They Embarrassed The Hoops
Morning, all.
Well, that was a bloody disaster last night. I wasn’t alone in thinking that the tie was far from over, even though we had a three goal advantage going into the second leg. I wasn’t alone either in thinking that if LASK can score three to wipe out our lead, they can score four just as easily. What I didn’t expect was for us to be four goals clear with less than an hour of the tie to play…
And ship five!
We knew this was a decent side who played very much on the front foot. We knew too that we needed our wingers to perform and take the heat from the defence and midfield. Nope, none of them did. We needed the middle of the pitch to be a battleground, and we barely won a skirmish. We needed to protect the defence, protect the ball, avoid giving them an opportunity. Instead, it was “After you, Claude” all bloody night.
In truth, this was a performance that’s been threatening in every game so far-even though we’ve won them all up till last night. LASK were cutting us open at will, just as they did last week. But our domestic opponents had been doing that to us earlier this month too, and we all saw it.
And yet, and yet…it could all have been so different. We started well enough, coping with the initial onslaught of the home side. We even went ahead on the night (giving us that four goal cushion) when CalMac hit one from the edge of the area. It was deflected past the despairing goalie, and even the most pessimistic of Celtic fans must have been humming Zadok The Priest. Aye, that was until Nygren took a turn at the wrong end.
Four goals and four assists so far, and last night was his best assist of all. I’ve no idea what he thought he was doing, but I do know that he passed it straight to the LASK attacker with only the goalie to beat. How we survived till half time having only lost one goal, I do not know. We barely had a shot at goal after our opener, barely strung two passes together, and if I’m honest? If I didn’t have an article to write, I’d have turned the telly off two minutes after half time.
That was all it took for them to go ahead on the night, amd it only took another ten minutes to get their third. Our chances of holding out for the remaining thirty-odd minutes were slim, as were our chances of actually scoring one and knocking the wind from their sails. Of course, they got their equaliser in the dying moments, just as we were beginning to harbour some hope again. They scored the clincher in extra time, but it was just a formality. We had collapsed like a house of cards, as shambolic and disgraceful a performance as I’ve seen in some time.
We deserved eff all, we got eff all. Apart from a damned good thrashing, which is what happens when you are completely outplayed and outfought. We can say goodbye to most of the rumoured signings too. Smashing…
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Above article by BMCUWP
Sevco sign the Korean winger and the striker from Portland. Another $17 million. Not sure how they can afford this. Strike that – they cant.
but the league is about to get a lot more interesting.
MIT
They’ve spent big, signed 13 odd players and are still in the Conference League. Mental by them.
Sunday games ffs
Big Audio Dynamite
August 26, 2026 11:20 am
Callum first goal and Lask winning 4-1 @90mins – 700-1.
William Hill.
Don’t suppose you’ve got a time machine handy 🤔
Bada
Schmeichel last night said the players hate the Thursday Sunday grind cos it screws up their home life.
I would guess they can’t hate it that much
What was lacking was any structure or leadership.
good teams have a system. But the system is flexible enough to allow good players to improvise and flourish within it.
sometimes coaches/teams have off day. Maybe just set up wrong. In those cases, the manager needs to adjust formatuion and shape. Didnt see anyof that from MON.
and if the manager fails, it is up to the players, particularly the senior and key players to show some leadership and adjust. KT is the only leader, and (i) he doesnt seem to be able to last 90 minutes, and (ii) he can only influence the play so much from left back, particularly when the problem is in the middle.
will be interesting to I see if Celtic are still favourites to win the league after this week. Probably will be, but I expect the zombies odds will shorten considerably.
You have to think that a total collapse / capitulation of that magnitude and nature is going to have a significant knock on effect on the team this season.
M.I.T
This is the odds today
An absolutely disgraceful performance overall last night. Even when one up and the original eleven on the park, we failed to match the LASK players in commitment in nearly all positions. The defence was under siege for the most part but our midfield may as well have been in St Conval’s CSC sitting beside the Kilwinning contingent. To say we had too many passengers in midfield would be an understatement…they all were!
