Last season we were competing in the Champions League, this year we now hanging on by our finger nails in the Europa League…
That to me is our board’s incompetence laid bare. Heads should be rolling but instead it was the manager, the one who warned us all what was needed, who paid the ultimate price in losing his job. And other than some angry words directed at them at the upcoming AGM that will be as far as it goes for the Celtic Board who can do no wrong. Or so they think anyway.
The fall in standards at Celtic Football club in the past 12 months has been nothing short of remarkable. From competing in the Champions League and going toe to toe with Bayern Munich to blowing a domestic treble, eliminated from this year’s competition by a bang average side, and sitting second in the Scottish Premiership seven points adrift of Hearts, for heaven’s sake.
That’s a serious slide in standards, and once again disproves the entire ‘world class’ rhetoric pitched by the Celtic PLC board. Not that we didn’t know already.
The biggest part of the problem is of course those who run our club. Last year they were roundly lauded for backing Brendan Rodgers to the tune of £27 million as he bolstered our squad with big money signings Arne Engels, Adam Idah, Auston Trusty, and Luke McCowan who was also brought on board.
Granted that spree was financed by Matt O’Riley’s move to Brighton, but they reinvested it all the same.
Results and performances on the park reflected our investment as the team went on a terrific run of form, even in the ultra competitive Champions league. However we hit something of a roadblock in January when the sale of Kyogo was sanctioned to the tune of £10 million, the Japanese striker wanted to go but hasn’t found grass greener anywhere else whether that’s in Brittany or indeed Birmingham.
Sure, Jota was brought back for a hefty £8 million, but we failed to replace the bubbly and energetic Kyogo and the goal threat he provided, which would come back to haunt us in more ways than one.
It left Daizen Maeda and Adam Idah as our only recognised strikers, and we received further blows towards the end of the season when Jota suffered a serious ACL injury, whilst Reo Hatate also endured an injury setback. Although not as serious as the Portuguese, but still serious enough to rule him out of the Scottish cup final.
We threw away that final, blowing a great chance of yet another treble, and losing Kyogo, and being denied the services of Jota, and Reo were one of biggest factors as to why. We should have bolstered our ranks better in the winter window that’s for sure.
You’d think we would’ve learned our lesson in the summer, but no. Nicolas Kuhn was sold to Como, Adam Idah to Swansea, along with Kyogo and the temporary loss of Jota, that was a severe amount of assists and goals taken out of our side.
Not one of them was replaced with a similar or better option. Seb Tounekti looks promising and it’s early days in the case of Michel- Ange Balikwisha, whilst Kelchi Iheanacho brings us some experience, but not to replace or upgrade the most vital cog in our side, has severely came back to haunt us.
Second in the league, and fighting for the chance of a Europa league play off spot. Standards have clearly fallen in just 12 months, and heads should undoubtedly roll.
But other than Brendan’s, we know they won’t.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
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![Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter]()
- Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter, personally signed by Danny McGrain
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![Willie Fernie - Putting on the Style by David Potter]()
- Willie Fernie – Putting on the Style by David Potter
Don’t agree at all. We replaced Taylor with Tierney and Sarrachi, didn’t lose anyone in midfield but added Nygren, yes Kuhn and Idah left from the team that pushed Bayern, should that alone constitute the ‘alarming’ slide? Nope. In fact, somehow the board are at fault for the lost treble but not the success in Bayern? Losing two players from Bayern meant we couldn’t beat Kairat? Yeah, transfer window could have been much better but Brendan sanctioned Idah, Kyogo and Kuhns transfers, and I believe played games because he’d backed himself into the ‘I’ll stay for 3 years’ corner. The man who was almost universally hated for walking out on the ten, is suddenly walking on water and seen as the second coming of the big man, wake up. Board have to take some responsibility but St Brendan, and his Gucci belt, was the catalyst that caused this rot
Brendan Rodgers to blame. This article is silly.
Yeah he failed to sign a striker in January and again in August and failed to sign a right winger in the summer too. He also failed to warn anyone who’d listen that three quality signing were needed – on top of replacements. So yeah it’s all Brendan’s fault.
There is absolutely no question who is to blame! It has to be shared 50/50 between Brendan Rodgers and the most gullible of gullible so-called fans on the planet who bought into his garbage for a SECOND TIME, allowing themselves to be turned on the board, and subsequently the club and team as a result of their inability to see the forest for the trees!
The rose tinted specs on for St Brendan again, the board have major failings ( let’s be honest here, Desmond is the board) but this seasons failure to be where we should be is the fault of Rodgers. The level of performance in Dundee , Almaty and Hearts were completely unacceptable and his failure to take responsibility while constantly telling the players, in public, they weren’t good enough should have seen him canned. The “failure to replace Kyogo” narrative needs challenges as well, he was a marginalised and frustrated figure by the time he left, ground down by Rodgersball.
4 board lackeys i see!!