Rangers derby ‘battering’ Ally McCoist’s wish list, leaving Jeff Stelling laughing like a Celtic Grinch

The Ibrox hero is basking in the Christmas cheer round Philippe Clement’s men.

Ally McCoist hopes all Celtic fans have a superb Christmas, but wishes Rangers to ‘batter’ their rivals in New Year.

The Ibrox hero turned in to a contemporary day model of the Grinch as he needs the affliction to pile on even greater for Brendan Rodgers come the unrelenting festive duration in the Scottish Premiership. The Hoops have suffered a weekend of misfortune after losing factors in the title race again, dropping to Hearts on Saturday, before observing their rivals scoop the Viaplay Cup on Sunday against Aberdeen.

Philippe Clement’s men appear to be steaming in the direction of the December 30 showdown at Celtic Park in which the situation of Rangers going pinnacle of the summit has left Rodgers’ champions wanting the derby bragging rights. And McCoist is basking in the Christmas cheer around Ibrox, but stopped short of looking to break the Yuletide for Parkhead fanatics.

Yet the interesting pundit insists there need to be no respite come the New Year, after co-host Jeff Stelling put him on the spot on whether he would desire Celtic followers a joyful festive period.

Stelling stated on Talksport: “I imagine you would have a higher message for youngsters out there at Christmas who are Celtic fans Ally? McCoist responded: “I hope you have a notable Christmas. But I hope we batter you in the New Year.”

Celtic is genuinely owned by who? Below is a summary of Celtic’s stockholders

A breakdown of Celtic’s possession and powerbrokers….

Photo Vagelis Georgariou

After a first domestic loss at Celtic Park in two years, issues around where the membership is heading have been raised by way of supporters once again.

Figures at membership such as Chairman Peter Lawwell and his son Mark (Head of Recruitment) plus the CEO Michael Nicholson have been subject to a whole lot of the criticism, with the trio the conductors of the club’s recruitment in the summer time switch window, a window which can solely be described as a catastrophic failure. Chants of ‘Sack the Board’ and Lawwell, Lawwell get to….’ were both loudly chanted at the sport on Saturday as the supporters made their positions very clear indeed.

The boardroom at Celtic has been labelled ‘the historical boys club’ by way of many fans, with the common age of members of the board standing at sixty two years of age.

Dermot Desmond is seen prior to the Celtic vs St Mirren Cinch Premiership match at Celtic Park on May 20, 2023 (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Dermot Desmond 

Dermot Desmond is the club’s biggest shareholder, occupying 34.64% of the shares, at a valuation of £51 million.
Desmond has held his position as a member of the board of directors and largest shareholder considering the fact that 1995. Ranked as the ninth richest man in Ireland, Desmond previously held stakes in Manchester United up until 2005 when he sold his shares in the membership to Malcolm Glazer. When a Celtic supervisor is being appointed Dermot Desmond is typically centre-stage making the judgement calls and sooner or later choosing the man of the job.

Chris Trainer

Christopher David Trainer holds the 2d biggest amount of shares at 11.02%, at a valuation of £16 million.
Trainer offered his commercial enterprise The Forrest Media Outdoor Advertising Company, reaping extra than £32 million from the sale. However, even though the Scottish entrepreneur holds the biggest single stake in Celtic after Dermot Desmond, he doesn’t hold a position on the board of directors. Perhaps that’s down to his own choice. This is even greater baffling when you think about former Chief Executive of Celtic Peter Lawwell, who is a member of the board, holds simply a 0.3763% share in the club.

James Keane

As the 1/3 biggest shareholder, James Mark Keane holds a 6.247% stake in the club. Keane is the proprietor of Woollen Mill and Kiltane, and is a large identify in the clothing market in Scotland. However, like Chris Trainer, he too is not a member of the board of directors no matter his giant stake in the club.

Tom Allison

Thomas Allison holds a 3.549% stake in Celtic whilst occupying a role on the board of directors. He has held a role due to the fact that 2001 and holds a lot more influence than Trainer and Keane who although have a increased stake in the club, are not contributors of the board of directors. He’s been referred to as the’ eyes and ears’ of Dermot Desmond so has massive importance at the club.

