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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Much to unpack in today’s missive, Paul. Some things I agree with, some things I don’t.
I was going to write something, but I see it’s pretty much a full house today so will leave it for another time.
I bid you and yours a happy and prosperous new year.
Paul67
Nancy inherited a team that was undefeated domestically under Mon .
Who Mon has taken to a cup final having beaten Sevco in the semi .
A team that had just beaten Feyenoord in Rotterdam , and did it in style .
Heads should roll .
The man who appointed Tisdale should admit his error and sack him asap .
Tisdale should be sacked for appointing Nancy .
Nancy should be sacked , because he has confused the team .Left the team bereft of confidence .
We are in quicksand.
Before it we sink any lower we need rescued .
Quick decisive action .
This is a cluster feck .
TT
What next if we get rid of the Board? Replace with competence. Simples.
He is not only our worst ever manager – much worse than Barnes – he is possibly the worst in the SPFL I can remember. Our results with a team organised by CalMac would be much better.
It is like one of those 1980s comedies where an impostor ends up running a company. I don’t find this one funny.
Askou and/or wee Shaun by Monday please…
Remember latter years at school when a lot of the better players had left , we had some duffers in goal and at full back.
The panic in the team when the duffers were fielded was incredible, struggling to beat Stonelaw , good grief.
Our formation is making our average players look like duffers and up against any sort of competitive outfit , we fold, as the guys are totally confused.
This is a Mowbray rerun except it’s quicker , Nancy will ruin the careers of our centre halves.
Best to stop this experiment now , use the loan market to get numbers in , fire everyone.
HH
Happy New Year Paul , Thanks for the wonderful CQN and its nice to see the blog animated and energised . We have had a great 25 years but I feel our spoilt entitled younger supporters are going to have their loyalty tested like they have never had before , myself I will be there faithful through and through . Yup things look bleak right now but the players need the Celtic support at their vociferous best, leave the recriminations until after the game . Hail Hail .
Rangers at 4-1 with PaddyPower looking like a pretty good bet now. You won’t get those odds after Saturday!
And a repost from late last night, when most had gone to bed to sleep, hoping that it was all just a bad dream…
I’m sure I read that Nancy likes to utilise performance data and analytics. So I’ve done some analysis myself, looking at each SPL team’s last 7 matches (for equivalence v Nancy’s Celtic) across all competitions.
Only bottom team Livingston have conceded more goals (16) than Celtic (15), and would be equal but for the soft penalty awarded to Celtic on Saturday.
Celtic have conceded as many goals as Hearts, Rangers and Motherwell combined over the last 7 games.
Celtic are one of only 3 teams to fail to keep a single clean sheet across those 7 games, along with Aberdeen and bottom team Livingston.
No team other than Livingston (6) have lost as many of their last 7 games as have Celtic, with 5 defeats.
Only the bottom two teams (Killie and Livingston, both with no wins) have won fewer of their last 7 games than Celtic.
Motherwell have conceded just ONE goal in their last 7 games, against Rangers on Saturday. As the team with the best recent defensive record in the league, perhaps Nancy should study their defensive setup for a clear example of how he might be able to improve his own team’s performances.
Data analysis complete. Log out Nancy and reboot.
The truth is the only team to end Celtics dominance was only going to be Celtic.
The perfect storm of miscalculations and bad decisions has led us to this chaotic state of affairs.
God know when it will end. There doesnt appear to be a path out of this mess
Fast forward to 5pm on Saturday. Imagine the scene. Celtic 1 Sevco 4. Hearts, Hibs and Motherwell have all won. We sit 3rd, 6 points behind Hearts. Motherwell have closed to 2 points behind, Hibs a further 2 back. We have relegation form.
Cut to Wilf’s interview with Celtic TV:
Interviewer: wilfried, another disappointing day. Your thoughts in the match?
Wilf: listen, it was disappointing but it’s just one match against a strong opponent who,plays good football. I saw some interesting things. I saw some progress.
