Image source, SNSKasper Hogh joined Celtic from Bodo/Glimt
Kasper Hogh, 25, has no regrets about joining Celtic after scoring in just one of his opening nine appearances, a hat-trick at Kilmarnock. (Sun, external)
Denmark international Hogh takes comfort in his faith, partner and family amid the pressure to perform at Celtic. (Euroman via Scotsman - subscription required, external)
Tino
Fan writer
It's been more than a week since Celtic were last in action - and there's still another 12 days to go before we see them again.
Motherwell away on Sunday 11 October feels a long way away.
Normally a gap like that would feel pretty unbearable. We'd be counting the days, scanning for a snippet of Celtic news and wishing the international break away.
But this time? I'm not sure many Celtic fans were particularly disappointed to see the break arrive. And that probably tells you a lot about where we are right now.
There's a strange sense of apathy surrounding Celtic. Maybe apathy is too strong a word, but there's definitely a flatness that hasn't been there for a while. Or at least not since the last time…
The early-season excitement has gone. The anticipation of new arrivals and what they may bring has faded too.
And after the past few weeks it almost feels like everyone needed a break from Celtic as much as Celtic needed a break from themselves.
There are plenty of reasons for that. Three defeats in a row certainly haven't helped. Neither has another Champions League campaign ending in the qualifiers.
And then there's the summer transfer window which, despite plenty of activity, has again left us with more questions than answers.
Add in the constant chopping and changing, poor performances and the uncertainty around Martin O'Neill, and maybe it shouldn't come as a surprise supporters are feeling drained by it all.
Football's supposed to be the thing you look forward to, but for a few weeks now, watching Celtic has started to feel more like something to endure. And that's a worry.
Defeats happen. Poor runs happen. But indifference is different. When supporters stop feeling angry and start feeling detached, that should concern the people running the club far more than any angry protests or booing at Celtic Park.
For once, this international break has offered everyone the chance to switch off. To stop asking what our best formation is. To stop wondering what Celtic team will turn up next.
I've not overly missed it. Of course, that feeling probably won't last. As Motherwell gets closer, the anticipation will return. We'll probably convince ourselves it's all going to be okay and by the Sunday morning we'll be desperate for kick-off.
That's what Celtic does to you. Or at least it should.
But Celtic and O'Neill now have 12 days left to ensure supporters do come back refreshed rather than resigned.
Because right now, for the first time in a long time, the break hasn't felt like just an inconvenience. It has felt necessary.
And that's not a good place for any of us to be.
Image source, GettyCeltic's Benjamin Nygren sent Sweden on their way to a 3-1 victory over Poland as Graham Potter's side made it two wins from two in Nations League Group B4.
Nygren netted a close-range header in Stockholm for his fourth international goal on his 17th cap.
Sebastian Szymanski levelled just before half-time, but second-half goals from Brighton midfielder Yasin Ayari and Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres sealed the win.
Nygren had admitted before the game he was striving to recover from Celtic's early-season turbulence after Martin O'Neill's men missed out on the Champions League following a calamitous play-off collapse to LASK, then lost three successive games heading into the international break.
"It's tough of course," he told local media. "As a player you always want to play in the biggest tournaments and I was looking forward to going to the Champions League so much.
"It's extra tough, especially after we also missed out on penalties last year. You have to try to move on as quickly as possible.
"The last week has also been tough with three straight losses, two of which were against Rangers, which was extra tough.
"It's been a bit up and down but personally I've done very well in many games. I've scored a few goals and assisted.
"Every match means a lot and you are expected to win. If you don't do it, then it's not good enough.
"That's how it is and that's why I also want to play in a big club."
Former Celtic striker Frank McAvennie believes the club has not taken into consideration the feelings of the supporters after an Oasis gig was confirmed for the night of the 60th anniversary of the club's famous 1967 European Cup win. (Football Transfers, external)
Former Celtic winger Aiden McGeady has revealed he has heard whispers that former Ipswich Town manaager Kieran McKenna could be being lined up to become Celtic's next team boss as Martin O'Neill reflects on his own future. (Open Goal podcast, external)
Former Celtic winger Aiden McGeady has explained how Dundee technical director Gordon Strachan opened the door for him to help head coach Steven Pressley coach the club's wingers and forwards on an ad-hoc basis. (The Courier, external)
At 15 while with Celtic, full-back Daniel Church was being monitored by Manchester United but was forced to retire at 25 and is now working as a barber having been told he would need risky spinal surgery that might only extend his career, which had taken him to East Fife, Dumbarton, Alloa Athletic and Queen of the South, by a couple more years. (The Courier, external)
Read Tuesday's Scottish Gossip in full.
Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSNine games, three goals - and all three of those strikes coming in the one match.
It is fair to say Kasper Hogh has not had the start he or Celtic would have wanted after the club spent a club-record fee to sign the Denmark striker from Bodo/Glimt.
Having bagged 53 goals in 102 appearances for his previous team, a handful of which came in the Champions League against top-level opposition, the 25-year-old arrived to fanfare following the signing of fellow big-money capture Camilo Duran.
However, it is Duran who has hit the ground running while Hogh is yet to settle in the green and white after a challenging start to his Celtic career.
Anyone who wears the number nine shirt for the Parkhead club will always attract attention, and that is before you factor in a reported £11m transfer fee.
Now, with Martin O'Neill's men on a three-game losing run, serious questions are starting to be asked after Hogh's underwhelming introduction.
That said, three goals in seven starts is not an awful return, but all those goals came in the one outing against Kilmarnock in early August.
Hogh's hat-trick display that day sent an ominous warning to Celtic's domestic rivals, though he has not netted in seven fixtures since.
But what do the underlying numbers tell us? Do they paint a promising or more alarming picture?
A brief period out injured meant Hogh missed three league games for Celtic between the end of August and early September, but on a goals-per-90 basis the striker is second from top among all Scottish Premiership players with an average of 0.89.
Again, it should be noted that each of his three goals came in the 5-1 victory over Kilmarnock, but his expected goals per 90 (also 0.89) is the highest in the division.
A decent chunk of his total xG rating (2.99) also came in that rout at Rugby Park, but it has been performances elsewhere that have prompted concern, particularly in big games.
Hogh, along with Duran, was brought to Celtic with Champions League pedigree and with the hope of taking them to the next level in Europe, but he failed to score across both play-off legs with LASK and the Europa League opener with Ferencvaros.
In 109 minutes against Rangers this term, there has also been little involvement and no goal, although it would be unfair to pin that solely on the Danish forward.
Clear-cut chances have been few and far between in recent defeats for Celtic, with only two shots on target mustered in the Old Firm losses.
With the season threatening to unravel even at this early stage, O'Neill is yet to work out the formula to get the best out of Hogh, with Duran favoured through the middle from the start in the league defeat to Rangers last time out.
How the 74-year-old and his backroom team fit both into the attack could shape how their campaign unfolds, with a trip to Motherwell on the horizon.
Image source, SNSCeltic winger Yang Hyun-jun has declared himself fit for the Asian Games semi-final against China as he tries to help South Korea win the gold medal, having missed the previous game against Vietnam with a slight hamstring strain. (Scottish Sun, external)
Celtic are not fully over their Champions League play-off defeat by LASK, says midfielder Benjamin Nygren. (Scottish Sun, external)
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill resigned from two tax schemes designed to save members money by investing in films weeks before leading his club to a domestic double last season. (Scottish Sun, external)
Lithuania midfielder Gvidas Gineitis, the 22-year-old who Celtic pursued this summer, says joining the Scottish champions from Torino "would be an interesting and rewarding experience". (15min.It, external)
Read Sunday's Scottish gossip in full.
Image source, SNSJota could return to Celtic action earlier than expected, with a behind-closed-doors game being planned during the international break. (Scottish Sun, external)
The door has not closed on former Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe taking charge of Celtic, according to Stenhousemuir boss Marvin Bartley, who played under him with Bournemouth. (Glasgow Times, external)
Celtic forward Camilo Duran's international debut for Colombia hangs in the balance with paperwork delaying his entry to the United States. (The National, external)
Fares Ghedjemis, the 24-year-old winger targeted by Celtic and Rangers this summer, could sign a new contract with Frosinone. (Gazzetta dello Sport via Glasgow Times, external)
Former Scotland midfielder Michael Stewart has revealed he had the chance of a move to Celtic before returning to Heart of Midlothian for a second spell during his playing days. (The Herald, external)
Image source, SNSAndy Robertson's dreams of playing for boyhood club Celtic were shattered when he was released at age 15 - but the Scotland captain now regards it as "the best thing that happened to me".
After being let go for being too small, Robertson was plucked from the scrapheap by fourth-tier Queen's Park, beginning a rise that took him to Scotland stardom and Premier League and Champions League glory with Liverpool.
Speaking on The Overlap Podcast, external, 32-year-old left-back Robertson, who is now with Tottenham, said: "I'm a big Celtic fan, had a season ticket, was ball boy for a couple of games. So Celtic was everything.
