Celtic

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Readers of this column won't be surprised by the current state of things at Celtic. I've been writing about it since the closing stages of last season.

Don't be sidelined either by what car manager Brendan Rodgers thinks he's being asked to drive. Whether it's a Honda Civic or a Ferrari, it's largely the same vehicle he very nearly steered to a famous win in the Allianz Arena in February.

A look at the teamsheet in Munich that February midweek is proof of that. Only one permanent Celtic player has left since then, Nicolas Kuhn.

Jeffrey Schlupp has also departed but he was just a loan player and was replaced by a significant upgrade, it seemed fair to conclude, in the return of Kieran Tierney. Everyone else who started in Bavaria is still at the club.

So the Honda Civic narrative needs challenging. Nine of the starting 11 continue to pick up a Celtic pay cheque. Yes, there are injuries to Jota, Alastair Johnston and Auston Trusty. The question remains, however: why are so many of Celtic's go-to players underperforming so badly?

We now know Daizen Maeda has wanted out of the club for most of this year. It appears several others don't really have the heart for it any more either. To what extent does Rodgers himself have to bear some responsibility in all this?

He's no longer able to get the same tune out of his top players. Why? Goals and speed, as the Rodgers mantra goes, have been taken out of the team with the departures of Kuhn and Adam Idah.

However, Maeda couldn't stop scoring last term; Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate netted 21 between them; and in Sebastian Tounekti and Michel-Ange Balikwisha, the club have splurged the best part of £10m on two new wingers. So why are things so slow and predictable? And why have all those goal dried up so dramatically?

It appears Celtic are in danger of being dragged under by a perfect storm. Players past their sell-by date; a manager with less than a year left on his contract and no offer of a new deal; a board reluctant to splash the cash because they're not sure who's going to be taking the team in June; the money that was spent in another poor recruitment window failing to deliver what the side really needs.

There is an axis of unhappiness running through the spine of the club, uniting the board, manager, team and support in disappointment.

A relative fortune was spent last year on Arne Engels, Trusty and Idah. Plenty of players were signed this summer too. It's just that you'd struggle to see many of them in a matchday squad, never mind the side. The likes of Callum Osmand, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, Hayato Inamura and Shin Yamada.

You could argue Kelechi Iheanacho, Tounekti and Benjamin Nygren have done okay. All three started the dismal defeat at Dundee. Only the Nigeria striker finished the match. Three goals in seven games will just about get him pass marks.

As for the side as a whole, they're failing badly. The manager knows it but doesn't seem able to do anything about it. Never mind driving the Honda like a sports car - he first needs to get it out of cruise control, and quickly.

"Disharmony" is impacting Celtic's performances, says captain Callum McGregor. (Herald - subscription required), external

Read Tuesday's Scottish gossip

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Captain Callum McGregor believes Celtic need to start "showing why they're champions" after his side lost at Dens Park for the first time in 37 years.

The 2-0 loss was their first in the Premiership this season and means they now trail league leaders Hearts by five points.

With just one win in their last five outings in all competitions, Brendan Rodgers' side play Hearts at Tynecastle on Sunday, following Thursday's Europa League match against Sturm Graz.

McGregor hopes Celtic can bounce back in two crucial fixtures.

"We need a result in both. We need to win both games. So that's what it's about being at Celtic," the 32-year-old said.

"You have to respond to poor days and show why you're a champion and show why you should be here. So that is now the challenge to the players and ultimately, we have to do our talking on the pitch.

"It's all right, me coming out and talking, or anyone else coming out and talking, but we have to start showing why we're a good team.

"Hearts are winning games, but the good news is, we get to play them next week, so it's a challenge for us to go there,

"They'll be full of confidence but we've so much work to be done and so much that we have to look at ourselves internally first before we can even look at anyone else."

Midfielder McGregor insists hard work is the only way for Celtic to get back to their top levels.

"A really poor result can't happen at a club like Celtic," he added.