Interviewer: that’s great. What progress did you see?
Wilf: as we say in France, when the seagulls follow the trawler…
Interviewer: enigmatic, love it. Any news on transfers?
Wilf: oui. The club is hopeful if selling both Maeda and Hatate in the next few days.
Interviewer: I was thinking more on incomings?
Wilf: ah, I see (jaunty laugh). Oui, Mon homme Tisdale has been busy with his contacts book and secured three of the best players from Exeter under 19s, all of whom are comfortable in a 3-4-3 and excel at running at pace towards their own goal from the halfway line.
Interviewer: sounds just the ticket. Finally Wilfried, any word for the fans who,seemed a wee bit disgruntled today?
Wilf: (Gallic shrug) keep the faith. I see interesting things with my team, I see progress. Our soccerball is really evolving. Auchinleck Talbot look out!
Interviewer: thanks for your time Wilfried.
Wilf: (Gallic shrug for the Road)
When you’ve lost a glass half full guy like Ek bhoy you’re in trouble. Fair play.
NOTTHEBUS
There doesnt appear to be a path out of this mess
———-
Not sure it’s a complicated mess. Under a retired guy in his ’70s we were clear favourites for the league and EL knock-out qualification.
Then we appointed WN.
Path might be long and difficult but the first step is now clear to all of us (I assume).
notthebus on 31st December 2025 2:08
God know when it will end. There doesnt appear to be a path out of this mess pm
=================================================
There is seemingly not the will to get us out of this mess . If there had been , Nancy would have been sacked today along with Tisdale . There are paths available but our ‘pathfinders’ in the boardroom are frozen to the spot . Waiting for a lead from a certain shareholder who is only just teeing off somewhere warm right now .
Carrigtwohill
“leave the recriminations until after the game”
Is that not what we’re doing here?
We lost 2-0 vs Motherwell (a fifth defeat in seven for the boards latest managerial appointment)
See Celtic have narrowly missed out on Kazuyoshi Miura ……Apparently Fukushima Utd have snapped him up !!!
“This is the first time since I’m here that we struggled a lot.’
Please, someone just put this guy out his misery,and let us move on
All the best to you and yours for 2026 Paul67. Thank you for all your hard work on the blog.
The one comment I can get behind in your leader today is the call to Maloney. It’s criminal that all the football expertise was emptied prior to bringing in Nancy. I’d give Shaun the reins until the end of the season and plead with MON to come in as mentor.
In the meantime, can Nancy today and put this behind us. It’s not going to improve.
Aipple- thanks for making me laugh despite feeling quite down today
Still only a handful can see WTF is happening, it’s all part of the OF plan, open your eyes FFS.
Competition makes money
Dominance doesn’t
And that’s all they care about, dirty filthy muney
Have a guid New Year Bhoys and Ghirls
PeterLatchfordsBelly @ 1:58 pm
What next if we get rid of the Board? Replace with competence. Simples.
——
Agreed PLB. Simples.
But not easy.
So, if DD fires the CEO, the manager, and Tisdale (I can’t remember this guy’s job title and wouldn’t know him if he walked past me in the street).
And DD then hires a new (competent) CEO and new (competent) DoF … who between them … hire a new (component) manager …
Does that square things?
Genuine question.
I’ve asked “How?” a few times.
The “How” for the above is clear enough.
DD does it. He’s the “How”
But how to remove DD …
… if that is the aspiration?
Much, much bigger question.
clunks on 31st December 2025 1:20 am
how many other ceos wasted millions oon 20k a week contracts
Thats bullshit I repeat other ceos wasted millions oon 20k a week contracts
*Allan McDonlad did and was binned along with Chairman Frank O’ Callaghan, hand picked by the bunnet to replace him, when they agreed the Kenny’s choice of Raphael Scheidt in name as well as performance after he had seen a video of him
BTW all you out there worrying about sevco on Saturday, they were a Delaney’s Donkeys nephew, a former Celtic youth player’s, missed penalty away from dropping 2 points at home and possibly all 3, the corrupt sfa and mitb are keeping them in this, as for the calvinists, ffs they are boasting about spending 800k on a tier 2 player, we will bounce back., wonder how the support felt this time in 1977 and 84.
