Hugh Keevins has sounded the alarm on what he sees as emerging cracks in Celtic’s dominance, following their dramatic Scottish Cup Final defeat to Aberdeen. Despite leading for much of the contest, Brendan Rodgers’ side were pegged back late and ultimately beaten on penalties—denying them a clean domestic sweep for the season.
The loss brought a frustrating end to a campaign that had otherwise delivered a league and League Cup double. Celtic finished 17 points clear of Rangers in the Premiership, but defeats in January and March, which stung despite the Hoops finishing 17 points clear in the Premiership. The post-split fixture at Ibrox, a 1-1 draw, capped off the Glasgow Derby for the season.
But across the campaign’s second half, questions have emerged about Celtic’s depth, especially up front. The absence of Kyogo due to a £10 million move to Rennes, and January’s transfer window did little to address it. Adam Idah scored goals, but he didn’t make the difference when it really counted most against Aberdeen.
Keevins said: (RecordSport), “Celtic’s trophy haul has been astonishing in recent years, but cracks are appearing.
“When Celtic were asked to dig deep at Hampden they only found a gaping hole.
“Extensive work on filling the void has got to be done by the recruitment department to meet the demands of domestic and European competition. Players like Johnny Kenny and Yang shouldn’t have been left to save the day in the extra time period of a cup final.
“The irony is supporters will now take their anger out on the manager in the time-honoured Brendan-baiting fashion.”
The spotlight now turns to Celtic’s recruitment strategy ahead of the new campaign. With Champions League qualifiers in August, the club cannot afford to stand still. The failure to sign a dependable striker in January may have cost a treble—and could be a warning sign for European hopes.
Brendan Rodgers has delivered two trophies in his second season back, but scrutiny remains high. The Irishman has made it clear he needs backing to reshape the squad and bring in players capable of making an impact at the highest level. Without that, the club risks being exposed in bigger games again.
While talk of cracks appearing may be a bit overboard, it’s clear there are areas Brendan Rodgers will be keen to address this summer. If he’s properly backed, he’ll have the chance to fix the issues that showed up in the second half of the season.
Celtic spent £31.2 million last summer and another £9 million in January from the Jota signing, so the investment has been there—but the real question is value for money.
Big money signings like Arne Engels, Auston Trusty, and Adam Idah have yet to fully prove themselves. Rodgers will be desperate to get the best out of each of them next season, with pre-season offering a key opportunity to do just that.
At the same time, adding quality signings who can go straight into the starting XI will be vital if Celtic are to push on domestically and most importantly in Europe.
Supporters, while satisfied with the league title win, are right to question why key areas were left unaddressed. The cup final disappointment has intensified memories of past recruitment failings, and the board will face pressure to act decisively this summer.
Celtic’s dominance remains in Scotland, but the Hampden defeat is a reminder that standing still is not an option. If the Hoops want to reclaim their edge, the summer transfer window must deliver more than depth—it must bring game-changers.
