Football Weekly: "Celtic's Crisis Grows and Drama in the Carabao Cup"

Date: December 18, 2025
Host: Max Rushden
Panel: Barry Glendenning, Jordan Jarrett Bryan, Sam (surname not given), Jim Burke (RGC Celtic Podcast)

Episode Overview

This episode plunges straight into Celtic’s ongoing crisis as the Scottish giants hit historic lows under new manager Wilfred Nancy. The panel dissects recent results, management controversy, and boardroom dysfunction in Glasgow, before moving to dramatic Carabao Cup quarterfinals, a spirited Cardiff showing against Chelsea, and Premier League storylines. Throughout, Football Weekly’s signature mix of humour, fan insight, and sharp analysis is on display.

1. Celtic in Crisis: Four Defeats, Boardroom Turmoil, and a Manager Under Fire

[01:18] – [18:21]

Key Discussion Points

• Wilfred Nancy’s Nightmare Start

  • Historic fourth straight defeat; first time since 1978 Celtic have lost four in a row.
  • Celtic’s 1-2 home loss to Dundee United, their first defeat to Dundee United in 11 years.
  • Jim Burke (Celtic fan) details the lackluster performance:

    "We didn’t have a shot in target after the 13th minute, Max." (02:58)

• Managerial Appointment and Venn Diagram Metaphor

  • Nancy’s “trial and error” management style and his much-memed Venn diagram.
  • Max:

    "Maybe he’s trying to say there’s an existential point here, that football doesn’t matter. That’s what he’s been brought to Celtic to do, to make this deeper than it is." (05:17)

• Self-Inflicted Problems & Recruitment Blame

  • Jim:

    "This is all of their own doing... grown men shooting themselves in the foot." (04:04)

  • Barry Glendenning explains the recruitment tangle involving Paul Tisdale and Kwame Ampadu:

    "People are putting two and two together... that the link between Tisdale and Ampadu... is the reason Nancy rocked up at Celtic Park." (08:36)

• Fan Discontent Runs Deeper than Social Media

  • Jim: "It’s not just the youth and the malcontents... there’s much wider discomfort amongst the support." (09:17)

• Peter Lawwell Resigns as Chairman

  • Barry and Jim discuss Lawwell’s divisive legacy, the fractious AGM, and fan protests:

    "The current board... is manifestly unfit for purpose." – Jim Burke (12:21)

• Where Next for Celtic?

  • Jim: Calls for Nancy's removal and reinstatement of Martin O’Neill and previous backroom staff.
  • Barry on O’Neill’s mischief:

    "He rolled a grenade in on Monday... announced he’d have happily stayed till the end of the season." (13:36)

• Is Nancy The Main Problem? Is He Being Treated Fairly?

  • Sam offers sympathy:

    "He hasn’t had a pre-season... he’s playing a new system... there’s a lot of things that suggest it isn’t just this one man." (15:05)

• Naivety and Adjustment to European Pressure

  • Quote read from Stuart Holden (US international):

    "(Nancy’s) been too naive in how quickly he thought he could implement his style... for which he might pay the price." (16:43)

• Panel Consensus:

  • Multiple issues at Celtic converge—managerial learning curve, failed recruitment strategy, boardroom turbulence, and escalating fan unrest.

2. Carabao Cup Drama: Magic, Missed Opportunity, and Manchester City's March

[20:26] – [29:22]

Key Discussion Points

• Semi-Final Draw & Who’ll Win?

  • Teams left: Newcastle, Man City, Arsenal/Palace, Chelsea.
  • Jordan:

    "I think City are... the team I’d put the smart money on at the moment." (21:21)

• City’s Win Over Brentford and Turkey’s Sensational Goal

  • Sam on City’s new star:

    "He is one of the most exciting players to watch... that Rabona that I criticized and this finish. But God, he strikes that... it’s like it’s sped up." (21:56)

  • Pep’s perfectionism:

    "After that he didn’t play very well. So it’s not enough just to score that absolute belter." – Sam, paraphrasing Pep Guardiola (22:28)

• Brentford’s Team Selection and Missed Red Card

  • Discussion on squad rotation, prioritisation of competitions, and a controversial not-given red card:

    "Brentford should be trying to win. Why are you leaving out your star striker...?" – Barry (24:07) "Had VAR being in place, I’m not sure Kushanov stays on the pitch." – Sam (24:57)

• Newcastle’s Last-Minute Win Over Fulham and Lewis Miley’s Rise

  • Sam celebrates Miley’s coming-of-age moment:

    "He has become... Newcastle needed a local hero right after Sunday." (25:31)

    • Miley’s journey from quiet teenager to first-team regular.

