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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AT
eh?
Celtic board, we have £70 m, but we are not spending it, cue, Brendan leaves. That’s the bottom line. How do we fix the mess? That is the question.
TT….no bother its all about opinions but Flashscore doesnt value Celtic players.
What would YOU sell Cal for?
£20 million for a 32 year old???
lol!!
Not a chance
Clunks…at what price would Celtic (or you) sell CMcG for?
He’s on a50k a weekncontract for another 3 years
Brendan would need to offer £20m for Cal in January and even that won’t be accepted but WILL cause a problem.
If Cal wants the move ( and he might not) then £18m in the summer will be the price.
———-
lol
I would personally not sell him and change his contract to 80k a week
32 and 18 mullions!!!!
lol
32 and 80k a week!!!
lol lol lol
Clunks….what would you accept ££££ for Cal?
Whats left on his contract
Lol….answer the question mate
And its not what I would accept
It’s what people will pay
20 million bids for a 32 year old lol
Whats left on his contract
how many years left?
who would sign mcgregor?
what league?
and for how much?
it would have to be abroad somewhere, he isnt suited to the top leagues in england.
as i said earlier, valuation means nothing until someone stumps that cash up.
Its what he’s worth to us is the price mate.
Again, I’ll ask lol what transfer fee would you accept for Callum McGregor?
Ive already said i would only accept £20m+ if he wanted to go in the summer but I’m asking you as a Celtic fan what price would you accept?
It’s what people will pay
for a 32 year old
…his best days are past and he on the downward slope and has been for the past 18 months
For what he is worth to us for the next 18 months?
We couldnt sell him, as no one would pay it
Time has killed his resale value now
he will warm the bench ala forrest after this season
Ffs….McGregor could play for Bayern or Barca and not look out of place.
Know your footballCSC
Its what he’s worth to us is the price mate.
The price is always what someone will pay
If they wont pay what we want, then there is no price
Just pie in the sky
20 million is pie in the sky for a 32 year old
Clunks….no offence but answer my question plz.
What bid would YOU accept gor Callum McGregor?
For
Bayern or Barca would not pay 20 million for a 32 year old who has spent his whole career in scotland
Know your economics
pie in the skyCSC
For what he is worth to us for the next 18 months?
We couldnt sell him, as no one would pay it
Its NOT the price that someone will play, Clunks because he’s not up for sale.
He’s not a house.
Pay
Ange’s Spurs had 24 points after 19 games last season.
He won them a trophy and got them into the CL while going along with the policy of buying young players to grow the squad.
Franks came in last summer, spent a fortune on Kolo Muani, Kudos, Pauline and Simons.
They’ve got 26 points after 19 games.
Everyones for sale
For a price
Just because you magiced up 20 million doesnt mean we will get it
Or even 18 million fallback
Its always the price someone will pay
Will repeat that
Its always the price someone will pay
he might be worth 20 million to us
But we aint ever gona get that lol
Your nuts!
If we can get 20 million lol
Take that fucking cash
BUT
“Its NOT the price that someone will play, Clunks because he’s not up for sale.
He’s not a house.”
Why are you arguing what we should get if he is not up for sale????
You’re nuttier than a nancy press conference
😂😂😂😂😂
Ok mate
…thanks for saying im nuts.
If you were the ultimate decider and Brendan wanted wanted to buy CMcG….what price would YOU accept?
Not falling out but ive asked you numerous times for a number and you can’t come up with one.
“Its NOT the price that someone will play, Clunks because he’s not up for sale.”
Thats what you said
Is he for sale???
he might be worth 20 million to us
But we aint ever gona get that lol
If we bought the best player in scotland
Who was 32
For 20 million
You would shit the bed!!
ie
your nuts
Is 18 million the lowest you would realistically accept for a 32 year old (who will be 33 on the 14th of june)
Come on…
Your nuts!!!
For a guy who has spent his whole career in scotland??
And is 33 in july
Whose performaces have been in decline this year
We will be lucky to scrape 2 or 3 million
And I wouldnt accept that
So he stays
No worries Clunks.
You’re not getting my point though.
Hasta mañana
I am getting your point
Your point is stupid
20 million for calmac
Ok, lets take 18 million
Nuts
I dont think you are getting reality here mate