Brendan Rodgers of Celtic FC looks on during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 knock out round match between FC Bayern München and Celtic FC at Allianz arena, Munich, Germany on February 18, 2025. (Photo by Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Oh man, oh man—how good it is to get the football back again.
This has been the summer of the Club World Cup… football, but not as we know it. There may have been more bizarre competitions in our lifetime, but few of us could tell you what the name of it is. The return of Celtic games is therefore something to be celebrated—like Christmas come early.
Last night, the team played its first pre-season game.
Paulina is going to do a piece on that later, but for now let’s just say it wasn’t a thriller. It was a run-out, a fitness exercise for some of the squad, and a chance to see a few of the younger players. It was good to see Johnny Kenny on the scoresheet.
I wrote about him last week, wondering whether he might get opportunities this season—especially after we turned down a £300,000 bid, having reportedly valued him at a million. And if someone meets that valuation, he’ll be off.
Brendan didn’t talk much about Kenny last night – he said he’s still to make a decision on him – but he did speak about other things.
I found his comments not only interesting but refreshingly honest. He’s going to have a look at Osmand from Fulham and decide, based on what he sees, what the best move for the player is. But the Inamura question? That’s now been answered.
Not in a way many of folks will like.
We can now say with some certainty that Inamura is not a Brendan Rodgers signing. Talk of sending him out on loan? At 23 years old? What’s the point?
Why sign him in the first place? He’s nowhere near ready for the first team. A loan at that age—an age where we’ve sold players in the past—only proves what many of us have been saying from the outset. The club continues to give the manager players he didn’t ask for, doesn’t want, and won’t use.
Whoever’s fantasy it is to bring these guys in, they can’t force the manager to adopt their vision. They can’t compel him to give chances to players he sees no use for. Every single concern—mine and others’—about this deal has now been vindicated. He’s not Brendan’s player, and the manager has zero interest. His focus lies entirely in improving this squad, this team, and not wasting time on somebody else’s pet project.
Mark my words: Inamura will never play a first-team game for Celtic. The money we spent on him might as well have been pissed up against the wall.
He’s not ready for the SPFL—physically, mentally, or experientially. He’s 23 and nowhere near the level. It’s a signing that makes no sense. And no one has explained why it was made, or where it fits into any coherent plan.
That’s because it doesn’t fit. It’s just someone’s bright idea. Someone who shouldn’t be anywhere near building a football team, especially not when it’s our club’s money they’re throwing away.
What is now clear is that we remain in the market for a centre-back. We have to be, and it’s not the only position.
And that’s where Brendan’s comments on Kühn were especially telling—because he’s made it absolutely crystal clear that he’s the one calling the shots on that front. His words cut through the white noise. The player doesn’t want to be here, and Brendan doesn’t want him here either. It’s that simple.
If those comments seemed brutal, it’s because the situation calls for it. Rodgers was clearly frustrated with Kühn last season. You could see it in the way he was getting hooked at half-time. Brendan doesn’t publicly slate players often, but he has standards—and a few people in the squad clearly fell short.
Kühn appears to have been the main one.
Brendan will tolerate a lot. But not pettiness. Not unprofessionalism.
And now that the sale is going through, he expects to be able to spend. He’s said so. And that’s the best news of this window so far.
Because we’ve brought in good money—not just from the Kühn deal, but from a number of other transfer moves: the sales of two defenders, the potential departure of Luis Palma, and the sell-on cash we’ve already pocketed from Jeremie Frimpong, with maybe more to come from Matt O’Riley.
So yes, the transfer pot is healthy.
And Brendan expects to be able to spend it. Top of the list? A direct replacement for Kühn. He knows that. And I expect he’s well down the road in sorting it. The club now has no excuse for not backing him with a sizeable budget.
There’s a lot of work to do. Most Celtic fans aren’t obsessed with net spend—but it would be nice if, just once, we actually spent what we bring in, instead of handing the manager a few crumbs from a very full table.
I’ll be honest: when Brendan talked about Inamura last night as a “signing for the future”, it didn’t sound to me like he expects to be part of that future. The longer this drags on without a new deal, the more many of us will start to believe the decision’s already been made. I still think he’ll surprise us with a contract extension—but only because everyone must know this cannot be allowed to rumble into the season and dominate every discussion when we don’t hit top form.
But all that said—the football is back. And I am glad for it.
We’re all glad for it.
No more watching that phoney, baloney US-based nonsense. Now we’re into the real stuff. Celtic in pre-season. Watching how the manager’s new tactics are shaping up. Hoping to see a couple of new faces get some minutes.
The campaign kicks off in four weeks.
We’re not ready. We should have had some good players brought in for pre-season already—not just Tierney and Nygren. But this is Celtic. With any luck, some real business will be concluded in time for a few new signings to be bedded in before those crucial Champions League qualifiers.
But with this club? You just never know.
The writing is in bold letters, Brendan is not getting the signings he wants, I think a parting of the ways is imminent, I suspect he has been offered a new and improved contract but hasn’t signed it for whatever reason.
Wild speculation in the first week of July, where do those negative thoughts come from?
Past experiences
If what you say James is anywhere near correct then we could be in for a very bumpy season, I hope your wrong because the last thing we need is a lame duck manager surrounded by speculation. This should have been sorted one way or the other before the end of last season. Very few players will sign up to play under a manager who will be offski at the end of the season. If BR doesn’t extend his contract, then the Scottish media will make sure the speculation on his future will dominate throughout the season. Celtic as usual could be walking into a nightmare off the field scenario.. Let’s hope not
I’ve said for 18 months that BR will fulfil his contract and leave, having repaired his legacy. This signing just confirms it for me that there are still people at this club who think they know better than BR. This signing is embarrassing, BR already dismissing him as someone who won’t be in his team! There’s no chance BR will put up with this sh*t, he’ll be off after this season.
Couldn’t agree more. The other issue is if the board believe Rodgers will defo be going then they will use that as an excuse not to spend as whoever comes in next season will probably want their own players. Im certain this will be a very underwhelming summer, again.
I agree that we should not be signing obscure project players from the other side of the World when we have players in our own academy who should be getting developed and given first team opportunities, young Dean Murray for example who has always looked like a decent centre half in the making, but will he ever get the chance to go further?
WHO the fuck signed him then, and how, without the manager’s permission?
Lawwell? Nicholson?
WTF is going on?
Well if his signing wasn’t green lit by Paul Tisdale then I would expect Tisdale to walk in short order. With regard to Inamura’s age, have we forgotten that Japan has quite a different academy/pathway for players? Hatate as an example didn’t play any senior football until he was post University at Kawasaki Frontale between the ages of 22-24. He had played a total of 62 senior games before joining Celtic.
Yes Inamura may need to go out on loan as our reserve team football is non-existent. Yes, as a developing talent he may not make the grade. But Peter Lawwell hasn’t scouted him – the football department would have done that. And Paul Tisdale leads the recruitment team – why isn’t Tisdale sat alongside Rodgers explaining the rationale behind the signing? And let’s not forget that Rodgers was a cheerleader for Tisdale.
That’s a good point about the Japanese system, it provides a bit of hope. ?
The point of bringing in such players is that they have development potential and the idea is to get them in before their price rises and those with more money can purchase them. It is interesting to see the club working on a number of fronts and not simply concentrating on the here and now. Of course, that takes a bit of vision on the club’s part, although others may not share such vision.
Reading some of the articles of late and many of the comments rates highly amongst the most depressing times in my life. Uneducated opinionated and anti Celtic FC dressed up by board haters as some version of Trump like rangers truths. This board do hoard the wealth, they don’t spend as much as we fans would like them too but they have helped produce13 titles out of the last 14 and the one they lost was the Covid year when a deal of investment in players over sales was made and they refused some of our top players to transfer out that season in attempt to win the TIAR. Unfortunately that was coupled with what was the installation of the wrong manager and aye that decision was theirs. So many know nothing know alls does my box right in and it’s only the start of July FFS.
PortoJoe at least you and it would appear only a few others have an understanding of how players develop in the Japanese league from a young age. So in no way is this a player that should have or has had years behind him already. James your articles are not only opinionated but supported by untruth and misrepresentation. Get a grip man.
Brendan did not say or hint that this lad was signed behind his back. He said he’s one for the future and given he’s only got a year or two max of actually playing then that makes total sense as does a loan to gain experience. Calmac was loaned out to Notts County and he seems to have benefitted from his loan spell as did the likes of Ajer and Christie.
Cheer up and try showing some support
Wotakuhn regards negativity towards the Celtic board and summer transfer activities it’s the same every year,we have 100 million in the bank but we won’t buy until we’ve sold which means we dither and lose out on players going elsewhere often because the board put in lowball derisory offers then blame the selling team for not playing fairly,it happens every year,as regards your statistics about 13 out of 14 league titles of course we should be winning them ,we have more money and resources than every other team in the SPFL but is winning the league in Scotland your only goal, would you not like to see us doing far better in Europe,where anyone outside of Scotland may notice us,I think our of the last 13 titles last season was the only HALF decent run we’ve had in Europe,we’ve been terrible otherwise,and before you mention bigger teams with more resources,much smaller teams with far less resources have achieved more in Europe,so why for a change don’t the board allow Rodgers to get decent players in early and bed them in before Euro qualifiers start,but no let’s just wait and see IF we qualify and if it was right that we wait till the last days of the transfer window to see if we can get anyone in on the cheap.
You may not have understood the thrust of what I wrote which was entitled opinion and misrepresentation fella. Stuff like we sold Kyogo, a misfiring striker at that stage, and didn’t replace him when we did. Daizen!!! The Japanese striker!!! And brought in Jota on the wing as a replacement for Daizen thus making us more offensively flexible. Misrepresentation fella.
Of course I would like us to do better in Europe in particular in the UCL and aye we are heading in that direction albeit slower than you and I would like but when reality kicks in I’m not prepared to spend the family jewels to try to do so and still go out.
