It was Brugge who showed the way in our Champions League game in November last year. They pressed Celtic in the middle third which was enough to inhibit our ability to progress the ball into advanced areas. Other managers watched.
Five weeks later, Phillippe Clement copied these tactics in a 3-0 win over Celtic at Ibrox. Barry Ferguson followed this up in March, winning at Celtic Park, then again in a draw at Ibrox. Already-eliminated Young Boys came to Celtic Park, went man-for-man in the middle and lost to a late own-goal.
We watched the same show in the Scottish Cup Final in May: 120 minutes of midfield suffocation before a penalty loss to weaker opposition. It was no different over 210 painful minutes against Kairat. Yesterday’s failure to land a glove on the most nervous defenders in Scottish football follows a well-established pattern. Russell Martin changed every tactic he has used in Glasgow and reverted to the play we all know succeeds against Celtic.
Games with against lesser sides and without Kyogo, Jota and Kuhn have floundered in the middle of the park. We seem to be focussed on adding attacking options today. This is necessary but attacking players are blunt if you cannot break a soft press in the middle of the park.
We got draws at Ibrox, against Kairat and in the Cup Final because we can defend well – Liam Scales was well worth his Man of the Match accolade. That will probably be enough to win the league while Newco beat themselves and the Hearts project is too new. But we are at a tactical cul-de-sac. Chris Davies did more than put the cones out.
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PLC executives in other industries are the same selfish greedy cash grabbers that we have.
the difference is that those in places like tesco or barclays also know how to set their supermarkets up to sell groceries, or how to provide their customers with good financial services products, because if they didnt their customers would just go to sainsburys ot lloyds..
but our greedy thieves know they dont need to bother about running a football club properly because we arent going to support another team, and with a season ticket waiting list then they will still get 30 million into the club before next season starts with over 50,000 season tickets being sold at 600 quid a pop.
a shower of crooks.
Rodgers says we are connected – the board been Celtic. NO! WE ARE NOT FKN CONNECTED! Rodgers has been begging , begging for players for months – A connected board would support him – we didn’t are we are not!
He should have been fired after Almaty (lack of endeveour and shots on goal)
He should walk – deflect responsibility to the board and protect his reputation. why?
Because we will remember this window as the shift of power – failure to qualify for champs league against a basic side and failure to support this team with quality. The power shift is in motion!
stebhoy on 1st September 2025 2:02 pm
idah start the season poorly so we sell him – remind me again what Rodgers has been looking for – wingers wingers wingers!! why, because they service strikers. Being a striker in this tippy tappy side is a joke! Maeda , Kyogo, Idah all fed up and frustrated at lack of over the top balls, first time crosses and a playing partner link with.
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Teams play a low block against us mainly sitting on the 18y line – please explain how the ball over the top works in that situation? Do you watch football or Celtic?? Dearie me as some people regularly say…
lets all do the huddle on 1st September 2025 3:57 pm
I came out that scheme at this seasons ST renewal, as you say it’s a scam. Been in it for decades can only think of one occasion that I got a ticket in my own name (rather than other bhoys tickets) over a number of years.
You still get first call on your own seat for any cup games, so far declined that kind invitation. Not that board would care because they can sell to a none ST for more cash.
On a brighter side I’ve been informed that they can’t do that in the standing areawhere I am, because part of the licence was a named individual per ‘seat’!
It’s crazy to think there’s a poster on here who believes Brendan Rodgers is at Lennoxtown taking training, talking to his coaching staff – and every time the ball goes dead, he checks his phone (green one for buying, red one for selling) and is negotiating the movement of players. Sale price and all!!
I’m having a frustrating day but at least I’m not similarly minded
Nicholson is a patsy but he he is a well paid one. He is incompetent. He should resign or be moved on. Now.
Lawell is overseeing a shambles – once again. He needs held to account but won’t be.
Our Manager produced a press conference of sickening sycophantic behaviour on friday. I know many people that “bleed Celtic” and they would run a much better club than we currently have.
Many thousands of average coaches would have won the titles we have won over many seasons. We appointed a guy and paid him millions and millions of pounds and he sits and nods along. He should resign really and reveal all. Be honest for once.
Our club is small potatoes these days abd is growing smaller every year. The board DO NOT recognise that FACT and carry on with their risk averse mediocrity. Yawn.
They have all season ticket holders over a barrel and it is a sad, sad state of affairs.
I’ve nothing but contempt for them.
FFS there are ore hunterlopers on here than on KDS, but at least on there they are outed
Well said @lionsroar
No matter what business is done we cannot let up we must oust those dinosaurs in the boardroom
NICHOLSON OUT
LAWWELL OUT
MCKAY OUT
DESMOND OUT
SACK THE BOARD
I first came on to CQN as it was the only blog that was interested in advocating for a change to Celtic moving out of Scottish Football .
Paul67 has referred to it as a change of our football playing environment.
I met Burnley 78 through CQN and learned that our board ( circa 2005 to 2005) had considered investigating a move to the EPL or English championship.
