Hearts fans of a certain age know not to get their hopes up, but most in the media (and the bookies) now consider them hot favourites to win the league title. That status was only achieved in the 91st minute of our game at Ibrox on Sunday. Prior to that moment, Newco were the fancied outfit, they now sit third in the reckoning.
Motherwell are not out of the title race yet. They are two points below Celtic having played the same number of games and still have the champions to play twice this season. The old adage that the best defence wins the league should worry everyone else. Motherwell are incredible defensively, having lost just 5 goals in their last 18 Premiership games. That is title winning form.
Sceptics will rightly say even if they win their game in hand, they have seven points to make up on Hearts (whom they will also face twice), but it only takes one team to combust for that to become irrelevant. I don’t expect Motherwell to win the league, but I don’t expect them to finish fourth either. They have the look of Kingmakers. Jens Berthel Askou has achieved miracles and will surely be Manager of the Year.
God love them. At halftime on Sunday, Newco fans believed they were winning the league. Now many want to sack their manager. They have seen this movie before – notably two years ago. If you want to win the league, you need to eliminate Celtic. They had a chance on Sunday and blew it.
As it stands, they remain strong candidates, but Celtic can change that this week. Win at Aberdeen tomorrow and knock them out the Scottish Cup on Sunday, and watch their fans destroy the last gasp of positivity around the club. When fans turn on their own, it is impossible to hit top form.
Not only would a defeat on Sunday have dented our chances of winning the title, the manner of how we played in the first half was more worrying. Just 45 minutes of football ago, Celtic were not tactically fit for purpose. Coming on the back of recent games against Hibs, Kilmarnock, Livingston and Dundee, a pattern was in place.
I don’t expect us to get it as easy as it way in the second half on Sunday again this season. Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate will not get the room they did so high up the field again. Defensively, we are not good enough, having conceded at least two goals in 7 of our last 11 matches. Unless we can shut the back door and learn to play through the block, more points will be dropped.
1986 was the last year Hearts were such strong favourites for a title, which famously evaded them in the last 7 minutes of the season, breaking a 32-game unbeaten run (36 game season) to allow Celtic to take it on goal difference.
Hearts put an incredible run of results together, but were actually fourth best team in the league. They are the same now. Newco deservedly battered them last month, they struggled for a point against 10-man Celtic at home, and we have already established how good Motherwell are.
For me, the title remains in Glasgow. Celtic have Newco, Hearts and Motherwell at home, with only a trip to Fir Park against title rivals. We have yet to show the form necessary to get over the line, but 1986 has another lesson to give. Celtic did not drop a point after a draw at Ibrox in March that year, taking the title in Paisley. Winning this league is very possible, I’m there for it.
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He’s an absolute die hard Tim.
How Rodgers couldn’t make him a Timmy colossus I’ll never understand.
bournesouprecipe on 3rd March 2026 2:42 pm
Kirkshaws Kangaroo
If the Huns kept 2 strikers on the pitch on Sunday it would have been difficult for us to build our way up the pitch.
The Huns with 2 hounding and harassing strikers [like Celtic should have in every game] forced Calmac to play back into a danger zone which led to one of the Hun goals.
This isn’t a dig at Calmac, its an attempt to highlight a FACt that if Calmac hadn’t been programmed that way, then his first inclination would have been to get out of danger.
CELTIC MAC…are you a “vending machine repair man?”
The answer to your question Paul is blowing in the wind. Who would have thought that Motherwell would flip from brawn to brain this season with a slick foreign coach and Stephen Welsh at the heart of their defence!
Aberdeen had a great run of form at the beginning of last season and are the holders of the cup, even Hibs have shown some consistency in the league. Scottish teams are getting their acts together, let’s not forget Falkirk who are giving everybody a game.
It all adds up to an entertaining league but we shouldn’t miss the bigger picture which is, Quo Vadis Celtic ?
Transparency has never been the byword for the Celtic board of directors and in many cases it was justified with many Scottish institutions out to undermine the club, socially and financially.
However in the 21st century the club´s custodians owe it to the centenarian support to share their vision for the future of the club….if they have a vision. The drowsy board has not noticed that the new generations are invested in Celtic to a far greater degree than when games were only played at 3 on a Saturday. They are demanding to be a part of the story
From a distance it seems to me that the guys at the head of the club treat it like a famous old museum or theatre, but it´s the heart and soul of the east end and the people there. As for the fans we need to de-escalate the violent rhetoric, all this importing of the ultras nonsense from Italy and Argentina and beyond has been disastrous.
