Brendan Rodgers is a master of what to say and what not to say. Blame, well, “I can’t fault the players”. So not the players then. He adds, “However, if you want to progress, then, as I said, you need to bring in quality.” Is that pointing the finger of blame? There’s plausible deniability; I’m sure if asked directly, Brendan would wax lyrical about the support he received from Dermot and Michael, but plausible deniability does not cut through publicly in football. You, me and Brendan know that.
Martin O’Neill made it clear at an AGM 20-something years ago. With Dermot Desmond sitting a few seats along from him, he explained that it was not his job to worry about development, finances or sustainability. His job, as he saw it, was to campaign for better players. It was up to the board to hold their line and worry about what they needed to worry about. Martin was always charmingly frank.
The upshot for today is a degree of urgency which means the manager will inevitably get what he wants, just like last summer, when we spent £26m on Idah, Engels and Trusty. Celtic have the money to back Brendan like this again, I fully expect they will.
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Celtic looked a bit better in yesterdays game, ESPECIALLY when SHIN YAMADA was involved !
In the space of his 45 minute Debut, he looked an UPGRADE on IDAH and KENNY.
I was impressed, he looks to be a PLAYER.
I know its early days but SHIN YAMADA has given me more hope for the season ahead.
HH.
https://youtu.be/511vOsX5cpI?si=nb6kqdojrpCF_Z-S
https://icdn.thecelticstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IMG_1846-1536×1152.jpeg.webp
Many thanks to the 16 other Bhoys who made it along to the SHIPBANK on Friday.
It was the biggest turn out for a wee while.
Sadly, I can only manage about Six Pints these days due to my health. I can’t drink the way I used to.
HH BHOYS.
Celtic v Al Alhi yesterday….Players from BOTH teams were slipping about.
Apart from Shin Yamada, young INAMURA did not look out of place either. He continues to impress me.
HH.
BIG JIMMY
Hi Jimmy
It’s always good to see you even just for a little while. take care and keep well my big friend.
All you others that were there it was good to see and meet you too.
KEEP THE FAITH
Part 1
https://youtu.be/DtpZBmTFVic?si=L2-Tsqmbm_qwPWb5
Part 2
https://youtu.be/N7wJ2cYHzEo?si=xN3abJd6yZlBaT3J
Part 3
https://youtu.be/YfXWLnjQ234?si=P4FNe8zzaE03eXR6
Remembering 30 years ago ACSOM series Saving our Celts
tonyrome on 27th July 2025 10:21 am
BIG JIMMY
Hi Jimmy
It’s always good to see you even just for a little while. take care and keep well my big friend.
All you others that were there it was good to see and meet you too.
…………..
Cheers TONY BHOY.
HH Mate.
Inamura has all the attributes to be the defensive Mid we’ve been looking for!
Like everyone else I want new signings in sooner rather than later.
We all have our own interpretation of what Brendan has said. Mine is that he says he wants reinforcements but at the same time reassuring and praising those that are giving everything just now.
I don’t see subliminal messages to the board or signs that he’s quietly raging.
Just a manager doing what good managers do.
Getting the best out of his players even though some know they will be replaced.
This doesn’t apply to Tilio who is either terrible or desperate to leave or both.
Think the new away strip looks great.
B T if you are about are you still at same address?????/
TonyRome
Good to meet you on Friday.
Also Tom McLaughlin and Sipsini, both of whom I met for the first time.
It was a great afternoon out.
Six days until Brendan gets what he wants?
Zero confidence with this Tim.
Go on Celtic prove me wrong.
Chairbhoy @ 5.59
Thanks again for the cornflake reading.
“The why Brendan will get what he wants” was a wee cracker for the weekend, these articles certainly don’t write themselves . There’s not a Celtic fan on the globe that isn’t somewhere even in tiny recess of their mind not thought about the squad or the transfer market, in fact we knew it was always going to be the talk of the summer steamie some in between the Gowf, the Rugby, and even the Pretentious Moi who we learn take in the test match between Parkheed trips. We’re a broad church of great supporters even those reading their phone, in the middle of Lidl.
The all conquering unbeaten Brendan voyages for some reason seem to bring out the worst in Celtic supporters who’d prefer a ‘lower tier’ type manager a legend or two, a straightforward forward yes man, we’ve tried all of them, Let’s face it, this debate started on BR’s reappointment and only gets quelled when we win another title his record means nothing, they look down on him and want, any old Barabas.
The ‘why Brendan will get what he wants’ certainly doesn’t seem to refer to his new contract, if the transfer market so far is anything to go by, or buy, the data base seems to be suddenly suspiciously empty of the talismen more Celtic supporters than not are waiting for. The type of player that separates us from Sevco,- are we to stay down and mix it, with our old firmist friends?
