When you look at the makeup of the Ibrox team, you can already see that there’s a lot of physicality in there. Every single signing that Russell Martin intends to make—along with the couple he’s already brought in—are big guys. They’re adding an even more physical edge to their squad.
I’m not even going to get into the quality, or lack thereof, of their signings.
We’re not going to know what kind of quality they really have until we see them on the pitch. But League One players don’t scare me—and the idea that they paid £3.5 million for the Peterborough defender is ridiculous. The notion that they might spend £5 million on the Luton winger is even more absurd.
These guys are available at knock-down rates, and anyone who knows anything about football valuations knows that kind of money for League One players is nuts.
But that’s only the transfer fees. And we’re not going to go into detail on those right now. They’re doing everything they can to make their fans ignore the fact that these are signings from the bargain bin of football: freebies, loan deals, and cheap options for young players who have struggled elsewhere.
That’s the reality of what they’re doing. That’s the reality of their transfer policy. This is Russell Martin scouring the lower leagues of England, trying to assemble a squad.
The one thing that binds all these players together is their size and body type.
They’re all physically imposing—even the winger is six foot tall. So, it’s very clear what they’re trying to do. They’re trying to build a team that intimidates. They’re buying into a particular archetype and throwing all their chips on this plan.
If it doesn’t work, they are in a heap of trouble.
To me, it looks like they’re doubling down on a trait that Ferguson wanted to restore to the club and which Michael Beale tried to impose on them.
None of these guys are household names. None of them are going to scare Celtic supporters—except in the sense that it’s very clear they intend to get in our faces. It’s very clear that they think this is a Celtic team that can be intimidated, that can be bullied off the ball, and they’re going all-in on building a side that can do that.
You have to ask what technical level a team assembled out of all these desperate parts can rise to. But they clearly don’t think a high technical level is necessary to conquer Scottish football. And this isn’t a new idea—but I don’t think I’ve seen an Ibrox boss in a long time who was so determined and single-minded in his attempt to implement it.
It may not even be coming from him. It may be coming from above. Nevertheless, they’re going all-in on it.
And there’s something else to consider too.
A lot of these players are coming from England’s lower leagues, and that means they’re used to long, gruelling football seasons.
We think our players play a heavy domestic campaign—down there, the league is 46 games long. That’s on top of the FA Cup, League Cup, and EFL Trophy matches. There’s no European football, but when your league campaign is eight games longer than ours, that’s your European schedule right there.
They are preparing a team that is capable of working hard, running relentlessly, and dominating games through brute physicality. And they’re betting that a team which can do that—one that can run opposition sides into the ground—doesn’t have to be especially proficient. At least not in Scotland.
In Europe, I think they’ll be ruthlessly exposed for that. Because a League One player is a League One player, and they’re never going to make the leap to the major European level. But in the short term, the goal is to win the title—or at least to challenge us all the way for it. And you can see there is a bit of thought behind what they’re doing.
So, as I said in the previous piece, the shape that the opposition is taking has now revealed itself. We can look at it and know what their plan is. We can look at it and clearly see what their intentions are. And while it would be a mistake to structure our response in a way that alters our own fundamentals, we had best be aware—well aware—of the different nature of the threat.
Rodgers has already said that the tactics need tweaking. I’m thrilled to hear it. They absolutely do—and in light of this, all the more so. It’s not going to take a major change. It’s not going to require anything radically different. A team built this way will have weaknesses, and they’ll be exploitable. That’s why I think in Europe they’ll get owned, and why with the right approach, we can really hurt them.
That approach has to be worked on. And it has to be perfect.
Aye, Beales signings were all about physicality too, it didn’t work, we will beat them with our quality, but a couple of quality toughies in our ranks wouldn’t go amiss.
We are bullied we are intimidated in the hard tackle and shoved AFTER we make a pass stopping our player moving into open space quickly, no ref picks this up and i reckon its a foul off the ball watch it happen more this season.
All we can do is match them or rin them off their feet
Gary Hooper, Kris Commons, Joe Ledley, Adam Matthews, Kelvin Wilson were decent. I actually used to like us scouring the lower leagues because they were filled with players with something to prove. But then the prices went crazy. Hooper in today’s market if he was still at scunthorpe would be 10m+
too easily bullied we have not won against that mob in the last four games over ninety minutes. it is an area that badly needs fixing even bazza sussed it out .
