Celtic banter 10

07 Jan 2026 22:32:07
I know that WN decided that he wanted to leave Welsh on loan at Motherwell but does that mean we can't recall him now that we'll be going back to play with 4 at the back? He's been playing out of his skin on loan and we're definitely short on cb's.

08 Jan 2026 00:55:06
It's unreal how welsh a bhoy most fans wanted out didn't rate ( and that's being polite ) now is seen as some sort of rcb messiah. nothing agaisnt him gave everything he had a Celtic man but he reached his level with us and just fell short . just go out and buy a real good one.

08 Jan 2026 06:05:18
On the case that we need cover not a starter then yes he prob should come back, but a strong Motherwell is good for us, to be honest, I'd be giving them there pick of any fringe players while that manager is there.

08 Jan 2026 06:59:33
If a player isn't playing regularly then more often than not he'll have a bad game or two when he goes play as there will be a confidence issue and a fear to make a mistake.

When players are playing regularly the play without thinking about it ( if that makes sense) . So Welsh deserves an opportunity when he does return but it's up to him to take it!

08 Jan 2026 09:46:11
I suggest the opposite has happened to Tony Ralston. Who usually did well as a sub or short term cover, but since he has been first choice his game has went to pot.

08 Jan 2026 10:11:33
Don't mind saying Welsh would be very welcome at this moment especially being right sided.

08 Jan 2026 11:50:14
Use him to get Watt?

08 Jan 2026 13:00:23
Agree DRB, would like us to go out and sign a quality CB. Tiago Gabriel ticks all the boxes mayne apart from the price tag. I would sell CCV in the summer as he's too injury prone, waste of a big wage and his form when fit has been really poor the past two seasons.

A quality CB in now to replace CCV departure in the summer.

08 Jan 2026 13:06:52
The only issue with Tony Ralstons form is that as he gets more game time you have plenty opportunity to realise he's dugmeat.
I would say his position should be the absolute priority for change along with a decent striker.

08 Jan 2026 13:31:14
Welsh and Ralston for me are similar in level in their respective positions.

Welsh has never, ever been Celtic first team material and never will be. Although if we continue to downsize and regress in terms of the standard of player at CP, at the rate we're currently going at, he could be our next captain.

08 Jan 2026 13:34:24
It's a good point Jaa,

we've got a few players who could do a job on loan for the likes of Motherwell, Hibs etc

Bettet for the player, gets them game time and puts them in the shop window.

Our bench, as well as our starting 11 needs to be far stronger / upgraded in the summer.

08 Jan 2026 16:24:54
Ralston was being played out of position.

07 Jan 2026 20:53:35
Question? Who would be against CM leaving this month if we got a 'Decent' fee. I personally, think we can salvage this season under MoN but I think we should keep the captain until the summer. Thoughts?

{Ed007's Note - What's a decent fee for THE worst Celtic captain I have seen in all my 51 years of being on this planet...? I agree with keeping CalMac until the summer but the new manager needs to be given the option of replacing him, if we're clearing the decks let's get them cleared properly.
The captainancy imo has dragged CalMac down.}

07 Jan 2026 21:02:11
Fair play, Ed. Was an innocent question. I take your point. It seems to be weighing on him. Hopefully, we kick on now.

{Ed007's Note - It's a fair question but I just meant what is a "decent fee" in your opinion? £10-12m... £8-10m?

07 Jan 2026 21:09:15
Honestly, £6m + I would bite your hand off.

{Ed007's Note - I just think that it would be best for everyone if CalMac moved on in the summer. I'm not going to diss the guy but time - and other factors - has not been kind to him over the last couple of seasons, since Brown left he has been exposed in Europe time and time again.}

07 Jan 2026 21:30:49
no matter what happens i think midfield needs pruned and refreshed.

07 Jan 2026 21:32:40
I wouldn't be against any player leaving for a decent fee tbh.

07 Jan 2026 21:38:32
He seems to me to be run down. Father time has definitely caught up with him.

It's just a pity that their is very few Scottish players that could push on a few levels and become good Celtic players.