We’d be left paying higher and higher wages to players that we’ve spent a fortune to bring in on transfer fees that then simply want to leave because our league is rank and no I don’t accept your nonsense assertion that I have settled for that standard as a club. However that pathway of over risky spending is the approach and slippery slope an ex club across the city tried. So no fella.
A few £20m players transferred in, if that’s even the minimum you class as not “lowball”, plus their associated wages and we have next to nothing left. No infrastructure investment available, no money to compensate historical and innocent victims of abuse, no money to charities and no money for further player investment of the kind you seem to think guarantees success. It doesn’t.
As you so willingly stated, but don’t really appear to have paid much heed too, is we don’t have the resources in comparison to the truly big European clubs particularly if you and other shortsighted fans would have poured it down the pan and the only pan we have is bog all.
The club and Brendan has spent a lot on CBs, a lot, and we’re still under resourced and weak in that area of the team. Every purchase, every transfer in, and every associated wage is a risk with no guarantee of profit should we have to sell them on when they want to leave. The board could spend more I agree and perhaps a bit earlier if such transfers were available. Though misrepresentations or lies like those associated with Idah’s availability early last summer when that was simply not true as Norwich made clear. I don’t want us to rush in as you allude, I don’t think that wise at all. We have a talent spotting team employed to identify the right targets and try to overcome selling clubs inflated prices, agents agendas, etc, something I don’t even think you’ve considered. Truly wealthy clubs may be able to take that rush in approach; we’re not them. We have to work within our means even if you and people like you want to risk it all and blow it and our future
Wotakuhn I never implied that we should spend vast sums of available cash,I just inferred what ever business we intend to do in the transfer market big or small just do it quicker and give new players a chance to bed in especially if we have to play euro qualifiers,as regards to Europe I know we can’t compete with the big 5 leagues and spend silly money on players that may or not be good enough,but surely we could spend 20 million perhaps before waiting to see what we get for the sale of our players,this board just seems to drag it’s heels in the hope of saving a couple of hundred thousand,j mcginn for eg and many other players that have gone while we dither and the selling teams know the deadline for transfers is closing so we end up paying more than we needed to,but point taken anyway pal,just my opinion as well,like you I just want the best for Celtic hail hail.
I used to really like this blog but it’s kinda decendended into ego town. I think you have stated not opined but stated so many things at this point that it’s just silly. You said I’m sure as fact that we would never sell kyogo? and yet you mock man types for the same mad stuff
It’s the same shite every summer transfer window. Hummin n haaaaiiinnggg.
liewell, get the money spent, stop interfering in things you know feck all about .
I doubt liewell could build an airfix model.
What the hell is what’s his name employed to do. You know , the guy that was brought in last year , paul tisdale,
If brendan doesn’t sign an extension, I’ll bet you a pound to a pinch of shit Tisdale will be the new manager.
Getting to be a bit of a joke every summer transfer window , yeah there’s time left but I ain’t holding out any hope of getting the players in that brendan knows we need
Rodgers has just had his house fully refurbished, when I say refurbished I mean spent 2 million, next door nearing our is Calmac, his wife loves living in Scotland. I think it’s unlikely that he will leave at the end of the season.
I take both sides. The article and some of the comments.
Brendan Rodgers is a very clever articulate man. He knows exactly what he is saying, what he is inferring and what he is not saying.
BR is an elite manager. He’ll be in conflict with PL, MN and the Owner because BR wants to move Celtic to the next level. PL,MN and DD are doing very well thanks. They 3 are all trousering a lot of money from Celtic and Celtic PLC is cash rich. The last thing they need is what they would determine as a Chequebook manager who wants to spend money they decree doesn’t need to be spent! Celtic is not BRs final job in football management. He’s done what he said, he’ll complete his contract. He’s definitely going at the end of this season. ??
Lawell pulls all the strings.
Once he returned so did the project signings.
I will give this season a few months to see how it pans out on the following, can idah step up to the striker role, I think that positions going to Maeda, Engels so far has been average, spent money on him but won’t spend on Lennon Miller, stinks of Lawell and McGinn mistake again.
My prediction is Rodgers will be gone at or before end of season, the guy is depressing me so much with negative tactics.
If only you’d done some research James, you’d have seen the reasons for signing Inamura. He’s still a youngster in the Japanese University set-up. He’s a cultured left sided centre back with a great range of passing, which bypasses the tippy tappy stuff fans are getting bored with. Surprisingly that’s quite a rarity these days and it’s a reason that Celtic (and richer clubs) find it difficult to find these players. The scouting team have unearthed this player as the answer to this conundrum, albeit he needs some development to be first team ready. Brendan has given this signing his blessing but admits he’s one for the future.”
If Brendan does go I think he will wanna go out as a champion once again…
I think he’ll probably want to sign off with a treble as well !
James. Any clue why we need to sell before we buy? Loads of cash at bank, mostly earned from football activity so available to spend (£70million)…..