Nygren’s nonchalant pass was the straw for our camel.
The subs were mostly woeful but Luke McCowan got more sweaters in Linwood than there are swear words in a dictionary.
He certainly was not well named as having a ‘Luke’ was the one thing he never did.-
Lost the ball almost every time he had it – which was often.
The only thing I disagree about with fellow SCs is that MoN is not “au fait” with present day football; he’s not been living in a cave since he last managed. He knows what we needed but only got half of it as The Board ONLY got £32 million in sales and had to spend £33 million in purchases, so panicked and reverted to normal.
If thats what lask done,imagine what psg or real madrid would have done to that pitiful unfit team.dont even want to imagine it.we will get turned over in euefa cup also.so buckle in !
Any players to be registered for EL,deadline is 11pm next Wednesday
” we tried right up to the last minute…….etc”
C76
I saw that this morning. But I suspect it will change.
Players yesterday showed they are not as mentally strong as perhaps we had thought. Have to wonder how much yesterday will impact the players going forward.
The only thing I disagree about with fellow SCs is that MoN is not “au fait” with present day football; he’s not been living in a cave since he last managed.
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I found that commentary across several blogs and threads. And I think do people know what they are talking about ?
Did you every watch MON as an analyst for the tv and think he is talking nonsense.
He remains knowlegable and insightful, and I am sure he spotted were we were going wrong last night, and would attempt to fix it, but for me very simply, he didnt have the staff available on the bench to actually make a difference on the park.
For me again, it is a collective mentality, they bottled it, didnt stop trying but just couldnt match the other team physically and mentaly.
Hogh again looked up for it in the first half, but into the 2nd he is looking around at players with misshits, short passes, not crossing, and shaking his head. Duran put in a shift but again, he looks around and things why didnt the ball go over there instead of there.
45 minutes not to lose 3 goals.
That John James article, losing a tie, after being 4 goals up, a 1 in 2000 occurance.
dearie me.
I personally hate the “defensive mid” cry, and instead think , why cant the current mids just defend better. They are proffessional footballers after all.
I make it 7 home Saturday games before the split,less if Sky pick one or two
Another way we screwed up last night by the Board’s criminal dithering and negligence was to lose the 6 co efficient points we would have gained just by qualifying for the Group Stage, which would have put us ahead of Der Hun for the first time in an eternity.
I’ve been cheered up a little on realising that nearly 50 folk have still been bothered enough to nominate 3 players from last night’s game. Not every player played terribly and someone has to get the MOTM! Polls close at 9pm and results out not much later. sencelpoty@gmail.com
If Rapid Vienna gub Hearts today, will the Austrian league totally own the SPFL?
HHH @ 4:37
Bada
Schmeichel last night said the players hate the Thursday Sunday grind cos it screws up their home life.
For someone who did 10 years of working 6x 12 hour n/shifts finishing at 6am on a Saturday morning and restarting at 6pm on a Sunday night, my heart bleeds for them. At least these useless feckers are getting to do something they like. 🤬
INIQUITOUS IV
August 26, 2026 5:44 pm
Another way we screwed up last night by the Board’s criminal dithering and negligence was to lose the 6 co efficient points we would have gained just by qualifying for the Group Stage, which would have put us ahead of Der Hun for the first time in an eternity.
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The vicious circle completes.
I really do wonder if CFO/CEO jobs were on the line at all.
Was there any board demands made ? you must absolutely qualify for the CL league.
If not , why not ?
We wont take the EL serious either, we didnt last season.
Millions missed in payouts and attendnaces.
Even bigger gap in finacial rewards (and coefficient points) this season.
It was a gift horse, and we couldnt bloody handle it .
You ever loss a match that you were 3 up with a second half to play ? I find it almost unbeleivable.
CCB
AI says for season 26/27 we have bought £29.3m worth of players and sold £37.6, so £8.3m surplus!
On Luke here’s a stat
“The 28-year-old gave the ball away to the Austrian champions 19 times – having only entered the pitch after 71 minutes, replacing summer signing Mika Baur.”
Saint Stivs and CCB,
From what I’m reading, Martin’s subs were on him and is getting the flack for making a James Hunt of it.