If there is one thing that current chairman Brian Wilson stands out as, it is as an excellent communicator, either written or spoken. He would seem to me a perfect person to try to build the bridge between the boardroom and the stands. Celtic´s past is glorious but its future is more important.
Gedinte @ 6:30 am,
“TICTASTIC on 3RD MARCH 2026 5:40 AM
I’ve literally tried to find a place in my heart for him, but I think it’s over.”
Some great posts recently…
Agreed on KevJ, many give in tje benefit of the huge doubt…
For me, getting stuck into health workers during the COVID pandemic was the end.
Seeiously nasty piece of work…
Hail Hail
We’ve zero margin for error and Hearts will be far less likely to slip up if we fail to put them under pressure. We simply need to win every game.
One game a week and hopefully Engels and AJ to come back could help us a lot.
Getting Celtic Park back to full capacity and noise for the visit of Motherwell we’ll help us. It seems a no brainer. It seems a very simple thing for the Club to do to help the team.
https://youtu.be/5YuiWebNRJo
Opening Sevco goal
Littany of mistakes
(1) Celtic give away silly free kick in Sevco half, Araujo rattles Moore in R2angers half, pointless and gives R2angers chance to launch a free kick at his RB area
(2) After giving away a silly free kick, Araujo loses the battle in the air
(3) McGregor reads the situation well, an excellent intervention and control of the ball, could have put it out for a throw in, being pressed decides to keep possession, pass to Araujo
(4) R2angers press is aggressive and successful as Araujo is robbed, now the pointless free kick is looking costly
(5) R2angers able to pass and move quickly, recycle ball to other side of our penalty area
(6) Both Scales and Tierney fail to stop the cross across our 6 yard box
(7) Top class execution of an overhead kick
IMO Poor defending all round, Araujo needs to play with the head as well as the heart
tobago street@3.12
Why,….ye got one that’s needing fixed?
CHAIRBHOY on 3RD MARCH 2026 3:29 PM
Gedinte @ 6:30 am,
“TICTASTIC on 3RD MARCH 2026 5:40 AM
I’ve literally tried to find a place in my heart for him, but I think it’s over.”
Some great posts recently…
Agreed on KevJ, many give in tje benefit of the huge doubt…
For me, getting stuck into health workers during the COVID pandemic was the end.
Seriously nasty piece of work…
————————————————————-
Totally agree….he comes on to try and wind folk up…probably because he has nothing else better to do…due to the fact he has no friends….which is very understandable with the way he goes on here….This place would be a much better place if he didn’t stink the place out with his stench….
Now I’m not the Blog Police….and we are all entitled to post our thoughts….but his….are the divisive kind…..it’s what he sets out to do….he’s more to be pitied….but not by me….
not sure if Adamu is good or bad, but I did feel a tad sorry for him on Sunday. H e was totally isolated and got very poor service from his wing men, worth another run out in my book. 4-4-2 got to be on Sunday
KingLUBO
Off subject I know, but my rating of our government has sunk to an all time low. What were they thinking by letting the US use their bases in the middle east and Cyprus, now we are in the firing line, unthinkable.
My mate who lives in the US was telling me there is a growing movement called GROT, get rid of Trump. Now that would be a good start!!!!!!
You have to laugh though, Trump looking for the Nobel peace prize, can’t make it up.
kingLUBO
Hoop hoop Hooray on 3rd March 2026 12:18 pm
There is a stark contrast between your cheerful and positive Blog Name and the nature of that post !!
King Lubo
Are you Peter Grant?
Two loans hooked at half time,
Worrying, – but Adamu is well worth another start. As stated by TBB yesterday getting Tounekti on was the plan meaning Maeda moved into the centre which prevented us seeing Cvancara.
I hope MON starts Adamu or Cvancara as the 9 tomorrow.
KINGLUBO on 3RD MARCH 2026 4:14 PM
He doesn’t need the Nobel prize how he is the proud owner of the FIFA version! Plus that dizzy Venezuelan slid hers over the table like it was a white elephant gift.
GROT is not an acronym I recognize, but the No Kings movement is incredibly popular.
Personally, I just hope that he passes away in great pain before he can pardon all of the malevolent vermin that surround him.
Tictastic @ 4:05 pm,
Well, as I grow older and more mellow – my non-judgemental ethos factors in…
But, we can make an exception, he is wilfully abhorent.
Hail Hail
Hot Smoked @ 4:19 pm,
Eh!!
