Sturm Graz arrive in Glasgow today in good domestic form. They sit top of the Austrian league, three points clear of RB Salzburg despite playing one less game. Salzburg won 10-in-a-row before Sturm took the title in 2024, then winning again last season. A win this term would confirm Salzburg’s decade of dominance is well and truly over.
Results in Europe have been mixed. A 5-0 capitulation in their Champions League playoff first leg at Bodo/Glimt was a blow. This was followed by another trip to Scandinavia for Europa League game one, where they lost 2-0 to Midtjylland.
Their Europa campaign got back on track with a 2-1 home win over Newco Rangers earlier this month, but that result flattered Sturm. Despite being the away team and going through turmoil, Newco had more shots, more on target and more possession. Sturm scored twice early on and were able to hold out for the second half. If Russell Martin could put them under pressure in Graz, there is fragility to exploit.
Their top fee paid this summer was €2m, which they spent three times, bringing total spend to €6.7m, which is slightly more than the €6m they took in from player sales. A Ferrari, they are not. In any normal times we would be confident of Celtic collecting three points tomorrow. Let’s hope the mood in the squad lifts before then.
Curious fact. Since that infamous tie against Celtic in 1984, Rapid Vienna have won only five league titles and just two this century. Rapid Karma.
126 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- »
Celtic Mac @ 5:04pm
🤣🤣🤣
HORSE RACING…Scroll by if NOT interested.
A remarkable TWO Days for my Favourite JUMP JOCKEY in recent years.
Yesterday ( TUESDAY), he had FIVE Rides. He WON on FOUR of them and I had backed all Five in a ” LUCKY 31″ Bet.
The EARLY ODDS of the Four Winners that I had were…9/2, 7/4, 11/8 and 11/8. Not massive prices but I showed a very good profit all the same…However….
The same Jockey had another FIVE Rides TODAY ( WEDNESDAY), and again I backed all Five in a ” LUCKY 31″ Bet.
Again, the Jockey had FOUR Winners Today with the EARLY ODDS that I got being…18/1, 7/2,72 and 6/4.
So I had a VERY healthy profit again Today….MORE than Yesterday.
This Jockey has ridden EIGHT winners out of his 10 rides over the last two days…GREAT STUFF…and Ive backed ALL EIGHT of them.
MAGIC so it is.
HH.
Something very unlikeable about BR in todays press conference. Arrogance dripping out of him.
Its not a good look.
best for all if an arrangement was nade
Dunno about Honda Civics (although the Type R is pretty nippy) but after that presser there’ll be a few folk minded to order a Skoda Octavia to pick him up for the airport.
The answer to our problems still seems to be “I need to make the best of the bad hand I’ve been dealt”
By seven weeks after the end of the window we’d have hoped to see some signs that you are, instead of things getting worse.
According to Liam the message is the players need to buy into the system, run more, and be be faster.
If you’re going to double down in calling your players slow at least be explicit about it, rather than using weasel words. Presser was horrible.
And if you need players as fast as Maeda – one of the quickest players in Europe – to out-fox Pressley, then maybe you’re just not that good a driver. Thelin managed it without Usain Bolt in the Aberdeen team.
The only consolation is that we were somewhere close to this half way through his first season back and he did turn things around by sheer motivation. If the bit of the presser where he says he is determined is true, then it might just come off. We have to hope so. The board won’t sack him.
BACK TO BASICS – GLASS HALF FULL on 22ND OCTOBER 2025 1:53 PM
We sold the only real alternative to Calmac last Summer, if he gets injured now who steps in?
Iwata started as one of two eights last night and ended up at right back where hes played a couple of times this season, but otherwise he’s been an ever present as a DF for Birmingham this season.
Vinniethedog
A wee bit of research re net spend on transfers this summer.
Of the Champions and Europa League teams playing this week 39 spent less than they received from transfers this summer. 33 spent more than they received.
No surprise that 19 of those who spent more were from the top 5 leagues.
Aye, what is it they say again about a bad workman🤔
Celtic40me
Serious question.
Why did we sell him ?
It wasn’t for the money
Just watched Brendan’s interview….
Jeezo…..we are in serious bother this season.
I think back to his comments in his last season at Leicester….the exact same.
‘Not the same club’
‘Great bunch of players’
‘Up to me to find solutions’
‘Players working so hard’
‘Looking for solutions’
‘Trying times’
‘Love this club’
Brendan could easily have lifted the mood and asked/begged the fans to park the protests with a rousing- ‘We have games to win….Let’s really go for it together’ etc but no.
This needs to end after the next 2 games.
BURNLEY78 on 22ND OCTOBER 2025 6:23 PM
I don’t know, I remember Brendan saying he wanted to get more football which he couldn’t promise him.
