My friends in Celtic, you and I have often said that losers get the chance to rip everything up and start again. Winners can be burdened with the belief that sticking with a successful plan is the best bet. As we gather in the afterglow of the most improbable title win of the modern era, it is our responsibility to acknowledge a few truths.
The Celtic team who won the SPFL title last season was the weakest side to take the trophy in the 21st century. I do not say that without appreciating that they found something when it mattered most. But we were eliminated from the Champions League by a side weaker than any of the several weak teams who have done so across the last 20 years. Our Europa League campaign fell short of the previous season’s results in the Champions League. And we were pushed to the last week of the campaign by a Newco side who were nine points behind and out of the race, having sacked their manager in October.
The transfer window of summer 2025 will go down in history as an abysmal wasted opportunity. Brendan Rodgers pursued Kasper Dolberg, then 27, for £10m. The player kept Celtic on the hook before opting for Ajax, where he scored three league goals in 22 league appearances since. Rodgers was unable to solicit a payoff and eventually walked in October. The club then made a remarkably wise decision to bring Martin O’Neill back after a 20-year absence. That wisdom was short-lived, as Martin was replaced by a man destined to be remembered as the worst manager in our history. So far.
I was slower than some to lose faith in Wilfried Nancy. I wanted the outside-the-box appointment to work. But even I could see after four games, the defeat at Dundee United, that he had to go. Celtic held on for another four games before deploying the hook. Martin returned again to produce a miracle, again.
The drama of those final weeks will live long. The 97th-minute Scottish Cup equaliser against Dundee came seven days before the 96th-minute league winner at Kilmarnock. Two goals down at Ibrox and playing truly terrible football, the players got off the canvas to secure a point in the 92nd minute. It felt like a win and proved to be crucial.
Late victories over Dundee and Hibs kept us on the coattails of those ahead. Then the final week of the season produced three unbelievable games. Behind against Newco, Motherwell and Hearts, Celtic rallied to score fantastic goals, win all three, and take the most dramatic title in world football last term. We gathered at Hampden a week later to decompress with some more silverware.
Paul Tisdale was escorted off the premises with his protégé Wilfried. He was not the worst Head of Football Operations Celtic have had, but he has a decent claim to the title. We currently do not have a Head of Football Operations. Recruitment is being done nonetheless, but this is a worrying sign.
Nor do we have a permanent chairman. Brian Wilson acts in an interim capacity, without the authority or knowledge to impose the oversight I would like. At least he stepped forward when no one else wanted the job. We are also short of non-executive directors. I am aware that approaches have been made, but the lack of appointment reflects how unattractive the role has become to anyone suitably qualified to be offered it.
Non-executives should be hands-off. They are there to decide strategy and hold executive directors to account. If the executives fail, or a significant event happens — and this includes the replacement of a manager — they step in. None should be involved in day-to-day operations or contract negotiations with coaching staff. Then there is the toxicity of being a Celtic director in recent years. We are never going to win more than we do. God knows how this sentiment changes, but it needs to, or we will fail to attract top talent.
Martin O’Neill is about to undertake an enormous physical and emotional challenge for a 74-year-old. He is more intelligent, experienced and probably fitter than you or me, but do not underestimate the enormity of what lies ahead. There were points dropped during his time last season, but all had mitigating factors apart from a single defeat at Tannadice. He never faced conflict among coaching staff, squad or supporters. It would be miraculous if that state continued for another 10 months.
He has also never recruited in the modern game. Martin watched players and bought them. The data model is not how he operated. He goes into a new way of working short of people whose job it is to prepare options for him. I hope we have signed well and continue to do so, but to paraphrase the old joke, if you want to have a great transfer window, I would not start from here.
My greatest concern about our board is their last two permanent managerial appointments, both of whom were disastrous. The Nancy appointment was (I believe) an attempt to find another Ange Postecoglou. Ange was a serial winner, Nancy won one Covid-era cup. The re-appointment of Brendan Rodgers defies belief. I know people at every level of the club who had to work with or deal with him during his first stay. It was unfathomable that he talked his way back into the job.
We are now in a process not just trying to recruit board members, but bring in new recruitment people to work on a shortlist for a permanent manager, to be appointed by largely the same people who brought you the Brendan and Wilfried Show.
The 21st century has been ours. We have enjoyed enormous privilege, watched our side win more trophies than anyone else in the world. This drove our oldest rivals into liquidation and has reset many facets of Scottish life. As a Celtic fan walking through the streets of Glasgow or Lanarkshire in the 1990s, you felt like you were living in a foreign land, we were so marginalised.