You do realise, your blog name is…
“Hot”
&
“Smoked!?”
Hail Hail
What happened to the good ole mineshafters & happy clappers ?
rimtimtim on 3rd March 2026 3:26 pm
If there is one thing that current chairman Brian Wilson stands out as, it is as an excellent communicator, either written or spoken. He would seem to me a perfect person to try to build the bridge between the boardroom and the stands. Celtic´s past is glorious, but its future is more important.
*absolutely and fully concur with you there, his Centennial book was well written
can confirm that our Premiership fixture against Dundee will take place at 4.30pm on Sunday 5th April.
Bournesouprecipe @ 4:32 pm,
Bless them all…
Still got my happy clappers T~shirt – NOT
Hail Hail
Don’t want to see Adamu start…..
There is one player, not often mentioned, unless it is to highlight our poor recruitment and lack of backfilling, who is doing a fine job for MON….
James Forrest
His ball retention is excellent and allows us to pin teams in late in the game. He frequently wins corners for us and I doubt any other player in our squad could have dug out such a high quality cross for Maeda prior to the penalty.
His role is as an impact sub now for sure, but he is still a very good player and I expect him to get a couple more important assists before the season is out
TJ
RIMTIMTIM on 3RD MARCH 2026 3:26 PM
Specifically regarding BW, I don’t know if I agree or disagree about his communication skills. The reason that I say this, is because of his reluctance to communicate with authority. Even as acting Chairman of the Board, he needs to be a figurehead, speak softly and wield a big stick, so as to speak.
From the minutes of the meeting with the Celtic Fans Collective, it appeared that there were too many issues that he was unwilling or unable to properly address. It left me feeling like he needed to go back to the board to find out what his own opinion was. Don’t get me wrong, I obviously acknowledge that he has no unilateral authority and should not be pressed into commitments by a fan group in the confines of a single meeting, but I didn’t feel that it set a tone that was encouraging.
Perhaps more importantly, I’m less concerned by his ability to communicate effectively and more interested in his ability to “broker” a deal. In my opinion he has a perfect opportunity to heal the divide between board and fans, even if only temporarily. I said the other day that there is an “olive branch” moment right in front of him – convince the board that in the best interests of the club, it’s time for an amnesty. Allow the GB back in (with appropriate caveats), and make honest commitments to the broader fan base about fan engagement, transparency, communication and ambition. Galvanize the whole support for the remainder of the season with some good faith commitments, buy some time to create and agree the framework, and then get on with that work in the summer.
TOMMY JOAD on 3RD MARCH 2026 4:41 PM
100% agree. I’ve often said that JF is really good at protecting the ball, and importantly, he does it while facing forward! Great to have him fit as an option for minutes off the bench.
CHAIRBHOY on 3RD MARCH 2026 4:36 PM
We used to be just bedwetters, entitled , spoiled.
posted elsewhere
———–
saint stivs
March 3, 2026 4:58 pm
back to 86.
a wee meander to my bhoyhood, there are many parallels with this season, with one notable observation, in 1986 Scotland did have 2 teams who regularly beat european opponents in Aberdeen and United. While the huns were diabolically shite.
That season I went to every match apart from the european 1st round games via Madrid.
I seem to remember, we were written off as early as Novemebr, that rarity of 3 league defeats in a row, heavy defeats at Pittodrie with 4 goals by mcdougall and another 3 goals lost at to United at Celtic Park, and a 3-0 to the worst Rangers team, we still managed to lose 3 nil. Hearts had already beaten us at Celtic Park as well. Whisper it, but sub 20,000 crowds at home was common for many months. I an sure there was a Dundee game with less than 12,000.
Saving grace, the huns were getting lower than us.
We had also lost an epic 4-4 league cup game to Hibs on penalties, and talk on the shammy bus was only the Cup to go for now.
We were 4th in a 4 horse race. United and Aberdeen were in it up until the 2nd last round of fixtures.
We were so bad even after that we drew 6 of the next 8 league games. 2 points for a win though, meant it all kept kind of tight , and even though Hearts had that 32 game unbeaten run, there were plenty of draws in it.
Those eight though, the last one the 4-4 at Ibrox, led on to a last eight straight wins.
The blip, cause there always was one – Hibs beat us 4-3 in the Scottish Cup,
But back to the run in, and 8 straight wins, we were saved by our squad, Danny, Roy, Murdo, Tommy, Choccy , Paul McStay, even MoJo, and several others who had the purple patches of their lives, Owen, Paul McGugan, young Derek Whyte.