Taurangabhoy on 31st December 2025 7:44 am
Will Nancy be there on Saturday? He can’t win that, lost the fans, the team, the team lady. Better for him to take some garden leave and not be subjected to our hate brigade.
*fully concur with this choice, get MON or someone else in for the remainder of the season and if we should by the Grace of God win the league or even the double keep DD’s acolyte out of the showers and sign a wee mhan who was sitting in the stand last night after the WC
THE EXILED TIM on 31ST DECEMBER 2025 2:46 PM
Still only a handful can see WTF is happening, it’s all part of the OF plan, open your eyes FFS.
Competition makes money
Dominance doesn’t
And that’s all they care about, dirty filthy muney
Have a guid New Year Bhoys and Ghirls
……..
Never rule out incompetence, that should be your starting point. For me it’s glaring incompetence by everyone.
HH
Was there GTF chants last night? I never heard them at all – plenty of sack the board stuff but no Nancy GTF….
MOISEY17 on 31ST DECEMBER 2025 2:50 PM
Was there GTF chants last night? I never heard them at all – plenty of sack the board stuff but no Nancy GTF….
….
I deployed the mute button after about 15 minutes !
HH
” …struggling to beat Stonelaw , good grief.”
😂😂😂
Brilliant, a highlight in a grim day.
EKBhoy on 31st December 2025 2:49 pm
They have had chance after chance to steam ahead and not once have they taken it, that doesn’t seem/look like incompetence to me, more like a plan IMO, but I am as think as mince so.
i think the whole ‘entitled spolied fans’ narrative has been completely blown out of the water.
this shit-show hasnt happened by accident but has been as a result of complete negligence and mis-management by those running the plc, and that is what has been getting called out.
even opposition fans have stopped using that narrative now, and instead chant ‘keep the board’.
that says it all.
Just back inn from a critical piece of last minute shopping
Has he been sacked yet???
Greenpinata
Plenty not right for sure. DD has made a few big mistakes for sure.
Paul called that out but even rational posters and those who are genuine Celtic fans seem unable to accept that. Weird.
I realise there are plenty of subtle interlopers on here. Just as there were in bucket loads last time they had a chance in lockdown year but even the more moderate fans seem to be screaming for something but have no idea what it actually is.
For now and for me winning the league is what I want. I know many would rather we spent a few years in the wilderness and allowed rangers and others to win and ourselves to re build but personally I want to win this league.
That means a stadium really getting behind whatever team we put out on Saturday and standing behind them for 100 minutes. Not sitting on our arses like usual. Really show it matters like Hearts fans did atTynecastle and Huns do at their place.
Win that game and Huns are back to back with Aberdeen and suddenly we have a bit of breathing space for a decent window and a reset. I am sure learnings will be landing within the club and hierarchy.
If Nancy is in charge for the derby, we will get a heavy gubbing ,St mirren lost at Ibrox but they beat us easily in the cup final recently, right now I would say we have the form and performances of a bottom 6 team, that is how far we have fallen back, the football is atrocious porous unstructured and the players look as if they don’t know what they’re doing or don’t believe in the Manager, that is changed immediately when you appoint a capable football Manager.
Let’s all do the Huddle
So a fan base in a 12 team sporting contest screaming ‘we deserve better’ after 16 leagues wins out of 20 is not entitled ? When that 16 titles is almost 30% of what it has won in 138 years of its history.
It’s the fans fault again. Total bullshit.
Tontine Tim @ 2:46pm …
Your reference to Allan McDonald reminded me of a couple of reflections I had last night post match.
Like many on here – mine was a long night … so plenty of time to reflect !
The first was about managers.
The second was about the times Celtic went heavy and aggressive on recruitment.
