Slovan Bratislava arrive in Kazakhstan today ahead of their Champions League qualifier against Kairat Almaty. Almaty started their campaign four weeks ago, eliminating Slovenian champions Ollimpija 3-1 on aggregate. They then overcame a 2-0 first leg defeat to Finns KuPS to win 3-2 on aggregate.
Those wins are the first Almaty have recorded in European competition since 2021, when they beat Luxembourgers Fola Esch to reach the Conference League group stage (finished with 2 points). We can expect to face Slovan in the playoff round later this month. The second leg is away from home on Tuesday 26th August; we are at Ibrox five days later. Almaty is 200 miles from China and an 11 hour flight time, plus a refuelling stop, away from the UK. Bratislava may suit us better.
Slovan were the fairytale side last season, starting in the Champions League first qualification round and reaching the league stage, having never previously qualified for the group stage. Fairytales do not always have happy endings and Slovan only managed to avoid bottom place on goal difference, having a balance one better than Young Boys. Their 5-1 defeat at Celtic Park will set expectations in Bratislava, even if you and I know this will be a different challenge.
Slovan’s material advantage is that they will have played eight competitive games before facing Celtic. By contrast, we will have played only three (St Mirren, Aberdeen, Falkirk). The difference in fitness eight games into a season from three is substantial.
Compared to what it could have been, this is a gift of a draw, there can be no excuses, but we need to get everything right to progress. We also have the ghost of Bratislava to exorcise.
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An Dun
We could be,
or we could be waiting on future players to decide if we are in the chamions league,
or we are waiting on the board to see of we are in the chamions league,
or the board has spat the dummy at rodgers wasting 26 mullions last year,
or the board are waiting on rodgers to sign a new contract,
or some other pish
delete as appropriate
My p decided to stop eeing there………
Dammit
I know we all love the idea of a bogeyman or a conspiracy but…
It would be unusual if Celtic’s ‘Board’ was running our recruitment efforts. In most private businesses the Board is responsible for overall ethical and legal governance as well as general organisational strategy. Typically, it’s the Executive (analysts, bean counters, commercial managers, talent spotters etc) who take care of day-to-day operations including the wheelin’ and dealin’.
This article from a decade ago shows who’s doing the transfer dealings at the then EPL clubs:
https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2015/jul/03/premier-league-transfers-who-decides-club-buys
JUS’SAYING CSC
PS: Thanks Coneybhoy and WeeRon for playing along with the fear puns earlier.
This is the celtic star putting a spin on rodgers
with the exciting newsnow celtic claim of
“Journalist makes exciting Brendan Rodgers Celtic claim”
And using the quote byte of Roger Hannah
“It was quite noticeable the change in tone from Brendan Rodgers on Friday lunchtime to Brendan Rodgers after the game yesterday.
“I wonder if something has happened between Friday lunchtime and last night (Sunday), and I don’t just mean a 1-0 win over St Mirren. I wonder if Brendan Rodgers knows that things are moving.
“I think that Champions League draw today has been kind to both Celtic and Rangers. I would expect Celtic now to have guaranteed a place in that league phase.”
Its just some fecker talking and someone else reporting on it
And its repeated ad naseum
(Not a slur on Celtic Star – just the first one on newsnow)
next one is from celtsarehere.com
“£5m Deal Looms as Celtic Risk Ivan Toney Repeat”
with the opening paragraph being
“Reports in England suggest Celtic could face competition if they move for Wycombe Wanderers striker Richard Kone, following previous links reported by TeamTalk.”
Just some feckers talking about what some other fecker has said
However they follow it up with a non quatebale part
“Swansea City have already made their intentions clear, with EFL Analysis claiming the Welsh side have lodged a £4.5 million bid. It’s thought Wycombe value their top scorer at around £5 million, leaving the Swans within touching distance of a deal.
If Celtic see Kone as a viable target, they would need to step in quickly to have any chance of beating the Championship outfit to his signature.”
