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.
274 Comments- Pages:
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Lynott67
Absolutely not an authority on anything. Very far from it. Just offering up an alternative view on the MSM and Celtic click bait bloggers.
My only dislike re BR is what he has done to the club this time around. I didn’t even resent his exit before tbh as I felt he had done his job.
I would give you a profile of a younger guy in the mold of Chris Davies when he started at Birmingham (we couldn’t get him now sadly) or Similar.
This guy would be supported by and experienced DOF at a far higher level than anything previous heading the football recruitment and player development strategy.
Given the glass ceiling we have in tv revenues player recruitment / identification and development is critical. We need to invest significantly in this area.
I also believe that the club must improve coms and develop and share a clear football strategy with the fans. This should not be the manager but a much more communicative CEO or DOF.
Only my thoughts and definitely no expert.
I see KUPs of Finland getting horsed by Mitdjyland who struggled to beat Hibs.
Weird as KUPS beat Almaty 2-0 at home only to go and lose 3-0 in kazak
The returnof weeron on 21st August 2025 7:13 pm
Great minds…..
Hrvatski Jim on 21st August 2025 6:03 pm
DESSYBHOY
I reacted to the words “no register it seems,”
The club has an investor portal
https://www.celticfc.com/club/celtic-plc-investor-relations/manage-your-shareholding/
——————-
If I remember correctly – David Lows beef was, that Celtic plc by not reaching out with an organised communication campaign, to reunite person with their celtic shareholding and voting rights, were in fact NOT ACTING in the interests of shareholders, but instead it suited the ownership model of DD and others not to have the 23000 or so actually interested.
I cant remember who gave the shareholders break down recently but it was most interesting.
Of these 23,000, how many actually use their votes ? attend agms ? take a proper interest.
Back to Basics – Glass Half Full on 21st August 2025 5:17 pm
%
So Callum, who was as piss last night as everybody else, says “Its hard to get players in” almost as though he thinks that everybody is as stupid as those who give the board £1,000 then call for their sacking less than a month into the season.
Callum is the captain of the on-field clique who are programmed to not even look at the Green Brigade, before, during, and especially after the game.
Stick together Callum says?
Is it hard to get players in with £100 million lying dormant under the table, Callum? Is it?
Does Callum know about this….?
https://bornceltic.com/2025/08/21/the-eye-watering-pay-rise-celtic-have-given-peter-lawwell-and-michael-nicholson/
“Michael Nicholson’s remuneration last year was £837,000. A £120,000 raise on the previous year.
Peter Lawwell went from £41k to £120k.”
Clique FC sucks!
Sportscene covering Aberdeen game.
“Who ate all the pies?”
Billy Dodds
Anyway, posting on an anonymous blog which isn’t real life….I totally get that people don’t like Brendan but to be honest, I want him him to sign a new contract because he IS an elite manager.
Now, I’ll caveat that by saying…he is an elite manager for a 3 or 4 year period.
Even now, if Brendan signed on a rolling 1 year deal and he accepted the next Matt O’Reillys or Nik Kuhn or VVD or Jota ot CCV or Kyogo PLUS we gave him his Schmeichels or McGinns or Hickeys or Edouard type of players then we can still have a brilliant season.
This problem IS DEFO NOT DOWN TO ONE MAN OR ONE GROUP….if Brendan and the board are Celtic fans (they are) then this can all be resolved for and in the very short term.
Lastly….I apologise to Chairboy for my personal posts the other night….
Mhate…..you are up there with the most must-read posters on this great platform….Haste ye Back….ma mhan🙌
Greenpinata on 21st August 2025 5:41 pm
Booing is a natural reaction when dissatisfied.
———–
Yes it is, GP.
No argument from me.
A player or players being booed by their own fans.
Are they likely to perform more effectively or less as a result?
I’m going to go out on a limb here …. and suggest less effectively.
If the players are less effective … I think it reasonably follows there is a greater chance they will not deliver the outcome we all want … a good result.
Doesn’t it therefore follow that it is in everyone’s interests (players and fans) that we make an effort suppress that “natural reaction” ?
Missed my main point that BR has been offered these type of unestablished players and said no…that’s an absolute fact.
Watched a bit of Aberdeen match, commentary team speaking about ‘game management’ of visiting teams in European matches as though they don’t see it in the SPL…..now switched to Crystal Palace game.
Burnley 78 @ 7.29
Fair enough answer
Lawwells ghost writer back on,a placeman ,with business interests to protect,best ignored
If you remember Action Man with a beard,he’s playing right back for Steau Bucharest
Done a wee bit research on the home town of FC Kairat in ol’ Kazakhstan….
Turns out there are two major rivers running through it…
The Big Almaty….and er The Small Almaty….
But you know something….there is no God Almaty….
B67 not a minority of 1. Agree with everything you said n your summary.
Credit where credit is due with BR winning leagues and trophies and punching in last years CL, but he seems incapable of building his own teams.
Win our next three games and sign a few by the deadline and the outlook might be different. Time to calm down rather than stoking the hysteria that just gives amo to our detractors.
