Celtic FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2024/25

DenMan

God I hope it's not Gordon Strachan. Paddy Power have him at 33/1. Rafa would be my preferred choice, he'll at least shore up the defense and make the club difficult to beat again. Lampard has a problem getting players motivated and to be honest wouldn't be a good choice. His demeanor is very poor. I don't think Clarke will take it either as he's managing the national team, is happy in international management and I don't think Celtic will take him away from it unlike Real Madrid. You'll never know though.

Stewball

Talk of AVB or Rafa is a bit over the top. I would love to see either of them take over but I can't see it happening.

I haven't seen Marco Silva or Slaven Bilic mentioned - not bad shouts IMO.

Francie Barrett

Why you'd want AVB is beyond me. He ends up getting sacked or falling out with the owners of every club he's at. If he was even willing to take the job, I would be surprised if he lasted the year at Celtic having to deal with the board where funds are tight and any decent player will be sold from under him. In terms of producing results, he's got a pretty dubious record considering he somehow manages to continually manage top teams.

henke

Wouldn't be for AVB myself either and don't think he would take it on anyway with the budget Celtic have. I am not fond of Silva at all. He had no loyalty at all at Watford angling for the Everton job not even 10 matches in and when he eventually got it he failed badly. Similar at Hull. I know there isn't much loyalty in the game but i think his form is particularly poor.

I don't know who is the ideal candidate. Leaning on Rafa but still unsure and don't think they would pay for him.

PauloMN

Clarke would be a good result imo, knows the league inside out, knows the Scottish players inside out obviously and did very well at Killie. I think he'd be a good fit. Rafa would be great, but I just can't see him being attracted to the role.

Please god no candidates: Kennedy, Keane, Strachan, Lampard.

Doctor Jimbob

PauloMN wrote: »

Clarke would be a good result imo, knows the league inside out, knows the Scottish players inside out obviously and did very well at Killie. I think he'd be a good fit. Rafa would be great, but I just can't see him being attracted to the role.

Please god no candidates: Kennedy, Keane, Strachan, Lampard.

Kennedy with Gordon Strachan as assistant to compensate for his lack of experience.

Even typing that made me a bit nauseous.

eire4

There is no question that Neil Lennon screwed up by not seeing and accepting what was obvious to us all long ago. But what is done is done now and I am going to say while he pissed me off this season not seeing the reality so much earlier I cannot hold any grudges against a man who has given so much to this club over the last 20 odd years as a player and a manager. In time we will hopefully find out all the ins and outs of what the hell happened to put us in the stinking pile we are in right now but I will forever say thank you to Neil Lennon for accomplishing so much and standing up for and giving so much to our club for so long.

RoryMac

PauloMN wrote: »

Clarke would be a good result imo, knows the league inside out, knows the Scottish players inside out obviously and did very well at Killie. I think he'd be a good fit. Rafa would be great, but I just can't see him being attracted to the role.

Please god no candidates: Kennedy, Keane, Strachan, Lampard.

I think Clarke is a good manager and under normal circumstances would be a good pick but I'd worry he's not the right man for the rebuild we're facing into this summer.

It looks like we're in the process of hiring a director of football so that may help but I think it will be a tough sell for season ticket holders.

In recent history we've pushed the boat out twice when hiring managers, MoN & Rodgers and both times it paid dividends with CL football and very successful teams. This is where we should be looking again

eire4

RoryMac wrote: »

I think Clarke is a good manager and under normal circumstances would be a good pick but I'd worry he's not the right man for the rebuild we're facing into this summer.

It looks like we're in the process of hiring a director of football so that may help but I think it will be a tough sell for season ticket holders.

In recent history we've pushed the boat out twice when hiring managers, MoN & Rodgers and both times it paid dividends with CL football and very successful teams. This is where we should be looking again

I agree. Given the extent of the disaster this season has been and how large a turnover of players there will be this summer the club will need to push the boat out I think in terms of the calibre of coach that is brought in. I imagine that process is on going alongside the new DOF search.

PauloMN

RoryMac wrote: »

I think Clarke is a good manager and under normal circumstances would be a good pick but I'd worry he's not the right man for the rebuild we're facing into this summer.