"It doesn't happen too often, to be honest, but when you have a performance and a result like that, it emphasises everything that's happened between now and the start of the season.

"There's only one way out of it and it's hard work, it's digging in and fighting together which I know that we will do."

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Former Celtic midfielder Scott Allan on BBC Sportsound

"You can talk about how much of the ball you have, but when Celtic had to defend - whether it was a set-piece or a throw-in - they didn't do it well enough.

"All over the park it just isn't of the level that Brendan Rodgers and Celtic fans would expect. I do think he fronts it up well that he has to find the solutions, but at this moment it's very hard to see.

"The fact no-one can nail down that position on the right, that would be a real worry on the recruitment you have done for that position. For Celtic to break down a low block they need to have their front three firing.

"From what I saw of Hearts [on Saturday], it looks like there's certainly going to be a title race this year."

Former Rangers striker Steven Thompson on BBC Sportsound

"Creatively, they're miles away from any Celtic team we've watched in the past three or four years. Miles away in terms of making opportunities.

"They have somehow managed to regress and have a weaker squad than they did last year. But these are international players, players of a high pedigree who should be putting in better performances than they are."

Former Scotland captain Willie Miller on BBC Sportsound

"Celtic, just now, are not a club that is moving together. They're still not sure about Brendan's future, the boardroom seems reluctant to spend the funds they've got and the manager is definitely not happy.

"You've got to try to sort the manager situation out firstly, then look at the next transfer window and try to be supportive of the manager.

"The signings on show [on Sunday] did not show the quality required."

Former Motherwell captain Stephen Craigan on BBC Sportsound

"The negativity that goes around impacts players on the pitch. There seems to be a cloud hanging over the club.

"There has been for a number of months now and I think the players are looking at that and it's putting a bit of fear into them.

"There's no doubt Cameron Carter-Vickers, Liam Scales, Kieran Tierney, Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate are better than what they've shown [on Sunday] and they're better than what they've shown this season.

"There's an edge missing all over the pitch, and it's looking for leadership, responsibility, accountability, making something happen. Nobody is doing that at the moment."

We asked for your views on Celtic's 2-0 loss to Dundee - the first defeat at Dens Park for 37 years.

Here's what some of you said:

Mike: Celtic are too slow and predictable. Teams don't have to fear them. The selection choices are questionable. They need to make big changes and Brendan Rodgers wants away, so let him go.

David: Dire. Celtic huffed and puffed and got nowhere. Where is the dynamic forward play from last year? Where is our captain? Callum McGregor looks tired and short of ideas. Rodgers seems to have lost his way as well with his team dishing up one insipid performance after another.

Ray: How long can this go on for? The manager cannot lead his team to reach the potential they clearly have, nor show a cohesive style. There are too many big games coming up to keep stumbling forward.

Andrew: Celtic's play is too easy to read. They play the exact same game week in, week out. Defences know how they are going to play before they are even on the park.

Imran: Ponderous, laboured, lacking in confidence. Feels like we can only wait until the January transfer window now for any tangible change to take place. Too many players look bang average.

Liam: It's another similar display to what we've seen so many times this season. A lack of quality up top, predictable retention of the ball, moving it at too slow a pace and Rodgers unable to get them to pick it up. We look stale. Rodgers needs to drop Reo Hatate but the problems are bigger than that. Our attacking options are substandard for the club. The club needs a strategy change but it won't happen.

James: An absolutely abysmal performance from a team that look beaten from the start. We know how teams are going to set themselves up against us but we have no idea what to do about it. The players should give the travelling fans their money back.

Neil: Another car crash performance. More worrying is Rodgers' groundhog day media performance. His communication is sending the wrong message to his squad. The players have no confidence, tempo or urgency.

David: Something is off at Celtic. Rodgers should be getting more from this group and I believes it's his 4-3-3 formation that is the problem. The game has moved on and he needs to mould these players to a new formation so that Celtic are less predictable. Teams are not surprised by this team anymore.

