Kilmarnock are unbeaten across five League Cup and three league games this season, although all the latter ended in draws (home to Livingston, away and Hibs and Motherwell). The only black mark came as they dropped the points on penalties, after a 0-0 League Cup draw at Kelty Hearts. Their solitary win over a top flight side came in a 2-0 over Dundee United in the second round of the League Cup.
Brendan Rodgers big decision will be who to fill the gap created by injuries to Alistair Johnston and Anthony Ralston. Colby Donovan (turned 19 last week) is a natural right back who played against Livingston and Kairat. Having come through the development leagues in Scotland, he will also be more than familiar with plastic pitches.
The more experienced Marcelo Saracchi made his Celtic debut when he replaced Kieran Tierney at Ibrox two weeks ago. Marcelo is a left back who has played on the right before. Most expectations are likely to favour the Uruguayan getting the nod but that plastic will play on the manager’s mind. I would be tempted to go with Colby.
It will read as tongue-in-cheek, but we have an interest in whether Hearts drop points at Ibrox tomorrow. The Edinburgh side are joint top with Celtic, whereas the Ibrox outfit are not even in the top six. We are accustomed to looking locally for a challenge but that situation is fluid. Tony Bloom’s Hearts takeover will become relevant soon. Another Ibrox draw would be a decent outcome, although all we can do is look after ourselves.
578 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- ...
- 16
- »
The Blogger Formerly Known As GM @ 10:11 pm,
“Ok, I have to say the observations of Chairbhoy @ 8.47 jumped out for me as well.
On the first, Micheal Nicholson was damned with faint praise and the non-exec Chairman shouldn’t have merited a mention within the context of the second.”
Interesting…
Hardy faint praise but hardy fulsome either.
Now it was announced on 02 Dec 2022, that Peter Lawwell, who had been a Director and CEO of Celtic PLC and was still a Director of Celtic Football and Athletic Co Ltd, was returning to the main Board as Chairman.
”Peter Lawwell commented: “As a lifelong Celtic supporter it is a great privilege to be asked to take up the position of Chairman, having already been part of our great Club for nearly 18 years.
“These are exciting times for the Club and I look forward to contributing to the well-being and success of the Club.
“Our objective as ever will be to grow and further develop the Club across all areas. Led by an excellent Chief Executive in Michael Nicholson, and Chief Financial Officer Chris McKay, the Club has a high-quality management team in place.
“I will be offering my support and guidance to the Board and executive management team to ensure that we continue to drive the Club forward and protect and promote the interests of our supporters.”
Celtic Chief Executive Michael Nicholson added: “We are delighted to welcome Peter as Chairman and I look forward to working with him as we continue to progress and develop the Club.
“Peter has a wealth of experience in the football industry at a domestic, European and global level, which is invaluable to the Club going forward.
“Our collective objective is to create a world-class football club that our supporters can be proud of, competing at the highest level, with a strategy based on growth and continuous improvement.
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2022/december/02/celtic-announce-new-non-executive-chairman/
Yes, he is an NED but unlike some on social media would like to tell you, no one at Celtic has officially said he does nothing and has no input.
In fact, quite the opposite, PL stated he would be contributing, supporting and guiding.
Our CEO stated he had a wealth of invaluable experience and he looked forward to working with him.
Our manager has attributed last week’s statement to him and the CEO who are ultimately responsible for it.
So it will be interesting to get Peter Lawwell and Micheal Nicholson’s take on the statement, which we can all agree was not well considered or received.
Hail Hail
An Tearmann on 12th September 2025 6:15 pm
“Brendan Presser (hopefully Por Cierto:-)))”
Thank you, :))) por cierto….
Players come and go, sometimes within the same season.
Managers tend to have a shelf life of 2 to 3 years
However, the men who hide in the shadows are much harder to dislodge
“Won’t someone rid me of this turbulent coward”
Remember Peter Lawwell was briefing the media before his arrival.
Both Lawwell’s & Nicholson wanted Marsesca.
