On Friday we discussed Sebastian Tounekti’s strengths and weaknesses. He is a throw-back to wingers of old, who can draw opponents in close before drifting past them. He is not a defensive player. When Hibs’ Felix Passlack made a back-post run midway through the first half yesterday, Sebastian followed him, but the Celtic winger did not have the body weight or aptitude to compete in the air.
A similar incident happened at Stuttgart’s first goal on Thursday. Kasper Schmeichel tried to pick out Sebastian with a high pass, resulting in the same aerial challenge and eventual outcome.
Martin O’Neill’s Celtic teams from 2000 – 2005 were among the most physically robust in our history. They were full of combative players who could win the physical battle. They enjoyed aerial superiority over allcomers. They lacked other attributes, specifically craft on the wings, before Shaun Maloney and Aiden McGeady broke through, but always had a battalion of tall players.
I have concerns about Sebastian’s suitability for Ibrox on Sunday. That will be a game we need to win the physical battle first. It requires players who can run all day, stand their ground and win a header under pressure.
Auston Trusty’s red card yesterday was soft and I believe cost Celtic all three points. It was a novel interpretation of the violent conduct rule, and stretched the credibility of the clear and obvious referee error rule. “Soft”, “novel” and “stretched” is how we will be refereed until the end of the season. We need to be smarter and better if we are to retain the title. Still here for it.
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It’s a bit early for this and the timing is poor after yesterday’s result, but…
We are absent a Chair of the board, Peter Lawwell having resigned two months ago.
B78 has said that he expects both Brian Wilson and Tom Allison to resign come the summer, both men in their late 70s and in post for over 20 years.
The CEO is in the wrong part in the wrong movie. We need an experienced CEO to lead the whole enterprise.
We are absent a Head of Football, the role that ensures continuity between the first team and the pipeline of talent that feeds it.
The first team manager is a temp (fine manager, but a temp nevertheless).
His coaching staff are also temporary appointments, although all bar one otherwise employed by the club.
A bewildering number of first team players are either here on loan (9) or past the point in the cycle to be traded.
From leadership to executive to operations to first team, it’s difficult to articulate quite how rudderless the good ship Celtic is.
The nearest I can come to is the period immediately preceding Fergus McCann taking over where those in post were all on borrowed time and the first team was a shambles. Fergus though had a clear plan and roles were filled with credible people very quickly. The interregnum was brief.
Now though, we have a lot of senior posts to fill and quite what order to fill them is a quandary itself. Do you appoint a new Chair before restocking the board? Do you appoint the new football management team before replacing the CEO? Do you start player recruitment before appointing the Head of Football?
Indeed, who is leading the process of appointing them all?
I have no doubt that the club will emerge from this period and flourish again, but my goodness, how on earth did we ever allow ourselves to get into this position at all? How has it come to this?
The answer to that is bound up in a remarkable series of poor appointments in the first place, going back to the succession of PL as CEO and continuing with the reappointment of BR and the bewildering appointments of Paul Tisdale and Wilfried Nancy.
He won’t like the idea, but a period as Executive Chairman for Dermot Desmond is probably in order. The leadership vacuum must be filled before the vacancies.
Both Mr Irivine and Ref Nick Walsh work in a place that involves “an innovative partnership with Rangers FC”
HAIL HAAIL AIPPLE
I agree that Tounekti is likely to disappear at Ibrox. As is Yang and this season’s Maeda.
I agree with Denia, pack the midfield and forget the wingers for Ibrox.
Paul67,
How can we be smarter when the MIBs make it up as they go along when refereeing us? The club needs to call out the weekly cheating NOW.
FAVOURITE UNCLE re: Hail Hail
I lack the energy today.
Club is spineless, not a chance Nicholson will say or do anything about refereeing issues or how Celtic is refereed, we are being crushed under the wheels of an SFA that sees us as weak as we have ever been, and, it’s too much hassle for those who wont be there next year to rock the boat. We’re being shafted, we haven’t got a robust midfield available for Ibrox we have wingers in abundance though. We could get pummeled if they are even half decent.
Maybe you can’t really tell from highlights but it looked that it was one of those days in front of goal when we had several chances.
And with the VAR review of the Scales incident, the board said ‘Outside penalty area’ when it was well in the middle.
Only saving grace is that Sevco would normally have been awarded that penalty in the 90th minute.
They’ve had much softer awards.
TBB, I think the most important question you raise is who is in charge of the process.
The orange bar steward refs smell blood in the water. From self mutilation.
Started the season with £80m in the bank and easiest ECL qualifier draw to add to it. Now staring down a 4th place finish in one of Europe’s weakest leagues. Let’s attribute cause and effect.
Terrible summer transfer window, with useless recruitment and an abomination on the selling front (see Idah, Yang and Maeda) – 0% attribution.
Civil war with manager – 0%
Board openly attacking fans, including nepotism baby proxy at AGM – 0%
Giving Spivdale full control of football operations- 0%
Appointing the world’s most useless coach in advance of a series of key matches in December – 0%
Banning fans group that generates all the atmosphere – 0%
Baffling winter transfer window with zero net layout (Mvuka, Ben, Adamu) – 0%
Relying on a team of players who mostly won’t be here next season due to disastrous squad planning – 0%
Fans grumbling about the above shite show – 100%
Yes indeed, it’s the whingeing fans to blame.
Fortunately I won’t be here for ‘it’.
‘It’ being another humping off Stuttgart and back to back humpings off a shite huns team. (When did we last have 4 game losing streaks twice in one season?)
I hope to be watching Boca Juniors rather than Renfrew Juniors next weekend. But even the distance won’t salve the inevitable pain.
MO’N has run out of miracles.
Paul67 et al
The idea that we could win the “physical battle” against any SPL team is for the birds.
And even if we could, as has been shown, every challenge made by our players which involves any degree of physical contact is likely to be penalised. Even CalMac who could not tackle a proverbial, metaphorical far less an actual Glasgow fish supper has already racked up a handful of yellow cards. No no no. The only player robust enough to play that kind of game, Tony Ralston cannot even get on the pitch. Donovan and Arthur likewise have something about them, but look out, first tackle of any note…..yellow carded.
Martin’s previous team were indeed strong.
Our approach was very different then and recruitment was prioritised. Wasn’t the most sustainable model, though comparisons with current squad make the heart ache.
Next 4 games, all away, could give us a second wind or allow for next seasons planning to start early.
As TBB brilliantly outlines above, this is a shit show in itself
Trusty is a fool. He doesn’t have the ability nor the temperament to be a Celtic player.
The only hope is this is a blessing in disguise and as such offers an opportunity to Arthur to take his place in the 11.
He wears it well :-))
https://x.com/i/status/2025686977371087245
HH
bognorbhoy on 23rd February 2026 12:07 pm
“Both Mr Irivine and Ref Nick Walsh work in a place that involves “an innovative partnership with Rangers FC””
Many believe that refs have always worked in partnership with Rangers. I wonder what is innovative about this one?
Perhaps they needed an innovative scheme with refs to replace their innovative Employee Reimbursement / Tax policies…
Mind if the SFA dont care for referee team allegiances in this country why would they be concerned with potential conflicts of interest?
Mmmm
The most heartening thing about yesterday was the booing of the sack the board chants early on. It would appear that the real supporters have had enough of the saboteurs.
Aye; the position we’re in nips right enough.
Dominate possession and engineer plenty of chances for a top striker to score but the Kyogo window still haunts us.
And, IMO, not marking well at the back left post isn’t just a Tounekti thang.
For all his other attributes, KT has never helped our aerial dominance in any way.
I also presumed we were getting an iconic EPL-hardened leader who’d galvanise us thru adversity.
Saracchi is every bit as valid a choice at LB as Kieran is.
Anyways, it’s unfathamable how anything that could go wrong (AJ, CCV, Jota, Osmand, Iheanacho) has gone wrong. Add in the indifference of some of our wantaways, and the fractured rapport with the self-acclaimed custodians of the club’s soul. And the self-centred tug o war between them and the aul’ gowfer.