Pablo: A microcosm of our season in one afternoon. All show, front and bluster with no substance. Terrible performances from all the players we over-relied on previously.

Watch highlights as Dundee provide the shock of the Scottish Premiership season so far by beating Celtic 2-0 at home.

Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn is a transfer target for Celtic. (Daily Record)

Majority shareholder Dermot Desmond will not make any changes to the Celtic hierarchy amid rising anger from the support while the meeting between the Celtic Fan Collective and CEO Michael Nicholson and CFO Chris McKay was a "token gesture". (Daily Record)

Former Celtic boss Ronny Deila – who managed the club between 2014 and 2016 – has been sacked after one season at Atlanta United. (Scottish Sun)

Read the rest of Monday's gossip.

Beleaguered Dundee provided the shock of the Scottish Premiership season so far by beating Celtic at home for the first time in 37 years to leave Brendan Rodgers' side five points off top spot.

Read the full match report here.

Let us know your thoughts here.

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers tells BBC Scotland: "The result and performance are bitterly disappointing. Give credit to Dundee, they defended very well when they got in front.

"All the statistics in the game show we dominated the ball, but we didn't do enough with it. We had some opportunities in the first half, got into some areas. Second half likewise.

"But we've seen that before in a number of games this season, six games we haven't scored in. We're just lacking that bit of finesse and quality in the final third of the pitch. If you can't break down teams that are [sitting] low, you're going to suffer.

"It was a disappointing day for us.

"I think it's pretty clear why [we couldn't break Dundee down]. It's also something I have to try and fix, be it different profile of player. Ultimately, we have to be better. It's the responsibility of everyone, whether it's centre-halves, full-backs, central midfield players or strikers, to score goals.

"We have enough pressure, create enough opportunities from set-pieces. We have enough of the ball in open play. But we have to have more craft and cleverness to break teams down. Today, we got into good areas, but we're not really battering the door down.

"We had 90-odd minutes after [the protest] to be better. The protest has nothing to do with defending a corner or giving the ball away and losing the ball on the counter.

"We have to be better and ultimately, we have to look on the pitch first and foremost.

"We're trying to find [the solutions], that's the key thing. What we have in the building is what we have through until January. It's a real challenge for us, in all the games that we have, and we have to stand up to that challenge. It's my responsibility to try and find [those solutions].

"For us, it's always the next game. We have to recover and get ready to put in a better result against Sturm Graz. That's the challenge."

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is expected to be sounded out by Nottingham Forest as they weigh up the contenders to replace Ange Postecoglou. (Football Insider), external

Anthony Ralston insists Celtic have "got levels to go" after a slow start to the season and the full-back is sure the champions will soon be "suffocating" opponents. (Daily Record), external

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Dundee have Cesar Garza back in contention after his involvement at the Under-20 World Cup, so Billy Koumetio is set to be the only absentee.

Celtic forward Daizen Maeda misses out with a hamstring injury picked up against Motherwell.

Meanwhile, Paulo Bernardo has been ill and will be assessed while Alistair Johnston could be added to the squad after returning to training following a hamstring problem.

Jota (knee) is a long-term absentee.

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Cameron Carter-Vickers admits Celtic have struggled to find momentum so far this season before Brendan Rodgers' side travel to Dundee on Sunday.

The Parkhead club are currently unbeaten in the Premiership after seven games but are playing catch-up in second as Hearts occupy the top spot with 19 points from a possible 21.

Celtic have only scored 11 goals domestically this term, which Carter-Vickers says is an area they need to work on.

"Results-wise, domestically, has been pretty good, but there are obviously areas we want to improve upon," the defender said.

"At the moment we're focused more on our attacking play and trying to create more opportunities to score more goals.

"Defensively it's been pretty good. We've conceded in the last two games but until that point we hadn't conceded many at all.

