My friends in Celtic, last season we enjoyed our fourth consecutive league title, a League Cup win, and a disappointing end to the treble pursuit with a penalty defeat in the Scottish Cup Final. That loss was only the sixth domestic trophy Celtic have failed to win in nine years, and three of those came amid the testing absence protocols Celtic observed impeccably in season 2020-21.
The season just finished also saw our successful participation in the first Champions League, league format, which we progressed from, before ultimately losing to an equaliser in Munich. A repeat in Europe this term will be enormously difficult.
Since then, Nicolas Kuhn, our scorer that night in Munich, has left for Como, Greg Taylor went to PAOK, while a number of fringe players also emptied their Lennoxtown lockers.
Kieran Tierney (28) returns to fill the left back slot vacated by Greg, and we have seen a welcome return to a strategy of investing in young players. I am even happier that we have revived our Japan policy, with the arrival of striker Shin Yamada (25 but not long out of uni.) and left-side defender Hayato Inamura (23).
The arrival of striker Callum Osmand (19), from Fulham echoes the road travelled by Moussa Dembele in 2016. The final notable arrival (so far) is Swedish winger Banjamin Nygren (23). Let’s not burden him with the obvious comparison. Past performance of talent sources does not guarantee anything, but we are entitled to be encouraged.
We are a month away from the transfer window closing and the I read that Chris Sutton thinks we are weaker now than at the end of last season. Chris watched more of Kieran last season than I did, and perhaps he watched a lot of Japanese, Danish (Benji) and Fulham reserve football too. If I can go out on a limb, though, this feels like an extraordinary claim without extraordinary evidence. Doom sells more than “Nothing much to report yet”.
I spent much of last term flagging concerns that Brendan Rodgers had gone off-piste. £26m on Idah, Engels and Trusty (not counting the rest) was an alarming venture into territory I hoped he left behind during his latter days at Leicester. Therefore, I am delighted to see the manager back with what looks like a strategic fit.
Moreover, this looks like someone planning for the future, which was a concern I raised after last season’s business.
The window of course is not over and if we are to see off this season’s version of a domestic challenge with our customary manner (customary treble seems unnecessary), while reaching and performing in the Champions League, work needs to be done.
Past performances might again be useful. Our most transformational transfer window in two decades was surely the summer of 2021. Ange Postecoglou arrived and brought in Kyogo, Starfelt, Carter-Vickers, Abada, Juranovic, Jota, Giakoumakis and Joe Hart.
At the end of July 2021, however, only Kyogo, Abada and Giakoumakis had been signed. Of course, we could have signed another central defender rather than wait for Cameron, and there was no reason to wait for Jota, Josip, Carl or Joe. Alternatives were available well before their signing dates.
Fortunately, Celtic decisionmakers knew their targets and set about getting them. A short-term hit wins today’s headlines, but honestly, do we really need short-term hits? Is it perhaps better to get your plan right and follow it to the end, even if it means signing the likes of CCV and Jota on deadline day again?
I cannot believe you and I have this conversation every year. People I know and like, clever people, forget so quickly how these things work. How “Same old Celtic” actually means what we did previously, not what imaginary thing did not happen before.
We win more than anyone in world football – take this for granted and I don’t want to talk to you. We achieve this while running a sustainable business model which is the envy of clubs everywhere. We will continue to spend and strengthen the squad until the window closes (despite having competitive football before then, sellers often choose to wait until near the end).
Michael Nicholson is almost four years in the CEO job. That period has seen our bank balance climb to levels many of us are uncomfortable with (that includes me!). Michael carries the burden of spending that money on our behalf, which does not mean spending everything at once.
Do you want to look at past performance again? Peter Lawwell spent every penny that came into the club over any multi-year period you care to mention. [Gasp! What did the Romans ever do for us?] My expectation is that Michael will do the same. Anyone who thinks this is easy, or that there is complacency, or that they would boss the football industry, sits on a peak on the Dunning Kruger graph.
These are special years, the inheritance of work done by some of the aforementioned, by Martin, Fergus and the 10,000 who backed him. By Jock and the Lions, who picked the club out of obscurity and taught us to aim high. By those who carried Celtic during the dark decades before that, and by those who cleared the ground, when it was decided, “A football club will be formed…..”.
Enjoy the new season and always enjoy supporting Celtic.
Thank you to everyone who attended the CQN Golf Day at Aberdour in June. Blantyrekev and Taggsybhoy recently dropped by at Spirit Aid to drop off the funds raised. The golfers raised £1019.67 which will go to help the most needy in Scotland. Pictured also is Spirit Aid staff Mary Kavanagh and James Ridley (out of picture the indefatigable Patrick Rolink). Bernard Ponsonby (centre) was our fabulous guest speaker. Spirit Aid are dedicated to improving the lives of young people. They are worth of our support and your attention. Celtic fans are always so inspiring.
