Reo, Sorensen, Kenny and an important game

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Those of us who have followed Celtic in recent years will want to mark the departure of Reo Hatate.  His time at Celtic was transformational for our club.  Along with Kyogo and Daizen Maeda he brought us delight and so many trophies.  He announced his arrival in January 2022 with a thunderous shot into the Hearts goal at Tynecastle.  At the time, it looked like Goal of the Season.  It turned out to be his third most memorable goal of the week.  Days later scored twice in the first half against Newco to put Celtic top of the table, where we have only temporarily left since.

The record books will show that with Celtic chasing an equaliser, he had three attempts on target in the 90th minute at Ibrox in February, when defeat would have ended our quest for five-in-a-row.  Sure, you can be picky with all your “It was a penalty” gripes.  Three attempts, all on target, ending in a goal, when we needed him most.  That’s what mattered.  Our three Japanese greats defined an era of Celtic history.  Best of luck, Reo.

Oliver Sørensen has become the latest player to arrive at Celtic, with the Danish midfielder joining on a season-long loan from Parma, with an option to buy.

He spent five youthful years as a Midtjylland player and had two loan moves before he made the first team on a permanent basis as a 20-year-old in 2022.  He became a mainstay at Midtjylland in his second season, winning their Player of the Year award and prompting Parma to pay €8m for him a year ago.

He played in all but four of Parma’s Siere A games last term and remained an automatic starter until March, but his Midtjylland form was not replicated in Italy, which is why he was available to Celtic.

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As we publish, there is a possibility Celtic will sign six more players today!  All that excitement will disappear like sunshine on Fair Friday if Celtic do not get a result against Aberdeen tonight.

Johnny Kenny (23) departed for Preston for a tidy £3m yesterday.  The striker is a better player than we saw during his difficult spell last term.  A loan spell at Bolton proved this and earned a move across Lancashire.  Not everyone makes the cut at Celtic, but turning a £150k signing into a £3m sale is still great development work.

The Dons have had an inconsistent start to the campaign.  They were battered at home for 90 minutes by Hearts on the opening day of the season, but scored twice in added time to record an unlikely win.  Dundee picked up where Hearts left off in their next game, but there was no rescue for Aberdeen this time.  Four days later Aberdeen took revenge over Dundee with a 3-0 League Cup win, while they looked the lesser of two bad teams at home to Newco on Sunday.

This is not a good Aberdeen team by any measure.  Still, a transitional Celtic side will need to find composure to get the job done.

ALERT: It’s an earlier than usual kick-off – 7.45pm.

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  1. The Battered Bunnet on

    Although the Scottish window closes tomorrow night, I assume the SFA folks are putting in a late shift tonight to ensure that any signings by clubs in European competitions are registered in time for the UEFA deadline…

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  3. Sound familiar ? Name the club..Its not Celtic…or Rangers ..

     

     

    ““The conclusion of this summer’s transfer window leaves ______ supporters with serious questions about the club’s planning, recruitment and decision-making.

     

     

    “We were told there was a clear strategy. We were told the recruitment structure had changed. We were told lessons had been learned from the mistakes of previous years.et, once again, ____have found themselves scrambling in the final days and hours of a transfer window to address positions that supporters and the football department have known required strengthening for months.

     

     

    “This is not about demanding that ____ spend recklessly. We are not demanding marquee signings simply for the sake of it.

     

     

    “We are demanding competence, preparation and accountability.”

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  5. From before…

     

     

    No issue with the principle of loan players. But I question bringing in 18/19 years lads with very limited first team experience who we have no buy options on.

     

     

    Don’t we have boys in our rezzies that merit a shot at back-up or understudy? What do kids like Isaac English, Sean McArdle and young Hatton think seeing another team’s reserves nick ahead of them in the development queue?

     

     

    If they don’t get step-up opportunities, or we’re not bringing them up to the right levels, our development club tag mibby needs a revisit.

     

     

    Perhaps now there’s a strategic emphasis to sniff around peripheries of big team squads (PSV, Chelsea) and see what we can pick up ?

     

     

    Anywyes; 6 new bodies in – photoshoots-a-go-go !!

     

     

     

    PS: It was nice to see Reo crack a smile.

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  7. Have I signed yet? :-))

     

    Dunno werra am comin or gaun.

     

    Cannae wait til its over.

     

    Soze ah know who to gie pelters tae.

     

     

    Ach well.at the corner at entrance to pools

     

    Come say hello and gives a hug.

     

    Lookin forward to game tonight.

     

     

    HH

  8. Quadrophenian

     

     

    Guessing we don’t have at the level these guys may deliver ?

     

     

    The Chelsea connection is obv the recruitment guys link. We clearly did ok from Man City before with a tight relationship. Eg the 2 Belgian CBs and Roberts.

