My friends in Celtic, you and I have discussed this subject for over two decades, seldom in that time has the club been in such disarray. No one football game determines the health of a club, but yesterday’s 2-0 defeat at Fir Park perfectly illustrates what a soft touch Celtic are.
Credit to Motherwell, this is as good a side as I have seen from them, but they are not a Champions League-level team. However, they out-thought Celtic and controlled the game throughout. The list of Scottish clubs who have already done this, this season, is significant: St Mirren, Hearts, Dundee and Dundee United have all beaten Celtic and bossed them, at least once each. Kilmarnock were denied a point by an added-time penalty, 10-man Aberdeen by two goals after the 87th minute, while a truly awful Livingston twice took the lead against us.
Wilfried Nancy inherited much of this mess. Three misfiring transfer windows proceeded Brendan Rodgers departure and Wilfried’s arrival. Despite significant spending the squad was left imbalanced, the new manager had to cope with that, but he is far from blameless.
When plans meet grass
Few of us looked forward to last night’s game expecting yet another new formation. I am sure this made sense on a flipchart at Lennoxtown on Monday but it was destroyed from the start by a Motherwell squad which benefited from a total spent this summer of £250k.
The lack of structure which caused the alarm in the first half was not due to a lack of a decent striker, it was a consequence of what was written on that flipchart. The second half saw a return to the formation which won the previous two games, and allowed Celtic a degree of control of the ball, but roles were changed. McCowan came on at wingback, not the inside role he has been enjoying so much success in. Maeda, whose crossing was a real asset in recent weeks, was hooked, while Shin Yamada was given the lost striker role. Better than expecting Reo Hatate to plug the gap, I suppose.
We are at the cusp of the ‘favourites for the league title’ shifting from Celtic to God knows who. Either one of two poor-to-average teams who because of Celtic’s inept performances are likely to win the league.
Football fans love a scapegoat; take your pick. None of the players involved last night were to blame, nor was the referee. The result was a failure of team planning and the team planning failure was a consequence of the second successive poor managerial appointment by the board.
When appointing a manager, I support Celtic looking outside the box. We will not out-perform unless we follow different leads to our wealthier competitors. On paper (or a flipchart, if you prefer), finding someone with a bit of form in the MLS ticks this box, so I was happy with the appointment. The diligence and transition planning, however, was woefully short.
20 years ago, Gordon Strachan started his Celtic managerial career with a terrible defeat and an alarming draw (at Motherwell). Despite winning three successive league titles and taking Celtic into the knockout stages of the Champions League for the first and second times, he never quite recovered in the eyes of some supporters. 20 years on, the world has not become more tolerant. Wilfried could recover and win the league, but it will not be enough for some.
Layered on top of this is transfer planning. The head of recruitment brought the manager in and the manager has plans to spend many millions in January. This is what the club hopes will deliver salvation from what ails us. Players suited to the formation in three or four positions might work. The return of Jota and Kelechi Iheanacho, then Callum Osmand and Alistair Johnston, will help. Our prospects of a league title this season are circling the drain, but they have not yet flushed.
The other side of the equation is equally important. It is easy to destroy but difficult to build ‘What next?’ Sack the manager is easy, subsequently recruiting someone who can deliver the kind of success Celtic has come to expect not so much. Sack the board, that’s easy done too. Replaced by what? I’ll save you a lesson in corporate governance structures, but if you think any fool can run a successful Celtic, you are the fool.
My expectation is that Celtic will not win the league this season, despite that being entirely possible right now. Head of Football Operations Paul Tisdale has been thrown in at the deep end in at a level he had little experience of. We are not Exeter City. Nor are we Columbus Crew. Our football structure is simply not operating at the level we were even two years ago.
To our board, I suggest they reflect on how we got here. Why was Brendan brought back, who was inevitably going to play the same games he did during his first spell and resulted in the summer debacle? Why did we move from importing Manchester City’s recruitment imprint to that of Exeter City? Celtic is a big ticket job, recruitment analysts across Europe would jump at the chance to work here.
I expect the club will throw the dice in the January transfer window in the hope of landing some sixes. The fallacy of sunk costs is powerful. You and I do not have all the information, so we should also consider where we are on the Dunning-Krugger chart. People on the outside who believe obviously clear decisions are not being made are usually at the first peak.
Personally, I would have a chat with Shaun Maloney this afternoon. I might be one of the fools, but he is not. We have talent at the club. There is a squad with potential to achieve more than they currently are. There is enough money in the bank to fix whatever is wrong – all a consequence of years of good work.
It has been a real honour sharing 2025 with you. The blog can sail through the good times with little of substance to contribute. It is needed most when clouds gather and perspective is low. Some may regard today’s as being light on perspective, but there is no point having a blog if we do not step forward and say when we believe things are going wrong.
Very best wishes for the new year. I hope you have a healthy and happy one, and I hope we see Celtic back bossing the land once more. Take care, all.
