Tonight we went out of Europe, with what might well be the very worst record of a Scottish side in a group stage competition ever.
We have one game left to go, but it’s a meaningless one in a country one wouldn’t wish to visit at the moment.
So, after an truly scandalous European campaign we’re left with domestic football into the New Year.
Few people realistically expect disaster on that front, but is that the point?
Of course not.
Our club is now a third-rate power in continental terms.
This campaign has been an embarrassment.
I’m blaming the manager for what we saw tonight.
This tactical inflexibility has killed us at this level, it has absolutely routed morale and given us no sign whatsoever to be optimistic about the future.
Playing one up front tonight in a must-win game was an outrage.
I watched Griffiths the whole night. He missed chances. He missed big chances at big moments.
At other times he was a man pushing against the tide. Marked tightly, as is painfully easy to do with a lone striker.
He is a fine player; I don’t have to tell anyone how I feel about him. But he does not possess the tool box of talents necessary to play that role in Europe.
Put another striker up there with him – the whole reason I thought we signed Ciftci, because in all honesty there’s really no other I can think of at this time – and you’d have stretched their defence tonight and given Leigh more space to work in.
That we never bothered, that we persevered with one man up front as the clock ticked down … it speaks volumes.
Ronny Deila is a nice guy. We all know that.
His ultimate failing might be that lack of ruthlessness that other managers are notorious for.
If we let that failing become our own, we’re making a rod for our own back.
Now is the time for ruthless analysis, and when you look at his European record … it’s shameful.
I’m sick of people trying to find gold in this pile of sand.
Tonight I have no interest in hearing those urging us to give him time.
He’s had 18 months, and he’s learned nothing and we’ve gone nowhere.
Far from growing into a better side, we’ve gone backwards.
Last season, against Legia, we were destroyed and the humiliation of that has receded, but no-one can tell me we’re improved since then. A couple of weeks ago we lost to Molde, Molde of Norway, at home, when they had ten men.
I’m thoroughly sick of this, of a club that now accepts mediocrity as the norm.
We’ll hear a lot of platitudes in the days to come about how if only Leigh had put away one of his chances … blah, blah, blah … it’s like white noise now. It’s meaningless waffle as far as I’m concerned. You can blame the players all you like; the problem is a tactical system which the manager is wedded to and which is going to cost him his job at Celtic Park.
But before it does that, it’s going to cost us a third Champions League campaign in a row.
I believe Lawwell when he says Deila retains the faith of the board.
Of course he does.
To admit they made a mistake with this guy is to admit their own failings and the arrogant attitude towards the supporters which was on clear, naked, hellish display at the AGM is such that these people don’t think they have any.
So we’re stuck with this.
With a coach who’s not getting it, and a board so above the fray they can’t even see down at what they’re stepping in any longer.
This article has probably been depressing to read.
It’s certainly been depressing to write.
There are those amongst our support who will call this a knee jerk reaction.
They say it after every one of these nights, and if the next ten games were just like this one they’d continue to ask for time, they’d continue to accuse us of jumping in without thinking, they’d continue to say we wait for nights like this one so we can point our fingers.
They can say what they want.
We’re aimlessly wandering towards the next disaster, and they’re skipping merrily along.
I’m often accused of being obsessed with the failings of the club across town.
But I’ll never be accused of not facing up to our own.
My mind changed on Deila after the Molde away game and it’s not going to be restored short of a miracle. Nothing we do in Scotland will revive it, far less the anaemic garbage we served up at the weekend and for which people made the usual excuses.
I’m on record as saying the manager hasn’t been backed financially, but that excuse wears pretty thin when you consider that he’s signed 18 players.
How many have been an unqualified success?
I said the Carlton Cole signing was a no-brainer because it represented no risk. But still, I’m baffled at why we bothered as we have this one up front system which has the player the manager allegedly tabbed as his “first choice signing” in the summer sitting on the bench every week.
The equation isn’t difficult to understand; two players for one position doesn’t fit.
How in God’s name are three going to?
Taken in context, is the Cole signing anything other than a complete waste of money and time?
If we go into the Champions League qualifiers with things as they are we might as well not bother, because it’s a lost cause.
Yes, I’m conceding before the summer, before the current season is even done, before we sign a player or formulate a plan.
The immediate problem, the one we’re not going to solve until it’s far too late and the cost of the “experiment” has jumped another £10 million or so, is in the dugout.
The only way you can fail to see it is if you are willfully choosing not to.
A meaningless match in Fenerbahce isn’t going to tell us anything we don’t already know.
We’re out of Europe.
His defenders are out of excuses.
And Deila is out of his depth.
Even in the state we’re in right now, this job is way beyond him.
Teflon Ronnie will NEVER be sacked.
His inability to put together a plan to beat Maribor at home cost the club £15m+ in revenue from the Champions League in 2014/15.
His inability to put together a defensive plan to avoid a 2 goal defeat to Malmo cost the club £15m+ in revenue from the Champions League in 2015/16.
His inability to put together a cohesive plan this season has seen Celtic go winless in their last 6 European games, (2 draws, 4 defeats) against the “might” of Malmo, Molde, Fenerbahce and a dreadful Ajax.
If a number cruncher extraordinaire like Peter Lawwell is willing to accept that, and he has shown he is, then there is no chance of Deila leaving Celtic when he can win a trophy each season and Lawwell can claim mission accomplished.
We are not falling off a cliff, we’ve long since fallen. Whilst the negligence of the board is the root cause, Deila’s ineptitude has hastened the descent in rapid fashion.
Ronnie Deila, John Collins and John Kennedy are utterly utterly inept coaches.
Well said Kombuchis……..I see that Ronnie has come out once more tonight with more excuses/drivel saying the usual ……he can see “improvement” and it is only” small details” that have to be sorted to get us in to the CL…….utter nonsense and proof positive he is not the man to take us forward if that is at all possible with the current team and tactics.
we got to face the facts. we haven’t got the players that are good enough to compete in Europe.
I don’t think it matters who coaches the side – were just not up to scratch.
Playing in a not so tough league doesn’t help either. I’m afraid the glory days are over unless there was to be some drastic changes on the home front.
you,ve said what i,ve been saying since the liega game ……….. time to change things is NOW not at the end of the season, we need to be ready for the c l qualifiers
Totally agree with you I’m sick of Delhia making excuses. I don’t think he has the passion for Celtic as other managers in the past have had. We need a team where player’s n manager have a connection
How long will it take for us to get rid of the coaching staff and especially Delia we are going backward that fast we will soon be the team before Mr Stein came and the revolution started while Chris Sutton is saying the players we have signed recently are not up to the standard, is it not possible that they are good players forced to play in a system that is abhorrent Celtic have always played either 4 4 2, 3 5 2, or 4 3 3 but never have we played with one up front. To be honest, they stink and are hard to watch its time for a change.
Yes James Ronnie IS out of his depth and the job IS way beyond him and some/most of those players HE has signed are also not good enough. I still cant see what Armstrong brings to the team…Sutton was right to say he wasn’t brave enough and that the situation a Celtic is going to get worse. The club has no vision a the moment and the tactics each week are the same with the Killie game a sign of things to come…….time for a change and a clearout BEFORE next year.
Once again the team was all over the place. Deila needs to go with the tory board.
I note that Davie Moyes was sitting in the Directors box tonight, maybe just coincidence but………..?? I was, like many others, in the Ronny Deila camp to begin with but over the last two Seasons we have been a complete embarrasment in Europe. We are incredibly, going backwards!! I had to laugh again at Mr Bankier’s comment at the AGM “we play football and we’re good at it”………….aye right!!
Time to change is now. Give someone a chance to prepare for next season. Can’t take any more of this rubbish, wish I could walk away as I feel so annoyed. Please put us out of our misery. No one in their right mind can defend Ronnie any more!
I can totally agree with all the previous comments but can someone give those younger guys who came into the team a little bit of praise, as I think some of them done great and at times their passing was a lot better than the first team have played in European games in the last few seasons, young Tierney in particular and as for cifgi he seems to be the worste buy Celtic have had since Harold Bratbach
I couldn’t have put that any better myself. Board are clueless. Let’s get real and face facts. Who is going to want to sign for us now? We’re moving backwards, and we continue to sell the best of a bad bunch, it’s only going to get worse. If we sack Deila, who is going to want to take charge of us? Remember when Roy Keane was the number 1 target, Deila was meant to be the assistant/head coach. Against Keane’s wishes. No one is going to want to be here when they don’t have the board’s trust.
In terms of signings. Please, please, please re-sign Joe Ledley, not getting game time at Palace. Put his arse on the line for the club while he was here. Something we’re really lacking big time right now.
I said after his first European debacle he should be shown the door and I got slaughtered The boardroom needs a major overhaul not a mind a proper spending policy.The money in the bank will run out if we keep buying mediocre players and out of Europe before Christmas.It seems logical to me investment now,should have been done before now.We are only harming ourselves with the strategy of the past decade or more.
It is clear that once again the board have treated the Celtic support with a complete lack of empathy and consideration.
Their belief that the supporters will accept this level of entertainment is pure arrogance, poor business acumen and a severe lack of football knowledge!
I watched this game today in Adelaide and found it to be amateurish at its best. The tactics being utilised were nieve ,the players that he bought are( and I agree with Chris Sutton) not of a standard for European football this coupled with coaching staff who are of an extremely poor standard will only compound the problem. It is with a very frustrated heart that I genuinely believe that now is the time to get rid of this festering coaching staff and many of the Celtic playing staff because this is not working! Bring in a new management team who have the necessary experience and who are provided REAL money to spend. Failure to do so will only allow the Celtic faithful a real opportunity to keep their money and not buy season tickets!
In conclusion if the Celtic board do not act and leave this situation to fester their ability to attract quality players will be severely hampered coupled with a Celtic support who clearly do not wish to turn up at Paradise…… So spend the money you tight fisted shower of retrobates !!!!!!!!!!
Good piece James, and a reflection of what many heart broken life-long fans like me have felt since the Larsson era. Yes, Delia is out of his depth, and his increasing expediency in churning out bullshit excuses really angers me, particularly given his so-called expertise in fitness, technical and tactics. He’s proved himself to be the footballing Wizard of Oz – there’s really nothing behind the green curtain except a startled man! But the real blame lies exclusively with Desmond – and his puppet, Lawwell – who have reduced our proud – and once revered in europe – club to a risk averse p&l driven business division, with no real ambition. If Desmond really cared about the fans he’d either mount a ferocious campaign to get us in the premier league – where we could achieve our ambition and potential – or sell the club to someone willing to be more ambitious.They will reap what they sow, though. You’ll be seeing plummeting attendances in the coming months – and possibly years – as increasing numbers of fans vote with their feet on the regime’s cynical disregard for its customers.
The worst performance I’ve seen – players clueless, “management” team looking lost – Ronny has failed definitely time for a change. We need a manager to get the best out of his players, Deila has shown he can get the worst out of ours.
Who exactly is going to change things? The same people who gave us Tony Mowbray and the Ronny/Johnny show are still there – does anyone trust them with another punt at appointing a manager? I certainly don’t. There is no one on the board with any more knowledge of football than the average fan.
This delia is an utter joke,time to get rid of as he’s embarrassing this fine club continually in Europe.We need to find a man who’ll deliver the appropriate results against the mediocre teams who are currently in this competition.This guy will need to go as he has lost all respect of his current playing staff,don’t get me wrong their is also the fact half of this team aren’t playing to the potential which is required at this level or not up to this class of European football.He’ll have to go as the zombie current buns (sevco)????Will no doubt be breathing down close by next season if they gain promotion lol.
Well said everyone,its absolutely time for a change now,it’s gone on too long and if the board don’t listen then it leaves us sadly with a boycott.I know it’s not my favorite way or choice but for the sake of C.F.C. we need change NOW!! HH
i have been saying this since the Maribor away game, they were there for the beating that night they feared celtic that night everyone could see it except ronny and nothing has changed, and until it does we will just get worse and worse.
Well said, James.
Last night was the opportunity for some players, even one player, to stand up, and say, “We are in a desperate situation and MUST win. With the captain injured and others missing I will take the responsibility and lead this team.” No one had the guts. I exempt Keiran Tierney. To a great extent I exempt Craig Gordon and Jozo Simunovic. The rest are a disgrace. Ronny and his coaches are a waste of time. If we had had a real leader in the team last night he would have changed things and to hang with Ronny’s sterile one up front nonsense. What does the song say? “To play football the Glasgow Celtic way.” Not this team; not this this coaching group. Sadly even Scott Brown would have struggled last night to motivate this gbunch of nonentities.
On many occasions you have slated the board. Obviously they do not listen. They are incompetent. Basically since the demise of Rangers they have shrunk into their shell in fear. Willie Maley must be turning in his grave and Brother Walfrid spinning in his at their disgraceful antics over the living wage etc. What a disgrace!
I have noticed that Wullie Brown of The Celtic Network has set the ball rolling with the possibility of our beloved Celtic becoming a community football club. He has indicated that he is examining and researching the possibilities but that it will take time. I have told him that I am with him on that one. It is high time that we act. As you say, with this lot we can forget Champions League football in 2016-17. In fact we can forget it altogether if they are not all removed, board, coaching staff and players. This club means too much to so many people. I ask all those who frequent this great sight to give their support also Wullie Brown. We must stop this backward drift now.
Hail, hail!
Time for fan ownership.theses parasites are only there to ponce money