07 Jan 2026 21:43:07
Agree, totally. No harm to the man. He had big shoes to fill after Brownie and has won LOTS! HH!

07 Jan 2026 21:47:47
Why sell players when you don't spend the money or replace them?

07 Jan 2026 21:53:35
Celtic need to keep Calmac to have a much better chance of winning the league.

07 Jan 2026 22:40:39
I said along the same lines the other day for at least the last 2 seasons he has been found wanting. now when he gets the ball he constanly looks for a side or backwards pass instead of driving forward.

07 Jan 2026 23:19:14
That's because it was being drilled into him by Rodgers to "recycle possession" so it will be hard trying to break the habit. I'm sure MON will undo all the bad work done by Rodgers and Nancy and get the players playing to their strengths and winning matches👍.

08 Jan 2026 00:50:29
Agree we need CalMac for the remainder of this season.

Come the summer all bets are off, we need new blood, fresh ideas and a great deal of change as far as tie first team squad goes.

Offers could well come in for CalMac, Hatate etc.

08 Jan 2026 02:10:54
A 22 year old defencive midfielder hopefully coming in will be ideal. Then a striker asap.

08 Jan 2026 03:53:01
Worst XI I can remember

In Nancy's 3421 with Nancy as manager

Gk Barkas

CB Duffy
CB Ambrose
CB Commper

RWB Cha Du Ri
LWB Scheidt
CM Flood
CM Sno

IF Borrigter
ST Bangura
IF Morgan.

08 Jan 2026 07:01:26
That was meant for the thread below🤦‍♂️.

07 Jan 2026 23:36:39
Ed totally agree, who would you have as next captain?

{Ed007's Note - The only other player just now is KT and it's probably inevitable he'll get it but he doesn't deserve it imo.

08 Jan 2026 09:33:49
Not sure if your comment was serious Ed. Worst Celtic captain you've ever seen? Surely not.

{Ed007's Note - 100% serious, I'm 51 so who was a worse captain or bigger pussy than CalMac?

08 Jan 2026 11:32:17
You also have Ian Andrews, Lee Martin, Mo Camara, Bolingoli, Olivier Tebily, Du Wei, Jus Hooiveld, David Hannah, Carlton Cole, and Amido Balde to consider .

08 Jan 2026 12:29:18
Id get rid of Mcgregor now, getting him off the wage bill would do it for me. wouldn't even worry about a fee. Has been utter pish all season and the mess we have been in on the pitch is as much down to his leadership skills than anything else.

He has no voice. Never Captain material.
Short term replacement would be Tierney or Schmeichel til we replace him.

07 Jan 2026 12:46:35
Calmac is ten times the captain brown ever was.

08 Jan 2026 12:35:02
I'm quite shocked at the disrespect being shown to CM. I wish he didn't pass backwards so much but dear oh dear, he's the third most decorated player in our history and if he stays he'll almost certainly surpass JF as our most decorated player.

In addition, many people on this site bemoan players' and managers' perceived lack of loyalty if they leave- where is everyone's loyalty to CM- a club legend. Get rid of him now, or in the summer? Has there been a more loyal player?

08 Jan 2026 13:06:22
Agree with Calmac opinions, good servant but has fell off in the last season and a bit. We need a refresh and proper midfield rebuild with a bit more dig, ball retention and creativity as this current one has stagnated and easy to play through. The players added to it don't look up to it either.

08 Jan 2026 13:12:04
Yer Paul mcstay he was before my time but my dad told me u could've gone anywhere and turned down multiple moves to stay at Celtic and win nothing because he loved the club cm has been Brendaned to much backwards passing and not enough drive to move the game forwards always the easy pass and the armband has hampered him it will be kt that gets it but imo it should be aj that gets it.

08 Jan 2026 15:07:41
Why do we as fans be concerned about transfer fees when the board font dpend any where near the money we bring in. I like it when we spend big money like back in the Origanal MON years when buy Sutton and Hartson.

I hope the board give MON ehat he needs because if we win the league we will have a CL league Qualifier to get through.

