The Celtic Underground

Another defeat to Rangers leaves Celtic with one win in twelve against their city rivals and, more worryingly, a team that increasingly looks as though it has forgotten what it is supposed to be. Harry, Andrew and Keith pick through a derby where the change to 3-5-2 quickly descended into tactical roulette, with Celtic starting without a winger and eventually ending up with three of them, while Rangers simply proved stronger, sharper and rather more certain of what they were doing.
The discussion moves beyond another poor ninety minutes to the lack of physicality, fitness, identity and leadership throughout the side, the recurring weaknesses of individual players, questions over the coaching structure and whether keeping Martin O’Neill beyond last season's rescue mission was ultimately a mistake.
With rumours already circulating about another managerial change, there is also the rather extraordinary prospect of Celtic entering a fifth managerial period in eleven months. It is a fairly sombre assessment of a club badly in need of a spark, although we do establish that Celtic Park's main entrance is currently better defended than the team, Liam Scales may still be tying his bootlaces and, if all else fails, a EuroMillions might just provide enough cash to tempt Pep Guardiola.
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This Sunday, Celtic face Rangers at Celtic Park.
Over the years, the Celts have played the two Ibrox clubs at 14 different locations.
This latest podcast tells the full story of these venues.
Every week, you can listen for free to more tales from Celtic’s past, as told by Matthew Marr (Hail Hail History).
From next month, you can also buy Part 1 of the two-part book series ‘Green, white and silverware’ by Matthew Marr, describing Celtic’s less well-known trophy wins.
For pre-order information, visit: https://celticwalkingtours.wordpress.com/books-and-articles/
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On this week’s free to all podcast, we pick through the bones of a truly dreadful 3–0 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox, with Harry joined by Matthew & Andrew to ask how Celtic could be so comprehensively outfought and outplayed.
The discussion starts with team selection but quickly moves to the bigger problem: a side with no coherent shape, no resilience under pressure and seemingly no clear method of progressing the ball from defence to attack. Celtic’s midfield is repeatedly exposed, the forwards become isolated, and the lack of urgency is summed up by Matthew’s description of a wider “malaise” prompting Andrew’s line that Celtic have gone from a “jobbing team” to a “jogging team.”
The chat from the bhoys turns to whether this is something Martin O’Neill can actually fix with the squad he has. The use of a system that works against weaker domestic opposition but collapses when Celtic face teams capable of pressing with pace and physicality.
With another Rangers game looming, the conclusion is that simply swapping personnel won't be enough: Celtic need more energy in midfield, a clearer structure and, above all, a system that actually suits the players available. As Andrew puts it, the team looks like tissue paper against decent opposition, and after another 3–0 loss at Ibrox, the most positive assessment anyone can muster is - at least it was only three.
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The 1901 Exhibition Cup is one of Celtic’s strangest trophy successes.
It involves a cup won by Rangers but displayed by the Celts.
This latest podcast describes the full story.
Every week, you can listen for free to more tales from Celtic’s past, as told by Matthew Marr (Hail Hail History).
From next month, you can also buy the two-part book series ‘Green, white and silverware’ by Matthew Marr, describing Celtic’s less well-known trophy wins.
To get details, follow Hail Hail History on Twitter/X and Bluesky or keep listening to the Celtic Underground.
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Celtic made it five league wins from five with a 2-1 comeback victory at St Mirren, but much of the post-match discussion inevitably centres on VAR after two Celtic goals were ruled out in controversial circumstances.
Andrew, Saint and Stephen pick through those decisions and debate whether, for all its flaws, Scottish football is still better with VAR than without it. There’s also plenty on the football itself: Celtic’s increasingly potent attack, the continuing vulnerability of a midfield without a genuine defensive presence, Yang’s improvement, Duran’s emergence and what happens when Høgh returns, the criticism of Sinisalo, and whether new arrival Sorensen might finally provide the balance the team has been missing.
With St Johnstone next and Ibrox looming, the discussion turns to team selection, horses for courses and whether Martin O’Neill should be prepared to change the system when the occasion demands it.
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This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe