When you and I discussed Kelechi Iheanacho on Thursday, I suggested “to retain a player who was not trusted to start games would be an admission of failure on the part of the recruitment and management staff.” It would be an admission that we do not have the resources to replace a player who by our own standards was not good enough to start games last season.
One day later, Celtic signed Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Alex turns 33 next month. He did not make it off the bench in any of our last four league games (unlike Kelechi, who made crucial contributions) and he came on for a 15 minute cameo against Dunfermline in the Scottish Cup Final.
It does not worry me that Alex is our only signing so far this window, better to get it right than get it early, but it is enormously concerning that the recruitment team is so clearly unprepared to kick on from last season’s squad, that we have signed a player who was deemed not good enough to come off the bench during the fraught final few fixtures of the season.
This is a huge red flag but it is not a surprise. Shaun Maloney and Mark Fotheringham were only added to the management team a week before Alex was signed. Martin O’Neill was in place earlier, but no one was in place to make the necessary decisions. We now have to hope we can play catch-up.
I don’t know the nature of Alex’s deal. It might involve a significant pay-as-you-play element, or some other circumstance that makes this a palatable decision. But what I do know is how to communicate a vision to the Celtic support. The vision we are being offered is not attractive.
Fifa
Not since the Heysel Disaster have I felt as concerned about the future of football than when I heard Fifa bowed to political pressure to reinstate suspended USA player Balogun.
Fifa has long been corrupt, but it largely conducted illicit matters behind closed doors. The game held its nose as Fifa awarded a ridiculous Peace Prize last year. Other sides did nothing when Iran was denied sporting equality at the World Cup.
If the body which appoints referees can act in this manner, the outcome of the tournament itself is invalid. The greatest tournament in sport has been reduced to a choreographed wrestling bout.
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Good morning CQN
And what a wonderful day to be a supporter of Celtic.
The double winners.
Again.
And again
… and …. etc.
Well played Belgium last night.
Watched the first half.
To say the USA were garbage would be an insult
… to garbage.
Good to see wee Raskin
… a man who offers nuisance value against mediocre opposition and nowt else …
… being quoted heavily and prominently over their “sense of injustice”.
Get over yourself son.
Actually don’t. Keep up the good work.
Maybe you’ll be the first Belgian player to be picked up by Trump’s goons and thrown in a detention “center”.
Just caught this from 2025. BBC Great Lives Jock Stein
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002j5qz
Good morning all from Kavanaghs, Phibsborough.
Gedinte @ 6:39 am,
Yes, the longer things go a’coastin’ along, the more gravitas your points garner…
Yet, “the deal” and my point on the schism are not mutually exclusive, in fact Tom Allison shares Directorships with Mr Keane – it is thought Mr Keane and Mr Trainer are quite tight…
Now without going too far down the rabbit hole with this, if several Scottish based main shareholders want a regime change – then they could well, with Lord Haughey, David Low etc be agitating for some sort of deal, or at least a re-structuring!?
Always great to read your insights and POV…
LADTH…
Well, yes, another very strong possibility…
I find it difficult to take umbridge at FIFA’s dalliance with power…
Scottish Football showed when Rangers died that is was up there with the most unprincipled footballing authorities ever…
And our own club, up to it’s neck in that and what is worse ethically.!?
Neutralising the punishment for a red card to try to make the competition more attractive to the home market.
Or ensuring your football team is not performing at it’s best, to enable an other club can be artificially competitive – so the old firm business model flourishes…
This is what it’s about for some…
“Celtic40me @ 6:48 pm,
It was a nightmare trying to get hold of tickets for the games at the end of the season. Huge demand.
Nobody wants to miss out on the drama and pure joy of the [2025-26] run in.”
Quadrophenian @ 7:57 am
“CHAIRBHOY; yes, there may be trouble ahead. But shirley if the Moustachioed magnate felt his will was not being done, he’d simply have the usurper bulleted ? HH”
Well – we could well be witnessing a purge that a 20th Century European Dictator would have been proud off:))
Hail Hail
Has Trump bombed Belgium yet?
Very warm in old Dublin City. Where girls are so pretty.
Re Raskin…I don’t particularly like the wee runt but he is a more than decent player and the huns will make a healthy profit on him.
Can’t judge Raskin, as I don’t watch the deid team but the Belgian manager obviously rates him higher at the moment than Arnie.
last post
Saint Stivs @ 12:00 pm,
“last post”
Well done…
👏👏👏👏👏👏
Hail Hail
Bada Bing
Your daily diatribe of bitter criticism of folks who have actually got off there’s arses and gone out and achieved things in their lives makes you seem like quite an unfulfilled person yourself. I am sure you are not.