I don’t want to do a pile on on BR. I really hope he can turn things around. But I was sent this today – a story about the retired Anfield DJ George Sefton who has been doing the tannoy announcements at Liverpool since 1970. Interesting snippet about BR.
Sefton was talking about how a manager sets the culture within a club:
“I’ve never spoken to Arne Slot. But I remember the first home game Jürgen did, I was introduced to him and when he heard my name he said ‘ah, the famous Voice of Anfield’. There was a steward standing next to me, who looked genuinely taken aback. But there was another steward there, who worked at the training ground, and he said that within six days Jürgen knew everyone’s names there. Not just the juniors, but the cleaners, the tea ladies too. The guy said in three years Brendan Rodgers had never called him by his name. And he was on the gate waving him in every morning.”
I don’t care if BR knows who the cleaning lady is, and he always seems like a friendly guy, but in light of a very arrogant press conference today, this story chimed a bit.
Keep saying, Calmac is NOT a defensive middy, why the hell play him there.
We need a Broony in that position, a wee bit of aggression
kingLUBO
WTF do I know.After BRs comments about cars,I did say it was not a demeaning comment about the team.It was a comparison to the speed of the players sold or not available to what we are forced to play now.Missing on Sunday,
Jota,Kyogo,,Maeda,Kuhn,AJ.Everyone of them brought pace and guile plus loads of goals.
Today the manager explained this to the thick,or deliberately obtuse section of our fans,who kiss the ass of our Board.I see some still trying to make some humour out of it today,and only looking more dumb.
Some on today saying let’s all get behind the team tomorrow night.Tell that to this lot who are doing our enemies work for them.
Short memories.At the last gasp of the window,when the Board had left us without any striker,it was BR who managed to conjure up Iheanacho at the last minute.Should be to their shame,but no,let’s falsely accuse the manager,and delighted with themselves in doing so.
Thickasfek CSC.
Laxalt,
Brendan could have said that,and said,FU to the 35,000 fans who elected people to speak out for them against a Board that has brought the club to its knees.What,just let’s forget about all that,and let the suits carry on as before?.Those days are gone.Brendan and these fans don’t kiss ass.Others seem to enjoy it.
Turkeybhoy.. 100% correct
Burnley 78 ..hope you were counting
Rangers
Hearts
Hibs
Aberdeen….
In your research it would be interesting to know what was % profit on those spends and incomes
I reckon we’d be pretty high up in % profit wise
The new League format in The three European competitions is something we have craved for and now we have eight very attractive games against top European sides to enhance the season with one good away point achieved and a very below form defeat against Braga.
Saw the first half of the Dundee game who toppled the Hoops with two goals playing with only 18 percent possession a dismal performance. Celtic are playing without any spark or flair probably inevitable after the loss of Kyogo, Khun ,Idah and Jota with a bagful of goals between the lot of them. Lots of crosses into the box last Sunday and no finisher in sight.
The alarm bells certainly are ringing but no need to press the panic button yet we still have 30 Championship games to play and hopefully we can recover some spark tomorrow night against then Austrians . Paulo Bernardo was looking agreat prospect, captain of Portugals under 21,s why has he gone out of favour ?
If results in the next 2 games are not forthcoming, I expect him to be gone next week; especially after that toe curling presser.
Not supporting his playersCSC
Trying to attach a large poppy to the grille !
—————-
dignified rememberance.
I’m exaggerating (wildly) but that press conference reminded me of Trump, with the lack of self-awareness.
Was it a Red Honda Ulster?
I wonder how at home Danny and his German team will feel in their brown brogues on Poppy Day as the armed forces parachute into Govan.
the internet, led by bloggers, is in a real toxic mood towards brendan.
some calling for his head.
whit they like.
waiting on the portait made up story to re-appear.
i heard Brendan doesnt even look at the secuity man at lennoxtown and instead just flashes hig light at him to be faster lifting the barrier so he can speed off.
He needs to be punted ASAP
TurkeyBhoy….respect and i hope you’re well.
Where do you get the 35000 from?
It’s getting tedious now…I wish someone would take the decision. Brendan or Dermot. If he’s going, then go. If he’s staying, then sign a new contract and get on with the job…but no halfway house. It’s demoralising for the fans and probably the players too.
Evening all.
WEEBOBBYCOLLINS @ 8.03pm
Spot on.
The manager was given:
11 Million for Engels.
10 Million for Idah.
6 Million for Trusty.
So who is to blame?
The PLC called Rodgers bluff last season by backing him to this level of recruitment.
These players were brought in as always with the PLC “SLOW LANE” recruitment model to be sold on when big money bids came in for them.
Well Rodgers is so good a Manager that we lost 2-3 Million on Idah, and as far as I know, ZERO bids have been received for Engels or Trusty.
So how is this the PLC’s fault?
The PLC did not keep Engels, Idah, Trusty, etc, ON THE BENCH, as we failed to overcome Kiarat Almaty, costing the club 40 Million CL money pot.
