the people who’ve done it for the last 25 years.
CELTIC40ME on 11TH NOVEMBER 2025 12:15 PM
Very true – we find ourselves in a position of needing quick wins, not always the best place to start from if you’re looking for a manager who can also be part of a longer term plan, which is something we’re also badly in need of.
Finding a serial winner who will come to Scotland and still have the fight in his belly to prove himself here and deal with all the noise of being our next manager wont be at all easy. It will probably mean a bit of unconventional thinking but we’ve done it before.
I’m not sure that any of us can identify what it takes to win at Celtic better than the people who’ve done it for the last 25 years.
…………………..
They haven’t done a good job of making an impact in Europe over the last 25 years. They have in fact impeded progress on that front.
Brendan Rodgers won eleven trophies at Celtic and was emptied after he “hit the buffers” by losing two games on the trot.
The new manager won’t need a “winners edge” so much as an invincible super-power.
Hail Hail
Can never get my head around the constant fuss about points gaps, certainly at this time of the season.
I have said before I reckon our points total will be down on recent years – too many goals gone and not replaced. That’s not to say we won’t win the league – it’s just that you are opening it up to teams that aren’t capable of getting into the mid 90s.
Hearts were averaging a completely unsustainable 2.8 points per game after they beat us. Now down to a still unsustainable 2.5.
If we can average 2.5 per game until the end of the season that would take us (just!) above 90 which would probably be enough this season.
January recruitment needs to go well. That might be the problem.
I’ve picked up on his disjointed and incoherent babbling in pre and post game pressers over the past few weeks.
I’ll be kind on him and say he simply doesn’t know what to say or handle the media because he’s never been in this position.
On Sunday he said “we played the last 30 minutes as if they were the last 5”.
Says a lot about his team and its mentality.
Brendan was emptied because he couldn’t beat Aberdeen, Kairat, Hibs, Motherwell, a shite Huns, bottom club Dundee then was out-thought by Hearts.
No Celtic manager would surive that run of results, stretching back 6 months.
I wonder if we can find another manager that can win 12 out of 14 trophies and make progress in europe. If we do I wonder if we will back his judgement.
The_huddle @ 12:30 pm,
Interesting – we will see how the new guy does then.
Looking forward to someone who is a big improvement on Brendan Rodgers.
We really need to be dominating domestically again and competing in the EUL this season and UCL next.
The futures bright…
Hail Hail
I’d rather we had a Director of Football or Head of Football that would be indentifying the manager/coach at Celtic.
DD should be no where near this however the last 2 managers employed by the club were a success right? Plenty on here liked Ange and Brendan.
Why then is there such concern about the next manager?
Bit repetitive perhaps but here goes.
Brendan added value (yes he did) right up until the point he didn’t (yes it happened)
22 November seems a long way away.
Not for me,sounds like Ronny Deila Mk 2,a friend of Tisdale seemingly, a new manager is 5% of what we need
How hard can it be to get a manager who:
Is world class
Has no ambition
Is willing to have his reputation trashed when he leaves
Hmmmmmm…..
McKenna win rate is 46% (but only 10.5% in the EPL)
Nancy win rate is 48%
Musky win rate is 54%
BR win rate is 69.9%
O’Neill win rate is 75.5% – higher than other Celtic managers, including Postecoglou and Stein
CerealWinners CSC
Ready to be underwhelmed with the new manager appointment-this board has no energy or ambition to drive this club on an upward pathway.
TIMMY7-NOTED
DD pulled the plug on Brendan without a plan in place.
TOM MCLAUGHLIN
Are you sure about that?
TIMMY7-NOTED
Tom.
Yes 100% Do you have evidence to the contrary?
Timmy
You’re the one claiming Brendan was sacked. Where is YOUR evidence?
A mere two weeks since Dermot Desmond’s nuclear statement, 138 years since the Celtic debate began in earnest when we ‘ recruited ‘ some players of a Hibernian background to start our football club .
Martin O’Neill was the only man who could takeover from bad Brendan or ‘Toxic Ted’ as he was on here. Martin is “having the time of his life” in his iconic interlude, not too bothered about being well and truly mugged by Danish dwarfs Midtjylland who instantly found the Achilles heel, of Dermot’s ‘successful structure’. That’ll be the new guys problem, so will the shaken and definitely stirred the supporters, who are even able to rattle about in the old place, and lateral movement is no longer the main problem.