Dermot rode roughshod & got his man.
Lawwell briefed The Sun a week before BR arrived.
Remember Peter Lawwell was briefing the media before his arrival.
Both Lawwell’s & Nicholson wanted Marsesca.
Dermot rode roughshod & got his man.
Lawwell briefed The Sun a week before BR arrived.
BHOY FROM THE BOYNE on 13TH SEPTEMBER 2025 12:23 AM
I’m not sure why you’re crediting Peter Lawwell for Dom McKay’s appointment – an outgoing CEO won’t appoint their own replacement.
IMO, McKay was head hunted and recommended by an outside recruitment firm and the Celtic Board approved it, before quickly, regretting it and going internal to appoint Lawwell’s tea boy.
Maestro
Lawwell briefed The Sun a week before BR arrived.
—-
He briefed more than The Sun. As I recall, there was some kool-aid fuelled articles on here at that time as well.
AN DUN
💯 I know and hopefully everyone else remembers this will be spoken and written of for years to come once we have reached the special target of 25% and take are club back.
A really good listen David Low on ACSOM
https://youtu.be/SqIUAMeqHPE?si=esUHMqU3-2rA3uQ1
Proper wee club energy at the moment.
We’ll get caught soon enough by clubs behaving like adults.
Our board claim to do everything in their power to make us the best team and club we can be. The reality is we have tens of millions in the bank because the board’s words dont match their actions or our ambition. No serious business of celtic’s size is sitting on 80 to 100 million pounds in the bank with no purpose or as a rainy day fund ffs. At least half of that money should be used on the team and on club infustructure.
A club our size should have a no museum. A story that speaks to millions cutting across creed, religion, nationality and sports but we have no place to show it. Portocabins for ticket offices and a superstore that is a blight on the landscape. We need to use a tent for media work during european games ffs.
The celtic way gets a pass but even then the avenue of hero’s has been water down to a few signs on lamp posts. The other 3 sides of the stadium have simply been forgotten about. Basic with no effort to create landscape that is appealing to the eye or landmarked by the club. Parking for folk that is is uneven, uncomfortable and in some cases not safe, particulalty for our older and disabled supporters (still the exects dont need to worry because they are we looked after with their gated and landscaped carpark).
A major annoyance of mine is a young celtic goalkeeper lost his life playing a game of football for celtic fc. If any player should have his own statute at celtic park it is Johnny Thompson. It is a disgrace he is not remembered outside our stadium.
Inside the stadium we have no hot water in the upper teirs, the toilets are a riot, the concourses and stairwell have not been maintained or improved the food kiosks are frankly a joke and the prices eye watering. Some clubs even have heating the in concourses when games are played in the winter months, you know for the kids, the older supporters, the disabled supporters and for ordinary supporters.
We now have a board member undermining our manager in the media because the manager wants the club to show ambition and to do things correctly and quickly. Regardless of your views about the manager it is very clear that his concerns are real. Folk want to say its all rodgers but the issues have been evident regardless of the manager in place.
World class is a phrase the board use, it is empty words, look at our stadium, the envious of our stadium the way supporters are treated, the way profit is always placed above product on and off the field. When was the last time we had a breakeven season because the board wanted to strengthen the team up or improve infustructure. Its been a long time.
Profit is not a bad thing but profit at the expense of product is always a bad thing.
HH
Good morning all.
Good morning CQN
Another grand day to be a Celt
Stephenbhoyboy on 13th September 2025 9:17 am
STEPHEN, I wrote that!! Or, I think I wrote that, I certainly wanted to write that.
Well said my Mhan, you encapsulated exactly what this old Tim has thought for years and has blootered the ears of his family/mates/acquaintances trying to get that message over.
Thanks again for that summary of common sense, especially the bit “World class is a phrase the board use, it is empty words.”
Ave Ave
Ave Ave
The Blogger @ 6:50pm last night
Thank you for posting link to Brendan’s presser.
Watched it last night.