08 Jan 2026 15:08:19
We bought Engels who was playing the CM role at Ausburg but have never playerd him there.

Why not give him an opportunity to play in the position he was playing when we first saw him and decided to buy him.

I think if we take Kyogo back he will make the runs that Hatate is missing from our current strikers.

08 Jan 2026 18:37:25
The problem with that is mcgregor I don't think we will see the best of Engels u til calmac leaves unfortunately.

08 Jan 2026 20:19:23
Stephen McManus?

07 Jan 2026 20:44:39
Remembering bad old transfer deals, worst has got to be in the Lou Macari tenure. Wayne Biggins, Willie Falconer, Carl Muggleton, Lee Martin, still gives me the cold shivers.

{Ed007's Note - For the £ spent it has to be John Barnes, Scheidt and Berkovic alone cost about £11m.}

07 Jan 2026 20:59:12
I thought Berkovic was decent, maybe not worth the £6m which was big money at the time, but a decent player nonetheless.

Barkas has to be up there, Efe Ambrose as well.
We could be here all day tbf lol.

{Ed007's Note - Have a look on here and see the dross a lot of managers have signed, it'll surprise you:

www.thecelticwiki.com/transfers-players-in/

07 Jan 2026 21:03:32
I can mind my mates buy Willie falconer drinks and bowing to him at a nite club in Coatbridge next to pub I drank in, embarrassing he was hopeless lol.

07 Jan 2026 21:04:08
If we put things in perspective, for that time Willie Falconer was decent.

07 Jan 2026 21:13:14
Absolutely no worse than Johnny Kenny!

07 Jan 2026 21:11:10
Berkovic was a smashing player, but an absolute person.

07 Jan 2026 21:24:01
Stuart Slater.

07 Jan 2026 21:29:19
Efe Ambrose was very decent when he first came in, but i remember him going away to African Nations and winning tournament with Nigeria I think (think he was Nigerian) Think the final was on something like the Sunday night and we rushed him back for a big European tie, think it was on the Tuesday and he had a nightmare game, was never the same after that.

07 Jan 2026 21:39:24
Digging up some beauties there Ed, Shane Duffy jeez.

08 Jan 2026 01:04:35
True Stevie,
Lenny played him against Juventus and he caused a goal straight away after a few minutes and deflated the place.
We lost 3-0 in the CL last 16 clash.
You're right because he never recovered in a Celtic jersey.

08 Jan 2026 05:57:56
Enjoyed reading that list and remembering the names and performances and fanfares for some of the players. One name jumped out as I read the list not as a bad player but Ki Sung Yeung somone I enjoyed and would be good today but again some belters Mike Jo Inge Berget, Scepovic, Daryl Murphy and the Doumbes god we signed some pish.

Also interesting the names promoted from academy who disappeared amazing where is Francis Turley.

08 Jan 2026 09:15:58
Ha ha Dave was decent for us just remember wanting him to just up his levels a wee bit.

08 Jan 2026 09:34:33
I was a big fan of berkovic - the player.

08 Jan 2026 11:03:26
Did doumbe not score the winning goal in a cup final against Dunfermline I think it was? Buzz could tell us.

07 Jan 2026 18:59:28
Ed,

I read that Odin Thiago Holm has returned to CP from his loan stint in the MLS.

Is there any update on whether he has a future at Celtic F. C.?

{Ed007's Note - I wouldn't think so Ped, he has an underlying health/fitness situation that could cost him any footballing career from what I've read.}

07 Jan 2026 19:35:22
Ah, that's a real shame - I didn't realise that.

{Ed007's Note - 👍👍

07 Jan 2026 20:50:24
He has a calf muscle condition which means after a game he cannot walk, so he is in medication to try and elevaiate the pain.

Poor lad doesn't have a future in football unless they find a miracle cure.

07 Jan 2026 21:49:17
Yes it is a shame as he is a talented boy. I read somewhere he was getting his calf's injected with Botox at one point as an experimental treatment.

