The multiple problems at Celtic came to the fore tonight as they crashed to a 3-0 Europa League defeat from Roma.
It could have been more, from the early stages the team was bereft of any confidence or ability against opponents who have suffered back to back defeats in Serie A.
Roma switched off at half time. Evan Ferguson with one goal all season scored two in the first 45 minutes. No Celtic fans will be fooled by the ‘spirited’ second half showing. Thousands of empty seats from the 70th minute tells it’s own story.
A year of managed decline by Michael Nicholson has spun badly out of control.
The plan was to undermine Brendan Rodgers while dominating in Scotland with cut price punts and projects filling the team sheet. It has backfired spectacularly
CELTIC HANDOVER TO TISDALE
The year 2025 has seen the rise and rise of Paul Tisdale.
Brought in as a consultant in the summer of 2024 the former Exeter boss was appointed as Head of Football Operations in October 2024.
The results have been horrific.
Michael Nicholson doesn’t need any encouragement to sell players off.
Kyogo Furuhashi was first to go with Tisdale Analytics failing to bring in a replacement.
Rodgers took that warning sign diplomatically. During the summer Nicholson stepped up the pace in weakening the position of the manager.
He weakened the team. Dangerously.
Nicolas Kuhn was next to be sold without any attempt at being replaced.
Celtic went into a Champions League Play Off against Kairat Almaty with Nicholson on a roll.
Around those matches the Celtic CEO was trying to sell Adam Idah, Daizen Maeda and Yang Hyun-jun. He managed one out of three.
Following the Champions League exit £10m was blown on Sebastian Tounekti and Michel-Ange Balikwisha.
The fans weren’t fooled. The Celtic Fans Collective was formed.
Double trouble 😮💨
Evan Ferguson with a sumptuous finish to register his second for the night and Roma’s third 👀
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/8Ss0Jkni9U
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 11, 2025
NANCY HAS NO EXCUSES
Nancy knew what we was taking on. There was more than five weeks between Rodgers resigning and the Frenchman taking the job on.
The early signs are worrying.
Celtic is not a project, Nancy’s job isn’t to find solutions.
Celtic are serial winners. Last season at this stage they had nine Champions League points from six matches. That is the standard.
Not improving relationships, not creating rounded human beings. Winning, progressing. Anything else is noise and deflection.
The current Celtic squad is woeful. The outcome of transfer business completed by Mark Lawwell and Tisdale.
Overloaded with players that wouldn’t have got near the Ange Postecoglou side of 2021-23.
Out on loan are others such as Maik Nawrocki, Luis Palma and Odin Thiago Holm, three summer 2023 signings that are never Celtic class.
Expecting Tisdale to turn things round in January is optimism bordering on insanity. It’s not going to happen.
Nancy may be a philosopher but he doesn’t have the solutions.
The best managers in the world would struggle to make something of the current squad.
There are reasons that no credible manager would touch taking over from Rodgers. If he couldn’t make it work with his experience and track record someone with four years MLS experience has no chance.
HAMPDEN CALLING
Celtic may well win the League Cup on Sunday. If they lose to St Mirren it won’t be a shock.
The current status has long been in the making.
Hostility in the boardroom to Rodgers got out of control. The Lawwell devotees couldn’t put their personal grievances to the side for the benefit of the team. They had to get their revenge.
Rodgers resigned, he is out of the firing line.
Thousands of empty seats seats were staring back at Nicholson, Chairman Lawwell and their Head of Football Operations Tisdale.
At the final whistle there was barely 15,000 fans inside Celtic Park. Out sung throughout by 2,500 Roma fans.
The Celtic Fans Collective are watching every move from the executives.
Smearing concerned fans in the Daily Record isn’t going to cut it any longer.
“I saw really good things.”
Despite defeat in his opening two matches as Celtic boss Wilfried Nancy insists that his team are on the right path 📈
Celtic play St. Mirren in the Scottish League Cup final this Sunday at Hampden 🏆 pic.twitter.com/nayAoZo0JV
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 11, 2025
4 Comments
by William Mohan
I personally think Brendan Rodgers is responsible for the decline it’s his, players at the club it was he who said yes to the signings He ran from the club he said he wouldn’t and from the start of season his team has been poor Nancy must be given the time and players to fit his style COYBIG 🍀
by Editor
Dream on mate, share that insight with your Happy Clappers over on CQN.
Against all odds Rodgers delivered 12 points in the Champions League.
Sabotage from Lawwell to cut Rodgers down to size is now rebounding.
No one credible will go near a club where Tisdale controls recruitment. #cqnfamily
by R
Started right after beating Man City and Chelsea, no Matt O replacement showed lack of ambition
by R
Started right after beating Man City and Chelsea, no Matt O replacement showed lack of ambition. All DDs fault,