"So when you get released at that age it's not the nicest. I turned 15 in the March and then in the summer I got let go. I'd been there since I was seven.
"In fairness I was pretty small and slim. There was a big change at Celtic at that point, Tommy Burns had just passed away, new people had come in and wanted to take it in a different direction.
"But it's the best thing that happened to me really, looking back.
"I look at players who had stayed at Celtic and were maybe still there in their twenties but did they make any first-team appearances? And then at 20 they're trying to get their career back on track by going to lesser teams in Scotland.
"So I was quite happy that my journey had started earlier than them."
Robertson's self-belief understandably suffered. And it was his auntie's unwavering confidence that helped convince him he was far from finished.
"At that point I wasn't thinking I'm going to be a footballer. I just wanted to play for Celtic - that was my dream," he added.
"Fifteen is a difficult age as it as, but I had people around me that did believe. My auntie was one of the big people.
"I remember when I came back from Celtic Park after being let go, my auntie was standing at the top of the steps with a takeaway for me - my favourite curry - and she was convincing my mum and dad, saying 'No, he'll make it'. I don't know why she had so much confidence in me, but fair enough."
With Martin O'Neill taking stock of his future following three defeats in a row, you asked you whether the Celtic manager should stay or go.
Here are some of your comments:
Brian: Martin did what was needed last season and should have left on a high. He doesn't need the pressure, senior management have taken him for granted to save them money, let Martin enjoy his retirement.
Christine: If O'Neill wants to retain his legacy then he must leave. This path affords him some dignity, slowly draining with every loss. It's not even just the losing, hurtful as that is, but the manner in which we have been playing. Any manager has to take some responsibility for these shabby displays.
John: The time for a new boss is the end of the season, at which time bring Ange Postecoglou back. For now O'Neill is a proven winner. With Jota, Alistair Johnson and Yang back plus the next transfer window for the suits to back him, O'Neill will be a bigger legend than he already is. No panic. Nothing won yet.
Mark: O'Neill is a Celtic legend and the latest manager to be sold a pup by the board. Everyone and his dog knew exactly which positions needed to be filled but the board blocked the signings. They are the problem, not the manager.
Edward: If O'Neill thinks he can still get this team up to a competitive position in the league until we can properly bolster the midfield in the January transfer window then I think we should all get behind him. He knows what he is doing, he just needs our 100% support, he will come good.
Andrew: O'Neill is a Celtic legend, he's put his heart and soul into our club and we will be eternally grateful and will always remember his name, but this is painful now. The man is 74 and doesn't need (or deserve) this hassle. He's defending a board that is indefensible as well as trying to make a team gel. It's time for a younger manager now, Kieran McKenna or Robbie Keane would be high on my wishlist.
Liam: O'Neill should be allowed to decide what he feels is right for him. He has nothing to prove as a manager, he's still and will always be a club legend. His health must come first.
Margot: Please stay. We need you.
Image source, SNSCeltic blew a four-goal lead over LASK in the Champions League play-off
A prominent Celtic supporters group has expressed anger at the club's "alarming" decline and "continued mismanagement".
The rancour of last season has returned over the past month after a Champions League play-off collapse against LASK and three defeats in eight days - including two derby losses to Rangers - leading into the current international break.
On Tuesday the club announced a loss after tax of £4.8m for the year ending June 30, 12 months on from making a profit of £33.9m, and a 22.7% revenue drop £111m.
"Anger at recent shambolic results on the park in big games was compounded yesterday by Celtic plc latest financial results," read a statement from Celtic Fans Collective, a coalition of supporter groups formed a year ago.
"The statements from the 'interim' chairman (Brian Wilson) and CEO (Michael Nicholson) typically lacked humility and did little to improve the mood. Supporters are not fooled.
"The stark reality is that Celtic FC is underachieving across the club and the trajectory is alarming.
"We have highlighted the signs of this decline since our formation. We will continue to hold the club to account and fight for the standards that the Celtic support deserves.
"Celtic Fans Collective representatives met with Celtic FC yesterday to discuss the club's fan engagement strategy. We also the took opportunity to express the deep frustration at the continued mismanagement of the club. A full update will be shared with members shortly."
Tino
Fan writer
There's been no shortage of debate over the past few days about what's gone wrong with Celtic.
The shape. The starting XI. The confidence. The recruitment. And of course, Martin O'Neill himself.
All of those are fair talking points. But I keep coming back to one area more than any other.
The midfield. Because when Celtic have struggled this season - particularly against stronger opposition - that's often where the problems have started.
