Three seasons of direct access to the Champions League Group or League stage has isolated us from the anxieties of the qualification rounds. Risks come in categories. There are sides who are far stronger and always progress (such as Arsenal). Scandinavians who are midseason, with a vital fitness advantage, and tiny clubs who get everything right for a season or two in the sun (Malmo), some of whom are also midseason.
In seasons 2012, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 we entered Champions League qualification in the second round. That was bad enough. In 2018, 19 and 20 we entered in the first qualification round. This distorted preseason, denied us money-spinning trips overseas, and brought an unhelpful urgency to squad development.
Getting appropriate preseason games was difficult. Every strong club in Europe was either at a lesser fitness than Celtic, or were midseason and not interested in playing friendlies. There was learning throughout this process, but outcomes were disappointing.
This season starts with a league game against St Mirren on 3 August. By then, we will have played six preseason games, three against strong opposition (Sporting, Newcastle, Ajax). We will have two league games under out belt before the first Champions League playoff round game. There can never be too many, but eight games will move the fitness dial to some degree.
By then, Celtic will hope to have further strengthened the squad. The learning mentioned above will be beneficial. Never underestimate the importance of stability. I mention that to give some context to Newco, who have only one preseason game before they play Panathinaikos in Champions League qualification next week (the Greeks have four games).
There is so much change at Newco right now, ownership of planning and decision-making will still be bedding in. Clearly, the last guys did not leave them much in the way of a structure for the new season.
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quadrophenian on 16th July 2025 2:11 pm
I’m not feeling any angst over our manoeuvres off the park.
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orchestral?
we are in the dark about them
“At least 20 killed in crush at US-backed GHF aid site in Gaza”
And the deaths continue…but hey!
“…it is believed people armed and affiliated with Hamas fomented unrest.”
So that’s okay then…
Back to Basics – Glass Half Full @ 3:25 pm,
I think Burnley78 makes a fair, reasonable observation (if I’ve read it correctly)>/i>
Burnley78 @ 1:08 pm,
Just shattered
Agree. Recruitment should be questioned.
So, what do you think needs to be questioned about recruitment?
My feeling is our recruitment has made a marked improvement.
Kuhn
Sinsalo
Schmeichel
Bernardo
Engels
Idah
Trusty
McCowan
Jota
All made contributions to a very good season last season, since then we have signed…
Tierney
Doohan
Nygren
Osmand
Inamura
We have a third choice keeper in there, we have two development players in there.
We have sold over 110mn of players since Ange left, spending less than half of that.
Many of the recruitment challenges, the Board create.
I.e. they want a revenue stream from player trading, they want development players recruited, they have a ceiling on transfer fees and wages.
Yet, in order to have a sustainable business model for Celtic PLC the Board feels this has to be the case.
The scouts, recruitment staff, football staff and manager must work within these borders.
Under the circumstances, we do very well, we are seeing incremental improvements in all the recent windows.
Hail Hail
We’rw up to our knees in balls and tees . . .
FROM THE BBC
The Open tee-times ‘tweaked’ due to band parade
Mark Simpson & Maria McCann
BBC News NI
“More than 70 bands and about 2,000 people are due to be involved in the event on Saturday evening, as The Open tournament finishes for the day nearby
The start of The Open Championship in Portrush on Saturday is being brought forward due to a band parade in the town.
More than 70 bands and about 2,000 people are due to be involved in the event which has been organised by Portrush Sons of Ulster on Saturday evening, as the golf tournament finishes for the day nearby.
The chief executive of the Royal & Ancient (R&A), Mark Darbon, said there would be “marginal adjustments” of about 15 minutes to the golf tee-times on Saturday to try to ensure both events could take place in a “seamless” way.
Mr Darbon said, as organisers, they are “guests in the community”.
There’s the rub right there Brendan verse “they” last year, this year more so because he’s on a three year deal.
He’s busy earning his salary and trophies to go with it.
Who are they?
Celtic Park time is Lisbon time 👍
Mark Lawwell resigned on 1st March 2024. Joe Dudgeon resigned same day. The word came out that they resigned as Brendan was unhappy with their recommendations to be signed. Brendan vetoing the targets in full made their positions untenable and they felt they had to resign. They were due to serve long periods of notice, so they were placed on gardening leave
Agent: We’ve had a call from Celtic they want to know if your interested in going to Scotland
Player : (Insert a hundred different names). Have you had any other offers
Agent: Not as yet , but think there will be other clubs interested
Player: Erm …no sure about Scotland
Agent : Let’s wait and see what else comes in.
Player : Good idea , might get a better offer….
Unfortunately we’ve got to be realistic, if a player is half decent he is going to leave it till the last minute to see if he gets a better option unless he gets a mega deal offer , which we obviously won’t be offering…….
Did Joe leave in high dudgeon?
It’s very strange the efforts made on here, including our host, utterly determined to validate Mark Lawwell.
I’m old enough to remember our host boldly stating that Mark Lawwell would go on to bigger and better things after he got the chop from Celtic.
18 months on, where is he ?
Mark and Joe have moved on to ‘ bigger and better things’….no?
Usual B78 nonsense, like a wee boy at school who drops a stinkbomb in the corridor twice a week…..the headmaster……knows who it is as well…..and he disappears…..until tomorrow….