It has been my firm belief that a move to the EPL is the only way that Celtic can become a world class club .
Outwith an oil rich Barron or Russian Oligarch , treating us as his philanthropic love child .
20 years on .
We must get out of Scottish football.
It’s brand harms our ability to sign players and to sell them for above discounted prices ( in top league terms)
The standard gets worse every year .
Dermot and his board must agitate for this change .
Alas they won’t.
Martin O’Neil was correct .
In European terms we have been in the slow lane for 2 decades .
It is soul destroying knowing that our leaders don’t have any aggressive ambitions to make Celtic , the best that they can be .
TT
Is this a Celtic blog? Have I come to the right place?
Following this blog for 20 years I’ve never known such sustained negative reporting to undermine our manager, no matter their failings or otherwise on the pitch or in the transfer market.
Someone mentioned the other day that it often feels like the blog leaders might suggest the readers have goldfish memories. That being so, when I read “Chris Davies did more than put the cones out” I managed to recall a similar low blow in February last year that wrote “just own up if you can’t do the job without Chris Davies”. Aside from the fairly creepy Chris Davies infatuation I’m pretty sure that’s the definition of “wetting the bed”, we went on to secure the double that season.
And before anyone says “But we didn’t win the treble!” I’d remind you of all the articles we read on here telling us how historically difficult it is to win the treble. I’d also remind you who made winning trebles the norm for Celtic in the current generation, but you’d only forget.
As regular readers know, Burnley78″s favourite retort to the lack of transfer activity protests is to challenge the poster to come up with names.
In the same manner, I asked him last week to tell us who he wants to replace BR. I am still awaiting his answer.
S
moisy17 – the way to beat a low block is width and hitting the by lines and crossing. Shooting from 18-20 yards, 1-2’s off the striker. Against Almaty , both matches, we played entirely in front of them (other than extra time when legs tired – AND we should have brought on Yamada). Exactly same against Aberdeen in final – We are EASY to play against , we’ve been sussed out. Massive change needed and it aint happening!
1ST SEPTEMBER 2025 3:24 PM
Reggie on 1st September 2025 3:14 pm
n the meantime, the biggest protest fans could make is to cancel their Home Ticket Cup Scheme. Crowds of 20k or less for Europa League games might make them sit up and take notice to set the scene ahead of the AGM
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Spot on, this should be the starting point. I cancelled mine a couple of hours ago by email. Simple to do, and loads of people are doing it.
…………………
Should I decide to follow your example can you tell me how to go about it?
Gaslighting Quick News.
And for the naive out there who think Lawwell has zero influence in terms of running the club, I have some magic beans to sell you.
Who would win in a battle between Chris Davies and Tony Bloom?
The long wait is over @ 3:52 pm,
To me that is a nonsensical argument in and of itself.*
You would still prepare the team for the UCL-Qs knowing the extra income and value of the players.
That’s going to be a much better boon at getting in a new manager.
If a manager was looking at a club that had been in the UCL four seasons running with a good settled side we are much more likely to attract a good manager.
We already have a “warchest” for any new manager anyway.
No one is asking the Board to spend more money than they have taken in this window.
In terms of competence outside running a PLC and the financials, there is no indication this Board are at all competent.
Even when they have thought up a decent footballing strategy like moneyball or the 4-2-3-1 plan, their implementation has been woeful.
Due to our rainy day money in the bank and our SB holders buying tickets, we should have been in a great position to weather the Covid pandemic and come out in a strong position, yet lots of communication and operations stuff was left to our manager who did not have anything close to the skill-sets.
Our Covid response was woeful.
So the reason Celtic FC are in this state, my best guess is the, spiteful, incompetent old men who run our Board.
*Of course if you are not too bothered about how the football team progresses this season and you are not in the market for an elite manager (Eddie Howe anyone?) then that strategy does make sense.
Hail Hail
Sorry my post ☝️intended for TEM MEN WON THE LEAGUE
I’m still celebrating. Haven’t a clue what I’m celebrating but frankly I don’t give a fook. Oh aye, being a Tim. 😂😂
TheOriginalSadiesBhoy on 1st September 2025 4:24 pm
Tickets@celticfc.co.uk
Just quote your client reference and they’ll come back to you with confirmation. Remember to cancel your D/D as well though.
Ten Men Won The League on 1st September 2025 4:29 pm
TheOriginalSadiesBhoy on 1st September 2025 4:24 pm
Tickets@celticfc.co.uk
Just quote your client reference and they’ll come back to you with confirmation. Remember to cancel your D/D as well though.
Only way to hit these money grabbing pricks.
Moisey17 @ 4:09 pm,
When I read some comments I seriously think many posters don’t have the first clue about modern football.
It really is a game for athletic, specialist players now.
BTW: Some awesome posting by you, love reading your comments.
Hail Hail
New Staff Incoming- security for the Directors Box required….
James Forrest on 1st September 2025 3:39 pm
Auldheid:
I know brother ;) I’ve looked at all your stuff.