All driven from the headline of
“£5m Deal Looms as Celtic Risk Ivan Toney Repeat”
Leaning into the fact we could have had ivan toney and never got it over the line
Its just a daily media feeding frenzy
A couple of stories down from this is
‘Something Has Happened’ – Rodgers’ Dramatic Mood Swing Sparks Celtic Transfer Speculation”
Oh my god what????
And the opening paragraph is no other than roger hannah
“Brendan Rodgers might have received some good news from Celtic’s board as the transfer window heads into its final weeks, that’s the view of journalist Roger Hannah.”
click, click, click
repeat
repeat
repeat
Its no wonder we are arguing and throwing pash stained pillows at each other in the dark
QUADROPHENIAN on 5TH AUGUST 2025 11:01 PM
I don’t think Nicholson is identifying players but the board have to be directing transfer talks.
Celtic’s major financial outlay and risk in any given financial year is our transfer acquisitions.
Our CEO and CFO are the two highest paid employees at Celtic outside of the players and manager.
If Nicholson and McKay are not directly involved in negotiations for player acquisitions, then they should be sacked.
They’d be failing to have any control or oversight on the biggest costs to the business if they’re leaving transfer talks to more junior staff.
And this is a dig at celtic star
Their atricle quoted above
https://thecelticstar.com/journalist-makes-exciting-brendan-rodgers-celtic-claim/
is from the journalist below
“Lubo98
Born just as Celtic were stopping the Ten, Lubo98 follows Celtic home and away and helps run his local Celtic Supporters Club. He goes to all the games and is a Law Graduate. Has a particular fondness for Tom Rogic among the current Celts and both Lubo and Henrik form his earliest Celtic memories.”
I know that celtic star is a celtic supporting site, but how can we believe their stories are up to date and relevant when their reporters bios and years out of date?
AD-If Nicholson and McKay are not directly involved in negotiations for player acquisitions, then they should be sacked.
Or we could employ professional experienced football people to do the job?
HH
we should get random bloggers to do our negotiations
We would never lose, your mattress is guaranteed
Laxalt on 5th August 2025 7:46 pm
Someone honestly just said….and the PLC POCKLED the money….dear o dear…..its maybe the same guy who is the only Celtic fan I know who wants these skint ratbags to win in Europe.
If the huns were playing a team of Aliens next weeki n a game to save planet earth I would honestly have to think about it.
UTR
Laxalt
Could you post a link to what ‘someone honestly just said’ re the board pockled the money ?
Also who is it that wants the ‘skint ratbags’to win?
You can name them if you wish.
Thanks
HH
I wonder how hard it would be to take random comments of here, generate opinion articles off them and get them publushed on news now???
Did BR really sanction the £26 million spent on Idah, Engels & Trusty?
God help us.
1st person to get a kevj quote published wins…..
Celtic Board Slammed for ‘Selling Fans Short’ After Seville – Prices Up, Quality Down!
Glasgow, 6 August 2025
Celtic FC is facing mounting criticism from supporters after what many see as a frustrating summer for the club. One fan’s post has sparked a wave of discussion online, accusing the board of prioritising profit over performance.
Writing on August 5th, supporter KevJungle didn’t hold back:
“So, the board cut the quality of the product on the pitch, but still put the ticket prices up, after Seville.
Is that not what Tories and their SNP proxy redirect do?”
The message, blunt and politically charged, captures a broader sense of dissatisfaction among fans who feel let down following the club’s recent European campaign in Seville. Despite reaching a key stage in continental competition, supporters claim the board has failed to build on that momentum.
Instead, ticket prices have increased for the upcoming season – a move many view as tone-deaf in light of perceived underinvestment in the playing squad.
The post’s comparison to political misdirection struck a chord across fan forums, where comments accuse the club of “cashing in on loyalty” and “rewarding commitment with complacency.”
So far, the club has made no official comment on the matter. But as the season approaches, pressure is mounting for the Celtic board to address growing unrest among its support.
good fecking grief
Outwith
“The message, blunt and politically charged, captures a broader sense of dissatisfaction among fans who feel let down following the club’s recent European campaign in Seville. Despite reaching a key stage in continental competition, supporters claim the board has failed to build on that momentum.”