Never underestimate what has been achieved or fail to appreciate this privilege. We now have fans who did not walk those streets in the 90s, or did and no longer remember. The squad, which Martin got over the line in May with, requires a complete rebuild and we do not have a fully constituted recruitment team. I don’t want to bang on forever about the bringing Brendan back in 2023, but it was the most disturbing decision I have known Celtic to make this century. The bitterness of its ending was predicted on these pages and should have been predictable by all inside Celtic Park.
At halftime during the aforementioned draw at Ibrox I thought it was over. I expected Newco to win the league, income to fall, Celtic to respond by splurging ill-considered money on poorly-scouted players, our fans to turn inwards while Newco fans to unify behind the club. Celtic’s privileged position would have ended right there.
We have won five titles in a row, 14 out of 15, but all dominant empires fall for the same reason. A succession of poor decisions, are masked by times of plenty until it’s too late to stop the rot. I can see this happening in real time.
I think we will struggle to appoint the non-execs we need. Our recruitment reputation will take years to rebuild and will only happen through rare and exceptional performance. Fans will absolutely turn inwards at any and every trophy loss; it is counter-productive, but try telling people that! We will spent plenty this window, but the trading model that has supported our success for so long has to be established again.
I am very pleased that Newco took a manager and two players from Hearts. They weakened the side who finished second to us last term, but brought in players with no developmental roadmap and a manager who is no more than a good SPFL boss. This is not the data-first response I expected from US sports investors.
Had Danny Rohl left sooner, they would surely have gone for Jens Berthel Askou, the prospect of which would have concerned me. Why we did not move for him is an inexplicable worry.
So, I expect us to win the league this season and make it six-in-a-row. If we do, I will celebrate as much as any of you. But, I have enjoyed being a Celtic fan this century too much, and disliked aspects of living in Scotland during the 90s enough, to let the big picture slip. I want the next 26 years to look like the last. We have work to do.
Enjoy the season. Paul67.
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In response to another poster earlier , commenting on not buying before selling of our top players, I can to a good extent get that – and it has the spending side a secondary.
Let’s just say, for sake of argument, that we manage to hold on to AJ by extending his contract and paying him more, but just in case we also get Araujo. You then have two right back that are internationals on big wages. Nice to have, yes, but not really sustainable across all of our top players- would create disruption in the squad. You need to be very certain, I think that someone has left the building before replacing.
Lionroar67
They made a fortune from BR in two separate spells, record profit in his second year 🤷
BASHI-BAZOUKS
AJ replacements are already in the building – Donovan and Ralston
WBC
You might need to go to a happy hour.
I hear he never spends more than a pound.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 31ST JULY 2026 5:05 PM
Leicester City paid Celtic approximately £9 million (£8.8m–£9m) in February 2019 to secure manager Brendan Rodgers, a package that included his release clause and compensation for his backroom team
Is Wilfreid Nancy and staff still on gardening leave compensation ?
LR67- the bhoy will go to Liverpool or Man U
MO’N was interested in this guy in January to such an extant he confirmed with a journal who mentioned his name that he wasn’t a million miles away
Anthony Joseph@AnthonyRJoseph
UPDATE: Celtic boss Martin O’Neill has admitted “we have a very, very strong interest” in Frosinone winger Fares Ghedjemis.
Speaking to reporters today, he added: “I don’t know how close we can get, but we are genuinely making really good progress.”
THE BADA BING on 31ST JULY 2026 5:24 PM
Yes disappointingly sadly that seems correct TBB
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 31ST JULY 2026 5:07 PM
BASHI-BAZOUKS
AJ replacements are already in the building – Donovan and Ralston
Based on what you see in here, do you think that whole hearted Tony and a fairly raw youth would satisfy the natives – lead them to think we had come out of transfer window stronger, or just think the board were hoarding the cash again?
And, anyway, the point was meant to be general, rather than specific to a position
An Tearmann on 31st July 2026 3:07 pm
Chairbhoy. Re PL
Your accountant first then football. Hi CB,hope your well.If I may,PL was 7or8 when we won luggy.at school he had that appetite for knowledge of Celtic, as we all did growing up, rhyming team lists, star players, crowds and with Europe new teams and dangermen and countries to go as well as playtime and school teams a constant. He was a fan of Celtic, Macjay rip and Sydney tim attended games on the Glesga Yooni bus, our late friend Delaney’s Dunky rip was on the same bus to Amsterdam for our 2-1 away victory. Celtic was there long before any O Grade or Higher let alone his professional qualifications. Just sayin CB, by all means question and argue over his role, duties and execution of tasks, but in my experience it was done as a Celtic fan.
