Reading Auston Trusty talk about his performance against Atalanta last season was illuminating. Having played for bottom of the table Sheffield United in the EPL season 2023-24, he was adjusted to defending deep every week of the season. Season 2022-23 was spent with Birmingham, who finished 17th in the Championship. Celtic’s more natural game, where central defenders play high up the field and have lots more possession, would have been alien to the default style the player arrived with.
We got the breaks against Atalanta but it required a super-human effort by Auston, Liam Scales, Alex Valle and Alistair Johnston to get to the end of the game without conceding. Even if Auston was ready to hit the ground as a back-to-the-wall defender, there was a requirement to develop his other (potential) talents.
There will be more back-to-the-wall games in Europe this season but we should look for growth in Auston in possession.
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Celtic40me @ 4:59 pm,
CHAIRBHOY on 29TH JULY 2025 4:38 PM
Ok, to clarify what you are actually thinking:
“Did the club previously have an official strategy that they weren’t operating to?
The Club have always had a strategy how defined that was ang how scattergun that was, obviously varied.
“Were they operating to a different strategy, and if so, why and who was responsible”
After Rangers died there seemed to be a more structured strategy, mainly focused on the “mobeyball” approach.
“Are you happy because the club changed from the “unofficial” strategy to the official one?
Celtic Board often play “secret squirrel” with their various strategies – it was very happy when Peter Lawwell clearly defined the strategy.
“If so, does this mean there has been a change in strategy?
Peter Lawwell clearly stated “Our successfully proven strategy has delivered stability and footballing success over many years and remains the same.
That means their has been a continuity in strategy, even if there hasn’t been a continuity in approach asypy know, Ive discussrd it with ypu and other over the years.
An example was when I discussed it with the great SFTBS – May he RIP – and Celtic were going for TIAR, our emphasis seemed to veer from “moneyball” and we went for (supposedly*) quality experienced players.
How does arguing “no more prospects,” signing only experienced players, not selling your best players fit with the “official strategy” you would have been happy to have in place?
I have no real issues from gk to midfield. It lookes to me like we have good starters and back up there. I would like a dcm and ball playing centreback but not essential. The real issue is the lack of depth and quality across the frontline.
Think we should go into a 4-2-3-1 shape, let the fullbacks give us width and the block of 4 players (2×cm and cm) offering defensive stability during transition.
HH
Apologies, my screen is jumping around like a jack in the box and I posted mid comment, to finish…
“How does arguing “no more prospects,” signing only experienced players, not selling your best players fit with the “official strategy” you would have been happy to have in place?”
As stated, I’ve never been against “moneyball” as such, bringing in good young players to develop is a great use of our resources imo – however, our implementation was poor, our scouting of prospects and the quanity we were bringing in meant success was always going to be limited.
* Interestingly many of our “quality players flopped and a prospect called Frimpong was our best signing.
Hail Hail
At 9m Engels has been underwhelming – a 9m player in the Scottish league should be showing more – even some flashes that he can dominate midfield, especially as a Belgian internationalist. Big season ahead for him , however pre-season he didn’t impress at all.
Engels , McCowan and Bernardo are all too similar – none of them offer that dynamic drive that we need. Nygren is the midfield savior and will be massive for us this season.
On Idah, goals per minutes is impressive. A striker in a Rodgers team is a lonely place – esp when wingers rarely deliver the ball early. I’d love to see Idah and Yamada together – IF we can sign a defensive midfielder (pace and tackling ability0
On Rodgers contract – we will never hear the end of it all season long while his contract runs down. If he wants to stay , give him contract and financial support. If he doesnt want to stay – they should communicate a 1-2 yr contract just to keep the media off our backs (he can leave without fee).
On signings – our board dither but the end of the window throws up opportunities not currently available due to movement. Are we strong enough for Scotland, yes. Are we strong enough for qualifier, risky! . Are we strong enough for champs league , nope! (2-3 ready players needed)
Saint Stivs on 29th July 2025 4:15 pm
Line Nominees Limited 32,772,073 | 34.62%
Bank of New York Nominees Limited 16,875,235 | 17.83%
____
Line nominees = DD?