It looks like we're in the process of hiring a director of football so that may help but I think it will be a tough sell for season ticket holders.

In recent history we've pushed the boat out twice when hiring managers, MoN & Rodgers and both times it paid dividends with CL football and very successful teams. This is where we should be looking again

That's a fair point.... the rebuild is a massive part of the new manager's task.

Am worried it'll take longer than a season to sort out to be honest, hope I'm wrong. For example, we should have slowly been transitioning Brown's position to someone else, yet Lenny kept reverting back to Brown rather than consistently using Soro for example. Brown is well past it at this stage, good backup for the position, nothing more.

Will be interesting to see how the players react to Lenny's departure now - some of them need to be putting themselves in the shop window if nothing else. I think a lot of the players let him down - I know the manager is ultimately responsible, but some of the players have been a disgrace.

The new manager has a bit of a patchwork quilt of a team really - players who will no doubt be leaving, players whom I hope are gotten rid of, and a mixed bag of players left to build around.

US2

Clarke wouldn't be my first choice but we could definitely do worse than him. If it is him he needs to come now to start this big job, cant be waiting till the Euros are over. Hopefully investment is made early too.
Do 2nd place have champions league qualifiers?

RoryMac

US2 wrote: »

Clarke wouldn't be my first choice but we could definitely do worse than him. If it is him he needs to come now to start this big job, cant be waiting till the Euros are over. Hopefully investment is made early too.
Do 2nd place have champions league qualifiers?

Yeah our first CL qualifiers will be on 20th July just 9 days after the Euros end

CantGetNoSleep

Nice to see Rodgers putting his experience of getting knocked out of Europe early by some Eastern European pub team to good use

paulie21

1-0. Hoban OG

A Dub in Glasgo

Edouard goal surely, it was deflected but was on target

paulie21

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

Edouard goal surely, it was deflected but was on target

Didn't see it. They've changed it to Eddy on FotMob now

A Dub in Glasgo

It was a huge deflection and was probably not a goal if it didn't deflect

A Dub in Glasgo

Finished 1-0, poor game. Edouard is very greedy and still prefers to beat players in the box over shooting or passing to a better placed teamate

eire4

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

Finished 1-0, poor game. Edouard is very greedy and still prefers to beat players in the box over shooting or passing to a better placed teamate

Totally on the money about Edouard. Whether its greedy or not I do not know but he needs to pass the ball more or look to shoot quicker when inside or around the box too often he just dribbles into multiple defenders until he losses it. But he is a young lad still and if he can refine that part of his game there is a really quality player there.

Overall very similar game to the 1-0 Aberdeen game 10 days ago. Although in the second half this time we were still dangerous on the counter and I though we defended better. Last time I though we were going to blow it but this time I never felt like Aberdeen would score.

Kingdom Bhoy

Cracking podcast about the Glasgow Irish.





https://celticfanzine.com/the-sound-of-the-glasgow-irish/

US2

St Johnstone have officially ended Celtics dominance.

A Dub in Glasgo

US2 wrote: »

St Johnstone have officially ended Celtics dominance.

We all know that it was really Lennon

eire4

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

We all know that it was really Lennon

In fairness I put a lot of the blame on Peter Lawwell as well. For too long his interference in first team matters has hurt as both on the kind of players and managers we can and have got IMHO. But your point is fair too.

US2

If we beat Dundee tomorrow Rangers will win the title at Celtic park officially. Can see us putting in a performance of the season and winning 6 or 7 nil ha. Good thing Celtic Park will be empty I suppose

TheCitizen

eire4 wrote: »

In fairness I put a lot of the blame on Peter Lawwell as well. For too long his interference in first team matters has hurt as both on the kind of players and managers we can and have got IMHO. But your point is fair too.

It goes back to Lawwell. When we had Rodgers, Lawwell pissed him off with his usual tight arsed fiscal policies and then when he left he didn’t replace him with a manager of similar caliber. Lennon came in did ok initially but when it went pear shaped Lawwell and the board did nothing and left him in charge until the league was fully gone.

Lawwell is going, hopefully we’ll see a different more proactive and ambitious approach and direction from the custodians of the club.