Overall I thought he handled himself and the situation very well.
Actions always speak louder than words of course but I thought pitched candidly and intelligently.
Who knows?
Perhaps common ground can be found and Brendan’s relationship with Celtic can continue beyond this season.
Time will tell.
Speaking of time, full disclosure – I didn’t watch the whole thing. Just the first 28 minutes …
… at which point some guy took 52 seconds to ask a question !
… and it ended up being the question Brendan answered immediately before.
Made Robert Peston sound like Marcel Marceau.
Do these guys not understand that, in a room of c.20 people, everyone is tuning in to listen to just one man?
I find it a really interesting human behaviour that people act as they do in their politics as they do with their football team.
We have people here refusing to see what has happened for two decades. People more wedded to the people they know within the club in worshiping them rather than the community they are part of.
It’s human behaviour I suppose.
If your yardstick for success is the number of league titles in 22 years then the manager you despise has delivered 5 of the 17.
If you are saying that he should have been sacked and all you are ambitious for is league titles then why.
He failed against Kairat Almaty but others have failed in their qualifiers too against inferior opposition. The proof of the problem lies within the paradox in your mindset.
Look at these titles we have won against a club with stage 4 cancer who then died and has been a zombies reck ever since. This is a veneer of success.
We even put Deila in charge and Lennon a second time when it was clear he was a busted flush because Rangers were that bad.
Should Ange have been sacked for losing to Alkmaar or Bodo?
Should Lennon for losing his play offs on a number of occasions?
Deila?
Rodgers for AEK?
We lose these qualifiers because the team is at its weakest point in the season. We don’t prepare for them as a club and in fact have the managers going into them handicapped by unnecessary profit over football.
It’s as clear as the wee green nose on yer face
Correction it was Midtjilland that Ange lost to in the Champions league qualifier.
I wonder if big Pistol has Rodger Hannah’s personal mobile number?
Lawwell earns 120k from Celtic for doing nothing, for a plc that is tight why pay him this for nothing?
Won’t have seen it or used it
Agree on Brendan’s impressive presser – I though he was authentic, credible and diplomatic.
The main takeout I got was that his ambition for how far we could soar as a football club is not supported by the operating model (and I guess risk appetite)and our commercial shot-callers – despite Dermot’s assurances when suggesting his second stint.
He said something like that was the reason he left before (he didn’t mention the Leicester squillions) but emphasised ‘here we are again’.
Optimistically I thought he left the door open to stay for longer if he gets some control of the purse strings.
So, the stakes in this Killie game are uncommonly massive for us as a club.
You should have enough to beat Almaty then you go out in the days after your most important game and buy £10m worth of players and a free transfer in the immediate days after it. This is so that we are what? Able to beat Rangers?
If your argument is that Rodgers should have had enough to beat Almaty then why bother with those players as surely we have better players than our nearest rivals in a financial sense??
In the battle for the soul of the club Rodgers has the fans and Pistol has P67 and B78. Quite the contest.
Some very good comments, good morning read back…
Hail Hail
Tontine Tim
It’s becoming increasingly obvious that you don’t like our manager. Martin O’Neill wasn’t a Celtic supporter either but I can’t remember you having anything to say about that. Your use of the word ‘allegedly’ when you talk of Brendan’s relationship with his cousin Nigel Worthington indicates that Brendan can do know right as far as you’re concerned.
“Nicolas Raskin turned down moves to Everton and Leeds United despite Rangers engaging in talks with the Premier League duo over the 24-year-old Belgium midfielder….”.
Yep, no connection between the Govan 49ers and those 2 clubs. None whatsoever.
QUADROPHENIAN. 10.22
I agree with everything you said there, and would add that Brendan conducted himself with great dignity.
Compare and contrast.
Kris Boyd just doesn’t bleed our ears pre and after away marches he also writes 💩 or someone types what he says in S#n rag I just discovered he has been loud in trying to defend this incompetent board.