08 Jan 2026 09:17:13
Calf injuries are really bad and difficult to heal.

07 Jan 2026 18:37:54
Shots on target conceded by each club in the league this season -
Celtic 59
Hearts 62
Sevco 76
Motherwell 78
Hibs 84

I really can't see past Celtic for the league now that MON is back.
Celtic will start getting clean sheets again because we only conceded One dodgy penalty at Easter Road in Martin's 5 previous league games.
I also think it's time to make Sinisalo our Number 1 starting on Saturday.

07 Jan 2026 19:24:00
Buzz he'll need help if he was hoping with the present squad yes they'll be better but it would be nip and tuck for me.

07 Jan 2026 19:28:18
I agree 💯. I hope we're right!

07 Jan 2026 19:29:13
I think MON will revert to a back four and get more out of certain players. with one or two dropping down the pecking order. Scales really struggled under WN, after being a stand-out for MON and his confidence along with a few others will need a boost. However, I hope Yang continues to improve as he has done.

One thing that does concern me is that we need quality in key positions but some of the transfer cash and places in the squad may have been utilized with players identified by the Nancy/ Tisdale comedy team. Preferably, I would have liked MON and SM to have more say in new players.

07 Jan 2026 19:40:35
Buzzbomb,

those numbers tell a story.

I agree re Sinisalo as I think KS is done and I'd hope he's not risked again as the mistakes are becoming more frequent.

The 3rd choice german GK at Man. City has popped up again in some reports, apparently Pep wants to offload him.

07 Jan 2026 21:02:42
Scales has never been a standout. He maybe the best in terms of form from what is a poor bunch of centre halves.

I wouldn't lose any sleep over any player in that squad being sold in January.

I just hope this bunch don't ruin MON final tenure as Celtic manager.

07 Jan 2026 21:49:51
If Scales would stop wrapping himself around opposition players on the halfway line and knew when to stand his man up and when to tackle he'd be a £20m plus CB!

07 Jan 2026 23:04:25
Scales is very ordinary at best.

07 Jan 2026 17:15:34
Killie under 19s pumped our boys 3-1 in the league Cup, our youths teams and B teams are a joke what is going on, not one plater capable of stepping up, what's the point of barrowfield.

07 Jan 2026 18:31:54
You can't get registered to play in the SPFL with a youth team setup.

07 Jan 2026 18:32:56
Story we were ready to sign Niko Sigur from Hadjuk Split having agreed a deal but as it was under WN it may have stalled.

As WN wouldn't have been looking for players, surely we are still trying to do the deal, as he looks the type of defensive midfielder we need.

Heard anything Ed?

{Ed007's Note - It would have been Tisdale that identified Sigur.}

07 Jan 2026 18:34:33
Cos were recruiting apprentice platers from the shipyards maybe try welders piefitters electricians?

07 Jan 2026 18:54:38
Piefitters 🤣the point is they're not very good.

07 Jan 2026 19:29:14
Should have read without a youth setup.

07 Jan 2026 14:16:40
Good that Martin is back but.
What about the players.

Other posters have already expressed concern about certain players we all know who they are
Kasper his mistakes in recent games are glaring
Ralston his positioning is poor and his passing atrocious
Maeda for about 18 months now he has CHUCKED it
Hatate blows hot and cold, mostly cold recently
Sadly even our captain has been missing in action recently
Kenny some of our Irish posters have raved about him, but to my eyes he is just a very average player
Very few of the remaining squad players get pass marks also
All the players must look at themselves and ask themselves have they been giving 100%
Hopefully Martin Shaun and our other coaches can get whole club firing on all cylinders again.

07 Jan 2026 18:34:28
All fair and valid points/ questions Tim.

It may be worth remembering that MON, SM and bhoys got a tune out of some players who previously, under BR, looked jaded.

We've also already started brining players into the club in this window, and I think between the new faces and MON man management, we could well see the best version of Celtic this season.

HH St. Martin.