The three musketeers Idah, Engels, and Trusty have won nothing but trophies, their only crime (or noose round their necks ) is being a Brendan ‘ signing ‘. If the elite coach we have, goes next summer will the supporters be safe in the knowledge that he’s left behind a fully professional modern recruitment team and system?
Waiting for the board to “ pony up” indeed, and as if to rub salt in the open wounds M.O.M James Forrest.
Hail Hail
Bournesouprecipe
For clarity
Celtic won a treble in 2022/3 in Ange last year.
He left a strong winning squad.
We signed the 3 you mentioned for significant money.
Despite an absolute car crash of a main rival (lost to QP) we won a double with the first of these on penalties in 2024/5. We also had a losing record in games vs our car crash main rival for season.
You seem to suggest that is progress ?
Of course our manager won’t mention his contract extension. He has not signed it. He has 10 months to go. No ambiguity there.
BIG JIMMY
Inamura gets my vote for man of the match yesterday. His passing was slick and accurate.
On reading back I noticed a few different versions of the penalty shootout result and not one correct.
It was 5-3 Celtic. Sinisalo saved Al-Ahli’s 3rd penalty and didn’t need to take their 5th spot kick as Celtic were already 5-3 ahead.
Would it be fair to suggest there is a hint of irony in the fact that James Forrest the evergreen has twice now been a huge influence and key player during Brendan’s two stints at the club.
Despite an absolute car crash of a main rival (lost to QP) we won a double with the first of these on penalties in 2024/5. We also had a losing record in games vs our car crash main rival for season.
You seem to suggest that is progress ?
——————–
92 points, 112 goals, 17 points above the 2nd place. A record goal difference of 86.
So what that the car crash klub gained 7 points against us and we only got 4.
I see no progress in them.
We also had 7 games in europe were we didnt get beat, significant improvement over previous seasons.
Just out of curiosity ….
And a genuine question BTW …
What do people think we would have achieved last season if we’d signed nobody, nobody and nobody instead of Adam, Arne, and Auston?
(I think I’ll start calling them Triple-A)
My guess.
League winners and just missed CL last 16 play offs.
B78 – I’m not automatically unreceptive to your concerns about Brendan.
I like the guy and am glad he is our manager.
That said, no one is perfect and certain things he says or suggests bother me just a little bit.
That’s on one side of the fence.
Here’s the but.
When it comes to measuring his success, the relative strength or weakness of our perceived nearest rival …
… is, IMHO, totally irrelevant.
Football success is not a comparative concept but a superlative one.
Its binary pure and simple.
You are either the best – in which case you win trophies, or you are not, in which case you do not.
This comparative stuff?
O*d F**m BS that needs binned.
“Ah but …”
“we beat you in that game”
“we’re coming”
“Dessers is better than Idah”
“Butland is better than Schmeichel”
“Tubby is better than Arne”
Yap, yap, yap.
Cheap “If my auntie was a man” talk.
https://www.67hailhail.com/match/celtic-tv-blast-referees-actions-minutes-after-dangerous-tackle-on-james-forrest-vs-al-ahli/
A bit of a theme for me under BR and perhaps even Ange.
Noticeable in Champions League last season and across perhaps 5 of our preseason games.
Both Portuguese teams, Newcastle, Ajax, Al-Ahli.
They have players who appear to be able to automatically put the boot in.
Without even a giving it a thought.
Got me thinking – what players in our squad would be willing to stick it to an opponent as if it was the most natural thing in the world ?
My list was very short.
AJ, Ralston, Welsh, Engels, Maeda.
We’re still a small group (stature wise).
Not a catastrophe but if we are a small, soft group?
Hmm.
Hmmmmm. The “strong, winning squad” left behind by Ange “won” 2 points from 18 in the Champions League and clearly needed to be UPgraded.
We lost three first team players in Jota, Starfelt and Mooy and a fourth (Abada) soon after.
And we brought in………
Getting a bit worried about Engles, never showed up again last night.
Nygren looking by far the better option.
Think Bernado had a decent game last night … still not sure about him though, tends to disappear in games….
Shin looked lively….Sort of prefer calling him “:Yamada” to “ Shin “ though 🥴
Window closes 1st September , don’t suppose we will get anyone in until 31 August as per 👍
https://x.com/Celticcurio/status/1949058585411133476
those new dugots, going to be a nightmare sitting behind them now,
Of course it gave us an “old firm title race” so what more could you possibly want…….
Good to hear you rate Shin Big Jimmy – I haven’t seen any of the friendlies but the vibe I get is that BR will have options in a number of places on the pitch
Saint Stivs on 27th July 2025 2:05 pm
https://x.com/Celticcurio/status/1949058585411133476
those new dugots, going to be a nightmare sitting behind them now,
_____
😮 I used to sit behind there but a few rows up. Wouldn’t like to be in front row. Maybe it’s higher than what it seems in the photo.