  9. 🇯🇵 – 𝙍𝙚𝙤 𝙃𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙫𝙞𝙖 𝙄𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙢

     

     

    Dear Celtic Family,

     

     

    First of all, thank you so much for four and a half years.

     

     

    Moving to Celtic was one of the biggest and most exciting challenges of my football career.

     

     

    It was my first move overseas, and I didn’t know anything about what was waiting for me but when I stepped onto the pitch at Celtic Park for the first time, saw the stadium fully packed, and heard You’ll Never Walk Alone so soooo loud like the ground was shaking, I got goosebumps all over my body.

     

     

    And I thought like, “ok, I’m going to give everything | have to this club.” I still remember that feeling as if it happened yesterday.

     

     

    During these four and a half years, of course, not everything went well. There were times when I couldn’t get the results I wanted, and I almost lost heart.

     

     

    But no matter what happened, whether it was raining, snowing, whether we were winning or losing, the fans always came to Celtic Park and pushed us forward with everything they had.

     

     

    You were always there. Because of your support, I was able to get through so many difficult moments.

     

     

    Playing football for Celtic made me realize again how much power football has. And being able to play football in front of you guys made me feel that from the bottom of my heart. At the same time, these periods here also made me strongly feel that I have to improve more and more as a professional footballer, and become a big player.

     

     

    Once again, I want to thank Celtic FC, this beautiful and legendary club, for giving me this opportunity and this environment. I also want to thank all my teammates who fought together with me, supported me, and inspired me.

     

     

    And of course, I want to thank every single one of you, Celtic Family, who always supported the club and supported me.

     

    Now, a new journey begins.

     

     

    I will take all the precious experiences and beautiful memories I got here at Celtic, and all the support from the fans who have always been by my side, deep in my heart.

     

    And I will keep moving forward towards my dream.

     

     

    I will not say goodbye.

     

     

    See you again.

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  11. B78 – I guess that’s probably the case.

     

     

    Which begs the quintessential – “How No ?”

     

     

    Prob something that falls under Chris McCart’s remit to rectify. Or a Dir of Football.

     

     

     

     

    PS: what a great debut interview by big Sam Johnstone; seems to love being on board!

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xs_H7Yty8Eo

  12. Huns will have

     

     

    Neil

     

    The Serbian lad

     

    Chuckwani

     

    Devlin

     

    ?

     

    In midfield

     

     

    They have let go of

     

     

    Diomande

     

    Raskin

     

    Barron

     

    Cameron

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  14. Reo blew hot & cold but his hot was sizzling.

     

    Awra best.

     

     

    The dandies are a poor team, result depends on how we perform (like every domestic game). I don’t do score predictions just hope I’m happy come 10 bells tonight.

     

     

    🍀🇵🇸🍀

  15. Robinsons usual timewasting should be curtailed by the new rules tonight. It will be interesting to see if they are applied.

     

     

    I would really love a resounding Celtic win. Especially for the new guys to witness first hand. As usual though I would take a win of any kind.

  16. Aberdeen are a big physical team, keep moving the ball and run the legs off them from the start, we have the strikers to get the goals.

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  18. AN TEARMANN on 2ND SEPTEMBER 2026 12:50 PM

     

     

    Hello D, Hope all is well with you

     

     

    Soz Won’t make the corner tonight

     

     

    Enjoy another night at paradise, we are embarking on a new adventure, revolution was needed

     

     

    Mon and Shaun our revolution leaders

     

     

    Hope your team wins

  19. As things stand we’re 20 million up on transfers

     

    Always a profit…nothing wrong in that if the quality is better….we’ll have to reserve judgement on that …3.5 on Van Der Berg will bring it down to 16.5

     

    As I said last week …loans loans loans

     

    Kids who haven’t kicked a ball in anger …scramblng?

     

     

    Can’t see the huns loaning out raskin…doesn’t make sense..he’s entering his final year

  20. AN TEARMANN on 2ND SEPTEMBER 2026 1:16 PM

     

     

    Scales is the kind of unsung underrated Celtic player we need

     

     

    Simon Ferry should watch that video

     

     

    Worked hard, improved cut out weaknesses concentrated on his strengths

     

     

    Celtic playing a 4-3-3 full backs high up the pitch or inverted in midfield

     

     

    C/Bs left on their own no cover

     

     

    Gets way too much rubbish tossed at him

     

     

    A grand Celt for me

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  22. Vinnie

     

     

    Raskin has 2 years but still makes no sense. Although he is poison in the dressing room apparently

  23. AN TEARMANN on 2ND SEPTEMBER 2026 1:16 PM

     

     

    LOL Spikey I’m in good company, BR, Ange and MO’N

     

     

    Think they also know a thing or two

     

     

    Lacks pace to go the top level

     

     

    Reads the game well, rarely loses his aerial battles, scores the odd goal, brave honest defender, some of his recovery blocking tackles have been superb, he does for me in the absence of a Rolls Royce like Van Dyke

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