3. Premier League Preview & Managerial Pressure Cookers

[39:43] – [47:38]

Key Fixtures & Talking Points

• Spurs v Liverpool ("Sword of Damocles" Over Frank)

  • Sam:

    "He’s in that Nuno zone already... supporters... have decided that he’s not their man." (40:00)

• Manchester City Poised to Regain Top Spot

  • Jordan:

    "I think it’s fair to say Manchester City will be top by the time we play..." (42:57)

• Arsenal’s Title Race Mentality

  • Jordan:

    "Arsenal just got to focus on themselves and... make sure they focus on winning their games because they’re a very, very good team..." (43:51)

• Everton’s Injury Woes and Style

  • Sam:

    "At the risk of the wrath of Everton fans, they’re a strange team. They’re a very Moisian team." (43:52)

• Villa-Manchester United & Villa’s Title Credentials

  • Barry:

    "Manchester United are now being hailed as the reincarnation of Brazil 1970 because they scraped a draw..." (45:36)

  • Jordan:

    "I fear Unai Emery. That’s who I fear. I think he’s the reason, the sole reason... they’ve got any chance..." (46:22)

• Other Fixtures and Predictions

  • Barry boldly calls a Wolves win over Brentford:

    "I’m going to call Wolves winning their first game of the season this weekend." (47:21)

4. Additional Notable Moments and Segments

Celtic Crisis Quotes & Fan Sentiment

• Jim Burke:

  "At some point, somebody has to ask the question, why has that happened? And the only logical explanation is... you look at the board and that includes all of recruitment..." (09:17)

• Jim on post-game mood:

  "Fans, at the moment, are at our wits’ end." (10:24)

Absurdities and Humour

• Max on Nancy’s Venn diagram:

  "A great chance to talk about Venn diagrams... I don’t think we’ve ever had since I started the pod." (05:17)

• Barry on selling Football Weekly scarves:

  "[My friend] could sell sand to Mohammed bin Salman, I’d say." (54:20)

Notable Football Culture References

• Half-and-half scarves resurgence ("like Van Gogh off"), calls for a "flash mob giveaway" (53:02).
• Listener Andreas’ speculative fiction featuring Max and Barry, pondering the rise of robotic managers.

5. Key Quotes with Timestamps

| Quote | Speaker | Timestamp (MM:SS) | |:---|:---|:---| | "We didn’t have a shot in target after the 13th minute, Max." | Jim Burke | 02:58 | | "This is all of their own doing... grown men shooting themselves in the foot." | Jim Burke | 04:04 | | "Everything was just self-inflicted... We have brought this upon ourselves." | Jim Burke | 04:37 | | "Peter Lawwell... announced yesterday he's stepping down because of the abuse he's been subjected to." | Barry Glendenning | 10:24 | | "He's in that Nuno zone already... supporters... have decided that he’s not their man." | Sam | 40:00 | | "He has become... Newcastle needed a local hero right after Sunday." | Sam | 25:31 | | "I think City are... the team I’d put the smart money on at the moment." | Jordan | 21:21 | | "After that he didn’t play very well. So it’s not enough just to score that absolute belter." | Sam (paraphrasing Pep) | 22:28 | | "Manchester United are now being hailed as the reincarnation of Brazil 1970 because they scraped a draw..." | Barry Glendenning | 45:36 | | "I fear Unai Emery. That’s who I fear. I think he’s the reason, the sole reason... they've got any chance..." | Jordan | 46:22 |

6. Other Highlights

• Tribute: Sombre note for Ethan McLeod, young Macclesfield player tragically killed in an accident. (50:08)
• Football Culture: Debate on AFCON absences, club competitions, and festive football traditions.
• Light-hearted Banter: Discussion on the merits of half-and-half scarves, Barry’s Christmas funk, and Football Weekly’s surprise inclusion in speculative fiction literature.

7. Conclusion

This episode packs in a turbulent week for Celtic, delves into the fine margins and personalities shaping English and Scottish football, and offers Football Weekly’s usual offbeat humour. If you want a pulse check on the mood among fans, honest appraisals of club leadership, or just a laugh at football’s unpredictabilities, this episode is essential listening.

Note:

• All adverts, show intros, and outros have been omitted; timestamps and attributions are included for major discussion segments.
• The tone is conversational, at times irreverent, with sharp insights from journalists and fans alike.