I expected Kairat to be fitter, which they were, but I didn’t expect them to be better organised, which they also were. Celtic’s first half performance was a passive throwback to the Horseshoe of Death we hoped to have moved on from. Nothing was reaching Adam Idah, who was as much a spectator as you and I were. James Forrest seemed to have the wrong boots on, while Daizen continued an unproductive run on the wing which reiterated his poor crossing.
One of my pet dislikes in managers is their refusal to drop expensive signings, so Brendan Rodgers deserves credit for his response at halftime. The team returned with his entire £32m of talent recruited last summer watching from the bench; Daizen in his favoured central position, with Yang and Forrest wide.
Yang (who knew!) made an instant impact which led to Celtic’s best chance of the game, when a Forrest shot hit the post, but Kairat soon settled. As the visitors tired, Celtic dominated more of possession, but this game had 0-0 written all over it.
Kairat are not a good team, it would be humiliating to exit the Champions League to them. Brendan is right, we can and should win the away leg. However, I do not encourage you to bet on that suggestion.
The decision to swap (it was) Kyogo for Jota was not everyone’s choice but had merit. Jota’s subsequent injury could have happened to either player. Selling Kuhn so early in this window, though, that’s an odd one which, contributed to the lack of creativity last night. The manager is the only source of information on squad development and he says little on the subject. He could shed some light on why Kuhn was allowed to leave so soon. Hmmm.
More needs to be spent and quickly, that’s for sure. Maybe if we had £64m of last summer’s signings on the bench everything would fine this morning! Surely that would be enough to overcome the newbie managing Kairat?
When the draw was made I wrote, “No excuses”. I didn’t want to hear them on the radio going home last night. It’s not a good look.
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Celtic has lost its mojo – combination of board not signing players and Rodgers predictable system. Rangers are dangerous going forward and if they sort out their defensive issues, (with new signings)- then our time of dominance is over.
The silence from our board on this issue is deafening – quite disgusting and makes you wonder if it’s worth the anxiety supporting this team!
Oh dear the hunterlopers with their new monikers are out in force the day, eff ya shower of hun bassas, our club will bounce back but yours is deid once again
bournesouprecipe on 21st August 2025 3:33 pm
Did anybody count the empty seats and blame the Celtic PLC for negligence?
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very few empties last night,
littel slivers in the two restriced view corners,
Re putting Hmmm at the end of posts.
Just reflecting the blog owner’s tendency to do so.
Please see above for latest example.
Not sure how he’d feel about being compared to Julian Clary.
I thank yo!
oh for goodness sake, celtic draw in europe, the rangers are coming.
https://x.com/huell_2/status/1958323675993972886?t=S77bX7yalZRArcbwawKZfg&s=08
Callum calling it straight
!!Bada Bing!! on 21st August 2025 3:44 pm
https://x.com/huell_2/status/1958323675993972886?t=S77bX7yalZRArcbwawKZfg&s=08
Callum calling it straight
______
Yes but he shouldn’t have to talk about bringing in new players.
Bada Bing @ 3.44
Yes , this one springs to mind
CalMac CSC
I see we are retaining our cash in the bank, as such primed to forward a handsome sum to a failing UK government and to fund another Swiss holiday cottage for the suave banking elite.
Still, there are opportunities for some in the blogging literary sphere to have a snide pop at supporters. Those annoying rambunctious mob, who gladly hand over their lives’ savings, and sink into debt to support the team they breathe for. All in the hope that their faith will be similarly rewarded by our stout individuals who represent the image of the Club at global level, and (ahem) administer cash payouts, otherwise known as share dividends.
If the Kazaks get past us on Tuesday, they will have done so on merit and wanting it more. Unlike Celtic PLC, who are mired in an operational slump. Bogged down by their own mystical successes, while staying a few points ahead of Sevco 5088, who’s own continued existence is similarly mystical…
Imagine having to rely 34 year old winger for creativity, in a crucial Champions League tie, who has been at the Club since he was in nappies? It’s a pantomime.
We love you Jamsie.
