Kilmarnock vs Celtic – Matchday 2
Sunday afternoon brings our second competitive outing of the 26/27 campaign as the Hoops hope to once again take all three points on offer to stay in or around the SPL.
This is a strange match to preview as its shrouded in uncertainty. Shaun has been this weeks temporary manager and he may or may not have Martin beside him in the dugout for the tie. In a normal week one imagines they would have analyzed our opening performance and made decisions based on their conclusion after watching the game back, but thats been thrown on the scrap heap by the unexpected illness which forced Martin into hospital and under the scapel. Given this unexpected turn of events our ex winger has been left to his own devices and presumably will try and put his own imprint into our style of play, he may even have picked the team himself.
I haven’t a clue what to expect. I’m unsure how exactly the shoehorn the two strikers into the team without Duran being wasted out wide unless we rip up 4-3-3 for either 3-5-2 or 4-4-2 which both have their own pitfalls. 3-5-2 sees KT and AJ not playing or not playing to their strengths, 4-4-2 would weaken the middle of the park and leave last years top scorer Nygren in limbo, and losing his goals just to play the two strikers together would be an act of folly in my opinion. Fixing our dilemma was surely setback by the unexpected illness, now its Shauns turn to try, or heads could just mind the shop and change nothing hoping the 6 days training together helps everyone gel and improve.
Who plays as our right winger best enjoy it while they can as they will soon be second fiddle to the incoming Hasseim Hassan and if it is Duran again he can breathe a sigh of relief that he’s unlikely to play that flank again.
Kasper Hogh admitted he’s getting used to real grass and theres a dollop of irony in realizing that last seasons pitch would probably suit him better, but the images I’ve seen show a quality playing surface and I’m glad Killie have finally joined the 21st century in forking out for grass. The weatherman says it will rain before and after the match with a two hour break coinciding with play, so it will be a beautiful but slick surface come Sunday afternoon which should in theory benefit the better footballers, and thats clearly us.
We all await the clash with eager anticipation and we all want to be watching when Hogh scores his first for his new club, lets hope its this weekend. I’m confident we have enough in the tank to win and next week shall see reinforcements arrive.
3 points please and another clean sheet would be nice.
Up The Hoops!
By Mahe
sentinelcelts@gmail.com
Frodshambhoy,
have you seen the documentary that includes him being spoken to by the news before his interview for the England job? They were so desperate not to give it to him, they gave it to Ron Greenwood!
I was always convinced he’d have made them European and probably world champions
Fan,
Fotheringham was manager of Huddersfield for a few months (22-23) taking charge for 21 games.
He won 5
Attendees and Introductions
• Brian Wilson, Chairman – committed to regular meetings, open to attending fan forums hosted by
supporter clubs
• Mark Hargreaves, Head of Safety and Security (1 year in post) – stewarding, police liaison, away
fixtures, travel stewards, physical security across Celtic Park, Lennoxtown, Barrowfield, and club
shops
• George Campbell, Head of Legal and Governance – legal/regulatory, HR, safeguarding
• Chris McKay, CFO and Executive Director
• Michael Nicolson, CEO and Executive Director
• John Paul Taylor, Head of Supporter Engagement – new in role, aims to revive fan forums and
improve club-supporter communication
• Paul Mazoyer, Head of Business Operations – ticketing, hospitality, catering, stadium services
• Gerry McCulloch, Head of Commercial Operations – marketing, digital channels, streaming
platform, sponsors, matchday events
• Selected delegates from Affiliation member clubs
Transfer Strategy and Execution
• Recruitment led by the manager; board appoints with football identity in mind
• Data-led process: scouts and data analysts filter thousands of players to a shortlist, briefed 6–12
months ahead of each window
• Two-track strategy over 24–36 months: compete in the Champions League, and create CL-quality
players via the academy and development pathway
• Exit clauses speed deals; without them, selling clubs, agents, and player preferences all add friction
– the club does not give players exit clauses
• Club acknowledged the last few windows have not executed well enough
• Camilo Duran cited as an early positive from the new data-led approach
• Supporters pushed back hard: team on paper is worse than last summer, same mistakes repeated,
signings feel reactive not proactive
• Club response: targeting higher-quality players who have more options, unlike the easier free
transfers other clubs pursue
• Current window: looking to augment the front line, centre midfield, and left back; “live situations”
ongoing
• Delegated authority in place: above a certain contract/fee threshold, the CEO needs board sign-off
Manager Succession and Brendan Rodgers Departure
• Rodgers’ departure was unplanned; succession planning exists but couldn’t anticipate a resignation
• Martin O’Neill (referenced as current manager) confirmed well; was unwell earlier in the week but
recovering
• Supporters questioned whether a clear succession plan exists if the current manager left
• Club response: a list of candidates is always maintained; Martin was the number one target, and
that was not a last-minute decision
• Public statement on Rodgers’ departure was initiated by Dermot Desmond; the board was made
aware but did not collectively agree it
Safety, Security, and Fan Incidents
• Club formally objected at the pre-ops meeting and again 24 hours prior
• Previous plan (Helen Street split approach) was requested; Rangers and police declined to change
• Ticket allocation cut to 700 due to safety concerns; dispute procedures initiated
• Club authorised Rangers fans to leave to avoid a crush, but communication around the holdback
was poor; it took too long to remove speed bumps
• Fairhurst Report published; club contributed and its concerns are documented (available on SAP
and Celtic websites)
• Green Brigade kettling incident: covered by the Fairhurst Report; helicopter footage showed
suspected knives as the rationale for containment
• Motherwell incident: Mark spoke to Police Scotland and the Motherwell counterpart; pre-visit
meetings and stadium walk-throughs planned before the next Celtic trip
• If Rangers propose the same Ibrox ingress plan again, Mark described it as “real alarm bells”
Media, Anti-Celtic Agenda, and Communications
• Supporters frustrated at the lack of public pushback against hostile media coverage (Talk Sport,
Alan McCoist, Daily Record, etc.)