The Celtic managers battle with the budget was music hall before Fergus McCann, now as a PLC it’s legendary. A two years and you’re away brisk business that’s churned Celtic’s football managers for more than twenty years. Most managers since 1994 have fallen on the anvil of PLC expediency, and will fall again.
.
Take your time Dermot we appreciate that you’re one of us, not a Glazer Brother or even a no laughing at the back 49nr. We must find that Pep, Jose ( or Shaun ) that’s going to develop all our quality players from Lennoxtown, with a mix of buys under £2M using the same strategy that’s never worked for Europe, in spite of our magnitude.
The next managerial choice must tick all the boxes, could be fascinating, what a daunting task. Must win the league, win or threaten a treble, win a double and compete in a Champions League for which we’ll have to qualify. Most Celtic managers have been successful, just think what the new guy could achieve with a bit of world class assistance.
Moneyball CSC
The number of Celtic supporters I keep reading that think the manager signs the players is astounding. Signing good players is critical and so the biggest team we have at the club should be those involved in scouting/recruitment. We should also accept we need to have flexibility in our signing policy.
Without the above it doesn’t matter if Klopp or Pep fancy a wet Tuesday in Dundee they will be suffocated in their attempt to take us forward.
Of the names mentioned NONE of them fit the criteria as stated by Paul today because none of the have won anything. Certainly of note.
The fixation with the manager is pointless because the most successful rely on so many elements coming together to make it successful, unlike our fractured club. An angry, divided, unaligned support awaits the new man.
Most won’t be fooled by half a dozen wins and a league cup. Critical change is needed – which I do not believe will happen – and so we will see more of the same as we have seen since Mowbray was appointed. Some decent seasons, some very good ones but almost overwhelmingly disappointment in Europe.
Bring on the 21st November where the board can get challenged on their risk averse approach to football. It won’t change anything but if it even gives them a few hours of uncomfortable listening I will welcome that.
Shame DD will be hiding on a tax haven playing golf.
mcinnes is not a serial winner.
What Hearts and Midjyland have hopefully done is killed the argument that we’ve been having on CQN about recruitment models and development for about ten years.
We’ve got there, It’s been painful, but progress often is, hopefully a more sensible approach will be met with a little less resistance in future.
Tom,
Thats just bizarre and not a serious question.
Chairbhoy on 11th November 2025 12:24 pm
“Brendan Rodgers won eleven trophies at Celtic and was emptied after he “hit the buffers” by losing two games on the trot.”
…….
Lying Rodgers was emptied because of all of the toxic lies that he repeatedly told after EVERY Transfer Window.
All of it repeated by Timmy ersewipe blogs, posters, plodcasts, websites, etc all playing thur “poor Brendan” banjoes.
AND.
Because his fantasy Playstation approach was being sussed out and overcome by clubs with a fraction of our resources costing the club 40 Million Quid of CL money.
AND.
Playing players [multi million quid assets] whilst they were carring knocks which will see the team being denied the services of these players, all actions of a pish manager, or a manager playing out an agenda.
Desmond was correct – The Celtic Collective are miles oot.
The same Celtic Collective who cheered on wee odious krankies vaccine genocide, whilst the dumb Huns saw through ALL OF Snp COVID LIES!
What a time to be alive.
HH
oot.
BSR @ 12:59 pm,
:))))))
At the end of the Midtjylland game Martin suggested we’re going to need a bigger squad
In a very similar fashion to the way I once heard a chap saying – we’re going to need a bigger boat….