Yes the team did not play well last night. I was more deflated rather than upset. It was such a lacklustre display, and I think we knew it was coming when we saw the team. Kairat didn’t do anything special either but they set up to frustrate and counter, but we made it to easy for them. Who is to blame? Depends on what side of the fence you sit on. We have shown no ambition whatsoever in the transfer market. Our 3 most expensive buys couldn’t start. I feel a wee bit sorry for big Adam as he is not getting the service that a striker at Celtic should be getting and deserves. His confidence is shot to shit and part of that is his doing as well. It was strange to listen to the chants of sack the board as I felt I was transported back to the early 90s. Our fans, we deserve better than our club is giving us right now. But, I will never use the word Idiot to associate with our fans. Our fans are the lifeblood of this club, always have been. We don’t have the money as ordinary fans like our friends on the board or majority shareholders, but what we do have is a way of still buying into our club, while trying to pay our bills, put our kids through college, but still having our team in our hearts. Last night hurt and the pain is felt all over the world. But Celtic fans are not Idiots. Our opinions may differ but our goals should still be the same, support our club, support our players, support our manager!!!!
Sorry if I don’t make sense, but hating someone who has brought us unprecedented success over this period of dominance doesn’t make sense to me at all. Is it because he left????? None of us were happy at that, but we gave him a second chance and he has delivered.
Just my opinion, or my idiocy.
Hail Hail.
Sean
The support are looking for something to rally around, right now the club is divided it wont improve until it isn’t, that requires management from the top including a new executive, how Nicholson got the CEO job with his the lack of communication skills presence and self confidence to speak to the support astounds me.
SIN CITY BHOY on 21ST AUGUST 2025 3:52 PM
I see we are retaining our cash in the bank, as such primed to forward a handsome sum to a failing UK government and to fund another Swiss holiday cottage for the suave banking elite.
Still, there are opportunities for some in the blogging literary sphere to have a snide pop at supporters. Those annoying rambunctious mob, who gladly hand over their lives’ savings, and sink into debt to support the team they breathe for. All in the hope that their faith will be similarly rewarded by our stout individuals who represent the image of the Club at global level, and (ahem) administer cash payouts, otherwise known as share dividends.
If the Kazaks get past us on Tuesday, they will have done so on merit and wanting it more. Unlike Celtic PLC, who are mired in an operational slump. Bogged down by their own mystical successes, while staying a few points ahead of Sevco 5088, who’s own continued existence is similarly mystical…
Imagine having to rely 34 year old winger for creativity, in a crucial Champions League tie, who has been at the Club since he was in nappies? It’s a pantomime.
We love you Jamsie.
———————-
Played 👏👏👏👍
if there is one thing that really pisses me off with regard to the business, it is the contstant harping about paying corporation tax.
If we make operational profits then we pay tax in that cycle, the alternative, and only way not to pay tax is to make a loss.
every organisation that make a profit should be liable.
this constant misunderstanding that somehow we can spend all the money just so we do not pay tax , dearie me.
Nicholson is to Lawell what Biden was to Obama.
A place man, a puppet for someone else who could no longer be centre stage but couldn’t walk away from it all either.
There are CQN contributors who know these men, who have been in their presence often enough and can tell you where the real power lies regardless of job titles.
Booing does my nut in. Never boo when you’re supposed to support. Show your displeasure in other ways.
James Forrest on 21st August 2025 12:11 pm
%
Rodgers is at Celtic because there has been no interest in him from any Epl club. Why do you think that is?
That may change of course, as we might win on Tuesday and get into the CL, and then Brendan will be showered with the plaudits, and his stock will rise, and dangerously for us, he might be tempted if a decent approach is made for him.
In terms of the Celtic players, what are they learning from Rodgers apart from blowing away skint SPL opposition every week?
I mean in terms of tactics, formations, varied playing styles etc, because, I look at our former captain, Scott Brown, who was at Celtic for a long time, and during that long time, who looks, recently, to have the look of some novice just starting out in the game, and left Parkhead after that long period, and learned nothing?!
Why do you think that is?
Back to Brendan. Our domestic opposition are not much of a test for us, unless our domestic opposition savvy-up and deploy the low-block, double mark our wingers, and counter attack with a quick long ball, like Barry Ferguson did, and we didn’t, or, couldn’t lay a glove on his ragtag stray dog level Rangers team.
When was the last time we defeated the Rangers shambles club, with all of our resources?