Minor shareholders

The relaxation of Celtic’s fairness is owned by a number funding companies, alongside Swiss financial institution Banque Lombard Odier

‘More than’: Peter Grant believes the £1.5 million Celtic star will wind up in La Liga rather than the Premier League

Matt O’Riley has been brilliant in Celtic shades this season and is a key purpose why Brendan Rodgers’ side are sitting top of the Scottish Premiership table.

Yes, latest results and performances haven’t been some thing to shout about, but if it wasn’t for Matt O’Riley, then the team would be fairing a lot worse.

That’s why it was once incredible business from the powers that be to tie down the 23-year-old to a new deal until 2027 in September.

If that door of leaving Celtic ever got here about, then Peter Grant thinks that he could see the technically gifted playmaker leaving for a u . s . a . like Spain and enjoying in La Liga, rather of the shiny lights of the English Premier League, as he told Go Radio.

When Matt O’Riley was once coming thru Fulham’s academy as a teenager, the £1.5 million signing used to be briefly coached via Peter Grant.

There is a touch of Celtic DNA that led the Danish megastar to this route where he is now the fine participant in Scotland.

Peter Grant shared what used to be outstanding about Matt O’Riley when he was coming via and how he ‘wouldn’t be surprised’ if a go to the Premier League doesn’t happen.

Matt O’Riley in Spain and La Liga 

“He is inclined to do each and every day by means of asking the question, ‘how to get better?’,” stated Grant. “As I stated to you before, he loves football.

“If you supply him data and he is aware of the reason why you are telling him this. As a younger player, he used to play deeper because he wasn’t exact at receiving it and he used to be too square. He was once 16-17. I used to be bringing him into the U23s then.

“I knew in possession of the ball he used to be amazing – however one element is that he is a inclined learner.

“I wouldn’t be amazed if Matt wasn’t the one who went to the Premier League in England. I be aware of financially (it can be a draw). But maybe would play abroad. If anyone from abroad got here in for him. Spain and La Liga, more than whatever else.”

Matt O’Riley going from energy to strength

Look, the defeat to Hearts has put a real dampener on things and then you have the fans calling for the board to be sacked.

Just at the wrong time, matters are beginning to go in the direction of the incorrect direction.

But one high quality mild is O’Riley, and if Brendan Rodgers is to pick out up the group from the deck, then the recently-capped Denmark superstar is the one who will spark it into life.

A couple will go: Kennedy exposes the sources of his anticipated Celtic departures

At least one central defender will be shifting out of Celtic in January as nicely as Nat Phillips who is on loan from Liverpool.

The dimension of the squad has become apparent over latest weeks with summer season signings struggling for sport time and frequently to make the replacement bench on matchdays.

Liam Scales has been a constant presence in defence considering the fact that August, mostly alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers however in midweek in opposition to Feyenoord he was once partnered by means of Stephen Welsh for seventy five minutes before Gus Lagerbielke’s dramatic appearance.

At £4.3n from Lech Poznan Maik Nawrocki used to be the most high priced summer season signing but talking at today’s media conference John Kennedy admitted that it used to be one location of the squad where he expected to see departures.

About the centre-back scenario with Carter-Vickers coming back into full fitness now, you have as many as six or seven centre-backs. How do you view that, and do you suppose there will be a major pairing that will emerge? Scales has played in reality nicely so some distance this season. Cameron’s been right here for two years and has been brilliant. What do you see?

It’s a function the place we have a lot of players. In January there’s going to have to be a couple that will go and get game-time some other place and trim the squad down a little bit. If anything, we’re carrying a lot of numbers, so there will be a lot on the periphery who we just want to go and get game-time or possibly cross on. Everyone will have their own agenda on that.

Yuki Kobayashi looks sure to return to the J-League in January but it looks like two from Welsh, Nawrocki and Lagerbielke will continue to be as opposition and returned up for Scales and Carter-Vickers.

Tomorrow’s team-sheet should give an indication of who will be last next month with Welsh and Lagerbielke having made sturdy instances to continue to be concerned following their name ups towards Feyenoord.

“Scandalous”… Feyenoord midfielder was rather irritated following the match against Celtic

Celtic’s win over Feyenoord left the players, the fans and the manager feeling extremely joyful at subsequently recording a win in the Champions League.