As for our midfielders should be able to tackle, McGregor, McCowan, Nygren, Tounekti etc, don’t have a tackle in them. A Lennon, Broonie, Hartley, Wanyama they will never be. Why we’ve waited so long for an enforcer is puzzling
HH
So the mighty Sabah and LASK go to the Big Show. All 4 of today’s ties are even, but they are likely to be joined by the mighty AEK, Celje and Viking. Norway may have 2 teams in the Group Stage. Meanwhile, the feckless, useless Board have us yet again outside in the cold looking through the window.
Anyone expect limp biscuit Lucan to conclude any business in the next 7 days? Me neither.
Regardless of what the quality of Der Hun signings turns out to be, it can’t be denied they get them clinched a hell of a lot faster than we do. If we don’t stiffen from middle to back, whether by signings or loans, we won’t win the league. CCV and KT simply can’t withstand continuous 3 games a week, and we are simply a ramshackle shell without them, and last night, with them.
SAINT STIVS
“I really do wonder if CFO/CEO jobs were on the line at all.
Was there any board demands made ? you must absolutely qualify for the CL league.
If not , why not ?”
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Hi Saint:
It’s almost as if their KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) include NOT qualifying for the CL league.
Because it looks like they do everything humanly possible to achieve that dismal goal.
HH
INIQUITOUS IV
Forget the defensive mid tackling!
How about midfielders coached to be a cohesive unit and each to be clear in the role designated to them.
Players can thrive when they understand the role they are coached to understand.
It was obvious last season and this that they have zero clue about responsibilities and whatever system we are supposed to to have!
Prestonpans bhoys
August 26, 2026 6:05 pm
On Luke here’s a stat
“The 28-year-old gave the ball away to the Austrian champions 19 times – having only entered the pitch after 71 minutes, replacing summer signing Mika Baur.”
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Hi Prestonpans bhoy:
Makes you think he had a bet on.
For me, he should NEVER don a Celtic shirt again. Offer him back to Dundee for free. He cost us far more last night than the piddly £1M we paid for him at the last minute of a window.
HH
INIQUITOUS IV
Just turned the mini’s game on and noticed the pitch is in a terrible state.
As the Austrian League is only 3 games in, I wonder why the pitch (and last nights – not an excuse) are so poor?
Is it down to the weather?
Mini’s 1 down 😁
Back to playing qualifiers in July,magic…..
Bada,
The Board might include a home qualifier in the Season Book 😁
So how do you purge a parasite infection without killing the host?
I think the days of Scottish European football is now officially over
….and I don’t mean communion hosts
Mini’s just epitomised Scottish fitba.
Missed a sitter to equalise then seconds later down to 10 men, second booking, first was soft.
HH
Mini’s equalise from corner after VAR Review.
Hearts 1-1
Showing the type of fight and attitude that we lack.
Seems like most of the big mouth summer sentinels have abandoned their logical pragmatism for the sounds of silence
SAINT STIVS
“I really do wonder if CFO/CEO jobs were on the line at all.
Was there any board demands made ? you must absolutely qualify for the CL league.
If not , why not ?”
——————
Me again, Saint.
Celtic shares were down 5% earlier today.
Where is the fiduciary duty to shareholders, financial stewardship, or long term value creation?
Mackay and Nicholson are simply flailing, like fish out of water.
HH
INIQUITOUS IV😊
One of Rapid’s subs rejoicing in the name Furkan Demir.😊
AI BUT WHY IS HIS RENUMARATION NOT DIRECTLY MEASURED AGAINST CL QUALIFICATION
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4. Sporting Performance vs. Financial Bonuses
In football governance, a CEO’s personal KPIs are heavily weighted toward commercial sustainability and infrastructure, whereas on-pitch performance (e.g., winning titles or avoiding relegation) is typically designated to the Sporting Director or Head Coach. However, high-profile executives—such as Manchester United CEO Omar Berrada—operate under bonus-heavy structures where ultimate payouts correlate to the club qualifying for the lucrative UEFA Champions League, making sporting success an implicit KPI. [1, 2, 3]
Lyon facing Fenerbache after a 1-1 tie in Istanbul.