Utter fokkeration !
TheEgosHaveLanded CSC
AnT 😂
I had nothing to do on this hot afternoon
But to settle down and spin you a line
The lack of physicality with Tounekti is extremely apparent. Spot on with the lack of ability to compete with the header for their first goal on Thursday night and then his efforts to defend the goal yesterday was completely inept. This team have lacked strength for years .. we’ve got away with it in Scotland but it’s been obvious that when we are competing in Europe the lack of height/ strength / Physicality is obvious. Why oh why didn’t we move on Bernardo in August and then again in January for a Dominant strong defensive midfielder is incredible. We have son many powder puff players playing all over the pitch.
How many countless times do we not win 50/50s?How many countless times do we not win second balls?
How many countless times do we lose a goal from set plays?
How many countless times do we not threaten from set plays?
How many countless times do we not win tackles which then consequently lead to a counter attack and a goal conceded.
Our goalie is not big and strong enough then our CH aren’t as dominant in the air as they should be followed by everywhere else on the pitch we lack basic strength and get outmuscled constantly. Ibrox is going to prove yet again what a soft touch we are. I remember when MON was our manager in his first spell and one of the many things he repeatedly said was we had to win the physical game first and then our creative players would take over and win us the game. This is clearly not the case now.. a far shadow of what we were. Can anyone of any common sense tell me that we have a chance on Sunday with our powder puff midfield and wingers.
Our only hope is play without wingers and flood the midfield .
The rebuild when it starts ( providing it ever does) needs to implement us as a physically stronger unit in all areas of the pitch. Please no more lightweight purchases.
This is the way I see it :
Season spend………………£15m……..only 2 Players have pass marks ( just )
4 Free Transfers…………………………..only 1 has a pass mark
8 Loan Players……………………………..only 1 has a pass mark
And we are still a very, very poor team
no shape, no tactic, just over pass the ball
so who do we blame, recruitment, manager (s), coaching staff
NO, we blame the Board, the people who make the money available for transfers, loans, signing on fees, wages.
WE have bought poorly, Players, Managers & Tactical coaching staff are out of there depth when it comes to coaching a football team.
WE have the money, but the wrong staff to administer the money.
THAT’S NOT THE BOARDS FAULT
Just my opinion
Tounekti wasn’t outmuscled at the back post, he singularly misjudged the situation and didn’t challenge at all. Hopeless defending.
I was surprised at the substitutions yesterday:
KT added yet another assist, that’s 9 this season, he’s top creative player in the squad.
Tounekti was getting a lot of joy out of the fullback, in part because of KT’s work. The left was working well.
It was our most productive pairing and both were hooked at 1-1. No harm but Saracchi + Forrest is a dumbing down from KT + ST.
I can understand Ox being taken off after 60 minutes from a fitness perspective, but replacing Cvancera with Maeda through the middle at the same time is a head scratcher. Whatever else Maeda is, centre forward he isn’t.
Trusty’s red card was deserved. You can’t go around karate chopping people in anger. Stupid. And the consequences are in the post.
PahCSC
WE have bought poorly, Players, Managers & Tactical coaching staff are out of there depth when it comes to coaching a football team.
All bought and paid for by the imposters in the boardroom, yet somehow they are blameless.
You couldn’t make this pish up.
Happy St. Polycarp Day!
Petition:
One Celtic. Back our Board, Manager, Players and Charity.
https://c.org/kC24nkswRn
Ave Ave
The Battered Bunnet on 23rd February 2026 12:07 pm
It’s a bit early for this and the timing is poor after yesterday’s result, but…
It’s never too early to start addressing something we are far too late in addressing (if you see what I mean-)).
A well laid out if somewhat depressing post .
Given the scale of the task , there’s no earthly way it can be achieved in one season , maybe even two .
TBB is right though . Desmond has brought us to this point , he bears most of the responsibility to get us out of it.
Top scoring Celtic striker free agent Iheanacho with a whole 3 goals.
Still playing 4-3-3 reliant on two good wide men, and the league is in the balance with MON Shaun & his mate Fozzie running out of laughs. Hitting the ball a bit longer missing midfielders unless it’s Calum, it’s crab football usually to Tounekti and back. Cvancara didn’t need time to “ acclimatise “ but we already know what MON meant when he said on his arrival he wasn’t the type of player some expected. Adamu’s flick was about the last thing we seen of him, Mvuka was in the squad for 45 minutes maybe now rooming with Balikwisha where there’s another recruitment problem?
AOC has good feet but not for legging it, we can only hope he gets fitter, wantaways Hatate and Maeda can only get better. You have to feel for MON inheriting someone’s side that needed 5 loans to have a chance, albeit looking slimmer by the game. Ironic that Araujo our best player was a Tisdale recruitment, in before MON. The problems previously ignored at CB, might need Ben Arthur, Dane Murray and Kieran centrally in the run in.
Celtic VAR is Laurel & Hardy no matter what pair we get.
one night in Lisbon
The blame lies squarely on the shoulders of the recruitment staff & manager, the Board on supply the money, they have no input into the buying of players
25thmay1967 on 23rd February 2026 1:05 pm
the Board on supply the money, they have no input into the buying of players
The absentee landlord decides who goes and who comes. Fact.
I mentioned this incident this morning on the blog. There was no VAR intervention, which is somewhat surprising given that Bashiri had both arms wrapped round Cvancara who was in control of the ball, back to goal, and who he wrestled to the ground on the 6 yard line.
https://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/var-and-the-unseen-celtic-penalty-claim/
ONENIGHTINLISBON
he decides how much money will be available, he doesn’t pick the players. Fact.
25thmay1967 on 23rd February 2026 1:11 pm
ONENIGHTINLISBON
he decides how much money will be available, he doesn’t pick the players. Fact.
He is the reason why we are where we are at present.
An Tearmann @ 12.38
Only image Brendan was missing was the Turban Style Keffiyeh….
Quite like the Fake Sheikh look though it has to be said.
YeGottaRollWithItCSC
25thmay1967 on 23rd February 2026 12:53 pm
Pragmatic summary.
The team we put on the park each week costs more in wages than any other Scottish club.
On monetary value, the team we put on the park is worth more than any other team in Scotland.
So where does the blame lie for poor team performance?
Imo, you have answered that question admirably.
HH.
First post since the FT whistle yesterday.
Still gutted. I genuinely believe we would have won the game had we 11 players on the pitch for 95 minutes.
Having said that, my hope of us finding some form fades with each passing game.
Rather ironically, it was the best atmosphere in the stadium for quite a while.
If I were MON I’d write down my starting eleven for next weekend and rest as many as possible on Thursday. I’d then pray we don’t get embarrassed.
With Motherwell looking good and Hibs coming on to a game, I still think there will be a few more “twists and turns” before the league’s decided.
It’s never over until the fat lady sings.
GREENPINATA,
Thank You, its about time the supporters opened there eyes, instead of blaming the board
TBB @ 12:07 – great stuff.
Respect
Bedouin Rodgers there for 10 in a row 🎶
“Soft”, “novel” and “stretched” is how we will be refereed until the end of the season. We need to be smarter and better if we are to retain the title. Still here for it.
——
Your words, Paul.
Free country.
My opinions aren’t worth a damn but here goes anyway.
I routinely refuse to subscribe to the rebellion while I know little about their who and what.
I routinely give the benefit of the doubt to execs whose roles I think I know but probably don’t … and who may very well have to deal with challenges I cannot imagine.
The manager and the players CANNOT fix this.
Smarter and better by them won’t get it done.
If the Celtic executives …
… particularly those on their way out and who will not have to deal with the long term implications of our short term actions
… are not prepared to get their hands, feet, and faces VERY dirty to deal with this?
They will go a long way to validating the rebels’ general view that they do not care as much as we do.
In terms of us having a chance of winning the league?
… This is a MUST DO
bournesouprecipe on 23rd February 2026 1:27 pm
😂😂😂