Brendan Rodgers has faced plenty of criticism after Celtic’s 3–1 defeat at Tynecastle, and rightly so. His team were passive, predictable, and lacking in the hunger that has long defined successful Celtic sides.
Celtic’s regression under this board has been slow, steady, and now undeniable. Over the past year, key players have been sold, Kyogo Furuhashi, Matt O’Riley, Nicolas Kühn, Adam Idah, with no like-for-like replacements arriving.
What has followed is a thinner, less balanced squad that looks short on quality and experience. Recruitment has been reactive rather than strategic, and the lack of ambition in the transfer market has left Rodgers trying to patch holes that shouldn’t exist.
The defeat to Hearts was a snapshot of a bigger issue. Dane Murray’s own goal and a sloppy penalty summed up a team missing leadership and composure. Rodgers’ setup offered little creativity, but he’s working with a squad that has been stripped of its top talent while the club posted another healthy profit. The contrast between the financial statements and the football product is glaring.
Michael Nicholson and the Celtic board have overseen this decline while insisting the club remains in a “strong position.” In reality, the gap between Celtic’s ambitions and their investment has widened.
The Champions League exit to Kairat Almaty was humiliating; the domestic inconsistency since has only added to the anger. Supporters backed Rodgers initially, believing he hadn’t been properly supported in the market, but that patience has worn out, and so has the trust in those running the club.
The current Celtic team no longer plays with the confidence, power, or clarity that defined Rodgers’ first spell. The spark that once made Celtic the dominant force in Scotland has dimmed, replaced by hesitation and a sense of drift.
Yes, Rodgers must take responsibility for the results. But until the board shows genuine ambition and invests in a squad capable of matching the club’s stature, Celtic will continue to look like a team in reverse.
The problem isn’t just in the dugout, it’s in the boardroom, where regression has been allowed to take root unchecked.
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