On managers, the first managerial appointment I was old enough to give any real thought to … was Davie Hay.
Who I liked. A lot.
In the period since, there have been 3 managers whose appointment I haven’t supported.
Liam Brady, John Barnes, (steadfast “No” to both) Tony Mowbray (lukewarm at best)
Brady and Barnes were dreamers with ZERO track record in coaching or management. Ridiculous appointments both.
I thought Tony (great guy) had gone soft.
So freely admit to supporting the appointment of guys with track records … who didn’t get it done.
On Celtic going big on recruitment (tin hat already on BTW) I can recall 5 times we did it.
Summer 1999 for John Barnes
Summer & Winter 2000 for Martin O’Neill
January 2010 for Tony Mowbray
Summer 2020 for Neil Lennon
Summer 2024 for Brendan Rodgers
In four of the five instances … the team fell apart within 12 months (sometimes sooner)
My point?
The money angle is understandably seductive … but we’ve got previous.
THE EXILED TIM on 31ST DECEMBER 2025 2:55 PM
Factored in, as far back as early Summer, evisceration of decent manager, abandon attempted contrition, declare war on supporters, condescension, call ambition anarchy, filibustering, stage managed AGM, get angry abandon again, double down, appoint a rookie that doesn’t sign players ( a general manager does that in the MLS ) never mind if we don’t win the league , we can’t compete in Europe, we’ ll start calling CL football – group stage football.
There’s yer dinner.
Don’t renew ? where’s ma waiting list. 👍
I can’t fathom what PaddyPower are seeing that we’re all missing, with them still citing Celtic as favourites to win the SPL this season.
IMO, with the status quo, the only thing I can see getting in the way of two more defeats to Hearts is Celtic reaching the split in the bottom half of the league table. So with a further 6 points donated to Hearts (and a likely inferior GD), we’re going to have to win 10 points more than them from the other 17 games. And a repeat of last night’s scoreline on Saturday will put rangers ahead of Celtic, after they have us a 9 point start in the first 5 games. At this stage I’d rate ranger’s chances of winning the league much higher than Celtic’s.
On the 25th January Hearts get the chance to really twist the knife, three days after Bologna have likely “done a Dortmund” on us. I’m not looking forward to that if the current management team are still in situ!
That was brutal last night. Burnley 78 was the last time I can recall us being quite so bad.
1977/8 season actually. Burnley was a low point just after when we lost to a lower league English team just 4 years after a European Cup semi final.
The 77/8 season was Jocks last and we ended up with 5th place out of 10. Missed out on Europe and were utterly rank rotten. 36 points in the league from 36 games. The football was even worse.
Perhaps the Hampden season was close to as bad as that.
We were really poor for much of 78/9 also, under Billy but somehow really galvanised to come through the pack and win the league 4-2 on the final day v rangers with 10 men.
trying to have a calm look at this shambles.
OK, Wilf should be sacked, but who appointed him ?
So, if Tisdale should be sacked, who appointed him?? And so it goes on.
I honestly do not blame the players, poor sods, out of position many of them with not a clues what is being asked of them, absolutely diabolical.
On a happier note, I was getting quite worried about the bigots game, but my worries have gone!! Why you ask, because I KNOW we will get a doing, no point to think otherwise
Best of health to all
kingLUBO
BSR
When you put it like that it just reinforces that I am right
HH
Burnley 78 – I am sure learnings will be landing within the club and hierarchy.
They’ve been telling us lessons have been learned for a while now and things have gotten worse, so interested in what drives confidence things will be different now?
So a fan base in a 12 team sporting contest screaming ‘we deserve better’ after 16 leagues wins out of 20 is not entitled ?
It’s only really a sporting contest because we are complacent. If the SPFL were the CL, it would comprise Real Madrid (us), Bayern Leverkusen (them), Brugge (Hearts) and the rest being variations of Kairat/Slovan Bratislava/etc. it’s not entitlement, it’s just normal in a sport where the richest clubs win.