Bank of new York = lindsell train?
Anyone got PAULS phone number can you tell him I have sent an email that I need an answer to .
Many thanks
CHAIRBHOY on 29TH JULY 2025 5:24 PM
So, in the last two years you do think the club had two separate strategies, an official one outlined to the public that we ignored and another “secret” one that we actually followed?
And that if we had followed the official one we wouldnt have had all the arguments because it fitted with your ideas of how we should be run?
And now we’re following the the official one not one of the secret ones?
“That means their has been a continuity in strategy, even if there hasn’t been a continuity in approach”
Thats the same thing.
Celtic Transfer Market
I have a feeling this may turn into an argument about what the “official strategy” actually is.
I look forward to having it mansplained to me by the newly-expert Chairbhoy
SS
Celtic fans get together and buy all the shares in Celtic… they sack the board and spend the next 20 years arguing about who will replace them…
Celtic40me @ 5:48 pm,
Well we can’t ignore the fact that CQN has been promoting moneyball for many years now.
As Paul67 is ITK, one is left guessing what is his opinion and what is Celtic strategy.
“Tierney our best in decades, but not on strategy”
“….Kieran is the best left back we have had in decades but he not a fit for our development model. You know the rules, if you want to maximise success on the football field, you need to wholly commit to a sustainable development strategy.
A place in the squad, budget and a regular starting slot are all scarce resources we have to devote to build the football club. A player in the Celtic squad should be someone we can improve and who can increase in value while here.
Exceptions are allowed: short-term stop gaps, or a truly exceptional talent who can make a disproportionate impact, but Kieran is neither of these. His talent and injury record suggests he will be offered a decent contract in the EPL as a squad player, there to cover another left back….”
https://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/tierney-our-best-in-decades-but-not-on-strategy/
Clearly CQN is stating that Kieran Tierney is not on strategy.
However, the fact that we signed him, the fact that he fits the criteria as stated by our Chairman, yhe fact that he was warmly welcomed by open arms, makes it quite clear that KT is most certainly on strategy.
So rather than hound me over the confusion on CQN over Celtic’s recruitment strategy, maybe direct it at the blog, which jas clearly being misleading fholk for years
Hail Hail
The Battered Bunnet @ 5:05 pm,
Spot-on Comment.
BSR @ 5:50 pm,
You sure?
I’m sure I saw movement there:))
Hail Hail
THE BATTERED BUNNET on 29TH JULY 2025 5:05 PM
Engels is a talented kid who will become a very good player. Still 21 years old, ‘Will become’ is operative. At the moment he’s learning the trade and improving by fits and starts. Cut him some slack and give him the space to grow.
Idah is 2.5 years older but has just 30 career appearances more than Engels, much of which as a substitute. I’d hazard a guess that they’ve got a similar number of minutes played in senior football. My sense is that he’s got a decision to make on whether to put in the hard yards needed to get to the level needed of a Celtic/Champions League striker. Or not. This is perhaps a career-pivoting season for him.
Trusty turns 27 years old in a couple of weeks. He should be entering the peak years of his career. Perhaps he has already. Or perhaps he will emerge as a ‘late developer’. The concern is that he’s performing at a level no higher than Liam Scales, also 26 years old, also with a birthday next month, also entering his peak years. Let’s hope it’s a statement year for one or other.
Point being, and as others have said, you can’t compare the three ‘big’ signings of last summer. They’re each at different points in their development and on different trajectories. Dispassionately, I’d say the money spent on Engels will likely prove the soundest investment.
———————————————————
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
CHAIRBHOY on 29TH JULY 2025 6:20 PM
The Battered Bunnet @ 5:05 pm,
Spot-on Comment.
BSR @ 5:50 pm,
You sure?