I see we’ve been linked with Michael O’Neill today on BBC rumours pages, hopefully only a rumour but if there’s any truth in that at all that we’re even considering that, then we’re going nowhere.

eire4

TheCitizen wrote: »

It goes back to Lawwell. When we had Rodgers, Lawwell pissed him off with his usual tight arsed fiscal policies and then when he left he didn’t replace him with a manager of similar caliber. Lennon came in did ok initially but when it went pear shaped Lawwell and the board did nothing and left him in charge until the league was fully gone.

Lawwell is going, hopefully we’ll see a different more proactive and ambitious approach and direction from the custodians of the club.

I see we’ve been linked with Michael O’Neill today on BBC rumours pages, hopefully only a rumour but if there’s any truth in that at all that we’re even considering that, then we’re going nowhere.

Don't worry Michael O'Neill is not going to be the new Celtic coach.

TheCitizen

eire4 wrote: »

Don't worry Michael O'Neill is not going to be the new Celtic coach.

No, you’re probably right, but it could be someone at Celtic saying you could have got Michael O’Neill here’s John Kennedy instead. Kennedy would be better than Michael O’Neill.

Hard to know what’s happening at Celtic and if we’re going to see any ambition or not.

eire4

TheCitizen wrote: »

No, you’re probably right, but it could be someone at Celtic saying you could have got Michael O’Neill here’s John Kennedy instead. Kennedy would be better than Michael O’Neill.

Hard to know what’s happening at Celtic and if we’re going to see any ambition or not.

I can tell you it will not be John Kennedy either.

US2

Roumers its the man City u18 coach. That could just be because the new DOF is coming from city

A Dub in Glasgo

Celtic very wasteful in front of goal having 10 shots on target and 14 off target so far. A draw would hand the title to Rangers today

PauloMN

Sums up the season to be honest, had Bain's face not been in the way we'd probably have lost that game, even with all those chances. So wasteful in front of goal. Massive rebuild required, I fear it's going to take a while to put right.

RoryMac

Absolutely unforgivable that we gave 10 in a row up without a fight. For a title to be done an dusted so early is an embarrassment any season but even moreso this season given how far ahead we were over recent years.

Brewster

Hard luck lads, it wasn’t to be. It wasn’t won or lost today, I think for me it was lost when Rangers won the Old Firm derby in January. I think the confidence Rangers got from that victory was immense and they have just never let up. Celtic still have a lot to play for this season, they need to take something from remaining two OF games and Scottish cup is still there to win. Lots of work to do over coming weeks to lay down a marker for next season. The new manager is clearly going to have lots of work to do, but the fight back must start now.

US2

Brewster wrote: »

Hard luck lads, it wasn’t to be. It wasn’t won or lost today, I think for me it was lost when Rangers won the Old Firm derby in January. I think the confidence Rangers got from that victory was immense and they have just never let up. Celtic still have a lot to play for this season, they need to take something from remaining two OF games and Scottish cup is still there to win. Lots of work to do over coming weeks to lay down a marker for next season. The new manager is clearly going to have lots of work to do, but the fight back must start now.

Congratulations Brewster, enjoy the celebrations.

Brewster

US2 wrote: »

Congratulations Brewster, enjoy the celebrations.

Maybe a message more appropriate for the Manchester United or Rangers forum today US2!

A Dub in Glasgo

Brewster wrote: »

Maybe a message more appropriate for the Manchester United or Rangers forum today US2!

Glasgow city centre tonight looks more like May 2008 Manchester city centre

Broxi_Bear_Eire

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

Glasgow city centre tonight looks more like May 2008 Manchester city centre

Hope you aren’t implying there was trouble yeah there was lots of rubbish but that’s it. Oh and I don’t agree with what they did

Pogue eile

Broxi_Bear_Eire wrote: »

Hope you aren’t implying there was trouble yeah there was lots of rubbish but that’s it. Oh and I don’t agree with what they did

The Celtic shop an Argyle street got a nice makeover as well!

Congrats by the way, most deserving champions and by far the better team as proven in Europe as well.