Not considering the fact that beating Anderlecht in 2017 has Brendan Rodgers tasted victory in Europe’s pinnacle competition. So when the last whistle went last night, the Hoops gaffer would have been elated at his team’s ability to make a late sprint for a winner.

However, one participant who wasn’t impressed used to be Feyenoord midfielder, Mats Wieffer. Just like Arne Slot, he used to be definitely raging at his crew and said it used to be ‘scandalous’ that they allowed Celtic to nick all three points at the end.

Wieffer said [Glasgow Times], “Everyone is very frustrated. Celtic have been better in the first 20 minutes and then we had it pretty an awful lot below control. We created a lot of chances, in particular in the 2nd half.

“I don’t understand how many desires we have conceded like the one Celtic scored late on in the Champions League, however that’s now not possible. It’s surely scandalous.

“These are the moments you educate to forestall when every body has a man. This need to now not happen.

“It’s all very well pronouncing we played first-rate football and have won, however if that takes place time and time again, you will by no means win anything.

“We can solely blame ourselves.”

I have the world’s smallest violin playing here simply for Wiefferr! But in all seriousness, Celtic were due a bit of luck in the competition.

Against all three teams, Rodgers’ crew suffered both from a late aim conceded or a dodgy refereeing decision so it’s true to see Celtic getting a bit of a rub of the green.

Unfortunately, it was once too little, too late for Celtic but at least now the pressure is off to get that win and optimistically Rodgers can construct on this for Europe next season.

Chris Sutton responds to Celtic’s Champions League victory, saying, “The rot has stopped.”

Chris Sutton stored tabs on Celtic’s Champions League conflict against Feyenoord from the London International Horse Show tonight.

The former striker has watched his old membership suffer a decade of distress in UEFA’s elite competition as they took some heavy beatings while coming close to breaking the long going for walks mission for their first home win considering the fact that October 2013 towards Feyenoord.

There used to be nothing at stake tonight besides for a 2-8m euro payout with Celtic anchored in backside spot with Feyenoord looking ahead to Europa League football in the new year.

Well at least the home record rot has stopped even if it was a dead rubber. Worst ever as a player going into a game with just pride to play for and to the player’s credit they did that🍀

— Chris Sutton (@chris_sutton73) December 13, 2023

Luis Palma opened the scoring with a 33rd minute penalty however the Dutch champions regarded to have secured a factor in the 82nd minute when Yankuba Minteh shot home unmarked from 12 yards out.

That looked like any other difficult success story for the hoops however right on the 90th minute Gus Lagerbielke headed home from shut range after being picked out through a extraordinary go from Matt O’Riley.

After eight minutes of stoppage time Celtic, and Sutton with the horses, had been able to celebrate.

Kyogo’s goal drought is not his fault, Brendan Rodgers tells Celtics critics, explaining in detail why the star isn’t scoring

Kyogo hasn’t hit the goal for the Hoops considering the fact that a 6-0 win over Aberdeen in November.

Brendan Rodgers has revealed Kyogo Furuhashi will lead Celtic’s assault towards Feyenoord – and insisted he’s not to blame for the striker’s current intention drought.

Rodgers left the Japanese talisman on the bench for Sunday’s shock defeat at Kilmarnock after losing him out of the group for remaining week’s home win over Hibs. But the Parkhead boss tested on Tuesday night Kyogo will be pitched again in from the begin for his side’s final Champions League game of a catastrophic marketing campaign against the Dutch large guns in Glasgow’s east end.

And he rubbished any suggestion that his own tactical approach has been immediately to blame for a miserable run which has considered Kyogo net only as soon as in Celtic’s last 10 games. Asked if Kyogo will change Oh Hyeon-gyu in his assault Rodgers replied: “He will play. We have to be truthful to Kyogo and some of the other boys as well. They can’t play in every single game. You lose that speed and intensity.

“Oh’s executed well when he’s come into the game. A bit like Mikey, he gets his start and then obviously the team performs nicely in opposition to Hibs so you let that beginning crew begin apart from Cameron Carter-Vickers with a view to making changes.

‘But you need a properly squad and you need to give some relief to players, mainly with him and the quantity of work he receives through.”