I can’t stand capitalist director’s of Celtic, but to me, they called Brendan Rodgers bluff last season, by giving him £10 million for Idah, £11 million for Engels, £5 million for Trusty, etc, but we spent a lot on 2 Centre Backs the year before, who Brendan hardly looked at?
So to me, the PLC would have been looking for bids to come in for these players, and that does not look like happening just now, so who manages these players, Brendan Rodgers, or the PLC?
Brendan’s team is so good that they lost 7 points very quickly, because the Green Brigade got banned last year, or maybe it was the year before, and Parkhead turned into a boring library, and Brendan nor his players could function, until the GB were, “sneakily” unbanned and brought back in, and normal service was resumed.
But, the GB being banned and zero solidarity being shown to them, from manager, players, or any of their other 50,000 season ticket comrades, which was a bad look, which I don’t think that you, James, or any other blogger has even mentioned?
Just look at ALL of the players AND the manager during the end of game lap around the pitch to applaud the fans, ALL players and manager deliberately cut short the Green Brigade area and don’t even look at these fans, can’t even look these fans in the eye is deeply suspicious to me, and demonstrates that EVERY Celtic employee, including Kieran, are on message to ignore these supporters, which is simply NOT Celtic-ness to me, how about you James, will you inform your readers to look out for this?
Just like none of you with blogs and considerable reach mentioned that in 2016, Brendan was recruited to create a media circus on the back of Brendan being recruited to us for the first time in 2016.
Was Brendan in on, the PLC same club ticket pricing shaft, to use Celtic supporters to cement the Sevco are Rangers SHAFT after Sevco’s promotion which the PLC slyly deployed in 2016, and invited Celtic bloggers to media conferences was all lipstick as not a single bloggers asked WHY, did the PLC put old Rangers ticket prices, onto new club Sevco’s tickets pretending to be Rangers, and deceiving good law abiding and innocent Celtic supporters?
Were you an invited blogger James? Did you ask about the ticket shaft? Were you even aware of it James?
A misconstrued sensation was created, Celtic horsing Rangers/Sevco 4-0, 5-0, etc, in almost every game, BUT, the Simple Simon like fan response to this was telling, and noticed by the board, and dangerously, by the Scottish Government, more later.
A Rangers team full of 4th, 3rd division players were being “Rodgered” by us and the fans loved it, so how good was/is Rodgers really when he is/was being judged by people with empty heads who’s tongues had fallen out of their double speaking mouths?
But what the fans had forgotten about, or maybe they didn’t and were as sleekit as the PLC all along, and gushingly went along with the PLC sellout to cement Sevco as being Rangers? When Celtic PLC agreed “silently/sleekitly” to put Rangers 2012 £49 ticket price onto new club Sevco tickets in 2016 after their promotion.
Rangers ticket price 2012 £49
Sevco ticket price 2016 £49
The same club lie cemented whilst fans were dancing in the streets singing about Brendan Rodgers, with empty tin cans, and empty bottles rattling about inside their empty heads, being followed by inquisitive looking dogs who soon fell to the ground laughing their asses off, and wildly wagging their tails at these, ahem, fans?!
The Celtic fans paid Rangers ticket price to see Sevco and then sang about them not being Rangers anymore?!
How stupid did that look in December 2016 in the Broomloan stand?
That very night…..
The Scottish Government, krankie rubbing ‘its’ hands together saying into itself: “Me and my Lobby handler Bill Gates are gonna get these daft Fenian bassas”…if you don’t believe me go and look at the funny handshake photo gallery lol, but don’t use Google, SFA, SPL, Celtic PLC, Rangers PLC, the entire UK Media, Orange & Masonic Lodges, all rolling on the floor laughing their asses off!
Best Fans In The World had just left the building and been replaced by strange looking eedjits with big fat asses.
I don’t remember you reporting about the PLC, or the stupid fans James.
Or any other so called, puffing their chists oot, outspoken blogs?
Phil the shill was too busy writing Sevco books to notice, and blocking real questions from his blog.
To bring things up to date…..
How stupid did fans look last night when after giving the PLC board circa of £1,000 each, and then singing sack the board?
How stupid do Celtic fans look wearing anything Adidas, and AT THE SAME TIME, waving a Palestinian flag?
