Celtic Board risking £40m own goal that would be unforgivable | OneFootball

With the registration deadline looming, the Celtic boardroom could not be under more pressure to make Celtic’s Champions League playoff squad ready in time for two crucial matches in the coming weeks.

Players of FC Kairat pose for a team photo prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 first qualifying round first leg match between Olimpija and Kairat Almaty at Stadion Stozice on July 08, 2025 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. (Photo by Jurij Kodrun/Getty Images)

This evening, Celtic will learn whether their Champions League playoff encounter will be against familiar European opponents Slovan Bratislava or Kazakhstan champions Kairat Almaty.

Vladimir Weiss head coach of Slovan Bratislava speaks during press conference after the UEFA Champions League Second Qualifying Round 1st Leg match between NK Celje and Slovan Bratislava at Stadion Z’ Dezele, on July 24, 2024 in Celje, Slovenia. (Photo by Jurij Kodrun/Getty Images)

The Kazakh side leads 1-0 from the first leg and head to Slovakia for the two teams’ second leg encounter, while everyone connected to the club [including supporters like me who have stupidly booked Bratislava already]monitor the game closely.

The winner will travel to Celtic Park for the opening leg on Wednesday, 20 August, with the return fixture set for Tuesday, 26 August. While the draw gives Rodgers and his team the benefit of kicking off at home and hopefully wrapping up the tie, the club’s top priority between now and the first leg should be bringing in players to give the manager the best possible chance of qualifying for Europe’s elite club competition for a fourth competitive season and COMPETING when we get there.

Aberdeen v Celtic – Celtic Manager Brendan Rodgers during the Scottish Premiership match between Aberdeen and Celtic at Pittodrie on 10 August 2025. Photo Stephen Dobson PSI (IMAGO)

Celtic must submit majority of their squad by UEFA’s deadline on Thursday, 14 August, giving the club only a few days to finalise changes. Although two additional players can be added up to a day before kick off, the bulk of the squad has to be completed by Thursday.

Rodgers has been open about the boardroom and recruitment team’s lackadaisical approach to this summer’s transfer window, acknowledging that although the club insist they are actively working behind the scenes, new signings are not assured before the Champions League deadline. Supporters have now lost count of the times Rodgers has quite rightfully expressed his wish to reinforce the attacking areas of the pitch, but it’s as you were says the manager.

In this scenario, no news is bad news.

The playoff round offers more than just a chance to compete at the top table of European competition; it also promises a significant financial boost that could fund additional signings before the transfer window shuts. Due to the increased format, which means more games, Celtic accumulated £40m from last season’s Champions League campaign. However, ongoing doubts about the squad add an unwelcome element of distraction and this has been facilitated by a boardroom who are incapable of communicating to supporters.

Michael Nicholson, Chief Executive of Celtic FC looks on from the stands prior to the William Hill Premiership match between Celtic FC and St Mirren FC at Celtic Park on May 17, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

With the registration deadline fast approaching, the boardroom and scouting department should be doing absolutely everything to finalise deals and give the manager the best possible chance to qualify for the Champions League with a better squad than we finished last season with.

To continually improve. Surely, that should be their ambition. Right?! After all, the last accounts showed £65.4 million in the bank and that is prior to Kyogo and Nicolas Kuhn sales and Jeremie Frimpong’s sell-on-clause.

What is the excuse going to be this year?

Tonight and the next few days will reveal both Celtic’s upcoming challengers and the extent of the squad options Rodgers can rely on in pursuit of returning Celtic to the Champions League. Don’t leave the manager short. It would be a terrible mistake.

Conor Spence

THE HANGOVER…So better late than never …

Kasper Schmeichel in control as Leighton Clarkson of Aberdeen stretches for the ball during the Scottish Premiership match between Aberdeen and Celtic at Pittodrie on 10 August 2025. Photo Stephen Dobson PSI

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