"We've had players in and our of the team but as time has gone one, we've become more cohesive and hopefully that continues.

"It's been difficult to get momentum during the periods in between the international breaks but after the one in November, we have non-stop club football from mid-November to March so that will be a key period of the season."

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says he has "no clue" where reports of interest in Salzburg midfielder Bobby Clark have come from. (Sky Sports), external

Chris Sutton is yet to be convinced by any of the summer signings at Celtic and thinks Japanese duo Reo Hatate and Daize Maeda have been "miles off it" so far this season. (Daily Record), external

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers insists his focus on the team "won't be clouded" despite discontent among supporters.

The Celtic Fans Collective announced another protest in an effort to show their discontent with the club's board.

But with the club second in the Premiership table, two points behind Hearts, the manager insists he's fully focused on getting results on the pitch.

"Of course, we want the synergy throughout the whole club," the Northern Irishman said.

"That's what we all want. We all want what's best for Celtic. But, like I said, control what you can, which is the football element, and look to do that on the pitch and on the training pitch every single day. And that's really where my focus is. I try to not get too involved.

"Of course, I'm involved. I love Celtic. I love managing Celtic. I want Celtic to be the very best every single season. So, of course, there's a focus there on the general health of the club.

"But, like I said, it's for me to focus on the performance level of the team, and that won't be clouded at all."

After leaving it late in their 3-2 win over Motherwell before the international break, Celtic return to league action with a trip to Dundee.

"Our record there is very, very good as a club over numbers of years," Rodgers added.

"But this still doesn't make it an easy place to go. I think Steven Pressley will have them really well organised. He'll have them competitive.

"They've shown already this season that they can get good results and performances.

"So, we know coming back after an international game, we need to get our fluency and get our tempo into the game as quickly as we can and look to make it really difficult for them."

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Celtic Brendan Rodgers has been speaking to the media as his side prepare for Sunday's trip to face Dundee.

Here are the main points from his news conference:

• Rodgers confirms Alistair Johnston has been back in training and is "hopefully good to go" but they'll wait until Saturday before making a final decision.

• On the links with former Liverpool midfielder Bobby Clark, Rodgers says he "really doesn't know where that has come from".

• The Celtic manager is expecting to face a "really well organised" and "competitive" Dundee side on Sunday.

• On the latest fan protest announced by the Celtic fans collective, Rodgers says he wasn't aware of the announcement but is hopeful the supporters and club can "find a balance" and create "harmony" throughout the club.

• Rodgers insists he "loves managing Celtic" and "wants what's best for the club" and says he is fully focused on making sure the team put on a good performance on the pitch.

• With seven games in 21 days on the horizon for Celtic, the Irishman feels it is "a really exciting spell" and is urging his players to "embrace it".

• Daizen Maeda is out with a hamstring injury picked up in the game against Motherwell before the international break and won't be fit for the weekend. Paulo Bernardo is dealing with illness so the club will wait to make a decision on the midfielder.

• Rodgers says he's "disappointed" for Russell Martin following his sacking by Rangers and stresses how "relentless" the pressure is when managing one of the Old Firm.

• On the potential appointment of Kevin Muscat as Martin's successor, Rodgers admits he doesn't know the Shanghai Port boss too well but believes he's "done a really good job at the teams he's been at in Asia". Says any new manager coming in is another new challenge but one his side will be ready for.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Liverpool midfielder Bobby Clark, the 20-year-old who moved to RB Salzburg for £10m in 2024 and is currently on loan at Derby County, is ready to make a permanent move to Celtic in January. (The Times), external

Leeds United are likely to block a request from Celtic to sign Illan Meslier on a free transfer in January, but a deal could be done for the goalkeeper who will be out of contract at the end of the season. (TeamTalk), external

Scottish football clubs have paid nearly £9m for matchday policing over the past four seasons, with Rangers paying most - £1.6m - and Celtic £1.5m. (Daily Record), external