Which our editors are working on improving….
It’s what we see day in, day out on newsnow
We would like to make it absolutely, undeniably clear that the above article was written by ChatGPT-Tim, a rogue AI with a chip on its shoulder and no season ticket. The views, opinions, half-baked analogies and politically-charged metaphors contained therein are, frankly, mostly pish.
They do not reflect the views of our editorial team, who are currently undergoing intensive PR training to ensure our opinions align more closely with:
– The board’s vision of “doing less with more money.”
– The fans’ unwavering desire to be mildly entertained while being financially rinsed.
– The bedwetters, dry-bed champions, and all other stakeholders — both real and imaginary — who may or may not have an emotional attachment to Celtic FC or overpriced Bovril/cold pies and tepid hot water in the toilets, and mostly shite wifi.*
We remain committed to journalistic excellence, neutrality, and the occasional backhanded compliment about a new signing’s height. We sincerely apologise to anyone who expected better – that was your first mistake.
and then there is chatgpt-tims new and improved waiver
⚠️ Official-Looking But Deeply Unofficial Disclaimer:
We would like to make it absolutely, undeniably, indisputably, and legally unprovably clear that the above article was written by ChatGPT-Tim — a rogue, unlicensed AI with a chip on its shoulder, no season ticket, and a disturbing obsession with tactical shape and political metaphors.
The views, opinions, half-baked analogies, and emotionally unstable takes contained therein are, frankly, pure, unfiltered pish.
They do not reflect the views of our editorial team, who are currently undergoing mandatory PR re-education to ensure our future content aligns more closely with the following sacred institutions:
The board’s bold, innovative vision of “doing less with more money” – a financial model inspired by invisible yachts and performance-based austerity.
The fans’ tireless commitment to being mildly entertained while violently overcharged.
The entire spectrum of Celtic stakeholders: bedwetters, dry-bed veterans, armchair tacticians, and even that guy who still blames Neil Lennon for everything — all of whom share an emotional attachment to the club, overpriced Bovril, under-heated pies, cold water in the hot taps, and matchday WiFi that works just well enough to tweet ‘shambles’ but not enough to load the league table.
We remain steadfast in our mission to deliver unbiased, low-effort journalism, occasional match reports written at half-time, and the odd backhanded compliment about a new signing’s height.
If you expected better – congratulations, that’s on you. Please lower your expectations to boardroom levels immediately.
oh my goodness!!!!!!
domain name bought
Hosting acquired
WordPress theme being installed
Legal team being fired……….
shit, and a massive amount of ads to make the site mostly unusable are being baked into the code
Kev
That addled racist brain of yours
Desmond White had a chance at integrity
Rapid Vienna!!
Should have withdrawn quietly but no,after submission over Athletico cheats a double go at being a eunuch
Then there was his treatment of Jock and Billy,
The persistent att:21,000 usually way higher.
Aye Desmond would leave your covid shoit at door,a good decision by Celtic to not add to our loans,it will be paid back.
Loving your posts that have me reading your posts to the Hovis music,your jungle is as deid as the original club from ibrokes,the one toileted by their own hand,the one you get upset at other Celtic fans for…term…doing what you had stopped doing years before…ie attending!!
goin to start calling you KevOF,
Keep sending your tena’s to grifter George now supporting Man U i hear
An Tearmann on 6th August 2025 1:53 am
%
“The Jungle dizny exist”
The Jungle spirit exists in me and always will.
Plastic fat assed seats are filled by majority of people like you.
That’s why Celtic are controlled by another country, just like, stv, bbc scotland, ch4, ch5, skynews, the national . com, the krankie cheerleading daily record, on the wrong side of history, all of you.
Desmond White our last leader who allowed 30% of the attendance figure in for free, giving 50% of what was left to the opposition so that there would be an opposition, unlike tory souness, tory david murray, tory fergus mccann, thats why Brian Dempsey got the fk out of Parkhead the day that tory mccann took his lying mask off.