*Interesting view of PL, one name there absolutely hated him, could NEVER say a nice word and like the usual suspects on here would disappear if we were doing well, I had many a few “nasty” words with him, in fact I referred to him as the “antipodean quim” not nice really but he wisnae about one of our employees so I thought “whats good for the goose etc”
Then one day Macjay, who I really got on with, actually we would have private conversations as we tended to think alike, pulled me aside and asked that I back away from him as he’s really a nice guy and genuine Tim, so I did, then one day someone else had a go at him and asked why he would berate big gas meter all the time even when we were doing well and his response was in another line of work he fired an older relative, think it was an aunt of his and then he disappeared, didn’t even come back on tae gloat when Peter jacked it in..
STATE OF CQN SUMMER 2026
Information or news can have a different reaction to people depending on their age
For example if you are over 50 you would have been perplexed even angry that Trump ‘told’ Infantino to cancel the ban on American player and let him play v Belgium.
To most over 50s this is pure corruption – but sadly it has become acceptable
The under 50s sadly are probably getting used to corruption being flaunted without consequence
Social Media allows all comers
Frankly people can just say what they like because in their heads it happens to make sense
That fact that its pure pish is irrelevant
We have an example today with the character assassination (again) on Brendan Rodgers
When I read it (I’m over 50) I just moved on and got my kicks reading the posts from people on here who’s opinion, even humour I respect and enjoy
I then I thought f–k it
That blast of discriminating reputational abuse is up there with Infantino trying to sell The World Cup with Trump’s help
To anybody that has stayed with this post to this point Brendan Rodgers was attracted back to Celtic and subsequently left hanging with broken promises
This is why our squad is light
Brendan Rodgers ambition was greater than our Boards Imagination
He was not supported
He generated a profit in player trading
Was Brendan perfect – no probably not
Did he have an ego – yes he probably has
But Brendan Rodgers won Celtic an enormous amount of trophies
We won 4 Trebles in a row
We nearly knocked Byern out the CL in their own home
He produced The Invincibles
He got Celtic playing proper football (that night v Leipzig)
The hammering of the Huns
I could go on
But my point is Brendan Rodgers may have a few questions to answer but our editor cannot simply destroy him without reply
If you are under 50 don’t believe everything you read
Thank you Brendan
67ECW
To avoid the hypocrisy charge
Brendan Rodgers did not win 4 trebles he won 2 and a bit Neil Lennon completed the forth
67ECW
My kids think Infantino is a baldy ball bag, without me telling them.
The post truth world cuts both ways – CQN has suffered so badly I sometimes think society would benefit more from a social media ban on the over 60s than the under 16s.
I’m having a great time. Double winning Champions and I’m still celebrating. To hell with poverty and the debtors gaol!
BASHI-BAZOUKS on 31ST JULY 2026 5:45 PM
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 31ST JULY 2026 5:07 PM
BASHI-BAZOUKS
AJ replacements are already in the building – Donovan and Ralston
Based on what you see in here, do you think that whole hearted Tony and a fairly raw youth would satisfy the natives – lead them to think we had come out of transfer window stronger, or just think the board were hoarding the cash again?
————-
That’s a classic Celtic modern question.
One developmental, and one fully developed international both Celtic produce, both low earners, but a questioning support maybe wanting £8M high earning Araujo.
That’s what happens when it appears to some there’s no room to invest the money in the team.
Compromise is a loan we’ll see what happens.
“It was unfathomable that he talked his way back into the job.” Is that actually what happened? Weren’t we told directors were sent to coax him out of retirement?
CELT55 on 31ST JULY 2026 6:30 PM
“It was unfathomable that he talked his way back into the job.” Is that actually what happened? Weren’t we told directors were sent to coax him out of retirement?
—-
ITK or Bullshit – take your pick
FLYNN
If you are out here I hope you and yours are well.
kinglubo
LIONROARS67 on 31ST JULY 2026 5:18 PM
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 31ST JULY 2026 5:05 PM
Leicester City paid Celtic approximately £9 million (£8.8m–£9m) in February 2019 to secure manager Brendan Rodgers, a package that included his release clause and compensation for his backroom team
Is Wilfreid Nancy and staff still on gardening leave compensation ?
—————-
Yes a mere conveniently forgotten detail in the failed narrative.
Leaving once before didn’t bother DD as much as it seems to annoy Paul67🤣
Sssshhh…… don’t mention WN. He was the “perfect fit for Celtic,” they said… 😂
Aye, perfect fit — for about five minutes. 🤣
Turns out we needed a manager, not a monthly subscription.