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Stivs
It’s logical to assume that CalMac is actively considering an offer from BR to join him in Saudi. Must be a tempting revenge option for Rodgers and CalMac seems to me to have zero respect for Nancy. He will be conflicted about leaving us in the lurch but he’s only human.
PLB
agree re CalMac, and concerned our two Japanese bhoyz will leave too
Time to start supporting Third Lanark methinks !!!
kingLUBO
If we sign this Wagner , he better bring the Valkyrie with him .
SHIT, imagine giving this guy loadsa money now, just who and wtf will he serve up
Concerned big time.
KINGLUBO
Paul67 our views and opinions often differ, but long may we have these debates and educate ourselves. Thank you for CQN and all who contribute to it. I wish you and yours a very healthy and Happy New Year.
To those I have found comfort with (metaphorically speaking) based on a shared view. To those I fear have limited brain cells (humorously speaking) based on a difference of opinion I wish you all a very Happy and Healthy New Year
But I am reluctant to change my view on one thing. This Guy is not our Guy
67ECW
The Battered Bunnet – so you are better than me, there you go.
You feel all warm and fuzzy now?
The host peddled a lot of pish that is akin to our board and needs to be told.
Regarding who I wish a happy new year to is down to me, not you. If I want to exclude someone or some people from my good wishes then I shall.
I don’t think me not wishing our host or our board a new year is going to bother these guys, they are all thick skinned, self serving twats.
And I say it again to our host, I could do a better job than some of our board, who are there through nepotism and no real job interview or homework put into their CV.
D. :)
GLENDALYSTONSILS on 1ST JANUARY 2026 3:58 PM
If we sign this Wagner , he better bring the Valkyrie with him .
If we don’t sign Wagner, its the Apocalypse (now)
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 1ST JANUARY 2026 3:49 PM
The board reconvened after four straight defeats and correctly IMO said stick, January belongs to Wilfried Nancy
—-
If that’s the case, I expect us to be third, possibly fourth in the league come the end of this month. We’ll be out of the Europa and looking at SC as the only viable trophy open to us.
Our season will be effectively over if this goes on 4 more weeks.
anyone still have any empathy/understanding for these c*nts (and their allies) ?
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/31/which-aid-groups-is-israel-banning-from-gaza-now-and-what-will-it-mean
Thank f@ ck we don’t play on January 1st anymore.🍹🍻🍺🍾🍰💚
David66
You should apologise for that last post, so fucking Hun like
You should wish no ill on any man, shame on you
Frankly, I don’t think you could run a bath, never mind Celtic
You are poison
KINGLUBO
The board reconvened after four straight defeats and correctly IMO said stick, January belongs to Wilfried Nancy…
On what planet was that correct and why ?
My only surprise is that we beat Aberdeen – tho they did play on the Thursday and were reduced to 10 men.
I expected a draw at Livi at best.
January belongs to the Huns (big and wee).
Rodgers will come in for Calmac , if Nancy remains the player will request a transfer.
Here’s what’s coming up. On our current trajectory, I wouldn’t be too surprised if we are out of the league, out of the cup and out of the EL by the end of it. Anyone confident we will swat aside Auchinleck on the Rugby Park plastic playing the Nancy way? It has cup shockeroonie written all over it.
Jan 3: Rangers (H)
Jan 10: Dundee United (H)
Jan 14: Falkirk (A)
Jan 18: Auchinleck Talbot (A)
Jan 22: Bologna (A)
Jan 25: Hearts (A)
Jan 29: FC Utrecht (H)
I’m sure , win lose or draw , Callum has always enjoyed his football . But like anyone who is actually disliking what they are being asked to do at work , he will want to be out of there . He won’t be the only one either.
Happy New Year, Kev👍
Auchinleck could be our equivalent of the sheeps ‘Darvel’ moment . I don’t think it will be ,but if we meet a premier or even Championship opponent in the following round , all bets are off.
Just a thought on a “no news day”
In my opinion (obviously I don’t know – its just an opinion) Brendan was not supported last summer in the Transfer Market because our Board or someone on our Board did not want to support Brendan – for whatever reason
Again I don’t know but I would guess Peter Lawwell would have a big part to play (for clarity overall I am not negative on PL) in not supporting BR
PLs reputation with a big percentage of Celtic fans is negative and a big part of that opinion is based on last Summer (Nicholson carries the can but PL is influential)
As I sit and look at the predicament we are in, I can think of no other reason to explain it than it was two characters (PL/BR) that had a difference of opinion and the one with the most power, PL, played out his part to “control” BR and as it turns out – to the detriment of Celtic.
BR obviously left
I wonder if our predicament would be any better if BR had known PL was about to leave
Would BR have left ?