Now imagine if this was Andy Walker speaking about the shambles of a tribute act down the river praising defending there board or maybr wait you can’t cause it just wouldn’t happen.
Celtic have allegedly appointed an external PR department that tells it’s own story also.
My team for tomorrow:
Kasper
Coby Dane Liam Uruguayan Bloke
Paulo. Arne Luke
New Tunisian Winger big Lhad New Belgian Winger
On the basis that we’ve never dropped a point when I’ve been in Lanzarote 3-0 to the good guys.
CCV and Kieran possible issues on the plastic so can sit this one out. Calum and Reo should be dropped but probably won’t.
The next 3 games are vital , pretty confident we’ll turn a corner starting tomorrow. New forward line to play , blokes that want away can sit this out.
Nightmare scenario that Brendan just keeps things the same , he’s managed to deflect ALL blame onto the Board for every performance from now until the end of time, astonishing act of passive , aggressive, slippery stuff.
Still he is our ego manager and should be supported.
Lanzarotecfc
RAYWINSTONE’S
What came across was BR’s innate savvy as a future leadership exec if he ever decides to retire the tracksuit and clipboard.
But I’d imagine if he feels there’s no alignment in Paradise, his next post-Celtic gig will be coaching in Spain or Italy.
The football environment has changed
the zombs are being run by adults and will recruit so that in a couple of years they will win the league
Hearts are being run by a talented business man and will take points from teams they traditionally haven’t taken from
This crisis of trust which we have now is very well timed – new environment , new direction
( by the way is it possible to answer the question ‘who owns Celtic’? or am I being naïve)
SAINT STIVS on 13TH SEPTEMBER 2025 1:06 AM
i hope jo is on
…………
👏👏👏🤣🤣🤣
JACKIEMAC on 13TH SEPTEMBER 2025 12:23 PM
In a couple of years we’ll be back to being the very very well run club Brendan talked about when he first arrived instead of the circus he’s turned us into.
The head scratching years will be done and we’ll be back to behaving like responsible adults
gotcha celtic40me
what’s on my mind is that the model which allowed us to cope with the biggest cheat in sporting history and gave us a stable financial footing in a tiny league won’t be successful against clubs who now have competent financial management.
Tom McLaughlin on 12th September 2025 8:41 pm
SAINT STIVS
I reckon when Brendan said he wants to be Celtic manager beyond this season, he was putting a knife into the person who went running to the Sun about him “working his ticket”.
——————–
aye, similar thoughts, and the wink.
ironic that the individual who has earned the most from celtic plc, and get a 200% pay rise on the chair salary
The only thing that the board have done wrong is by not sacking Rodgers after Almaty £40 million loss, were Brendan kept last seasons transfer window on the bench, as we could not crush Almaty, AND with the manager failing to learn from the SCF defeat to Aberdeen, same tactics, same formation from Aberdeen and Almaty, yet £75,000 per week Brendan had no answer, costing the club £40 million CL bounty.
Brendan saying the board spoke to the media and then not producing any evidence of that was, indiscipline, and a breach of the NDA agreements he signed up to, and is paid handsomely for.
And to compound these Almaty, and Aberdeen felonies, Russell Martin played same tactics, formation against Brendan a couple of Sunday’s ago as Aberdeen and Almaty did, and yet again, Brendan had no answer.
Brendan also has no answer when his wingers are low-blocked, double-marked, and area always at risk of being mugged from a long quick out-ball on the break.
Its not the board who left last seasons transfer window on the bench as we failed to get round Almaty.
Brendan did that.
It wasn’t the board who hadn’t an answer to Aberdeen’s tactics in the SCF.
Brendan did that.
It wasn’t the board who couldn’t get past Rangers worst manager since John Grieg, or even lay a glove on him.
Brendan did that.
If a big English club were interested in Brendan, he’d be off like a shot.
What then for Celtic?
Shaun Maloney until Ange becomes available?
jo on 13th September 2025 1:44 pm
Shaun Maloney until Ange becomes available?
You must be big Peter the grass?