So looking at this bluntly without green tinted agendas.
Rodgers sat 30 Million worth of players, ON THE BENCH, vs KA, to prove a point to the board that we needed more players?!
So 30 Million of as it stands useless players on the bench, cost the club another 40 Million in CL money?!
Can you imagine Neil Lennon surviving this wanton financial damage inflicted onto Celtic’s finances, by so called “TOP LEVEL” Manager Rodgers?
Me neither.
Which is another way of saying the Celtic fans have more faces than a Halloween mask shop! lol
And the Celtic Collective want to sack the board?!
NOBODY more than me wants rid of the PLC stuctures.
BUT.
This time.
The PLC are the good guys.
And Rodgers is a pantomime hoses erse.
AND.
The Celtic Collective need their tickets removed and sin died from Parkhead!
These Empty Heads ARE THE PROBLEM – NOT THE BOARD!
The Green Brigade prevent the stadium from being a library were it has been proved that Rodgers can’t get his team to function in a library.
BUT.
The GB joined TCC and showed how incapable of rational thought they really are when the chips are down.
Easily led, happy clappy, obedient sheep, blogs, plodcasts, websites, should be deciding – NOTHING!
The Celtic fanbase is a mirror of the Snp/Greens nutcasery.
Save the trees – Vaccinate the Humans.
These idiots need vetted by a WPB type of recruitment process to ENSURE that they haven’t fallen for the backdoored narrative claptrap.
The GB EMPHASIZED that they are of the “ALL REFUGEES ARE WELCOME HERE” mentality.
Well why don’t they offer to take these ALL MALE refugees into they’re homes and see how they get on?
Have they looked across the see to Ireland in the last 5 years?
Have they? Have they really?
Because until they do – they are as fake as the Snp/Greens nutcase wagon.
The GB have been RAT-ified just like Sinn Fein have been.
Throwing Tangerines FFS!
The Jungle era fans would have thrown these pretentious idiots off of the Jungle roof!
After what happened to the WEE GHIRL in Ireland yesterday, SF were cavorting on stage, celebrating the ALREADY RIGGED [NO REAL CATHOLICS ALLOWED TO STAND] in the Presidential Election [Irish Royalty] without even a SINGLE mention of the WEE GHIRL, or what happened to her, AND HOW THEY, SINN FEIN, HAPPY CLAPPED THE CREEP into Ireland who carried out the evil.
Comrades All….died when Mr Adams retired and Mr McGuinness sadly passed away.
In Celtic land….Comrades All died when Thatcher Psyop seats were put in the Jungle.
TCC are not a movement – they are a clique of cliques.
Sad are the homes……
HH
oot.
Gerrybhoy , he won’t walk and he won’t be sacked, us fans wil have to suffer until May , it’s a disaster, absolute shambles.
TURKEYBHOY on 22ND OCTOBER 2025 7:03 PM
It is possible to hold 2 thoughts at the same time , namely that the Board are out their depth and Brendan is out of order and being outsmarted in every big game for the last year.
Brendan’s patronising remarks about the squad at the weekend was brutal and then he doubles down on that today.
Everyone is hoping that we can turn it around in the next 4 games and this is just a fall out amongst friends and we move on.
I believe the players have not downed tools but there are systemic tactical issues all over the place , which up until now the manager has failed to address.
If the fans got Board change ( just imagine a proper functioning Board was in place now) Brendan would have been removed probably around the time he was ‘empty’ when asked about the close of the transfer window. Our transfer policy would be based on some sort proper analysis of where players fit into the team , rather than the current shambles of buying players and shoe horning them (or ignoring them) into the team.
Scottish football is nuts and there is nothing inevitable about us continuing to be rubbish , equally we will know where we stand after the next 4 games.
Itsthehopethatkillsyoucfc
HH
EKBHOY….
“It is possible to hold 2 thoughts at the same time…”
Of course it is…and as George Santos famously said…
“I can chew and walk gum at the same time.”
Watching this CL,thank God we are not in it.Ruthless. 43 goals in 8 games last night.Tonight teams getting battered before half time.
‘ I’ll be here for three years unless I’m binned’
Brendan gave the board the line they wanted.
Meanwhile, us Celtic supporters, have to watch a fight between two groups, like a scrap on the school ground playground.
Bottom line, I’ll still be a Celtic fan tomorrow.
The board, the managers, the players will always change.
We will always be Celtic supporters.
‘They’re their and they will be always there’.
TOMMYBURNSCSC
Belmontbrian
Well those that are allocated tickets and can through balls and sing ancient dirges for 100 minutes interspersed with boo’s.
They will always be there it seems.
I would not mind a silent protest from that lot tomorrow night personally.
CL is wall to wall batterings, the defending in the Liverpool game has been school boy level
The Goal Show is a fun watch at least