Celtic Manager Brendan Rodgers during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Motherwell FC at Celtic Park, on 5th October 2025. Photo Mark Runnacles IMAGO/Shutterstock
THE NOTAPRODDYGAL – 6.5/10 – Some say he’s a lucky manager. I say he’s a flaming lucky manager. Crushed the songbird kid’s confidence on Thursday, buried it today by leaving him on his XBox. Hooked the goalscoring striker and won’t play the other strikers we’ve got waiting and hungry to impress, for… Reasons. Threw Daizen down the middle in a ploy that hasn’t worked all season, as we fell into a chuck-it-at-them-and-see-if-it-sticks show, but came up smelling of Gucci Essence Pour Homme.
I’m not buying the optics and the platitudes and the ‘elite’ analysis – he got away with one as much as CIA sharpshooter Never-Fail-Freddy, stood on a grassy knoll in Dallas in 1963 with a smoking gun amid chaos, saying to approaching cops: “Might’ve been that fella hingin’ oot the book repository windae…”
MIBBERY – 6/10 – Bit of a choker there, eh? Cream-yer-kecks moment for the VAR pen; a clip which they’d uploaded to porn hub within seconds of it being scored, categorised under ‘Goatworriers Delight’ Few dodgy break-up fouls given and outrageous impediment of Celtic players ignored – Daizen on a breakaway; nothing to see there… But, ultimately, even with the begrudged extra seven minutes, we’d ruined their weekend within three. And Falkirk compounded that when they got into the dressing room. Har-de-har.
A banner held up in the crowd by Celtic fans during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Motherwell FC at Celtic Park, on 5th October 2025. Photo by Mark Runnacles IMAGO/Shutterstock
OVERALL – 7/10 – That was a good day. Didn’t look like it for much of the overcast sabbath but the sun shone on the Hoops eventually. Not an easy proposition this new claret and vomit side; drilled, disciplined, with added athleticism to counter you and run the legs off your hussled midfield. We’d handled ‘Well quite well (one for punned-alliteration goofballs there…) but an air of threat hung around the organised way they move up the park. And it came to pass in a costly way, twice.
Luckily their goalkeeper is on fentanyl for nerves and contributed to our resurgence with a delightful slipped pass to Negan. After that, the momentum was with the Bhoys and you hoped it was going to be another late-show classic. Credit to The Hoops for the drama and the belief. Looks like we might have properly woken up to the fact we’re in a fight for our right to party.
Go Away Now
Sandman
Danny McGrain, David Potter & Willie Fernie – what a combination!
Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter. Out now, order your copy at Celticstarbooks.com
Celtic in the Eighties and Willie Fernie – Putting on the Style both by David Potter. Photo The Celtic Star
Danny McGrain has signed the remaining batch of Celtic in the Eighties so hurry to get your signed book!
Ordering is simple, just place your order for Celtic in the Eighties at celticstarbooks.com/shop and we’ll do the rest, ensuring your copy is signed by Danny PLUS a complimentary Willie Fernie book dispatched by the next working day, whilst stocks last,.
Celtic 3-0 St Mirren, Scottish Premier League, Celtic Park, 15 May 1982.
Celtic captain Danny McGrain collects the championship trophy as Roy Aitken looks on. Photo The Celtic Wiki
Danny McGrain signing copies of Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter. Photo: Celtic Star Books
Please note that stocks are now running very low indeed and the book will NOT be reprinted. Click on the image below to order. Please note that postage will only be charged on ONE book.
Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter. Out now on Celtic Star Books. Click on image above to order.
Brendan’s big flaw this season to date is keeping faith with Calmac.
You believe he needs a minder to flourish.
He didn’t need a minder in previous seasons.
Unfortunately Calmac is in decline and shouldn’t be an automatic pick..
His problem is physical not mental.
The break should see a reset.
Treble on.
Hail Hail.
I do believe he needs a ‘minder’ Jhn, precisely for the reason you stipulate – physical workload.
He’s lost a yard of pace BUT not the cognitive genius of a natural born footballer.
So what I’m saying is get someone in there closer to him than ever before to give him the time he can’t buy himself. He’ll still pull the strings and play the pases as well as ever if we facillitate that.
When does BR decide that Calmac cannot perform for 90 mins?
A great player in decline different from Daizen having a loss of form.
He knew when he retired fom Scotland duties that the legs weren’t there.
I hope I’m wrong.
Keep scribbling.👏👏👏
Hail Hail.
Bit generous to the MIB. i’d give him for adding the
correct stoppage time
39
27 28 27 27
28 32 28
28 29 23
“You’re only 29
Got a lot to learn
But when your business dies
You will not return”
What Celtic needs is youthful spunk and risk-takers playing for their future not the final salary schemers and mortugees preferred by consecutive Celtic managers. Ben Summers(21) & Osmand(20) trained with 1st team on Friday but were not even on the bench of average age=25 years old. Starting eleven 29 years old average.
Jock Stein will be turning in his grave. O’Neill the last manager who reared several Celtic-class 1st team players through the ranks more than 20 years ago – i.e. Maloney, Marshall, Kennedy and McGeady.