At the end of last season, a small group of fan media guys, myself included, had the chance to speak with Brendan Rodgers after our final home league game. I reminded him of a question I asked during his first press conference upon his return to the club—the one that drew the now-famous “See you in May” response. That question was about how the media was attempting to diminish his first spell by claiming it didn’t matter because our opponents were in disarray.
Rodgers found the reminder amusing.
I thanked him for delivering on his promise, and joked that although some had been forced to eat their words, a new narrative had already started to take hold. Some in the press and those at Ibrox were saying, “Once Clement has his summer, people will see ‘the real Rangers.’”
Rodgers’ response was vintage.
He smiled and said, “But they’ll see the real Celtic.”
In that moment, I realised something: towards the end of last season, we’d only caught glimpses of the real Celtic. What Rodgers was promising was that, come the new season, we’d see a team firing on all cylinders.
I pondered those words long and hard last night as I sat reflecting on the incredible performance we witnessed at Celtic Park. It’s already clear Rodgers is making good on his promise. This feels like a new Celtic.
Most of the personnel haven’t changed, but the transformation is unmistakable—it’s as if we’re watching an entirely different team.
From the Motherwell game onwards last season, we began to see the Rodgers effect in full swing. Players settled into their roles, and the football we played went up a notch. When Rodgers said our rivals would see the real Celtic this season, he must have already sensed the pieces were starting to come together. Our end-of-season form—those wins, game after game—was the best we’d seen all campaign. We didn’t just beat some of those teams; we dismantled them.
Last season, things had clearly gone off the rails at one point.
The mid-season slump, marked by two defeats in a week, was obvious even when we were grinding out wins. The performances were sluggish. The football was pedestrian—backward passes, lack of movement, slow build-up. It was painful to watch, even as we were still putting the points on the board.
Then, everything shifted. I firmly believe the turning point was that Motherwell game.
Though we left it late to get the second and third goals, the performance was on a different level from what we’d seen most of the season. The goals felt inevitable because all the missing elements were suddenly there—support, movement, fewer backward passes. It was front-foot, high-calibre football, and it was one of the most enjoyable matches of the season. I laughed when I saw Keith Jackson’s description of it as a “bin fire.” I have no idea what game he thought he was watching.
The following week, we trounced Dundee 7-1 at home, and that was our best performance to date. Of course, the hacks missed the point.
After that, we lost 2-0 to Hearts at Tynecastle in a game where Yang was sent off. But as I wrote at the time, the crucial thing was that nobody panicked. We all rallied behind the team and the boss. The response from our supporters was fantastic. Nobody turned on the team or the manager because we could see progress. Nobody was worried that one result would derail us.
With nine league games left, one of them at Ibrox, we knew that even a draw there would keep us in a good place as long as we won the rest. Winning eight out of nine seemed like a tall order, given how the season had gone, but no one was disheartened by the Hearts result. We followed it up with two solid wins before going into Ibrox in good spirits. We should have won that game.
History will show that, apart from the cup matches, we ended the league season with six straight wins, clinching the title. Whatever happened during the mid-season slump, we came out of it flying. In matches like the 5-0 win over Kilmarnock that sealed the title, we looked head and shoulders above every other team in the country.
So, you can understand Rodgers’ supreme confidence when talking to us bloggers that day.
He knew what he was getting at, and now we’re seeing it unfold. From pre-season, where no one usually pays much attention, it was clear something special was happening.
The style, the intensity, the teamwork—it all made you sit up and take notice. Nicholas Kuhn and others looked like they’d taken their game to a new level, and we got big results against strong opposition.
But the real test was translating that form into domestic and European competitions—and we’ve done that too. Rodgers meant every word when he said our rivals and critics would see the real Celtic. Now, it’s not just us seeing it—it’s the whole footballing world.
And it’s as beautiful a sight for us as it must be a terrifying one from the club across town.
Watching our front players strutting their stuff in the oppositions box is remarkable at times, teams setting up with the usual 9 defenders mostly chasing shadows. It doesn’t always lead to a goal but it certainly terrorises them and the goals inevitably arrive.
The turning point was a couple of the players saying they weren’t happy that they were being told to change what was a winning formula and how they knew they were better with what they were used to. The players said they had a meeting and maybe several so they were comfortable saying it and things were sorted… Then we started seeing The Real Celtic. That’s what a good manager does, listens, that’s what a good squad does, gets it out. Rodgers listened at Exactly the right time and tweaked things and Now we’re seeing what everybody wants.
This is the Real Celtic.
Fair play to them all.
“This is The Real Celtic” –
Or perhaps… The Real (Madrid) Celtic Andy !
What a time to be alive as Hoops supporter these days truly are !!!
Maybe a comment for a future article when Celtic are denied a goal? ?
It seems that England is finally waking up to the Achilles Heel of VAR. That lines can be manipulated by unscrupulous VAR Technicians to conclude that a player is offside when he’s not? I mean Jeez, “Worlds Best League”? Scotland / The SFA and a complicit SMSM have been vociferous in their use of this cheat since the introduction of VAR!! Get with the times FA! ?????????
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/leicester-city
On the BBC Champions League highlights on Wednesday evening Joe Hart’s explanation of the change from Ange style to Brendan’s style was very interesting.
He said that Brendan was very appreciative of what Ange had done and that players could not switch styles quickly so Brendan had been very patient until all the various new moves were fully understood and implemented.
Joe said that that was when we went up the gears and improved in the way we all see now.
I was a doubter and had my hand skelped here for posting one too many rants about BR but I guess we have to thank PL and the board as well because they did hold out for quality despite all the brickbats.
I think part of the problem across the water at Ibrox is that they just kept buying anyone to appease the fans as it filled column inches in the media giving the impression they were forging ahead of the game.
Hatate’s return from long term injury was the significant difference and sincerely doubt we would have went on and so comfortably won the league without him. Our three Japanese players and their energy is the real difference and for this Ange deserves great credit. Brendan has them performing at an improved level still. Kyogo is magnificent when on it and Maeda’s contribution is overwhelming this season. He must have eaten a bag of Duracells and just never stops. As for Hatate I find it astonishing that many of our fans, included on this blog, can’t see what his influence brings and that we’re seriously talking about playing Bernardo ahead of him in the CL. He’s contributes far and away more than MOR did as I believe Engels will prove too as well. Apart from the need to rotate Cal, Engels and Hatate should always be our go to midfield
Although ahm well pleased the way things are goin and with our form. Ah’ll reserve judgement until after this CL 1st phase, especially these next 3 games. If we can give a good account of ourselves and show real improvement against sides of this calibre, then ah’ll be a lot happier. Just exercisin a bit of caution before makin my mind up.
From what Ive seen of Engels, and its early days, he looks like at least a Matt ORiley if not an upgrade, he’s fast, direct, deffo has an eye for goal and a helluva strike on him, I predict big things from him.
He got asked about what happened at half time and how did he ‘rally the team’ against slovan. ‘No, didnt need to, less touches, adapt our positions slightly, do things quicker’. Bang. It took a while for the players to understand and adapt last season but now it’s on another level, no matter which players are on the park. I’m really excited for Europe this year
Like all of the Celtic fans posting I see the progress this team has made . I also know we have to produce against other teams who have better records than ours in the Ultimate Club competition . Having watched Celtic over the years this current Team has all the markers that can lead us to a better place in this competition this time around. Hopefully the Grey Suits can see what we see and do their duty and give our Manager all the tools he needs to continue the work with the Players on the field . COYBIG.