At Ibrox Rangers were more aggressive, more physical and more dominant through the middle.
Against Ferencvaros Celtic again struggled to control the game.
And on Sunday there were long spells where we simply couldn't dictate the tempo.
And as we know, there's no obvious way to fix the problem externally until January at the earliest.
Celtic do have attacking quality. Camilo Duran. Kasper Hogh. Shim Mheuka. James Forrest. Haissem Hassan. Yang Hyun-jun. Jota potentially on the way back.
But if you can't consistently get the ball into those players in good areas, all that attacking talent becomes far less effective.
O'Neill has seven senior midfield options, but no combination has yet provided everything Celtic need.
Callum McGregor still has a major role to play, but his ability to dictate games doesn't appear to be at the same level it once was.
Benji Nygren gives you goals and assists, but in the bigger games his inclusion can leave too much responsibility on those behind him.
Mika Baur is in good form and that's been reflected in his first call-up for Germany.
Luke McCowan looks short of confidence. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain somehow remains on the fringes.
Oliver Sorensen is still a mystery, while Joel van den Berg has yet to play a competitive minute and was recently seen in a protective boot.
Lots of options, but very few clear solutions.
What Celtic need from midfield is pretty apparent. More control, more physicality, and more composure. And enough creativity to feed the frontline.
But the seemingly preferred trio of McGregor, Baur and Nygren doesn't appear to be giving Celtic enough of those qualities when the level rises.
And when you lose the midfield battle, everything else becomes harder.
The defence gets exposed. The full-backs get pinned back. The forwards become isolated. You start chasing the game instead of controlling it.
So perhaps the focus during this international break has to be on finding a better solution in the middle of the park.
Who gives McGregor the right support? Does the captain himself still merit an automatic start?
Who has the composure to play through pressure? Who gives Celtic enough physical presence? And who can consistently get the ball into the final third?
Two shots on target across two games against Rangers says a lot about Celtic's current chance creation.
Until those midfield questions are answered then the same problems will keep resurfacing.
Whether it's O'Neill making those calls or someone else, Celtic need to find a solution soon.
Celtic have backed manager Martin O'Neill after a "painful week" of three consecutive defeats - but is he still the right man for the job?
After O'Neill cast doubt on his own future following Sunday's 1-0 derby loss to Rangers, chief executive Michael Nicholson said on Tuesday night the club will "come together and support" the 74-year-old.
We want your views on Celtic's managerial latest. Would O'Neill be best to call time on his tenure? Or does the three-week international break provide the ideal opportunity to reset and go again?
Celtic and Rangers are among a long list of clubs keen on a January loan move for Arsenal midfielder Max Dowman, who turns 17 on 31 December. (TeamTalk, external)
Image source, SNSFormer Celtic striker Chris Sutton is concerned for Martin O'Neill and believes Cameron Carter-Vickers' "disgraceful" comments highlight a disconnect between the squad and manager.
Under-pressure O'Neill is weighing up whether to continue in the job after defeats to Rangers either side of a Europa League home loss to Ferencvaros.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club, Sutton said: "I'm just concerned about him.
"He had an operation not so long back. He hasn't looked particularly well.
"The stress he has been under - you think about what he did last season, going back once, then going back again, getting Celtic over the line, all that drama.
"Getting the job in the summer, I didn't necessarily want him to take it, because that was like a perfect finish.
"I hated seeing him doing the press conference [post-match on Sunday]. He looks tired. He offered that comment [on considering his future]. That doesn't bode well.
"A lot of the age stuff has been thrown at him, and I wonder if it's all a bit too much.
"He's clearly thinking about pulling the plug on it, which many of the players, based on Carter-Vickers' comments, may want. I thought that was disgraceful, what he said."
Following Sunday's 1-0 home loss to Rangers, defender Carter-Vickers said Celtic are lacking an identity, were "too random" in their play and called for "consistency of messaging, consistency of ideas, consistency of effort".
Sutton, who played under O'Neill during the Northern Irishman's first Celtic spell, labelled the remarks "astonishing".
He added: "That is a criticism of the manager. Why did he say that? I don't get it. It's about players taking responsibility.
"Why is it always down to the manager and coaching staff to tell players exactly? It used to happen when I played, we'd make a decision on the pitch.
"I don't know why the onus is always on the manager. These aren't 12-year-olds. There's a lot of experience in the team."
Image source, SNSDoes Martin O'Neill still want to be the "whipping boy" of a "slightly dysfunctional football club"?
As he considers his future following three successive defeats, including back-to-back Old Firm losses, the Celtic manager has plenty to ponder.
