Soccer Football - Scottish Premiership - Rangers vs Celtic - Ibrox, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - January 2, 2023 Celtic CEO Michael Nicholson, former Celtic CEO Peter Lawwell, Rangers chairman Douglas Park and Rangers honorary Life President John Greig pay their respects during a service on the anniversary of the 1971 Ibrox disaster in which 66 people died, outside the stadium before the match Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith
Brendan Rodgers is the figure in the dug-out every week and facing the media before and after every match.
Behind the scenes Celtic’s executive team is headed up by Michael Nicholson and Mark Lawwell, the Head of First Team Scouting and Recruitment.
Two months into the job Rodgers has been presented with two central defenders and four project signings- all under 23 years of age and costing between £850,000 and £2m.
Odin Thiago Holm and Yang Hyun-jun have shown glimpses of promise but not even the most optimistic fan would say that either signing is an upgrade on the Starting XI that Ange Postecoglou turned to last season.
Three of last season’s squad have left the club with Cameron Carter-Vickers and Alistair Johnston missing the 1-0 Viaplay Cup defeat at Kilmarnock.
Last season’s quality has been spread too thin with warning signs in the two domestic matches before reaching Rugby Park.
In a month’s time Celtic will be in at the deep end in the Champions League, unless some serious money is spent in the next nine days Sutton fears that his old club could be in for some painful midweeks.
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I think they’ve sat on their hands too much during this transfer window. They let Jota go for £25million, Aaron Mooy has gone, they have injuries to key defenders and they let Carl Starfelt go.
I thought that was a baffling decision as they should have kept him until the end of the window. Carter-Vickers and Starfelt were the rocks for Celtic under Ange Postecoglou. Celtic never lost a domestic game with that partnership. I think Celtic are weaker going into this season and it’s a worry.
Last Friday at his media conference Rodgers explained that his role is to work with and coach the players provided by the club.
For a start we cant buy players from epl wages are a big problem there are top players sitting on the bench cause of ernormous wages its diwn to that and bringing foriegn players in takes time with red tape sfa have proved they dont help celtic with red tape Celtic will sign 5 more players before the close so chris wait till transfer windows over
Still can’t figure out why Rodgers came back. Nothing at board level has changed since the last time he was here. They even brought the despised Lawwell back as chairman. A club with no ambition, always preoccupied with money coming in before it goes out.
As things stand we’re going to get a helluva cuffing in the champions league.
It’s all about the money and bonuses before prestige for the club.
Rodgers can have as many 2 million (or less) projects as he wants, spending 6 or 7 million on first team ready players is another thing all together.
Yep KC67,got to agree with you,I can’t for the life of me think why Rodgers came back under this same board,what has changed since he scarpererd the last time,once more has had project youngsters foisted on him ,that’s why he left the last time,it doesn’t auger well for us at all this season, Rodgers seems to have lost his edge maybe because of what happened at Leicester and just thankful for a job under Pete liewell but something isn’t right at Celtic at present,and I am dreading CL games remembering the hammerings we took under Rodgers the last time and that was a far better team than he has now.
Chris – “I think they’ve sat on their hands during this transfer window”
I’ll be more honest ! (I realise it’s not in Sutty’s interests to use his true feelings in words) –
Clachnacuddin and the Hoops – “They have sat on their fat lard arses and done the square root of serious transfer fcuk all this transfer window”
Lawwell is back in the building – Sevco must be saved and protected –
Sevco will sniff the smell of Lawwell and the historical dithering and therefore sniff blood…
2009 all over again – but with the cash prize next season it’ll be a hell of a lot more than three titles in a row that Sevco could win !
The understanding of Brendan coming back was that he would get his players, now its said he will work with who he is given.
Looks like porkies are being sold to the fans again.
Lawell definitely seems to be heading the same way as previous, filling his pockets with Bonus Profit to the detriment of the team.
After the double L of Lennon & Lawell, neither should have been allowed back in the doors at celtic Park.
Now 50% of the duo are allowed to do same as before.
The team must come first, so Lawell has to go.
As for Brendan he has reintroduced the slow pass back pass sideways into the team again, this reduces penalty box chances, especially playing our sole striker deeper, there is no one up front to receive the ball.
All in the team has gone backwards, players will become restless with some wanting to leave now or in January.
DD has not lived up to what he promised Brendan & now the team suffers.
I expect nothing this season as early signs are very concerning.