To suggest a guy who as manager has a 70% winning ratio in international football, who has never managed any of footballs superpowers and has taken teams from countries with populations of less than 12 million people to semi finals of World Cup and Quarters of European Champs plus World No 1 ranking and who has Won Europa Nations Cup is ‘useless’ is quite a thing.
He may have made an error or two along the way and he has good resource to work with but overall the record is good. Sadly Argentina France and Spain were stronger and had more firepower at this time.
Chairbhoy
I love your indefatigability
20 years or so you have been telling us all the sky is falling and what a mess Celtic is in.
20 years of almost total dominance. A bigger trophy haul than any time in our history. Oh and dddent financials with no one taking their 20% leveraged payouts. Enough to make anyone totally sick of it. Not you. Every day you are back.
Maybe you will get it right sometime.
https://youtu.be/SXW-sL5gzHQ?si=Idy_NuSlTcYK1Udq
I blame clickbait, …..that’s why I stick to high quality fan media like CQN where you know we’ve not signed anyone before you click.
prince harry .
If the board were making the tea it would be stewed.
Aye , it would probably be fannings and you wouldn’t see them for dust
Can just see it now , the ringers are coming , break out the Orange Pekoe
😂😂
THE BIG QUESTION
How much did the crook Infantino get from the arsehole Trump I wonder. monumental scandal.
I loved big Bobo but after watching his highlights on You tube, never realised just what a great football player he was, fandabadozy
i have a daft question because i just do not know .
do american sports have a punishment for players cheating akin to red cards ?
The preseason cup is a non starter when the BbC Sports department comments on our most recent entry into the transfer market as ” Celtic agree to stump up , then follows up by agrees to pay. ‘”
I’m looking forward to the numerous statements about paperwork, dramas around international clearance and last minute other interest from other clubs ….
HH
Start every day off with a smile and get it over with.
W.C.Fields/BRRB.
KINGLUBO on 7th July 2026 1:25 pm
THE BIG QUESTION
How much did the crook Infantino get from the arsehole Trump I wonder. monumental scandal.
*as much as it infuriated me and the peace prize I’m starting to feel that infantino is playing the long game here as, as look at the difference in the country pre WC and now, you don’t hear about his goons and that tournament was a prime target for them, its common knowledge that he loves to be buttered up.
Earlier, I was going to jokingly post that FIFA were moving their headquarters to Trump Tower, only to find out that they have indeed already opened an office in the manbaby’s tower.
BRRB
Fair play fella, you’ve got head start with the smiling ,yir mooth is roon a pint tumbler before we wake up.
Have a grand day .HH 🍀 👍
Vogue Punter
Thanks big fella. The Celtic in 4 hours, me and Calton Tongues are having a great time. Still no sighting of a handsome hun. 👍😂
B78- it’s a blog you pompous new money wanker
This will forever be remembered as the Donald Trump World Cup. Firstly, the Peace Prize, next, banning the Somali referee from entering the country, then the despicable treatment of the Iranian national team, followed by yesterday’s fiasco with Balogun. Single-handedly he turned the watching football world against his team and made us all Belgium fans for the day.
Weebobbycollins on 7th July 2026 2:20 pm
This will forever be remembered as the Donald Trump World Cup. Firstly, the Peace Prize, next, banning the Somali referee from entering the country, then the despicable treatment of the Iranian national team, followed by yesterday’s fiasco with Balogun. Single-handedly he turned the watching football world against his team and made us all Belgium fans for the day.
*absolutely and what makes this more farcical is balogun has never really lived in the States, he left there when he was 2 month old, grew up in england, played for the arse academy, made 2 appearances in 3 years for the big team and then went out on loan to France and is now playing in Monaco, he cold have played for england or nigeria but probably picked the US as he would be guaranteed a game with them, in act he used them, bet you hauf the yankee team couldnae understand him when he spoke
Oh whats it all about? ……..?
HH
The wonderful Glasgow Celtic
We always have such fun
We will always win most trophies
And thrash the fooking hun.
Calton Tongues wins €381.
brrb
You two at the Bingo ? 😁
Squeaky bum time for wee odious krankie the Celtic hater!
https://x.com/SteveTa65152757/status/2074049636407349737
tic toc
Vogue Punter 3.28
Jammy wee basket got 3 out of 4 on lucky 15.😂👍
St Stivs at 12.00pm
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Pa pa pa.
new article posted.