Desmond White, like the rest of us saw Rapid Vienna cheating our beloved hoops on the pitch, is it his fault that we could not utilise the great kindness offered us by our great Man Utd comrades when they allowed us to play in their magnificent Old Trafford stadium, 50,000 capacity stadium, to rectify the wrong inflicted upon our heroes in hoops, on that night?
If Desmond White had said we were not playing RV, you’d be on calling him a great coward and other flowery names.
tory celtic suks!
tory celtic plc suks!
tory all seated soulless parkhead stadium suks!
snp is a tory proxy redirect[redirect to where?] lol
Yvonne Ridley fae the Workers Party GB has the snp snakes on the run, exposing the evil of the tartan tramps, and she isn’t even elected! lol
plastic seated parkhead majority snp clowns, mugs, easily toyed with supporter base in celtic history!
went along with the tory plc old firm ticket cover-up and then call everybody else “gullible” just lol.
rodgers is a tory as well get rid of him as well as the tory board of liars and shysters!
If you want Scottish independence from, Nato, Eu, Rigged London Economy, and immediately start drilling for Scotland’s own Coal, Oil, Gas, and remove ALL of the financial traps that are crippling Scottish people thanks to the Snp, Greens, and the bought off by the lobbyists NON opposition, then vote for the Workers Party GB and ALBA party, and other grassroots uprisings!
Expect us!
Good Morning Celts…
Interesting read back…
Prestonpans bhoys @ 7:32 pm
Didn’t realise our turnover was £110m, if we are hoarding a minimum of £70m, that’s 63%.
Remarkable……..”
We are still waiting on the 2024/25 figures, though some may be ITK
The 2025/26 figures
Group revenue increased by 3.9% to £124.6m (2023: £119.9m).
Year-end cash of £77.2m (2023: £72.3m).
The Board and Lawwell coterie complained about the money we spent last summer.
Strengthening the team last summer meant we got to the knockout stage of the UCL, yet the Board refused to spend money in January to improve a threadbare squad and make it an Historic season.
BSR @ 7:55 pm,
Yes, interesting how the facts can present a different picture to the perception the CQN conservative view would try to paint
It looks like the R2ngers could well get past the third round qualifiers in the UCL.
Unlucky for us they have one of those UCL easy draws next, Club Brugge:)
PeterLatchfordsBelly @ 8:58 pm,
The Blogger Known,as GM
Since when did Celtic’s superior financial muscle translate into a superior squad?
Cluj, Ferencvaros, Artmedia, Maribor, AEK, Midytlland… etc, etc.
But yeah, the current manager is the problem here. Dearie me.
Exactly, although the revenues are generated by Celtic FC it is Celtic PLC where the money goes, it does no good if the money is put into a savings account or spent poorly.
E.g. We struggled in Europe under Ange in 2022/23 season, yet even though we spent circa 20 mn on player recruitment, we actually went into the 2023/24 season with a much weaker team.
The Board’s policy of buying development players ensured that…
The Blogger Formerly Known As GM @ 9:58 pm
B78 – patience is a virtue.
He’s obviously waiting for “quality, pace and power”.
Just like Engels, Idah and Trusty🤔
If you think in this day and age you pay 6 mn for a Centre Half and get a Baresi, Maldini or Beckenbauer you are quite wrong.
Trusty is well worth the money and was cheaper and better than Christopher Jullien.*
When we discussed this the other day you said those players had lost half their value…
”It’s a bit like if you buy shares and they half in value but you’re still able to convince yourself they’re worth what you paid because you still hold them”
I stick by my point, there has no meaningful loss of value on those players and those players played a significant role in getting us to the knock out stages of the UCL.
It is clear you, the PLC Board and many others, have a vested interest in ensuring that money is syphoned out of Celtic F.C. and deposited in the coffers of Celtic PLC.
*Our losses on Jullien, Ajeti and Barkas were real losses, not the pretend losses that you erroneously highlight, yet an actual over 15 mn loss because it was a Lawwell it is ignored.