Did Celtic fans, or you specifically you, James, ask Celtic PLC why we had thousands of seats required to be empty, especially in close proximity to the dugout area in European games during the aftermath of the lockdowns for the Covid Plandemic/Depopulation scam, and WHY at the same time, Rangers sold EVERY seat in the stadium, and said “Fk you and your Covid bs”?!?!
This psychosis of Celtic supporters who may mean well, and are good citizens, and models of decency.
But that leaves them vulnerable to manipulation, or maybe being too trusting, and only seeing the good in people, can blind them to the bad in the same people.
I blame the holy books that turn people into docile unthinking sheep.
As I have said above, Celtic fans spent almost every day online and elsewhere, from 2012 till 2016, telling everybody that Rangers died, which they did, but they created Sevco, and that was spun as being Rangers, and was rightly called out.
And as Celtic fans, who were the main EBT cheated victims whilst Celtic PLC said: ” Nothing to do with us Guv” our fans were getting all hot and bothered about Sevco being allowed to be passed off as Rangers, Lawwell was in London pleading for crooked Sevco to be included in the TV deals, to rebuild them. FFS!!!
But for Celtic fans to demonstrate that they can be blind sheep and NONE of their so called comrades pointing this out to them, apart from ME, KEVJUNGLE, and being called a troll for doing so, is a perfect painting of the landscape that we now live in.
So, if you could help to waken your fellow Tims up James, how about highlighting just a handful of glaring omissions from them, university educated folk being tipped off from a ordinary street dog, is a picture of how far social conscience has been either allowed to drift, or been deliberately dumbed down.
1. Celtic fans fell for the PLC’s Old Firm ticket stitch up in 2016, which cemented the same club lie.
2. Celtic fans trusted the Scottish Government and in huge numbers, went along with, fell for, the Covid Plandemic/ Depopulation Vaccine, is safe and effective scam.
3. Celtic fans wearing Adidas gear whilst waving Palestinian flags, is utterly sickening hypocrisy, stupidity, etc.
4. Celtic fans paying circa £1,000 to the PLC for season tickets and then singing sack the board, is/was lazy, stupid, unconscious, daft ersed, standing for nothing, and falling for everything, is unacceptable.
In short, James, Timdom is fked, and zero questions are allowed!
Take care. HH
PS, Don’t throw a hissy fit like other fake outspoken blogs, throw your toys out of the pram, and say you can’t understand this post.
Thank you James.
I knew it would annoy you, wouldn’t you rather it was spent on the stadium players etc to improve the team and fan experience? Maybe we’re crippled by the spending limit for FFP who knows and the budget is close to the limit.
Bourne,
Swinging on a pendulum.
On the left is outrage. On the right is apathy.
I wonder where the pendulum will stick?
DeniaBhoy on 21st August 2025 4:02 pm
“Nicholson is to Lawell what Biden was to Obama.
A place man, a puppet for someone else who could no longer be centre stage but couldn’t walk away from it all either.”
%
Are you saying that creepy Joe had an earpiece in and was being controlled by Obama remotely?
And that creepy Joe’s real family came from southern England, and he claimed to come from an Irish background to make the Irish American voters vote for him, then he vaccinated them all like lovely wee horrible krankie did to the Irish immigrants bloodline in Scotland, the land of witches and lots of other good stuff?
If you are, welcome to planet reality.
HH
PS, Cmon the Apathy seat emptying rebels!
dessybhoy on 21st August 2025 4:04 pm
I knew it would annoy you, wouldn’t you rather it was spent on the stadium players etc to improve the team and fan experience? Maybe we’re crippled by the spending limit for FFP who knows and the budget is close to the limit.
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I would rather it was planned to spend on team and infrastrucutre, a medium tem published plan for buildings and construction, whilst improving the team.
If the player traing model gives profits, reinvest it in the team, BUT BUT BOT, do not just spend record sums on players still needing developted. On FSR we are well within the 705 limits.
And again, to committ to spend everything you earn in a trading year, it becomes very difficult to balance investment (capex) spending against incoming earnings (revenues)
I will stand the board accountable for not having the plans,
But by the same token, if everything they tounch, commercially and in the football environment is profitable, then pay tax.
another thing missed, when we do get around to building things, having paid taxes, we can claim back many millions of it as captiall allowances.