• Staff attacked online with minimal club response; club responds but tries to do so in a measured,
effective way rather than reactively
• Club view: a deliberate anti-Celtic agenda exists in Scottish media, particularly post-10-in-a-row
• Transfer rumour noise is largely driven by media outlets with no inside knowledge filling content
gaps
• Club cannot confirm or deny targets without risking deals, stock market obligations, and agent
relationships
• Supporters’ counter: if the club executes, the media narrative loses power; trust has eroded
because of delivery failures
• Club acknowledged communication has not been good enough; these forums are part of the fix
Matchday Experience and Ticketing
• Toilet facilities: limited access near buses pre-match; disabled and mobility-impaired fans struggling
in the bus park area (health and safety concern flagged)
• Catering: lack of food variety and allergy-friendly options, particularly in certain stands; Sodexo is
the concourse supplier; kitchen fit-out limits options but improvements being explored
• Price increases at preseason games caught fans off guard; club acknowledged the optics are poor
• Short trading window (one hour across ~30 games) limits economies of scale versus the high street
• Ticket office hours: currently closes at 2pm; club to review if demand warrants longer hours
• Digital ticketing: trial with staff planned; hybrid physical/digital option intended; season tickets are
the next phase but not being mandated overnight
• CSCS group allocations add complexity to the digital transition; a data cleanse of season ticket
holders is needed first (secondary market and informal transfers acknowledged)
• Season ticket waiting list: many thousands on it, but the list is not actively maintained; some
holders have moved away or no longer want tickets
• Waiting list closed for new entrants; younger fans and family members locked out
• Membership model under active internal review; fan groups to be consulted before launch
• Family season ticket concept raised; club open-minded
Academy, B Team, and Long-Term Football Development
• Lowland League acknowledged as suboptimal for B team development but currently the only
available pathway for men’s football
• Club has been pushing since 2013 for B teams to progress further within the football pyramid,
including discussion of a competition between League 2 and the Lowland League
• Cooperation agreements with Championship, League 1, and League 2 clubs now in place: young
players can train at Celtic and play for partner clubs at weekends
• B team also eligible for the SPFL Challenge Cup
• Development pathway restructured internally: rather than a separate 19s layer, development
players are now based closer to the first team at Lennoxtown
• First meeting with the new SFA chief executive expected to include the B-team progression issue
• Barrowfield and Lennoxtown: over £25m invested across the estate in recent years; Lennoxtown
described as the best development facility in Scotland
• Barrowfield not being seated: adding seating would trigger stadium regulation, access road
requirements, and planning complexity
Stadium, Infrastructure, and Board
• Stadium is 30 years old; supporter experience improvement is a short-to-medium-term priority
• New No. 7 restaurant opened last week; approximately 22,000 covers per year, predominantly
supporters
• Concourse improvements and additional kiosks under consideration
• Glasgow City Council redevelopment consultation begins on the 21st of this month
Gateway organisation (10-year remit being extended another 10 years) driving residential and
commercial development nearby
• Club and council have not been well aligned historically; club working to improve that relationship
• Hotel and south stand redevelopment plans referenced but no confirmed timeline
• Two board vacancies to be filled; process ongoing, announcements expected
Report
Zero accountability
Naismith Scotland manager? Based on getting sacked after 56 games as Hearts manager….
Bada Bing
SFA have been consistent in behaviour for decades so Naismith fit.s their profile.
They have been steadfast and unabashed in their race to the bottom ably assisted by their brothers in MSSM.
Surprising they are not
BAD@ 10:07
There is our ambition to be World Class in everything we do.
Fan,
We’re so lucky.
Bada 10.47
Excellent summary. I see no mention of women’s team and investment ( maybe I missed it); but leads me to the same conclusion
What’s the point?
BAD, haven’t seen that documentary. I’ll try and find it.
Fan, I’ve just checked. Wilfried Nancy is still available.
Fan re Maloney and Fozzy
Be a safe pair of hands till we get a Manager in. There’s been far too much disruption this past 18 months that continuity is key. Least until October, but they’ll be in place no matter what or who, I suspect.