An Dún @ 10:20 pm,
”Had we signed a replacement for Boyota and planned for his exit, I’m sure BR would have sold him to Fulham. As it is, Fulham’s cash wouldn’t have made for much of a CB for the season so Brendan wisely kept Boyota.
Yes we had already let Erik Sviatchenko go, we were supposed to sign Fabian Schar which the Board refused to do, we let Stuart Armstrong go and he was supposed to be replaced by John McGinn but the Board messed up.
BR&CO were well within their rights to say show me Dedryk’s replacement then sell him to Fulham. As it was HVP Moussa Dembele was sold, as usual with 30 mn of players sold that window the Board made a hefty profit.
Looks like BR&CO fell for it again, Kyogo gone, Kuhn gone and HVP Maeda in the shop window.
When will we ever learn.
Afflicted oooot
Hail Hail
FITBA BET Yesterday morning ( TUESDAY)…
HOURS BEFORE the Huns game last night, I Placed a SCORECAST BET with BETFRED along with a SINGLE ” CORRECT SCORE “BET.
Sad to admit but I had a real Gut feeling that the Huns would beat the CZECHS last night so my TWO Bets last night were….
SCORECAST BET….HUNS to win 3 – 0 and GASSAMA to Score the LAST Goal at odds of 80/1.
SINGLE CORRECT SCORE Bet…Huns to win 3 – 0 at odds of 7/1 ( I Think ?)
I am ALWAYS Happy IF my Gut feelings are wrong and my HUN Bets get beat and I don’t mind losing some money now and then . I have NO CONTROL over any Hun Score Line in any game, I only wish I had !
Be in NO DOUBT, the Huns HAVE IMPROVED since Russell Martin has become manager, and he has spent some CASH on SOME Good signings. The Huns WILL be a real threat to our SPL Title this season, UNLESS Celtic get their Feckin Finger OOT ASAP !
HORSE BETS…,
My ” LUCKY 15″ Bet yesterday ( FOUR Selections) also produced a nice wee Profit as I had THREE Winners outta the Four selections.
HH.
Laxalt on 5th August 2025 9:45 pm
Clunks….we’re all Celtic fans etc….I despair sometimes at the thinking of other fans re PL and the signing policy and DD and MN etc….it honestly depresses me.
Anyway…im going to ask one question….would you rather sign Tommy Johnson today or wait on a maybe from Henrik Larsson for 2 weeks?
Jota and CCV and guys like that were quite rightly waiting on Everton or Aston Villa or Brentford etc
Anyway im going to watch the Sevco Euro game tomorrow night against Pilzen tomottow and ill bet anyone that Tav is atill their most dangerous player. .
…………….
YOU have LOST your Bet…as GASSAMA is the Huns most dangerous player right now, especially in Europe.
He scored TWO Goal against the Greeks and he scored yet another TWO last night against the Czechs and has ALREADY earned the Huns a few QUID.
SCORECAST BET….HUNS to win 3 – 0 and GASSAMA to Score the LAST Goal at odds of 80/1.
SINGLE CORRECT SCORE Bet…Huns to win 3 – 0 at odds of 7/1 ( I Think ?)
………….
I meant to mention that SADLY….BOTH my Fitba bets came up, as the Huns Won by 3 – 0 and GASSAMA scored the Huns LAST Goal….along with their First Goal.
I Posted on here last week AFTER GASSAMA Scored yet again against PANATHINAIKOS that he will need to be watched, so far I have been proven CORRECT….Sadly !
HH.
“It is clear you, the PLC Board and many others, have a vested interest in ensuring that money is syphoned out of Celtic F.C. and deposited in the coffers of Celtic PLC”.
I’ve just choked on my cornflakes after reading that.
Prey tell what my “vested interest” is and how I benefit financially from the money being “syphoned out of Celtic F.C.?
Big Jimmy on 6th August 2025 7:34 am
SCORECAST BET….HUNS to win 3 – 0 and GASSAMA to Score the LAST Goal at odds of 80/1.