Broxi_Bear_Eire

Pogue eile wrote: »

The Celtic shop an Argyle street got a nice makeover as well!

Congrats by the way, most deserving champions and by far the better team as proven in Europe as well.

Yeah heard that absolute disgrace there area always some idiots. Thank you

Badabing

Hard to know where to start really. New manager should be in place by the end of the season so he can get a look at the players. At least 4-5 will be moved on or sold so we should be looking at replacements ASAP. Buld the team around Turnbull he's very good. Griffiths gone Ajer gone. Keep Brown on as a coach if new manager wants him around.

Pogue eile

Badabing wrote: »

Hard to know where to start really. New manager should be in place by the end of the season so he can get a look at the players. At least 4-5 will be moved on or sold so we should be looking at replacements ASAP. Buld the team around Turnbull he's very good. Griffiths gone Ajer gone. Keep Brown on as a coach if new manager wants him around.

I'd be happy enough to keep Griffiths if I'm honest - Eddie is gone for sure so someone of Griffith's experience and caliber, and probably as important as anything familiarity with the Scottish League, will be invaluable. The foregoing is all subject to him actually being fit - physically and mentally.

Would agree re Brown, one of the very noticeable traits of Celtic this year is that we have become easy to play against a 'nice' team, need to get a bit of bite and dare I say it nastiness back into the club - nice guys win fcuk all and too many Celtic players are coasting along and not an ounce of aggression to be seen.

Get Damien Duff back as well, I don't think it was any coincidence that when he left the wheels came off and it is clear that Lennon was leaning on Duff a lot. Sean Dyche - Damien Duff - Scott Brown that would be my choice of set up - no point in putting up fanciful names that are totally unrealistic.

I see Roy Keane doing his interview for the job yesterday, the thoughts of it make me sick to be honest and I know some will disagree. I said earlier that nice guys win fcuk all, but Keane is a different level of nastiness altogether and someone that angry simply can't operate rationally, thanks but no thanks Roy.

RoryMac

I don't think the re-building task in the summer can be downplayed, it is going to be massive and we need a decent level of manager to take it on.

With our loan signings all most likely returning to their clubs we're going to at a minimum need a GK, a LB, 2 RB's, 2 CB(assuming Ajer leaves), at least 1 striker(most likely 2 as I think Griffiths needs to go) and probably a couple of midfielders to add strength/replace players that leave. It's an absolute mammoth task and will be made all the more difficult the longer we wait to appoint a new manager.

We need to be pushing for the new CEO to move across as early as possible to get things started, I'd hope as soon as the 6 Nations are over this is something that can happen. Can't leave it until the summer for him to start and then find his feet.

I hope DD & the board have a plan and are working on things behind the scenes but I'm doubtful

US2

McInnes has parted company with Aberdeen..

TheCitizen

Pogue eile wrote: »

I'd be happy enough to keep Griffiths if I'm honest - Eddie is gone for sure so someone of Griffith's experience and caliber, and probably as important as anything familiarity with the Scottish League, will be invaluable. The foregoing is all subject to him actually being fit - physically and mentally.

Would agree re Brown, one of the very noticeable traits of Celtic this year is that we have become easy to play against a 'nice' team, need to get a bit of bite and dare I say it nastiness back into the club - nice guys win fcuk all and too many Celtic players are coasting along and not an ounce of aggression to be seen.

Get Damien Duff back as well, I don't think it was any coincidence that when he left the wheels came off and it is clear that Lennon was leaning on Duff a lot. Sean Dyche - Damien Duff - Scott Brown that would be my choice of set up - no point in putting up fanciful names that are totally unrealistic.

I see Roy Keane doing his interview for the job yesterday, the thoughts of it make me sick to be honest and I know some will disagree. I said earlier that nice guys win fcuk all, but Keane is a different level of nastiness altogether and someone that angry simply can't operate rationally, thanks but no thanks Roy.

Griffiths should be first out the door. He’s had his fill of the last chance saloon

TheCitizen

RoryMac wrote: »

I don't think the re-building task in the summer can be downplayed, it is going to be massive and we need a decent level of manager to take it on.