We won the league by 3 goals, thanks to all the above and Albert Kidd (and Tosh).
This is in memory of Frankie Gallagher of Greenock. We were coming out of Tynie on day 1. A last minute equalizer from Paul saved us a point.
Frankie said it was a point won, not dropped, and who knows it might win us the league at the end up, so prophetic, and it is these rememberances that means I always have hope in my heart.
We can still do this, but it takes courage, a will to win, and EVERYBODY on the same side.
Bournesouprecipe @ 4:56 pm,
personally, I enjoyed my Dunning-Kruger nomenclature…
It means…
“…a cognitive bias where people with limited knowledge or competence in a domain greatly overestimate their own expertise”
Wonder what that would like!?
In say…
Mibeees…
A football club environment!?
Hail Hail
If anybody plays up front on their own with little service then they’ll be scapegoated for the managers bad tactics, formation, etc.
Johnny Kenny scapegoat????
Back in the day when both Hartson and Sutton were injured, young MON played Larsson up front on his own, and even the KOK’s was dire as well.
So young MON was forced into playing Craig Beattie up alongside the KOK’s.
So why is auld MON still playing with one easily marked striker, especially when the 2 wingers are double marked and the lonely striker is starved of any service, and it is the starved striker who’ll be blamed by fans, and never the unlearning manager!
Adam Idah was driven to the booze because Brendan Rodgers refused to accept that “His” style had been sussed out by skint SPL opposition, with Adam Idah going under the bus to save Brendan’s blushes!
Surely auld MON must’ve saw Brendan Rodgers failed Adam Idah as a lonely starved striker experiment?
Shoorley?
Are the days of anybody at Celtic learning lessons a long distant memory?
Sad are the homes….
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the Bada Bing on 3rd March 2026 4:36 pm
“Don’t want to see Adamu start…..”
Chairbhoy on 3rd March 2026 4:30 pm
Sorry, I don`t get that. My name comes from the fish I occasionally brought down for one or two supporters at CQN Corner.
ie Hot Smoked Salmon.
get me my imaginery flute.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3P1ZblJKLwA
Hot Smoked @ 5:20 pm,
Ah cool…
So it’s nothin’ to do with you being “smokin'” or “hot”…
Kinda makes sense…
Wish we could get decent fish here:(
So fair play…
Hail Hail
So what does that say about you, cheering on innocent people being murdered by mRNA bioweapons disguised as vaxxeens that the mainstream media who educates you were warned not report a single word about this, even with people dropping dead in front of them, and Health workers dancing up and down the empty Hospitals with the lying media and all politicians saying that Hospitals were overflowing with people who refused the vaxxeen.
How many people took your media educated advice?
My conscience is clear.
Sad are the homes….
CHAIRBHOY on 3RD MARCH 2026 3:29 PM
“For me, getting stuck into health workers during the COVID pandemic was the end.
Seriously nasty piece of work…”
Eye lol
Try growing up and you won’t sound like a girls blouse.
Thanks.
Sad are the homes….
Tictastic on 3rd March 2026 4:05 pm
“Now I’m not the Blog Police….”
We are so huge and forward thinking that we can’t even attract the Motherwell manager.
https://celtsarehere.com/celtic-fc-jens-berthel-askou-reject/
Sad are the homes
Flynn @ 5:32 pm,
The charity I work for has the GSF for EOL…*
Decorum, integrity and empathy are essential in this Kev…
Sociopaths find these concepts difficult
I understand that
It doesn’t mean you can impose your crap on us…
*Gold Standard Framework for End of life care…
Hail Hail
” Chairbhoy on 3rd March 2026 5:30 pm
Wish we could get decent fish here:( ”
Hot Smoked Salmon can be delivered and I would recommend it.
Cheerio for now.
I work for a charity will not cut it with me!
That does not wipe clean your hysterical behaviour during the plandemic.
You cheered on a Global Genocide which at the last count has murdered HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of innocent Human Beings of ALL ages.
Your deflections won’t work with me!
Your moral claptrap does not work on me.
Who would win – The Sociopath or the Vaxxeen Genocide POM-POM waver??
You have no cards left.
You played your hand and the handful of us left with traditional Tim honest eyes, see you for what you are!
All of the perfumes in Arabia won’t expunge your stench!
“Your Game,….Your Game is Over,…The Anti Vax Rebels Have Won!”
You need to go for a long shower now, don’t miss the bits ‘between’ the ears!
Sad are the homes….
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Chairbhoy on 3rd March 2026 5:45 pm