KEVJ
Are you a deliveryoo driver? If not, you should be.
Burnley and Sunderland were both playing in the English 2nd tier last season, but have both been able to attract midfield signings for over 8 times what we paid for Khün and almost 3 times what we (over)paid for Idah.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/ce83w74gl54o
Players of the standard we need to make an impact in the CL are simply not available ready made, so we can only speculate with lower priced unproven development prospects who may or (more likely) may not turn out to be good enough to reach the level required to make an impact in the CL. And part of the problem this summer would appear to be that in spite of trying to find a diamond in European football’s Lidl “middle aisle” bargain bin, even many of those players won’t come to the SPL when they can make untold millions signing for even the EPL’s cannon folder!
…cannon fodder. (Auto-incorrect)
Might be a stupid question, but why does Dermot Desmond have the influence he has at Celtic Park? As far as I’m aware he is the ‘major’ shareholder not the ‘majority’ shareholder. He has the same number of votes on AGM Resolutions as any ‘minority’ shareholder i.e. 1. His shareholding, like anybody else’s, benefits nobody but himself and even then only at point of sale.
If all the other shareholders got together en masse his shareholding wouldn’t/shouldn’t matter a jot.
So, could somebody enlighten me?
ziggydoc1 on 21st August 2025 4:02 pm
Booing does my nut in. Never boo when you’re supposed to support. Show your displeasure in other ways.
*it was the slow handclap in the old days
SS- Yet again, nobody is saying don’t pay tax,it’s paying so much that could be spent on a million different things,in and around the stadium for starters,that’s the issue.
SS
Fair enough, thanks for your reply, the issue is very much again about having a plan, it’s missing, doesnt exist or hasn’t been thought about, all of that on the Execs and the NEDs we aren’t even standing still we’re going backwards rapidly.
!!Bada Bing!! on 21st August 2025 4:24 pm
SS- Yet again, nobody is saying don’t pay tax,it’s paying so much that could be spent on a million different things,in and around the stadium for starters,that’s the issue.
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many bloggers and their followers are saying that very thing “we should be paying tax”.
Spanish John.
DD is not the majority shareholder, but he has the single biggest percentage at 34.7%.
As principal shareholder and with the support of another 40% ish, it is his ball.
Our 23,000 small shareholders not voting, or attending or indeed keeping up the share register is the problem.
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The Bottom Line
A principal shareholder is a person or entity that owns 10% or more of a company’s voting shares. As a result, they can influence a company’s direction by voting on who becomes CEO or sits on the board of directors. Not all principal shareholders are active in a company’s management process. However, if a principal shareholder exerts influence, the actions should be in the best interest of the corporation and the other shareholders.
sorry many bloggers saying “we shouldnt be paying tax”, maybe they are self employed.
as a wee aside.
If I was PL, Brian Wilson , Tom Allison, i would be telling DD himself, thats me done, I have had enough, let someone else do it now, enjoy the games in peace without being the target , who needs that carry on when you are in your 70s.
Many posts call out ( loudly) for more money to be spent on signings. Am I right in thinking that we DID spend quite a few bob on signings….. who were all on the bench at times last night?
Does Desmond know we were playing last night?
HOT SMOKED on 21ST AUGUST 2025 4:43 PM
Many posts call out ( loudly) for more money to be spent on signings. Am I right in thinking that we DID spend quite a few bob on signings….. who were all on the bench at times last night?
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You are a bad man 🫢
!!Bada Bing!! on 21st August 2025 4:45 pm
Does Desmond know we were playing last night?
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I would expect he does,
SS
Thanks for the reply.
The last line, I guess, is the most telling.
SJ
Hot Smoked on 21st August 2025 4:43 pm
Many posts call out ( loudly) for more money to be spent on signings. Am I right in thinking that we DID spend quite a few bob on signings….. who were all on the bench at times last night?
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By implication, you must be blaming the person who picks the team for the dismal performance
HH.
“Greenpinata on 21st August 2025 4:57 pm
By implication, you must be blaming the person who picks the team for the dismal performance”
.
You are entitled to infer that but what I `blame ` for the performance last night is the fact that footballers are not machines . I also `blame ` the opposition for being better than I expected.