"If you're talking about whether O'Neill will stay on or not, there's various things he has to consider," says Stephen McGowan, football writer for The Herald.
"He has to consider whether he can still get a tune out of this group of players, but also whether he wants to continue being the frontman for this slightly dysfunctional football club.
"They don't have a director of football. They've not replaced Paul Tisdale, the head of recruitment.
"I'm not absolutely certain if they've replaced Jay Lefevre, who left for Swansea and was the kind of chief scout. Not officially anyway because they don't really communicate, they don't tell you, and that's the point - O'Neil has become this lightning rod for the frustration of supporters because he is the only person putting his head above the parapet.
"The directors don't do that. Dermot Desmond doesn't do that. Michael Nicholson doesn't do it. It all falls to O'Neill to almost take that frustration on the chin.
"That is one of the concerns I think people have, whether he should continue to be the kind of whipping boy for this club which has more deep structural issues.
"The problems Celtic have go beyond the technical area. And I think that's one of the things he needs to ask himself, whether he wants to continue being that guy or whether actually he thinks, you know what, I don't really need this."
Listen to more Celtic analysis on Tuesday's episode of the BBC Scottish football podcast
Image source, SNSCeltic remain the team to beat despite Rangers' back-to-back derby wins, according to Ian Durrant.
Celtic have lost three straight matches in all competitions, including the two defeats by Rangers, but remain two points ahead of their rivals at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
Durrant - who won 13 major honours as a player at Ibrox - is excited by Rangers' recent form, but says they still have work to do to be considered Scotland's top team.
"Rangers are very young and inexperienced but they're sticking together and they're showing signs that they could be a good team," the 59-year-old said, speaking at a press conference to promote the SPFL Tennent's Sixes at Glasgow's Braehead Arena next month.
"They've got a lot of physicality about them. But it's very early days now, nothing's given out in September.
"You've got to make sure you go on a run now and make sure you hang on to Celtic.
"There's a lot of hard work still to do. It's good just now but there's a lot of tough games coming up.
"Celtic are the benchmark for where Rangers are trying to get to. We're still chasing Celtic. They're the team to beat.
"Rangers have not got that experience just now. Rangers are playing well just now but Celtic have got that experience, players that have been over the course.
"They're what all teams are trying to aim for. If we can overtake Celtic then we've got a fair chance of winning the league."
Image source, SNSTom Boyd believes Celtic's Champions League play-off collapse against LASK last month is the cause of their recent poor form.
Martin O'Neill's side threw away a four-goal aggregate lead in Austria as they missed out on Europe's premier club competition.
Celtic were knocked out of the Premier Sports Cup and beaten in the league by rivals Rangers, either side of losing their Europa League opener 3-1 against Hungarian outfit Ferencvaros, making it three defeats in their past three matches.
"We've had better weeks, that's safe to say," said Celtic ambassador and former player Boyd, speaking at a media conference to promote next month's SPFL Tennent's Sixes at Braehead Arena in Glasgow.
"With the performances in the last few weeks, possibly the LASK game has maybe shot some of the players' confidence, being in that position and losing that lead.
"I think the LASK game took everybody by surprise, taking a 4-0 lead [on aggregate] and losing. That's something that has probably taken longer to get out of the system than what it should have done.
"We'll get three weeks now, there's players who will hopefully get that confidence back by going away on international duty and what the manager does with the rest that stay behind is try to get that [confidence] back, and make sure that we're ready for the next run of very difficult games."
Image source, SNSCeltic centre-half Cameron Carter-Vickers has admitted it has been difficult to get all their summer signings "on the same script" but expressed confidence in their squad despite three damaging defeats in a row that have called into question the future of manager Martin O'Neill.
The 74-year-old veteran team boss wondered if it is time "to wrap it up" as he headed into the international break pondering his position at the Scottish Premiership leaders following Sunday's 1-0 defeat by Rangers.
But Carter-Vickers told Sky Sports: "I agree with the manager - I don't think there was much in the game. Neither team were particularly good. There's a lot we can improve on, but I'm confident in the group we have."
Asked why Celtic's season had taken a downturn with two losses to their city rivals either side of Europa League defeat by Ferencvaros, the United States international added: "Hard to put your finger on one thing.
"We played a bit too random. We need to get better at that, getting a script and sticking to it.
"The last two games we've played have been big pressure games. As players, you rely on having something to fall back on.
"We haven't had the time to get that. As players, we can do better for sure. It's something we can improve on.
"There's a lot of new players at the club. It's about getting everyone on the same script. The group are together like we've always been. We need to find consistency."