CalMac must be retained though, he’s crucial to our short term success. Longer term, you can only hope a Donovan or a Murray step up, although Ralston is only 28.
As I said earlier, we’ll bring in a yes man, so I’m not expecting anything radical. The push back will come from the ultra section if it’s Keane, but as they’re both housed together in the standing section ( deliberately of course); then the club will deal with them easily enough from a banning perspective, but that in itself only highlights the issue of middle eastern and world geopolitics amongst our support. That ain’t going away anytime soon.
Bada
I saw a bit more detail about the meeting and my first thoughts were where was the forensic questioning or challenge.
Why do we have money in the bank.
What year(s) did we not spend all our allocation in order to save this money.
If our spending restrictions are due to incone in certain years then what can we use the bank money for without breaking those restrictions.
Why do we pay so much corporation tax a lot of which could be offset with a more prudent strategy.
Does the board see any benefit of getting new players in for preseason to work on strategy and get to know their team mates?
If we have abandoned our scattergun project policy why now when it’s what our multi trophy winning manager Brendan has consistently called for before being trashed by the biggest shareholder.
If the board weren’t united behind dermots statement then which of them were. Why did the board responsible for the governance of the club allow it to be put out. .
etc etc
I would love a no holds barred nothing off the table interview of Michael Nicholson by Bernard Ponsonby. He would chew him up and spit him out.
San Luis
Respectfully disagree.
Maloney and Fotheringham are in no way safe pairs of hand.
Neither have a coaching resume that qualifies them to be anywhere near Celtic!
Donovan, Murray and Ralston have not done anything to be considered good enough.
I ‘d go far enough to say they are there due to the frugality of our board and not for enhancement of or football squad!
The boards not so transparent attack on our ultras will come this season causing more
upheaval so combined with lack of ability/quality of all the above it has potential to be truly disastrous.
Team
We have no wingers that can create. Yang had one assist last season, same as Balikwisha. Yet we persist with 4-3-3 and try and convert a free scoring forward to a winger
Nevin on Shortbread, treating us with contempt
Frodshamboy,
Here it is.
https://youtu.be/haiSQcbEqZ4?si=1nZZeErwFuvYppzL
Bad
If nevens is dissing celtic its because he knows the script to get to work for BBC god they nearly needed a double deck couch to get the ex xuns employed with sportscene .
I saw an interview with wee Shaun a couple of days ago. I think it was from Celtic TV where he discussed Martin etc.
Whilst he may exhibit another persona off-camera, Shaun did not come across as a leader of men – very much a wee boy standing in for the main man.
Worrying times CSC.
I don’t bother with the media in this country and haven’t since 2012. I take my news from elsewhere. Rangers were found guilty of brazen, barefaced and shameless cheating and no one in the media in this country demanded they be stripped of their trophies. Not one scottish politician demanded they be stripped of their stolen trophies. Rangers corrupted the national sport and got off scot-free and no one said a word.
Fred Goodwin was rightly stripped of his knighthood for bursting RBS. He took a kicking in the media and in the Scottish Parliament. David Murray is a tax cheat and should have done some serious time yet he is still a knight of the realm. No one I this country demanded that he be stripped of his knighthood.
We live in a unique society. A society dominated, corrupted and contaminated by a football club.
Gentle reminder – worth doing it when the boards go up on 90 minutes? sencelpoty@gmail.com
dubaibhoy,
That’s only because you’re a big butch macho muthafukka😄
Fan
I think both Donovan and Murray have enough about them to make it at Celtic. Not AJ or CCV levels but certainly on par with the likes of Scales or GT for example. Time will tell.
I think it’s a certainty that the club will go back to war with the ultras.
You just know this is going to be an absolute struggle today. How I long for the days of going down there and winning by 3 or 4 goals.
If Maloney and Fotheringham are “it” for the season, Me thinks I’ll sit this one oot this season !
3 x Kilmarnock Stands with big empty spaces.
Now, this is one of the problems with Scottish Football.
Just do them Celtic….
HH
Fergus at the game.
1-0 Hogh 😁
YASSSSSSSSS
Hogh off the mark 1-0
Great cross from Engels. Teed up perfectly for Høgh
Yesssssss. Høgh, Høgh, Høgh it’s magic…..🎶
Boom!
Some daftie said they were unsure of you Kasper, I’ll be having a word!
Great start, now let’s keep on it….none of this 25mins between attempts pish.
Keystone Kops defending again.
Duran just wide.
Mad mental defending, lucky there😡
Just past from Duran.
Shoulda coulda Duran
Engels 100th game today, will he make 101 .
Corner us.
Great ball by Hogh
Set piece coach? What’s he doing?
For the love of god buy a def midfielder eh
sounds like a good start to the game
saw a report that Maloney in consideration for Scotland job. Frankly, hadn’t occurred to me, but given his experience with Belgium, it makes sense he would be a candidate
Nygren is a real low energy player. Just not involved at all.
AJ not enhancing his chances of a move.
We are all over the place at the back.
All over the place at the back.
Lucky to still be in front.
Killie going for it.