07 Jan 2026 19:15:03
They all bottled it and for me, they can all go. Every single one of them bar Yang. I don't care they didn't like Nancy or his system. Boo frckihg hoo. Theybare a disgrace. That includes McGreggor. We get offfered funny Saudi money for a 32 year old, grab it and bringb in better with it.

07 Jan 2026 19:31:24
I've said this already. I will judge the players under a good manager and preferably once this toxic rift has been healed. Hopefully that is sooner rather than later.

07 Jan 2026 19:40:16
You chuck it i'm our jersey, you are dead to me, regardless of what's going on. Unforgivable. I will support them to win us, not them, us, the league, but to me they crossed a line. Saddest aspect of the whole s hitshow.

07 Jan 2026 20:21:24
I have no issue with them not being good enough. It's not their fault, its not their fault they are here. I felt bad for young Kenny and hold no ill will to the lad. The fact he was all we had, is 100% our World Class Board. I don't blame the players for the individual mistakes/ howlers that cost us goals, again, just not good enough and should not be first team picks. Or our bench, who bring very little to the table, if anything.

What I do draw the kine at, is bottling it. We have a team who rolled over. Checked out when the going got tough. Be s hit, miss sitters, give away goals, be unable to pass a ball ten yards when someone equalises, but don't s hite it. I just wanted to point that out. No problem with lads we bought bot being good enough, not their fault. That honour goes to the absolute useless asreholes who set the bugets, haggle over a ten bob bit, if you're young, ask yer da what that is, the recruitment team who bought Balikwisha, Shin, even Tounekti, so far anyway, the Tash, his p rick of a son, all his pals and everybody else that has held us back for years. They can all do one.

07 Jan 2026 20:28:09
You can't blame the players as they also had no idea what Nancy was wanting. The Motherwell game was a classic example, Reo Hatate for instance was playing as a Striker at one point then he was out on the left picking up the ball. No Celtic player knew where a certain teammate would be each time the looked up. Crazy stuff!

07 Jan 2026 21:07:37
You do love Hatate.

He is a disgrace of a player and his Saturday performance should be his last. Empty jersey almost all season and had a cheek to look uninterested when he came on. As much as players like Kenny are just not good enough there was at least a desire to run hard and chase things down.

07 Jan 2026 20:21:24
I have no issue with them not being good enough. It's not their fault, its not their fault they are here. I felt bad for young Kenny and hold no ill will to the lad. The fact he was all we had, is 100% our World Class Board. I don't blame the players for the individual mistakes/ howlers that cost us goals, again, just not good enough and should not be first team picks. Or our bench, who bring very little to the table, if anything.

What I do draw the kine at, is bottling it. We have a team who rolled over. Checked out when the going got tough. Be s hit, miss sitters, give away goals, be unable to pass a ball ten yards when someone equalises, but don't s hite it. I just wanted to point that out. No problem with lads we bought bot being good enough, not their fault. That honour goes to the absolute useless asreholes who set the bugets, haggle over a ten bob bit, if you're young, ask yer da what that is, the recruitment team who bought Balikwisha, Shin, even Tounekti, so far anyway, the Tash, his p rick of a son, all his pals and everybody else that has held us back for years. They can all do one.

07 Jan 2026 20:28:09
You can't blame the players as they also had no idea what Nancy was wanting. The Motherwell game was a classic example, Reo Hatate for instance was playing as a Striker at one point then he was out on the left picking up the ball. No Celtic player knew where a certain teammate would be each time the looked up. Crazy stuff!

07 Jan 2026 14:09:25
Thoughts on if we still win the league?

07 Jan 2026 18:36:57
If we get rhe right players in, couple of strikers and a rcb I do not see how we can't. With Scarrachi and Iheanacho back soon that will also bolster us.

Sevco do not worry me and we have shown that with the right Manager, playing the right system, we have the quality to beat Hearts.

It is possible but we need to go on a good winning run beginning Saturday.

07 Jan 2026 18:38:06
Should win against dundee United and falkirk but Hearts at tynecastle on the 25th will give us a clearer idea if we can win league.

