Alex MacQuoid
Celtic’s Recent Woes
Celtic are facing an unfamiliar situation this season: back-to-back Scottish Premiership defeats. After a two-year streak without consecutive losses, the defending champions find themselves eight points behind league leaders Hearts following a 3-1 defeat at Tynecastle.
The struggles extend beyond domestic play. A lackluster European campaign and a frustrating transfer window have left fans disillusioned. While the board has been the target of fan protests, questions are also being raised about manager Brendan Rodgers‘s ability to maximize his squad’s potential.
A Squad in Transition
Rodgers was without several key players at Tynecastle, including Cameron Carter-Vickers, Kelechi Iheanacho, Alistair Johnston, and Daizen Maeda. The team featured youngsters Colby Donovan, Dane Murray, and Johnny Kenny in the starting lineup.
Despite these absences, Rodgers had a strong squad at his disposal. Arne Engels, Celtic’s record signing, was on the pitch, along with experienced players like Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate, Kasper Schmeichel, Liam Scales, and Kieran Tierney. Summer signings Sebastian Tounekti and Benjamin Nygren also started.
Summer Signings Under Scrutiny
Tounekti and Nygren have shown promise, with the latter scoring in Thursday’s Europa League win over Sturm Graz. However, the rest of the summer recruits have largely underwhelmed. Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Shin Yamada, who came off the bench at Tynecastle, have yet to make a significant impact. Hayato Inamura and Marcelo Saracchi have also struggled in defense, while youngsters Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and Callum Osmand are yet to debut.
Fan and Expert Reactions
Chris Sutton, a former Celtic forward, criticized the club’s recruitment strategy. ‘It’s all about the quality of player which comes in and some players, quite frankly, just aren’t coachable,’ he told Sky Sports. ‘The recruitment has been poor. [Brendan Rodgers is] at the end of his tether, he’s watching his team and he knows the quality of player he has been given isn’t at the level it should be. Celtic should’ve kicked on from last season.’
Rodgers acknowledged the need for consistency and learning from mistakes. ‘Where we’re at as a team, we’re needing these players,’ he said after the defeat. ‘Dane makes the own goal and then a little bit rash for the penalty. It’s something that he’ll learn from.’
Looking Ahead
Celtic face Falkirk in their next league match, with Maeda expected to return. The team also has a Premier Sports Cup semi-final against Rangers to prepare for. Former goalkeeper Pat Bonner acknowledged the challenges but emphasized the need for improvement. ‘It’s been a poor day for Celtic. If you don’t play and you allow Hearts to dominate you, then there’s something wrong because you’ve got to stand up and be counted.’
Fans have shared mixed reactions, with some calling for a complete restart and others urging patience. One fan noted, ‘Rodgers bewilders me, picking a kid at centre half who scores an own goal, gives away a penalty and won’t block a shot on goal – what does he expect the result will be?’ Another fan suggested, ‘Time to let Brendan go somewhere he’ll be appreciated by the suits upstairs and bring back Big Ange.’