Speaking of Kev
Aff oot 👍
With the EPL vultures circling Lennoxtown we simply have to state quite firmly the minimum prices for us to even start discussing the sale of the likes of AJ, Benny Nygren and Arne Engels, and those minima have to be at least £10M more than we think they might be worth. The EPL is awash with money and the majority of transfers taking players there involve the buying club paying over the odds. Why should that situation not prevail when EPL clubs are cherry-picking our top talent?
Not only does this demonstrate that we value our best players and absolutely want to keep them, but it hopefully ensures that if they do choose to leave we get a fairer deal, with enough funds to mitigate us having to pay over the odds on their replacements.
As for the remainder of the current transfer window, if we are resigned to losing Arne Engels, we should ensure that the fee covers the fee for his replacement (Baur or whoever), including the over the odds premium, and use some of the surplus to fund an uplift to the earnings of Benny Nygren and AJ to convince them to stay for at least another season. We simply can’t afford to lose more than two of our key players in one window! And if we do get an offer that we simply can’t refuse for AJ (instead of or as well as losing AE) than we should be straight in with a serious bid for Araujo, with any surplus from the respective transfer fees utilised as necessary to top up whatever wages AJ was on to the level required to persuade Araujo to come. If we get £30M for AJ and pay £15M for JA, we can uplift AJ’s wages by £20k a week (c.£1M a year) for 3 years with just 20% of the profit over the two transactions.
DoTheSumsCSC
It’s funny how easy it is to predict Shortie headlines after a MON presser – regardless if it’s 5/10/15 minutes, just pick something with a negative connotation and there’s your headline. Lots of positivity in the story as well (I suppose they know their audience):
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c3r04pdlw22o
i have a wee feeling that the 2nd rangers will not win tonight.
Here we go, Shortie have gone from “Shanks” to “Lawrence”.
Turns out we needed a manager, not a monthly subscription.
vf.
Having won the pre-season cup, I have to say that hun team doesn’t strike the fear of god in to me.
Mr Tumnus isn’t even in the squad as Steven Thomson raves about Devlin.
What time ShankPen ?
Celt55 @ 6:30 pm,
“It was unfathomable that he talked his way back into the job.”
Is that actually what happened? Weren’t we told directors were sent to coax him out of retirement?”
Brendan Rodgers was taking a sabbatical rather than in retirement but you were spot-on, the Executive were sent by the Celtic Board to coax Brendan Rodgers back.
The Rodgers loathers have long since stopped couching their lies – I’m guessing on confirmation bias among the same minded or the few still on the deludamol who have little grasp of reality…
Daily Mail – 23rd June 2023
“Michael Nicholson admitted that his trip to Majorca to tempt Brendan Rodgers back to Celtic became the worst kept secret in Scottish football….
…When Ange (Postecoglou) left we knew we had to replace him with a manager of top, top quality and in Brendan we know we’ve got that.
‘We have invested in the squad over the last couple of years.
‘We have a very young, hungry squad. So we profiled managers through the process that could take us on and Brendan was the stand-out candidate.
Our priority was to bring Brendan back to Celtic – and we are delighted to do so.’Nicholson said: ‘The strategy has always been clear – to be a world class football club in whatever we do.
‘We want to dominate in Scotland and compete in the Champions League and that has been clearly stated for many, many years. So there is no change in that regard.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailymail.com/sport/football/article-12228123/amp/Michael-Nicholson-admits-trip-Majorca-hire-Brendan-Rodgers-worst-kept-secret.html
Hail Hail
Seems like a few new rules have been introduced in an attempt to reduce time wasting.
Hmmm…let’s see.
The hun rabble looking particularly effluent in the Dundee sunshine. Can smell them through the telly. 🤮
Tonight Matthew I’m going to be…….an Arab
Looked a foul after 30 seconds no replay from Sky,same old…
Shankenstein in the Sun
United look terrible.
Looks like an easy night for the huns 😡
Eleven minutes gone and its good to their up to their knees in blood and Derry’s wall are ok.
The hun. Endless entertainment for Tims.
67 European Cup Winners @ 5:52 pm,
Excellent points – and interesting with the U50s thing, especially in light of my @ 7:52 pm post…
My three children are in their thirties and far from gullible – independent and savvy from a young age…
However, you could be right, there are a few reasons I can thik of, why you would make up a bunch of crapola about someone but to watch your cred go down the toilet as a result has been a headscratcher for me…
So you may be on to something.
I’ve got go say, to dehumanise, abuse and vilify someone in the way Brendan Rodgers is on this site takes a very strange and imo, very damaged mindset.
It most certainly is a worry…
Hail Hail