Think they both have a point…
Hail Hail
the made up gossip today
————————-
MLS boss among Celtic’s list of targets, while interim manager may be around a bit longer…
Columbus Crew boss Wilfried Nancy is on the Celtic managerial shortlist, along with Bodo/Glimt’s Kjetil Knutsen and Kieran McKenna of Ipswich Town. (Sky Sports), external
Celtic principal shareholder Dermot Desmond will hold talks with Martin O’Neill this week as the club ponder extending the 73-year-old’s interim period in charge of the team. (Sky Sports), external
Two Italian clubs are weighing up January approaches for Rangers and Belgium midfielder Nicolas Raskin, with Ibrox sources indicating a bid of £18m to £20m could force their hand. (TeamTalk), external
Rangers could increase revenue by around £4m per season if they press ahead with the board’s ambitious plans to expand Ibrox again. (Football Insider), external
Former Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is being courted by Saudi Pro League clubs. (Daily Record), external
Rangers are seeking another meeting with the Scottish FA, with the Ibrox club of the view that the latter’s key match incident panel two-to-one ruling validates their belief that Celtic defender Auston Trusty should have been sent off rather than shown a yellow card for catching goalkeeper Jack Butland’s head with a foot during the recent Premier Sports Cup semi-final. (Sky Sports), external
Liverpool and Scotland left-back Andy Robertson, 31, will leave Anfield when his contract expires next summer and has already held talks with Celtic. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external
Dundee United have enquired about Yelimay Semey’s Kazakhstan winger Galymzhan Kenzhebek, 22, who is soon to be out of contract. (Daily Record), external
Dundee United are one of a number of clubs keen on Kenzhebek, who was previously linked with Celtic and Hearts. (The Courier – subscription required), external
Pundit Michael Stewart has issued an apology to the Scottish FA after mentioning a “cover-up” over the use of VAR to rule out a St Mirren goal in Saturday’s game with Hibs, saying: “I am not trying to claim there is something untoward going on.” (Scottish Football Social Club via Daily Record, external)
Celtic coach Mark Fotheringham is mentioned in connection with the managerial vacancy at Norwich City. (Sun), external
St Mirren season ticket holders will be given the opportunity to buy up to 20 tickets each for next month’s Premier Sports Cup final against Celtic. (Scottish Sun), external
Former Dundee United and St Johnstone scout/analyst Stevie Grieve is wanted by Swedish club Helsingborgs and is also on the radar of HJK Helsinki after two successful seasons as head coach at Finnish side SJK Akatemia. (The Courier – subscription required)
Wilfred Nancy has a supporter in Paul Tisdale. I doubt Tisdale is consulted by Desmond. Who has reported to have decided on the last 8 Celtic managers on his own. Tisdales link is Nancy’s assistant was his assistant at Exeter
I think Desmond will be looking elsewhere.
What do the bookies know?
St Mirren members up to 20 tickets!!
https://stmirren.com/all-news/6094-premier-sports-cup-final-tickets
HH
Relegation for Leeds? lol
https://celtsarehere.com/brendan-rodgers-in-line-for-shock-premier-league-return/
I really want to be respectful to our Host for providing this great platform that attracts some brilliant thoughts and theories (yes there are some fruitcakes but what can you do)
However as respectful of Paul67 as I am I cannot but feel our Host is missing the moment
So the question is – is Celtic Quick News a simply being monetized or has it lost its original focus “Not Lazy Journalism”
Because our club are in a state of transition with much to discuss – particularly the performance of the current custodians but we are analysing the merits of Derek McInnes FFS.
The subject matter is so far removed from the reality of what’s going on that I am fearful that Paul67 is spending too much time with our Board and has adopted the “it will all be OK” attitude.
Move on reader nothing to see here
The strategic thinking of our Board to secure financial stability has served us well
But that does not give then carte blanche, to arrogantly ignore the Celtic support
Is there no one with an update if not Nicholson perhaps Peter if not Peter perhaps Paul67 if not Paul67 perhaps Celtic TV
I would even take an update from the guy in the ticket office
In the meantime we are all to just stew in our juices
I’m off to make cheese on toast
Or is it
Toasted cheese. ??
67ECW
When The Board of Celtic plc realise that they exist because of the Football Club, and ,they should do everything to enable the First Team to be successful at home and progress in Europe, then we will make progress, changing the name on the Manager’s door does nothing and will achieve nothing. Board backers see success in a Scottish context and nothing else.
Bigbhoy @ 1:18 pm,
Paul Tisdale is our current Head of Football Operations he will be consulted as to whom our next Manager will be.
However we know who the final decision maker will be, the same guy that has done it for 25 years.
Hail Hail
An Tearmann on 11th November 2025 1:19 pm
St Mirren members up to 20 tickets!!
https://stmirren.com/all-news/6094-premier-sports-cup-final-tickets](https://stmirren.com/all-news/6094-premier-sports-cup-final-tickets
…..
Celtic PLC take 20 double decker buses to all of our cup finals whilst [back of the bus] season ticket holders get CONTINUALLY overlooked for these types of tickets.
HH
oot.