Sevco have quite simply fuckin well OWNED Celtic in 2025…
Yes – And Barry Fergushun as well…
Just let that sink in – Barry Fuckin Fergushun no less…
A lot of his success was physical strength that our snowflakes couldn’t cope with, allied with over the top high balls that our wee skelfs couldn’t deal with…
Physicality DOES work in Scottish Football and it works fuckin well here too for sure… (Especially if you are Sevco)
Yes – we won the league again and by 17 points, but Sevco simply cannot be as bad again against the rest and if they learn how to beat the rest then we are in trouble…
And in serious fuckin trouble at that…
C’mon Brendan – Let’s see… Brick 4 Brick, Boot 4 Boot, Bottle 4 Bottle, Blade 4 Blade even…
You get fuck all for being Mr Nice Guy in this fuckin rancid football country for sure !
I see today we are being linked/encouraged to sign left back Tyrrel Malacia from Man United. No fkn thanks to that idea, we already had a 5′-7″ left back who has thankfully gone now, we don’t want a replacement of the same stature.
I’m not having a go at Greg Taylor by the way, more at Celtic for signing a vertically challenged DEFENDER in the first place. Particularly in defence a good big yin will always be better than a good wee yin, and for those of you who might be inclined to mention Roberto Carlos, a total exception to the rule, see if you can name any others in that category?
I was thinking Roberto Carlos, to name a couple of others that come to mind right away, Lizarazu and Lahm. I’d rather have a taller LB as a general rule though.
I don’t think the huns going more physical will help them, in fact, I think 2nd place is up for grabs this season.
Players from the lower leagues in England rarely work in Scotland. The SPL is better than they think it is. Joey Barton found that out sharpish. Unless you are picking a serious gem, such as Matt O’Riley who was well regarded, then it’s a no go area for me. The fact they are bringing in Journeymen and over priced gambles doesnt give me any concern. I would rather we continue signing footballers ahead of players with UFC experience.
There is a real chance that the signings they are making are going to play into the likes of Aberdeen, Hibs and Hearts who will look to fight fire with fire against them.
Gary Hooper, Kris Commons, Joe Ledley, Adam Matthews, Kelvin Wilson were decent. I actually used to like us scouring the lower leagues because they were filled with players with something to prove. But then the prices went crazy. Hooper in today’s market if he was still at scunthorpe would be 10m+
Going down the route of old school physical Rangers teams,they got success last season getting in our faces and I hate to say it but some of our players wilted.
Still insist we need a physical 9,Idah maybe can but needs to show more with that side of game,physical 8 and a plan B ,let’s see what comes
the fear is that the 9 in a row hun side had a lot of big physical players and bullied Celtic for years , the first thing Martin O’ Niell did when he came in was bulk up the side over time ,sutton hartson lennon mjalby bobo thompson among them ,
Now their only chance is a team of hammer throwers who will have the advantage of set pieces and be able to defend them as robustly as they wish protected by beaton and co , it is the tactic facing us for sure
if miovski is available then please go and sign him he would slot in right away.
Agree with most of the comments, They bullied us big time the past 3 games, BR must have seen this but he still couldn’t fix it, that disappointed me. We need a bit more toughness at the back, Trusty especially worries me, he was regularly bullied off the ball in one on one situations last season, even Scales can be physically eased off the ball. To get a perfect left sided C/B with height, toughness, skill and pace is well nigh impossible, but we need one with at least 3 of those attributes.
As far as a striker goes surely if Miovski is available he should be seriously considered,
BR is a purist, but if we toughen up at the back and front then our skilful midfielders will get do the rest. The Cup final was an example of BR not fighting Physique with Physique, Idah should have been joined by Kenny at half time to give that fouling and kicking everything in sight Aberdeen defence something to think about.
The opposition in Scotland have seen how to contain us, and The Rangers FC are tooling up to kick us off the park. We know there are quite a number of Scottish referees that will gladly accommodate this.
This article reminds me of 2018, yes that long ago, when the new rangers appointed Slippy as manager and put all their hard boiled eggs into one basket. Signing players like Goldson, Declan John, Joe Worrell, Kyle Lafferty (FFS) and George Edmondson, just to bully there way to the league. Failure. Have no doubt that having a big physical team will win league games in Scotland, but having a proper football team will win more games over a consistent period. Yes, there up for a fight this season, but the same philosophy all those years ago will undoubtedly be their downfall. Where then do the twitchy investors of Wilmington, Delaware decide to take there money and “walk away”… hurriedly. Let the games begin. HH
When you have talent and strength in your side you don’t go far wrong.
No one outfought Martin O’Neils Celic side.