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Weebobbycollins on 2nd August 2025 8:02 pm
“Martin thinks he’s above wearing a collar and tie, despite every manager who preceded him having no issue with this but he has to be different
So, there you have it. It’s all about collar and tie and brown brogues.
Did King Billy wear brown brogues?
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Naw but, his horse did .
GENE on 2ND AUGUST 2025 7:56 PM
The long wait – they haven’t received an offer
I get that but someone would have bought him, probably on lower wages of course.
There’s no amount of money you could pay me to stay and suffer the abuse he’s taken from the Entitled Ones.
Its always been about the blazer, brogues and tie
The “new owners” will catch up soon
Or is it a coincidence that new blood comes and the nonsense traditions go out
Next will be the songs
And after that, the orange 3rd strip
VoguePunter…his horse?
Neigh chance…
King Billy liked brown though
What a hopeless bunch of losers they are
Clunks…not arguing mate but I honestly do believe what I said….Just an opinion.
To be fair the huns manager watched the same game as me,and has thrown them under the bus after the 1st game
Laxalt
Appreciate you not arguing that
“Tav still Sevco’s most dangerous player….by a mile and a half.
The only player in their history who would have got a regular place in our team.”
Most huns couldnt argue that lol
But to get to the point
The name tav,
are you sure you are on the right site for that??
Cos sure as shit no Celtic fan would refer to him as that…..
Evening all.
What a player he was.
The East German Footballer who BROKE DOWN the Wall!
https://youtu.be/GLXp1iw0J_4?si=EtUYF1eu6_ylunT9
HH
Well I do and I’m a Celtic fan.
But we’ll leave it at that ma mhan.
Thought Nico was pish right enough😃
Laxalt use Tavpen next time for clunks sake. Good to see the ragers boos drowning out the blessed Brendan stuff. I agree with B67 on this one. He didn’t need to come out with that and it sounds like he is playing his ticket. I wouldn’t trusty him with another £20 million if he is planning his exit. If he’s not hope he repeats last seasons high mark in the CL. We do need a squad for all competitions so expect we will get more in whether BR picks or the mystical dark background figure formerly known as at Pee-El. Hail Hail. Celtic 3 Saints 0 will do me.
Just done something I seldom, if ever, do: watched the deid team on Sportscene. Wanted to see if they are as bad as I had heard they were. They looked worse than I had hoped for. Motherwell, from the “highlights” looked the better team.
a disgrace that the champions opening game did not have top billing and kicked off the season, the messing about with league fixtures being played over a long week-end will drive supporters away , fans being treated as second class citizens, no thought on travel arrangements is a disgrace , its about time the people at the top stood up against the tv channels dictating when games take place and speak up for their fans or there will be no fans and just a handful inside the grounds.
Martin after the game: “there’s a default here at this football club and it’s not one person’s fault at all.
“The default is to revert to type which is when it’s going really well everyone is all in, it’s really good and when it’s not going well you protect yourself a little bit and it’s self preservation stuff”
I don’t the guy with the second worst record in EPL history is the man to turn around a losing mentality
The best players agents will tell their clients to wait until the window is closing to get the best deals. If we want first team ready players they will come closer to September. Not to say that our early signings will not emulate Kyogo, Maeda, Hetate, Dembele etc. looking good to me at this point. Let’s see how the last week in August pans out.
Taurangabhoy…will do👍
On your other points re Brendan. I totally agree (although it’s not a popular opinion) and great to see another poster put his head above the parapet and be away from the ….Brendan all good…Board all bad mantra.
However, I definitely would still allow him money to spend and I am 110pc sure they will spend big if Brendan eventually agrees with the recruitment team on an achievable target or targets.
If I could back in time I would still buy Arne, Austin and Adam at the same fees.
Looking forward to seeing Paul unveil the flag mañana….love the guy.
Paul Henrik and Danny CSC🍀
RC on 2nd August 2025 8:53 pm
a disgrace that the champions opening game did not have top billing and kicked off the season, the messing about with league fixtures being played over a long week-end will drive supporters away , fans being treated as second class citizens, no thought on travel arrangements is a disgrace , its about time the people at the top stood up against the tv channels dictating when games take place and speak up for their fans or there will be no fans and just a handful inside the grounds.
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And not for the first time either
It’s tradition ffs (lol)
But another way they can feck with us
Like the supacomputa having us play hefty number of away games around xmas
that stopped when Brendan pointed it out
Am waiting on the directors to take point on this…..
There is another possibility with the blessed Brendan’s outrage. He may be playing his part to tease in a prospect earlier. It’s all just speculation from us right, we have no actual idea what the club or manager or owner are really doing. A win tomorrow will be a good vibe.
Also
am sure sure Brendan is “playing his ticket”
He will stay for the next year, I have no doubt of that
After that, he is free to do what he wants….
What he did say was
he is “not the type of manager that’s good at maintaining anything”.
What most of the fans are pissed off at is – celtic seem to base their ambition on maintaining their lead above the huns
I think Brendan tapped into the boards ambition quite nicely
We will get a few more free transfers, but no more major signings
And Brendan will waltz off into the spanish sunset.
Then we shall have maloney or some other nugget to take charge
Laxalt Danny was my hero growing up. Missed the best of Paul McStay as I left Thatchers little Britain but lucky enough to live back home to see Henrik, Hartson, Sutton and Lubo. I think Maeda will end up on the pedestal if he extends his contract.
Clunks if BR is not committing the board might think it better to bring in a new top manager at the end of next year and give them the money to spend on their vision, rather than making Brendan’s picks fit. Not the instant fix we want but the one that keeps Celtic on top for longer.
Taurangabhoy
That might be a possibility
If only we had a head of football to oversee these transitions
Maybe we get Big Ange back, or more than likely we take a backwards step
Ah, Dr Pangloss, I’ve been expecting you.
There you go again, patronising anyone who doesn’t share your opinion.
Your modus operandi is to shout them down and then spew a load of verbiage that you claim to be fact but is nothing other than confirmation bias.
Eh viola: Pangloss: “Tis demonstrated…that things cannot be otherwise; for, since everything
is made for an end, everything is necessarily for the best end” .
As for Machiavelli, I think you may have stumbled upon something; ‘The Prince’ is a decent nickname for our manager: “Everyone sees what you appear to be, few experience what you really are.”
Taurangabhoy on 2nd August 2025 9:20 pm
Clunks if BR is not committing the board might think it better to bring in a new top manager at the end of next year and give them the money to spend on their vision, rather than making Brendan’s picks fit. Not the instant fix we want but the one that keeps Celtic on top for longer.
*fully concur here, didn’t WGS no say that top managers generally have a 3 year shelf life, look at klippety now doing travel ads for trivago
GM
Hark!!
I dost believe thou dost prattle naught but folly.
Good morrow, mighty fenian
Tontine Tim
That might be a possibility
If only we had a head of football to oversee these transitions
Maybe we get Big Ange back, or more than likely we take a backwards step
I can only appear briefly nowadays to spout my pish on CQN
Unlike most of you, who turn up daily to repeatedly spout your pish….
Adieu spouters xx
GM Clunks that’s more like it, bit of fun and frivolity throw in haha. Got to get up for brekkie now, my middle daughter, the one with Celtic in her name ( long story) is over from Sydney. Enjoy the rest of the weekend bhoys and ghirls. Hail Hail
Totally off piste, shouldn’t be a problem me and the wean heading through to Edinburgh on Friday in the vein hope of a couple of tickets for Oasis at Murrayfield……I know I know…got an Airbnb so Fringe is on and we will have a day oot in a great city
Tam McLaughlin has promised me a pint in every pub in Leith Walk 😀
Chairbhoy
I remain really hopeful that the hotline between DD and BR remains open. I am also hopeful things will be resolved and that my views and opinions are totally wrong. I also hope the manager shows he is still a manager who really has something other than his ego to offer. If it is better for Celtic then I am all for it.
Sadly his actions yesterday and over the past few months confirmed my worst fears.
As for the really hard of thinking who keep rattling on about some mythical Celtic board which somehow is responsible for all the worlds problems. That is simply ridiculous.
You and I may disagree about a lot but one thing we do both know is the board has little to do with it. The owner does and that where it rests. To think that anyone other than the major shareholder is responsible for a significant shift in strategy is simply ridiculous.
Yet so many with their authority issues still rabbit on about a board and suits. Hilarious.
Nice one Clunks👍
Still, me thinks the manager doth protest too much.
Who would win a fight between a spouter and a bed wetter….
Buzzing for tomorrow.
Excited to see our new signings.
Despite the dent to their confidence which the managers inferences will inevitably convey I hope a couple or 3 can excite us.
St Mirren never easy and retain the backbone of last years solid obdurate team. One which gave us some tough challenges. Including the ‘play until Jamsie scores’ encounter.
Let’s hope we mostly see our strong core from last year with one or 2 add ons starting. We can then take it from there if and when we do get a goal or 2 ahead.
Hopefully the ref is reminded about 8 second rule too. St Mirren gk was one of the worst timewasters last season
Forsooth, hē sprecþ tō l and ic wēne þæt hē hæfde beþēmed Lawelles dohtor
Don’t know much of anything about Martin (including remembering his first name), but so far my impressions are:
1 He looks less Hunnish than your average hun
2 He has a propensity to criticize his players in domestic and euro football.
Never interrupt your enemy when is making a mistake…
Two things . Did I hear that Thompson on sportscene say WE while talking about thems . And that ref today mathew McDermott is going to be worth the watching .