And yet, here they are. It’s not a ridiculous statement. I know you have a soft spot for the Celtic management side. It’s a well run business, but the huns will spend all they have and more. Is it sensible? No. Is it well spent? No. Was it catastrophic going bankrupt? No. They spent a few years demoted, so what 
. Bet it was good craic supporting them.
I don’t have any soft spot for the management side. I have a soft spot for realism which sometimes comes across that way.
I think this transfer window has been badly managed.
At the moment we are short in defence mostly because of injuries. We added two centre backs to replace Starfelt and to upgrade on Kobayashi/Welsh/Scales but unfortunately we’re already down to playing Scales which is unacceptable. But a loan should be the solution there.
Full backs are problematic too. Johnston is excellent. Ralston is not but I guess is just backup. Taylor looks lost and Bernabei isn’t even as good as Ralston. Could do with a left back but it’s probably down the list.
In the centre of the pitch we’ve lost Mooy. He was a bit of a bonus last year but we haven’t replaced him. And then losing Hatate to injury has left us exposed. Turnbull is probably required in the squad but should be fifth choice. Iwata hasn’t progressed at all and Holm is a developer. Could really do with another midfielder to share the load with O’Riley, Hatate and McGregor. That’s a big priority and adding Holm and Kwon wasn’t ever going to be enough there.
Losing Jota as well is huge. Again two young wingers added but I’d see them more replacing the ageing Forrest and the Haksabanovic option plus some form chances to play ahead of Abada or Maeda on form. In no way have we replaced Jota and that’s brutal from the management team given the money received. It’s hard to see Palma being that star replacement but maybe he is.
Striker has been unfortunate too with the Oh injury. It’s not really realistic to keep three strikers and only play one. Maeda is also there as backup but he’s been needed on the wing due to poor form there from everyone.
In short, we’re shy a midfielder and a winger. And we’ve been a bit unlucky with injuries. But we’ve also regressed to a slower and more predictable system. Hopefully the latter is just teething problems and hopefully the former will be resolved through investment but I doubt it.
Anyway, it’s a hell of a lot better than the alternative
Excuses excuses
It’ll never not be absolutely hilarious 
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The CL squad was published yesterday and Siegrist, Bernabei, Nawrocki, Kobayashi, Kwon & Tilio were the first team squad members excluded due to the requirement to have a certain number of club trained & home grown players in it. Nawrocki is probably the biggest name & it indicates his injury is going to keep him out for a while.
On that, Rodgers did a Celtic TV interview yesterday & confirmed that Hatate, Phillips & Tilio are now in full training. CCV is doing light work but won’t be available to play until early October. Abada got injured in training with Israel & is expected to be out for a month.
Reports now that Abada will be out for “a number of months.”
Hopefully Palma can hit the ground running.
Ffs
It’ll be very annoying if David Turnbull starts in Rotterdam tomorrow night & Celtic hoarding bags of cash & posting humingous profits like that.
Agreed but I think when Hatate is back and fully fit he starts every time. If not then Rogers is a. Making a very clear point to the directors, not sure what it is kind you or b. He trusts his managerial abilities to turn Turnbull into another Stuart Armstrong as he did in his first spell. Anyway posting figures like that after a less than spectacular window won’t go down well.
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Hatate has signed a 5 year deal. 
Ralston signed a 4 year deal the other day.
O’Riley next please.
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Happy Saturday
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Ah that’s fantastic news to get those two signed up along with Maeda and Kyogo in the summer.
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Isn’t today a match day?
Why so? The absolute psychopaths who planted the Omagh bomb for instance don’t mean that a united Ireland isn’t a worthy cause.
In the same way as any slogan day of Omagh bombings wouldn’t have been a great look. The timing of it.