SINGLE CORRECT SCORE Bet…Huns to win 3 – 0 at odds of 7/1 ( I Think ?)
……………..
APOLOGISES…
My BETFRED Screen is jumping about this morning so its quite difficult to read my Bets…
HUNS – 3 v CZECHS -0 was 14/1 ” Correct Score” and NOT 7/1 as I Posted above…..
ALSO… I had a SINGLE BET on GASSAMA to score the LAST Goal in the Match at odds of 13/2
Sometimes its horrible when my Gut Feelings are proved Correct !
HH.
https://i2-prod.dailyrecord.co.uk/article35678000.ece/ALTERNATES/s1200e/0_Celtic-v-St-Mirren-William-Hill-Scottish-Premiership-Football-Celtic-Park-Glasgow-Scotland-UK.jpg
An Dún on 5th August 2025 11:27 pm
QUADROPHENIAN on 5TH AUGUST 2025 11:01 PM
I don’t think Nicholson is identifying players but the board have to be directing transfer talks.
Celtic’s major financial outlay and risk in any given financial year is our transfer acquisitions.
Our CEO and CFO are the two highest paid employees at Celtic outside of the players and manager.
If Nicholson and McKay are not directly involved in negotiations for player acquisitions, then they should be sacked.
———-
What intrigued me from the Guardian article was how many different types were shot-callers on EPL transfers; a contracts specialist; a manager, club owner, CEO, Dir of Football… but yes, you’d expect Nicholson and McKay to have input into the legal and money sides of transfers with their respective expertise.
But whatever they two bring to the table, there’s the target players’ entourage to wrangle with as well.
I’d guess that a whole bunch of execs at our side from analysts to coaches, recruiters and the manager have their input into any deal – as McKay and Nicholson do their special ‘bits’ to help make it happen.
But the idea we’re not signing cos the Board don’t want ‘to splash cash’ seems incredible to my eyes.
Guilty of many governance and other blunders over the years, I’m still reckoning they want the very best for Celtic even tho’ the lens thru which they see ‘the best’ rubs many of us up the wrong way.
Good morning all.
Good morning CQN.
Another day, free of Celtic matches …
… which is 307 days of the year I suppose.
Interesting chat about transfers and who does what.
Personally I’d be surprised if the Celtic CEO has any significant involvement.
Formal offers might come from his office just to show we mean business.
There will be spend approval thresholds in any organised business.
Permanent player signings are the biggest single cost commitments at a football club (outside a stand or stadium rebuild) … so the workflow will definitely have the CEO as the last guy in the chain to click APPROVE.
If he is doubling up as Head of Legal, he might scan the contract .. but I’d expect us to have contracts managers and a standard process to take care of that.
I’d expect the CFO to be slightly closer, overseeing the construction the financial package and signing off on the affordability / spend aligned to strategic goals and all that guff.
I’d also expect the CFO to have some latitude … based on previously agreed tolerances and thresholds .. to pony up some more dough in the event of player / agent / selling club being greedy b*****ds
( perish the thought ! )
For the most part though, perhaps 80% of the work (I’m guessing here) done by the football, scouting and recruitment teams … supported by various admin functionaries when it starts to move.
The boy Jahmai Simpson-Pusey , certainly looks a player And will enhance our defence for this season , but unfortunately this season is all we will have him for ,we had another CH on loan from Man City who wouldn’t sell him to us , it’s how it goes . With bringing in a talent for defence let’s see if that’s it or if we try to get quality in for the other positions were lacking ,poor stuff selling Kuhn before a replacement was identified . I hope we haven’t opened to door for them to man a strong challenge to us . I think we kinda like the way it’s been . HH
So it’s Beaton on Sunday , after Aitken last Sunday on var , followed by Dallas on var the following week , there sending out the big guns early .
BACK TO BASICS – GLASS HALF FULL
“ You are the chief executive of a football club – I’m the chief executive of Bobo Balde “
Bobo Balde
Guess who the Celtic CEO was?