I’m sure I saw movement there:))
Hail Hail
————————————
They’re haggling in The Oxfam shop, and blaming Brendan for no signing an extension he doesn’t know anything about 😂
CHAIRBHOY on 29TH JULY 2025 6:08 PM
I think you should write a book about Celtic:
They say that truth is stranger than fiction but you haven’t read anything like “Peter Lawwell and the Secret Strategies”, full of fun facts, shifting sands, dark conspiracies and confusing anecdotes.
“I might have spent years fighting the good fight against the dark overlords but actually all I wanted was to love and be loved. One day the Official Strategy was reborn (or a new approach was taken or something) and I could be at one with Celtic again.”
Bedwetters…………..
………..UNITE
lol
BSR @ 6:43 pm,
Exactly:)))
Hail Hail
Good evening all from the New Road Inn, Blackpool. A hun free zone as the owner detests them and another of their manky hovels across the road has shut down. It’s a shame so it is. 😁
Celtic40me….
And there you have it…
Lose the argument and decend into facetious nonsense.
Hail Hail
Its tough out there
Between managing the Adds on click bait
To using CQN on a mobile
The pictures you have to look at to discover Jamie Vardy is on Celtics radar
Now I did look at the picture of the woman who is 50+ and is apparently looking for love
But she was never going to get my attention when I saw Jamie Vardy’s picture
Begs the question what is more likely
Me and the 50+ year old or JV in a Celtic shirt
Either way it’s a sad state of affairs
67ECW
imo Trusty would have to improve a hell of a lot to be anywhere near the central defender we require.
SMSM are doing there worst to portray us and Brendan Rodgers in as bad a light as they can
Aided and abetted by so called celtic media, and a few ex players
It was always thus
And will always be
It is always darkest before the dawn
And we have seen many fucking twighlights lol
Chairbhoy, have you ever read Voltaire’s ‘Candide’?
I think you should change your blog handle Dr Pangloss.
Pangloss: “Tis demonstrated…that things cannot be otherwise; for, since everything
is made for an end, everything is necessarily for the best end“
Candide: “If this is the best of all possible worlds, what are the others?”
You twist words, misquote people and infer things that haven’t been said if anyone dares to offer a perspective that’s different to yours, which is essentially give the manager as much as he wants to spend on whomever he wants.
That strategy could be a roaring success or it could be a complete disaster.
Why you, and a few others, cannot attach even the slightest probability to the latter is truly bewildering.
Whit happened to “ The Wrigley spearmint chewwwwwing gum” and the “Macarooooon bar”… money ?
The Blogger Formerly Known As GM @ 7:26 pm,
You guys can gaslight to your hearts content, it won’t affect me
Do you know my wee secret is?
Facts….
I say they’re no losses…. FACT
You accuse me of putting words into you mouth… BULL
Not difficult, not clever not, not faux philosophy
Hail Hail
Eratic 7.38
Morelos ate it.
BRRB
At last some hilarity 👍🤣
🤣
In the words of the immortal Ray Charles
https://youtu.be/mjT5jMKc_B4?si=jpzs-S9WCAVL4JmU
Some of youse might prefer the wee frog blokes version…
The Old board hoarded the club and kept the money to themselves.
We all know how that ended.
Dug needs a wee..night all ….maybe tomorrow? Or the day after ?
ziggydoc1 on 29th July 2025 5:38 pm
aye.
just because you spent £8 million on a player – it doesnt mean you actually got £8m worth of player.
but sure thats what they wanted lasy year, just get them in no matter what the costs.
and now the thoery these transactions lay on dermets desk for a few weeks, piffle.
Maestro on 29th July 2025 8:13 pm
The Old board hoarded the club and kept the money to themselves.
We all know how that ended.
———–
The lawells snorting talcum powder of a certain irish billionaires nipple on the 19th hole next to the neil lennon shower block?
Clunks
Not a pretty picture C. 😳
I don’t want Lennon Miller .
He is not any better than the midfielders that we already have .
We would be wasting multi millions IMHO.
TT