Rodgers has been blamed for this drop off for deploying Kyogo in a deeper function than the one which was once earmarked for him through former boss Ange Postecoglou. But the supervisor hit lower back by insisting Kyogo has gone against his personal instructions.

He said: “We went via his video stuff the other week. We appeared chiefly at the fact I don’t need him shedding in so much. When you’re playing in a lot of video games where groups are sat deep, you don’t get a kick of the ball actually until it comes into the box.

“So what do you do? You begin wandering. His energy is his penetration. That’s his strength, running in in the back of and timing his runs. You have to make 10 runs maybe to solely get in once however that’s your job as a striker.

“So there’s been nothing changed in that. There’s been without a doubt nothing different asked of him due to the fact his power is enjoying off the ultimate line, timing his actions and being instinctive in the box.

“He’s now not a dribbler, he’s now not any one who does drop in. He can do it however it’s not his strength. And that’s continually the assignment for a striker who wants to affect games. But he’s very receptive. He’s not a baby, remember, he’s 28 years of age.”

Rodgers additionally printed that neither Cameron Carter-Vickers nor Daizen Maeda will make the squad for tonight’s tie, notwithstanding rejoining the squad in training the previous day after harm layoffs. He said: “They won’t be concerned tomorrow. Cameron trained this morning, however it is probable too an awful lot of a risk. He will be reachable for the weekend.”

That capacity Nat Phillips is likely to begin towards the Eredivisie champs regardless of a shaky performance capped off by an personal purpose in the Rugby Park defeat. But Rodgers insist the blame for that loss stops at the manager’s door.

He said: “Listen, I think it is a collective. It can by no means be pointed at one player. I thought in the first half we performed very well. We played with exact velocity and should have scored extra than one goal.

“But from the very outset of the 2d half of we didn’t play. If there is all of us to blame for the result, blame me. It is down to the manager to pick out the team. No, it was a disappointing result.”

Another team has now formally offered to sign a “outstanding” Celtic player in the bidding battle – report

One Celtic player is starting to come to be a target remote places beforehand of the New Year, with any other club making an offer for his services.

Celtic switch update

The Hoops have been busy over the summer following Brendan Rodgers’ return to Parkhead, with a range of additions being made in multiple areas of the pitch.

Alongside all the arrivals, there were also some departees, and the club without a doubt made a profit in the summer, mainly due to Jota’s big-money exit to Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad. As nicely as Jota, Celtic additionally obtained prices for Carl Starfelt, Albian Ajeti and Conor Hazard, and via the looks of things, the club ought to soon convey in cash for another player in 2024.

Celtic outcast Yosuke Ideguchi made the cross again to Japan until now this year, joining Avispa Fukuoka back in February. Since then, reports have claimed that the J1 League prefer to secure his services on a permanent deal.

However, in a new Celtic switch update from Japan, relayed via The Glasgow Times, the Hoops have already obtained an provide from Avispa Fukuoka and now fellow Japanese aspect Vissel Kobe are also stated to have made a “formal offer” for the midfielder.

Yosuke Ideguchi’s profession at Celtic

Ideguchi arrived in Glasgow returned in January 2022 and is under contract until 2026, however, things haven’t worked out for the Japan international. He has ignored a variety of video games via damage due to the fact placing pen to paper in Scotland and has made just six senior appearances in inexperienced and white. His injury problems have endured while on mortgage at Avispa Fukuoka.

Former Greuther Furth boss Damir Buric previously heaped reward on the player, though, saying:

“In regards to Yosuke, I can only speak the best. He is an exquisite individual with top notch character. First of all I was very impressed with the way he got here returned from that serious injury. What impressed me most was once the way he was working for the duration of his time out with the injury.

“It was simply unbelievable, nearly like soldier. He confirmed such a remarkable attitude and high-quality approach. He was extraordinarily disciplined, took in each and every additional coaching session of bodily rehabilitation and invested all of his time in getting returned as quickly as he perchance could.”

He appears to be a player with quality when fully fit, however, unfortunately, Celtic haven’t viewed that model of the participant enough, so a everlasting exit ought to make sense for all involved in 2024, whether that be with Avispa Fukuoka or Vissel Kobe, making this one to watch.