PL done wonders for Celtic but I can’t understand why he did not support BR last summer
Given what PL gave to Celtic has not fared too well in the popularity league table, shame – but he would probably argue he was protecting the PLc
I still believe BR would have improved us to, as good as, if not better than the team that narrowly lost in Munich – if he was supported
My big frustration with all of this – its so unnecessary
Nobody done this to us – we did it to ourselves
We are a shambles
67ECW
How is excluding someone from one’s good wishes the equivalent of wishing them ill?
What a bizarre interpretation and indeed misrepresentation of another poster’s views.
Somewhat hun like and Trump like methinks.
You should wish no ill on any man
—
there are plenty of people in this world i wish ill on, and thats being mild about it.
nobody on this blog though.
AN DÚN on 1ST JANUARY 2026 4:10 PM
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 1ST JANUARY 2026 3:49 PM
The board reconvened after four straight defeats and correctly IMO said stick, January belongs to Wilfried Nancy
—-
If that’s the case, I expect us to be third, possibly fourth in the league come the end of this month. We’ll be out of the Europa and looking at SC as the only viable trophy open to us.
Our season will be effectively over if this goes on 4 more weeks.
——————-
Another managerial change and a Tisdale window won’t save the board, as it stands they’ve already factored in losing the league by sacking BR or having the balls to have expected him to carry on and win the league anyway. Petted lip – eviscerated – voilah – the Wilfried Nancy experiment, and here with are in worse place.
The fact they had to reconvene after four defeats tells it’s on story, beat Sevco and the dynamic changes, the board changes are already written in the stars.
Gon the port Vale.
Pleased for you Gene.
67 EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS on 1ST JANUARY 2026 4:39 PM
Statement from Big Dog on 27th of October
Important no mention of the Chairman, from the extracts, caveat I am not endorsing Big Dogs statement
Conjecture here on my part, I suspect that part of BRs return included some distance between PL and BR with the main duties of dealing with the manager in the domain of the CEO
It is of course IMO left Peter to influence from the freedom of the back benches to use a political analogy
Sadly all of this politicking, manoeuvring and skullduggery was to the clubs detriment, the continuing repercussions continuing to drag the club down
In June, both Michael Nicholson and I expressed to Brendan that we were keen to offer him a contract extension, to reaffirm the club’s full backing and long-term commitment to him. He said he would need to think about it and revert. Yet in subsequent press conferences, Brendan implied that the club had made no commitment to offer him a contract. That was simply untrue.
We met with Brendan regularly, including in December last year and at the start of the summer, with regular dialogue in between, to discuss and agree our collective strategy, priorities, and approach. Every player signed and every player sold during his tenure was done so with Brendan’s full knowledge, approval, and endorsement. Any insinuation otherwise is absolutely false.
When his comments were made publicly, I sought to address them directly. Brendan and I met for over three hours at his home in Scotland to discuss the issue.
My guess is that the crowd will get behind the team on Saturday, at least to begin with. If we go a goal or two behind and the performance is all over the place it will get ugly. There will be no hiding place for the board or Nancy.
During Covid, empty stadiums saved the board and NL from experiencing the fury of the crowd. They won’t be spared this time.
KINGLUBO on 1ST JANUARY 2026 4:12 PM
David66
You should apologise for that last post, so fucking Hun like
You should wish no ill on any man, shame on you
Frankly, I don’t think you could run a bath, never mind Celtic
You are poison
KINGLUBO
——-
Agreed
The first time wad bad enough
to come back on and try to justify it, was just twattery
leftclicktic
Just back in – great result all be it against 10 men.
As usual we missed a glorious chance before they scored but we used the extra man in the second half and it could have been more.
As a matter of interest we lined up as 3 at the back – but it was more like a 5 with the wing backs
Manchester City have recalled Jahmai Simpson-Pusey from his Celtic loan.
MON has cancelled his ASCOM gig tomorrow and as a pundit on Saturday
Bada
Maybe he doesn’t want to get involved with the current debacle
Gene on 1st January 2026 5:50 pm
Bada Maybe he doesn’t want to get involved with the current debacle
*Or mibbees he’s going to be in our technical area
Was he a pundit for Sky on Saturday?
TRENDING – O’Neill to Man United.
lol
Yogi Junior saying board meeting happening now…
Saint Stivs on 1st January 2026 6:01 pm
TRENDING – O’Neill to Man United.
*Michael
MON also not doing Sky on Saturday as a pundit, who knows, it could be the flu, or doesn’t want to be a Beale like vulture
Some on here used to champion Chris Davies on here (a dig at BR) – in much the same way that the huns & smsm championed Beale
anyone still fancy him ?
(and I do hope he goes on to do well btw)
Should be a short meeting.
lionroars67 on 1st January 2026 5:03 pm
Thanks for the info
I’m not sure PL was in ‘the back benches” he is more of a Cabinet personality
Im self confessed BR fan – however he is not blameless
I think we had a point scoring exercise between 2 strong personalities, with no winner – only one loser – Celtic
67ECW