Inamura looks like really good player but I think he’ll need time/development from a defensive perspective playing here. Lost the ball a few times yesterday, just due to a bit of a lack of experience and defensive acumen (albeit I liked it when he out -muscled one of the big Saudis). The boy Donovan, has looked good, but he was skinned a couple of times bybtgecwude player (I guess a high quality one). I thought that he needed to get closer to the winger (What Tony Ralston should have done also against Ajax). Really liked that Donovan was ready to get in amongst it after one of our players was fouled. I think we’ll have Shin, Idah and a new number one striker 🤞. Plus, of course, two brand new wingers. James Forrest was great last night. Not only with his usual great football brain but he skinned the guy with pace a few times. Hopefully we don’t have another groundhog week of expecting a few good yins in, that don’t transpire.
BURNLEY78 on 27TH JULY 2025 12:42 PM
Bournesouprecipe
For clarity
Celtic won a treble in 2022/3 in Ange last year.
He left a strong winning squad.
We signed the 3 you mentioned for significant money.
Despite an absolute car crash of a main rival (lost to QP) we won a double with the first of these on penalties in 2024/5. We also had a losing record in games vs our car crash main rival for season.
You seem to suggest that is progress ?
Of course our manager won’t mention his contract extension. He has not signed it. He has 10 months to go. No ambiguity there.
Of course our manager won’t mention his contract extension. He has not signed it. He has 10 months to go. No ambiguity there.
——————————————————
Thanks, but I was there, we’ve won the league twice since and Ange has been sacked.
You’re the only person on CQN that thinks there’s a contract extension in black and white to be signed – most if not everyone, don’t know whether there is or not. Could it be there, in your rush to condemn Brendan Rodgers even when it’s disguised as your ‘daily worry and concern’ .
Not sure why winning the league (twice) and making a better fist of Europe can’t be seen as anything other than progress, never mind standing still or going backwards. Player for player ‘progress’ is semantics at Celtic, you can’t do it, when the player going out costs £18M and the player that comes in might be 250K, progress in measured in trophies, Rodgers has them a plenty.
The ball is in the boardroom to back the ‘elite coach’ if he leaves of his own accord and there’s zip evidence he will, – we’ll all move on too.
“ Who let the dugouts “!!
Sorry couldny resist 🥴🥴
This is the photo Saint Stivs asked for.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/X2mFr6SoqugmuDv79
Back to Basics
I maybe didn’t articulate my point so well.
By comparing to nearest rival …. All I was doing was emphasising we actually had NO significant domestic challenge last year.
Our only credible (????) rival was in chaos from 60 days pre season when they spoke of downsizing and of not having a home stadium to play in for the first couple of months the of the season. No CEO or Chairman for several months and a manager who was a ‘dead man walking’ .
Despite all this we still needed penalties to win one trophy and lost in the final of the other to a much more limited alternate ‘rival’ who had finished 5th in the league.
In the league we were ahead by a distance but in the bigger games we also seem to have faltered. Losing to the second placed club on a couple of occasions including a comprehensive defeat at new year.
Overall we have gone from beating a good rival to a treble in 2023 to scraping a double in 2025 whilst spending significantly.
Brendan is a very good manager , I’m sensing a ‘but’ , however it’s pretty clear that Celtic are always on the look out for better players , so why do we need the manager to engage in a running commentary about bringing in quality. Other than airing our washing in public , (do they enough quality and on and on it goes) , at one level it must undermine team morale and encourage other teams to up their asking price.
As the season progresses and especially after every defeat , the elephant in the room , of Brendan not signing a new contract will become deafening. All outcomes are possible
Interestingseasonaheadcfc
Wow. Huge credit to India in the test. Terrific gutsy effort by a transitional team. I certainly didn’t see that coming. What a great advert for a test cricket this series has been.
Bournesouprecipe
What is the relevance of Ange being sacked ?
He took his team to CL, winning a European Trophy despite significant recruitment constraints.
As for our CL performance I doubt many would have thought we would not have got to a last 24 position given the fixtures we had drawn. I have yet to hear anyone who could have handpicked easier fixtures for us. Go try do that for yourself.
All Ireland men’s senior football final between Kerry and Donegal about to start on RTÉ1 and BBC NI. If David Clifford plays his A game I reckon Kerry will win. If Jim McGuinness gets his tactics right Donegal have a real chance.
Head says Kerry, heart says Donegal.
Kerry winning 10 – 4 points after thirteen minutes.
Kerry now winning 14 – 8 now. Twenty seven mins gone.
Europa League winners
Champions League runners up
Hand picked…..= zero credit