Sandman’s Definitive Ratings – Lesser Hades v Celtic

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Callum McGregor of Celtic celebrates
Callum McGregor of Celtic celebrates during the Scottish Premiership match between Heart of Midlothian and Celtic at Tynecastle Park on January 25, 2026. (Photo by Zak Mauger/Getty Images)

CALMAC – 3/10 – The skipper’s worst gig of the season, by far. Never seen him so off the pace, out of sorts and critically unable to really knit any combination of passes in the middle. Overrun and dismissed too easily by lesser players.

Arne Engels of Celtic
Arne Engels of Celtic and Marc Leonard of Hearts contend for an aerial ball during the Scottish Premiership match between Hearts and Celtic at Tynecastle Park on January 25, 2026. (Photo by Zak Mauger/Getty Images)

THE TERMINATOR – 3.5/10 – About on par with his captain; expected to take up the mantle and offer some guile from deep, but despite appearing game for a physical contest he, too, shouldn’t have been second-best to most disputed balls; in particular being out manoeuvred by his runner who scored their opener.

Benjamin Nygren of Celtic celebrates
Benjamin Nygren of Celtic celebrates a goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Hearts and Celtic at Tynecastle Park on January 25, 2026. (Photo by Zak Mauger/Getty Images)

NEGAN – 5/10 – What an absolutely splendid strike. And then… Then the sum of hee-haw. A total contradiction of a player; incredible instinct for scoring, incredible hapless anonymity outwith that knack. “Thou shalt sign a Swede in summer ’25 who will be top-scorer in the League by February ’26,” foretold the prophet, and we’d have expected a generational King Of Kings worth his weight in gold. We got a conundrum valued in Chicken McNuggets. Flaming snake-oil salesmen…

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About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor David Faulds has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

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2 Comments

  1. If Celtic manage to win the league it will be with the weakest title winning squad in my memory.
    As an adult I have been a supporter for 60+years.
    Cal Mac is no longer able to dictate midfield and has no support.
    MON and coaching staff working wonders with what they have.
    As for the match officials it has been ever thus.
    Hail Hail.

  2. Similar to you JOHNG —I have been actively supporting Celtic for 71 years . A poor team and the decline could be seen coming for the last two seasons under BR . Journeyman players , brought-in just to keep ahead of the Ibrox Ploughboys and it has backfired on the whole club . This policy was further exasperated by the engagement of :- Paul Tisdale and Wilfreid Nancy—–Where the F##K did they get those two ????
    No left-back to cover when TIERNEY went off at Tynecastle——What the F##K is going on with the B- team & Academy players ? Surely a club of Celtic’s stature should have ” Oven ready ” young players ready to step into the First-team squad , when required . Top English teams do this so why not Celtic ? Or are the Board mis-managing our ” Half-time Draw ” ticket money also ? The present Board are running around with there heads in buckets , thinking they are performing ” World -Class in everything they do ” ?
    They are a crowd of amateurs in Celtic blazers who fail to realise that even despite Celtic’s vast resources ; we now have a team which is no better than most of the lesser clubs in the SPL . A Board who , try to save money by investing in “Bargain Basement” players who are surplus to requirements by other clubs , or are , ” past their SELL-BY date . The Celtic support do not deserve this and they should not suffer these clowns any longer . They bring in Martin O’Neil as a BUFFER to save their backs just as the British Crown established the Orange Order to save their backs in Northern Ireland .
    We are now in the Twenty-first century and the vast majority of the Celtic support are wise to your , “Cheap-skate” tricks—Your days are numbered ; just like some of your players like : – Like Tierney , McGregor , Hetate , Maeda , Yang , Engels , McCowan ,Forest ; to name but a few —-Some have been great servants to Celtic and some have failed to produce but no organisation can progress whist carrying ” Lame Ducks ” . There is no sentiment in business ; the time for change is at hand and as Jock Stein stated , ” The Celtic jersey does not shrink to fit inferior players ” .