With our loan signings all most likely returning to their clubs we're going to at a minimum need a GK, a LB, 2 RB's, 2 CB(assuming Ajer leaves), at least 1 striker(most likely 2 as I think Griffiths needs to go) and probably a couple of midfielders to add strength/replace players that leave. It's an absolute mammoth task and will be made all the more difficult the longer we wait to appoint a new manager.

We need to be pushing for the new CEO to move across as early as possible to get things started, I'd hope as soon as the 6 Nations are over this is something that can happen. Can't leave it until the summer for him to start and then find his feet.

I hope DD & the board have a plan and are working on things behind the scenes but I'm doubtful

We can only hope but the last few years are anything to go by there will be little movement. Chat about Maresca with Harkin as DOF. If that’s what they want, do a deal with City to get them released early and put them to work immediately.

Everything at Celtic unfortunately has been left on the long finger in recent times. Lawwell has been asleep at the wheel for at least a couple of years. He’s sitting there now having announced his departure at the end of the season and doing nothing at all apparently.

Pogue eile

TheCitizen wrote: »

Griffiths should be first out the door. He’s had his fill of the last chance saloon

First European qualifier or even SPL game who are your three strikers in the matchday squad?

I get the frustration with Griffiths but we cannot afford to let him go, Eddie is gone no question so we are left with Ajeti and Klimala and some cheap League one player that we might pick up in the summer - things might be bad now but they could get a lot worse very quickly. Quite simply in the position we are in and mindful of the players we are about to lose, we do not have the luxury of getting rid of Griffiths and for all his faults and fitness issues he is a proven goal scorer.

TheCitizen

Pogue eile wrote: »

First European qualifier or even SPL game who are your three strikers in the matchday squad?

I get the frustration with Griffiths but we cannot afford to let him go, Eddie is gone no question so we are left with Ajeti and Klimala and some cheap League one player that we might pick up in the summer - things might be bad now but they could get a lot worse very quickly. Quite simply in the position we are in and mindful of the players we are about to lose, we do not have the luxury of getting rid of Griffiths and for all his faults and fitness issues he is a proven goal scorer.

If Griffiths is still here next season we’re going nowhere. Edouard will be gone, he’s in the last year of his contract but we’ll still get 15 to 20m for him, so use that to replace him.

Pogue eile

TheCitizen wrote: »

If Griffiths is still here next season we’re going nowhere. Edouard will be gone, he’s in the last year of his contract but we’ll still get 15 to 20m for him, so use that to replace him.

We will do well to get 20m, lets split the difference and say 18m. You need two minimum and probably three strikers from that if you discard Griffiths.

I know exactly what you will get for that type of money - another pair of Klimala and Ajeti's - be lucky to get 30 goals between the four of them!

Let's just imagine for a second that we have a Champions League qualifier this weekend for arguments sake and Eddie is injured, who out of Klimala, Ajeti or Griffiths would you be happiest with up front? It's still Leigh for me and the thoughts of either of the other two as first team strikers fills me with dread.

TheCitizen

Pogue eile wrote: »

We will do well to get 20m, lets split the difference and say 18m. You need two minimum and probably three strikers from that if you discard Griffiths.

I know exactly what you will get for that type of money - another pair of Klimala and Ajeti's - be lucky to get 30 goals between the four of them!

Let's just imagine for a second that we have a Champions League qualifier this weekend for arguments sake and Eddie is injured, who out of Klimala, Ajeti or Griffiths would you be happiest with up front? It's still Leigh for me and the thoughts of either of the other two as first team strikers fills me with dread.

I’m hoping that Celtic will appoint a DOF and a forward thinking manager and with Lawwell out a forward thinking vision at the club. If that happens Griffiths won’t be around. It’ll take time to bring in that kind of change but he’d be first out the door if we see changes like that.

Pogue eile

TheCitizen wrote: »

I’m hoping that Celtic will appoint a DOF and a forward thinking manager and with Lawwell out a forward thinking vision at the club. If that happens Griffiths won’t be around. It’ll take time to bring in that kind of change but he’d be first out the door if we see changes like that.

I hope you are right, but I have my reservations! All the above goes against everything I have ever known of Celtic, maybe the penny has finally dropped.