They played an entirely different 11 players against Toulouse in the Ligue 1, and won the game!
Now that’s what one would consider a deep squad, and being maximally prepared for the playoff. Whether it’s enough to beat a very experienced Turkish side remains to be seen.
Superb goal by Calvin Miller, up 4-3 on agregate.
Apologies – I messed up my usual ‘acknowledgement message’ that goes out to anyone who emails in their votes. Rest assured that if you sent it to the correct address (sencelpoty@gmail.com), I’ve recorded it! Results in an hour.
Rapid Vienna are above LASK in the Austrian Bundesliga on goal difference, yet a Hearts side, missing a few players from last season, is winning 2-1 in extra time.
What does that tell us?
AEK Athens 1 Levski Sofia 0 (1-0).
Tilio on for Rapid.
Hearts with 6 subs, Miller limping.
@San Luis – August 26, 2026 10:20 am
‘Sitting on piles of cash is beyond stupid, but it points to the Boards fiscal policy being successful in pst ten years , going from a £4m loss to £80m in reserves.‘
Not sure I can really agree with this one. The cash pile is evidence of the transformational effects of CL participation on our finances.
And, in a fantastic irony, we largely have Rangers to thank for that – their buttressing of the Scottish coefficient enabled 3 consecutive years of SPFL winners gaining direct access to the competition.
But for Rangers’ European endeavours and, assuming no direct entry, those 3 years of CL participation would not have been achieved – on current form, we would have been lucky to qualify once and the cash balance (or lack thereof) would be reflective of that.
In any event, too much discourse re our finances is concentrated on a belief we are teetering on insolvency (or would be, should we invest), as opposed to considering the consistent failure of our executives to utilise capital to drive future growth and returns and/or have any sort of competence to manage risk and reward (the mention of debt sends some people into a tailspin).
Re seeing off teams with a fraction of our resources – that analysis makes sense if the investment in our team was reflective of the financial advantage, but it isn’t.
We finished yesterday’s game with:
Sinisalo – £1m;
Ralston – youth product;
Murray – youth product;
Trusty – £6m;
Scales – £100k?;
CalMac – youth product;
McCowan – £1m;
Hatate – £1m;
Tounetki – £5m (bought in a blind panic on last day of the window, i.e. massively overpriced / paying a premium for our desperation);
Hogh and Duran costing c £15m – though both are not long in the door / finding their feet.
Does the above line up strike you as an expensively assembled team? Aside from Hogh’s fee, we’re talking of a few players who were signed for amounts we paid for the likes of Stubbs in the 90s.
I would not categorise the above as translating c£150m in revenue / c£77m in the bank to significant investment on the park.
Hearts 6 minutes from Group Stage.
Jobo Baldie
I never sent in my votes because in my honest opinion not one Celtic player deserves it.
Normally you have a few guys who are off their game but in that second half every single player hid.
Zero guts was alarming.
The jersey remained on view but every player shrunk inside it.)
AEK Athens 2 Levski Sofia 0 (2-0)
Viking Stavanger 0 Zagreb 1 (2-3)
JLTTB
Regardless of who started and finished, we were 4-0 up with less than an hour to go.
Yoker Athletic players would have seen out that game.
Ps. That final 11 on park still cost more than LASKs, earn more than LASKs and have more International Caps than LASKs.. .
Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues
August 26, 2026 8:13 pm
@San Luis – August 26, 2026 10:20 am
‘Sitting on piles of cash is beyond stupid, but it points to the Boards fiscal policy being successful in pst ten years , going from a £4m loss to £80m in reserves.‘
Not sure I can really agree with this one. The cash pile is evidence of the transformational effects of CL participation on our finances.
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Mega profit in CL years is under pinned with record transfer fees received.
Do not forget either, the covid season of full season book sales at 57,000 without the costs of an actual open stadium.
That virtuous circle is now in danger of being negated.
I believe that.
We obviously got the wrong coach from Hearts.
It should have been the fitness coach