“Credit where credit is due with BR winning leagues and trophies and punching in last years CL, but he seems incapable of building his own teams.”
Well thank the God’s that he seems pretty great at bettering other people’s teams, eah?
Cause he’s worked a wonder with a weakened version of Ange’s … and he took Ronny Deila’s team to the first back to back treble in Scottish football history.
Probably not worth acknowledging that to certain people on here though.
classic celtic mac
Christ ……..
jackiemac
No blasphemy on the blog….
And no booing of The Bhoys…
Which is a kind of blasphemy when you think about it….
The real massive concerning issue is the recruitment it has the failed the past 2 widows so someone needs to be fired and the next Dom McKay hired.
Comedy defending by the sheep 🐑 2:0 down
The real massive concerning issue is the recruitment it has failed the past 2 windows so someone needs to be fired and the next Dom McKay hired.
https://x.com/AnthonyRJoseph/status/1958618374151311489?t=Oh7MOieJsvsa_lEHWkUX6A&s=19
Thelin will get his books before Halloween
BADA
I think it’s Halloween up there already , there’s a lot of guisers dressed up as players in red .
Not that we’re in much of a position to laugh at anybody .
Scottish football killed by the David Murray gravy trian and now club’s are run like bowling clubs a closed shop to benefit the select few who couldn’t run a bath.
A lot of fans buying into the Idah,£9 million dross.Yes he has had a poor start this season,but has Maeda played well?.Everyone has a bad spell.The constant negativity about Idah and the continued mentioning of his price tag by the media,eventually dripped through to the support.Even the guy scoring 21 goals as a sub to Kyogo,and 4 CL goals did not help to dim the narrative.I mentioned last week,the Championship team that had just bought a striker from Leicester.Has scored 1 goal in 20 games previous,£10 million.
Idah was brought in as back up to Kyogo only.It worked on a good few times when we were struggling.Not bought to be our No 1 striker.At the moment he is nowhere near that.Strellic,Munteanu,type more suited to us,but we won’t pay the money,so Idah carries the can.
CCV , we were to pedestrian last night and that we should have played more side to side passes
….oh and always remember, it’s really difficult to sign players when the Transfer Window is open…..I’ve heard some excuses in my time
Good comeback from the sheep…but by god they don’t half fek about and make it hard for themselves….
oh wait!!!!
important goal for the hibees
We have to drop our superiority complex mindset when we travel away and play for the 0-0 and go for the 50/50 penalty kick. Almaty won’t be coming out, but they will catch us on the break, if we try to play the Celtic way. Imo we need to play like the away team and catch them on the break, if they don’t come out to attack us then, which I doubt, nil nil will need to be the aim, we can’t go gung ho. Should have had a penalty and a potential red card but Var didn’t even look at it last night . What’s that all about. 🤷
Thought their two holding midfield players were very good and closed down like titans …checked on their details……..low and behold ..both Isrealis
Maybe just maybe they had a little bit extra bite about them
https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1lPKqvrXaWLGb?t=4bqibWl2ljx1gKuue87Gkw&s=09
TB- Idah has very few attributes IMO, no presence for being 6’3, no first touch,cant keep possession, can’t link play…..he should be running out of chances, but there’s nobody else to play,and please spare me he’s the new whipping boy,it’s an opinion
Maestro on 21st August 2025 8:55 pm
“The real massive concerning issue is the recruitment it has failed the past 2 windows so someone needs to be fired and the next Dom McKay hired.”
%
The board have pocketed or banked all of the season ticket, shirt sales, etc, monies, so now they’ll put their leather masks on on match days/nights and brass it out.
The only weapon available to fans is to boycott the group stage ticket monies, but there is no movement to articulate any message, and a lot of fans will want to see those games.
Celtic fans in the Snp era, have learned how to just suck it up, no matter what is on the menu, don’t dare ask questions!
Thatcher seats have removed the balls and backbone of fans just as planned.
Anyway, play on the break, or be naive dafties?
Two defensive midfielders, or Europe will remain elusive to us, and Rodgers just simply does not have the vision for that.
Run run run run is midlife crisis ego pish!
When Maeda’s face says: “This is fkn dafty stuff” then your in bother!
Greenpinata 5.44
Personally I don’t see a problem with expressing emotion.
Greenpinata,did you not have a problem when Calum got emotional after missing a pen in cup final?
HH
B78 – you write: ‘My only dislike re BR is what he has done to the club this time around.’
Including getting us further in Europe with some of the impressive grit/style we’ve craved for yonks ?
Bada,
He was never signed as a starter.He was back up to Kyogo.An alternative,which worked.I don’t think he is good enough to be our 1st pick CF.Again,you don’t get much for £9 million.
TB – Nygren cost a claimed 1.8mill. Reo 2. Ali J for ‘undisclosed’ money.
You can get much for your money – and the club has done so fairly regularly.
But not when you dont have other options and you blink first in negotiating.
Adam was BRs pick and it kinda hasn’t delivered as consistently as anyone woulda hoped.
TB- The mistake was not getting a fee set ,when he was on.loan,Norwich took us to the cleaners after that….