DeniaBhoy on 16th July 2025 3:52 pm
Mr Darbon said, as organisers, they are “guests in the community”.
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As opposed to the marchers who are uninvited guests in the community .
If I was the board, I’d insist that BR either takes the new conract offer NOW, or not.
Clear pathway then, no fannying about
KINGLuBO
just heard
interested in Schluup again, ffs, is that the height of our ambition
Has anyone any evidence that BR has been offered a new contract ?
HH
Looking forward to the game tonight. Should be very interesting and informative as to how we shall play in the coming season.
Timforlife
No comments from the club or from Brendan.
In my opinion, made up stories with no substance the rags and other media,
Calculated to attempt to increase sales / generate clicks and to try to destabilise Celtic.
garygillespieshamstring on 16th July 2025 5:19 pm
the bloggers and their podcasts are now worse than the MSM.
They make a comment on every speculatice dice roll that the press throw in the air.
The hysterical wailing is off the scale,
Desmons doesnt sign the cheques for tattoood players apparantely.
We will be stronger by the end of the window. But the delay could jeopardise our champions league readiness. Celtic famous for losing players due to procrastination, low balling, last minute opportunism – the primary goal is profit and bargains. The primary goal should be spend extra to get the team together to allow prep for season ahead.
The starting line up today is worse than the drivel we served up the last few months of last season.
We are gambling with a 40m pay day. That’s the Celtic (board/bored) way!
Made up stories from Board flunkies that post the nonsense here,join the dots….
TBB –
hungry players ?
STEBHOY
Can you post today’s starting line-up.
GGH
Thanks for your update.
It reaffirms my own suspicions. Yet another shaggy dog story.
HH
I am still banned from KDS.
I was going to share a lot of board positive happy clappin regarding stadium developments, but they dont like it.
AOh well, their loss.
I might have to go all KevJungly.
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B78 – interesting observation.
It’s a pity the club have put someone in a “heads I win, tails you loose” situation.
It was always the risk giving a fixed term contract.
Players are usually moved on if they prevaricate in signing a new deal.
In an ideal world we should have had alternative candidates lined up and given the manager a deadline to sign a new contract before the jeopardy of CL qualification and a trip to Mordor.
I hope I’m proven very, very wrong, but I have a bad feeling about this season.
most of this frontage still exists behind the breezblock walls of what bacame our main stand centennial expansion space.
for me, any redevelopment or new top tier shoul open this up again and make a design feature of it.
tom grant on ascom says the south west corner had been planned to host the dressing rooms, we could make that happern
https://wikifoundryimages.s3.amazonaws.com/4oTg6WSHnxsAGyPTS2DSgw119524
todays made up stuff from ra rags and the ragers – as a ps O would use Morton for the co-operative agreement, brilliant pitch.
Celtic have been in contact with Odsonne Edouard’s agents as they explore a return for the striker who left for Crystal Palace in 2021 in a £15m deal and could be available for a similar fee as the Eagles look to offload the 25-year-old. (TeamTalk), external
And Celtic are exploring the conditions of a deal for 21-year-old Cercle Brugge left-back Nazinho, although the Scottish champions have yet to make an official offer. (Anthony Joseph on X), external
Meanwhile, Celtic are in talks with another Scottish Championship club about a co-operation agreement after discussions with Queen’s Park stalled. (Sun), external
Ayr United are set for a co-operation agreement with Celtic. (Record)
as an aside – rather than speculating on who we might sign and in what positions,tell me instead , who should go out on loan and where ?
and which 3 development players should go to the partner club ?
I would loan Kenny and the Fulham bhoy but to a premier league club.
and the development players to go out – McArdle, Murray and Frame.
succession planning is easy.
StStivs @5.23
Yes, I saw the reference to the “artwork” being mentioned on SC but I don’t know the source being quoted.
I agree that some of the bloggers / podcasts are way over the top, but you can’t put out four articles a day without spouting nonsense. They need the clicks to make their dough and, in my opinion, are quite happy to make up negative stories about Celtic to get a few quid.
Celtic supporters my erchie.
Not having a go at posters on here or elsewhere as I believe what is exchanged between posters on here has no more influence on Brendan, DD, the players etc than any chat among Tims in the pub would have.
The main stand will not get redeveloped.
I find it strange that they keep talking about alcohol being sold again in stadiums (since1980 ‘ban’). While there was plenty consumed, it was never sold to the punters (unless I was too drunk to realise).😁
BURNLEY78 on 16TH JULY 2025 1:06 PM
Bada Bing 12.44
Yup his requests are falling on the deaf ears of HIS own recruitment team. They are finding out how hard the challenge is. As he is now he has no one to blame.
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Did you just make that up there?
!!Bada Bing!! on 16th July 2025 6:10 pm
The main stand will not get redeveloped.
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i am coming around to it will.
but more for lounges, boxes and corporates, maybe a few tiered levels of boxes, something like harry redknapps new hoose.
they have spent £”m on the existing main stand boxes refurb, but could they be built on top off, and a new roof added, and build out to the footprint, i think it will happen sometime
100 year old steels inside the main stand, incredible longevity, but, it does have a lifespan.
Interesting how the smartest guys in the room struggle with the basic concepts of a contract.
:)))))
Hail Hail
what possessed bertie to start singing in the tunnel?
https://imgur.com/zGZMgCb
teams up, getting closer to the 1st team.