07 Jan 2026 18:42:44
I'm not worried about the title now that Nancy is gone.
That will change if Celtic are still playing catch-up when we reach the split but I expect Celtic to be in charge by then.

07 Jan 2026 18:43:52
4 out of the next 5 games (3 league and 1 SC) will help set MON's stall out for what's coming.

Crucially, one of those 4 is a '6 pointer' away to Hearts.

Confident that with a few new players starting to arrive this month and MON's man management skills we should make it 5-in-a-row.

07 Jan 2026 19:02:37
A yes for me 👍.

07 Jan 2026 19:17:21
Without bringing in better players into the team, minimum of 5 straight in, who also aren't s hitebags, we have no chance. Get them and we will run riot.

07 Jan 2026 19:25:37
We have a better chance now than we did a week ago. But depends on recruitment if we get that right we should be OK.

07 Jan 2026 19:35:48
I am more confident with MON at the helm but my concerns are our fans being banned from the stadium, the toxicity being caused by the rift between board and fans and whether or not the board will get this transfer window right.

While I anticipate their being less turmoil under MON, it is not going away and it will boil up again if we lose games or mess up another transfer window.

07 Jan 2026 17:01:58
I read an article last night that Peter Lawwell has indeed left Celtic.
I've not seen anything today though.

{Ed007's Note - He has, Buzz. It was a nonsense story started by people who really should have known better.}

07 Jan 2026 18:41:04
Yeah the story of him going to another part of Celtic proved misinformed. This was pointed out to me and I went and confirmed on companies house that he had resigned from the board.

However, as I pointed at his time of resignation, he has not left Celtic as he still has his role with UEFA. This was also the case when he left the position of CEO and we all remember how he had a phase return and slowly gained prominence back at Celtic.

{Ed007's Note - I'd think he won't be leaving his ECA role until there is another set of elections in 2027.}

07 Jan 2026 19:13:57
So can Lawwell still be blamed for everything or not?

07 Jan 2026 19:38:27
That would be my guess as well Ed and while that is the case there is always a chance of a return.

That being said if the club wants harmony, he can't be allowed to return.

{Ed007's Note - Peter Lawwell won't be returning.}

07 Jan 2026 20:39:32
Lawellism still pervades every aspect of our ambition. And that's not in a good way. Year after year his bout if Bitton Syndrime cost us £400m and git us knocjed out by alist of clubs most had never heard of before we played them. If anybody wants to quote his kegacy, add in the financial loses incurred through his refusal to buy until we qualified. Still took £3m a season bonus. I called him Bonusball overva decade ago. He took £30m in bonuses over his tenure. In a period where his lack of vision and even financial acumen cost us a laughing stock reputation in Europe. Suffered humiliting exuts to clubs the size of Dundee.

Good businessman my a rse. His ultra safe bull cist us nearky halfva billion. Every single team who knocked us out only did because of Lawell. A CEO of any company who failed to take his company to the biggest market in the world, would be out on his useless ahole in jig time. Lawell did enough tonwin at home and there's bothing to see. So, short answer, yes, he still gets blamed, until we change strategy. His has castrated us for too long. Where we are now has been in the post for years. We all know it. Thanks Peter and dint ket thecdoor hit yiu on the arse on the way out. Or do, after toyr disgraceful atrack on the support fir the sctions of a few bams. Do one.

{Ed007's Note - I wouldn't say you're a bam MP. 🤔😊

07 Jan 2026 13:55:48
Any word on Jota Ed? Stories he was due back Jan but not seen him training with group and MON only mentioned AJ as potentially back in March. Getting him back and fit for the run in would be great.

{Ed007's Note - I think it was a bit wishful thinking with the January timescale mate.}

07 Jan 2026 17:43:51
Wasn't that just the injury / recuperating timeline? He'd then have to do a preseason of sorts . rather slow progress and back and fully recovered / fit than rushing him back.

07 Jan 2026 19:18:50
If Jota is back before March I will be surprised.

07 Jan 2026 15:53:57
Just watched the latest training session from Lennoxtown, looks a wee bit hill billy under the Campsies, keeps 'em zipping about.