Big week ahead and no football. I’ll be busy bhoy! ;)
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Cheers James. I know ,I know.
There is another issue to pick up on which is if Celtic have opened up a line of meaningful communication to make AGMs more fit for purpose, but shareholders do not use it then where does the fault lie?
That leads to how to give a say/voice to the wider number of non shareholders that support Celtic, whose numbers at least equal the number of actual share holders the same facility.
That can perhaps be covered during the week when I come back with how I think that might be done.
Today is just a trailer I wanted out before The CST AGM tomorrow.
Auldheid:
Mr Smillie is asking the right questions at least.
The Trust has to step up and show what it can do. Never been a more important time for them.
They can start by updating their own communications and start talking about ISSUES INSIDE CELTIC rather than disappearing down their fringe causes rabbit hole.
Ive been to a few AGM’s, they just sit there and patronise folk.
Hopefully not this year.
On a positive note, with Celtic seemingly in the worst state they’ve been in this century, they’re still top of the league with their infamous seive yet to concede a league goal.
Imagine where we’d be if we had players of the quality of Kyogo, Kuhn, (a fit) Jota, Taylor, O’Reilly, Abada, (vintage) Dembele & Edouard, VVD, Frimpong…
Re Football strategy and plan
The high level of this would be pretty tame stuff , assumptions around CL qualification success etc , where it would get interesting ( and be commercially sensitive) is the Boards view on transfer limit for MVP and what positions we would be prepared to fund MVP , how this impacts the wage structure and adherence to FFP. Would any club wish all this to be made public ?
Brendan’s tactics , he is a good manager , there is a lot to be said about hanging on to the ball , making the other work side ( all that sideways running) and pushing on later in the game to win. This has 2 advantages keeps the team relatively fresh over the season and is absolutely compatible with how we should be playing in the CL. To fit into this , we need specific types of players ( blood and snorters defenders and big lumps of CF need not apply) , opposite approach of throwing the kitchen sink every game see Ange. I suspect where we have reached is that to push onto CL level we are either getting close to or breaching our transfer limit ; and the odds of actually recruiting these guys to Scotland is lower and if we leave it to what can be reasonably described as the last minute , is asking for trouble.
Can we build a team with a spine of MVP on big money to get into CL say 3 out of 4 years , with the requirement that the MVPs are not moved on , so we can build a team ; is this practical and / or affordable? If I’d to guess probably not
Brendan has alluded to timing , suspect what he’s really saying is that the suits can’t haggle the Iife out of every deal ; get in the early and on occasion take a hit ; fir squad fillers you can practice your haggling skills.
We’re behaving as if we will win the league forever and muddle through in Europe , some good years , some bad ….. infuriating.
HH
BigChipsUK on 1st September 2025 4:39 pm
9 points ahead of the huns and looking forward to champions league football.
Have we signed Jordan Larsson yet? 🤔🇳🇬
The Executive team have undermined the manager.
The manager has underperformed for a considerable period of time.
These two statements are mutually inclusive. It’s not one or other. It’s both. We’ve been watching stagnant football for the best part of a year. It’s become noticeably smelly in recent months, the transition from elite to lite.
Meantime, the execs have sat on their hands admiring the huge dollop of cash in the bank, letting it do precisely zero for the club or the business more widely.
If the execs don’t act because a minority shareholder (Desmond) directs them thus, then governance is sunk too. His job as a non-exec is to look after *our* interests as shareholders, not his own in isolation. He’s supposed to hold the execs to account, not tell them what and what not to do.
The whole thing is hopelessly shambolic.
James Forrest on 1st September 2025 3:58 pm
Auldheid:
No, I’m not saying there’s not cross-table discussion about, or that he’s the sole author.
But it’s one of the jobs of the CEO to sign that document and present it, yes?
So calling on him to break that long silence and actually explain what’s in it, to get in front of the media and defend it, to actually be questioned on it … that’s down to him.
=======
Yes I agree and said that when clarifying a CEO’s role in terms of articulation. Its all part of the mix.
Share prices dropping today
Auldheid:
Agreed. :) Interesting times …
(And yeah, the circumstances of the moment prove that’s every bit the curse it’s intended to be. Nobody wants to live in these kinds of interesting times.)
James Forrest.
I should have added the purpose of my e mail is to have MN articulate the policy at the AGM.
However I can see the job being given to PL which is not helpful to say the least ,as only Donald Trump has the same degree of mistrust.
BigChipsUK on 1st September 2025 4:39 pm
9 points ahead of the huns and looking forward to champions league football.
—
😄😄😄
he walked into that one
James Forrest on 1st September 2025 4:44 pm
Auldheid:
Agreed. :) Interesting times …
(And yeah, the circumstances of the moment prove that’s every bit the curse it’s intended to be. Nobody wants to live in these kinds of interesting times.)
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Don’t get me started down philosophy road . Over a coffee maybe if you have a week to spare but not here.
Lol
The Battered Bunnet at 4.42. Excellent summary of the shambles that is CFC.