Big Chris Sutton has never been short of an opinion or two. He’s cheesed a lot of Celtic fans off over the last couple of years, with some of his criticism of the team and the manager and tactics. He seems to like Brendan Rodgers a lot and is fully on board with this boss’s plan for the club, which is all to the good and very welcome.
I like Big Chris.
I like Hartson too.
These guys gave us a lot of good years and they are vocal and passionate about being Celtic fans, and not just media guys. They wear it right out there, they don’t mince their words, they don’t hide under a bushel.
I also enjoy Roy Keane.
He’s another guy who has an opinion on everything – a bit like Jailbird Joey Barton haha – and likes voicing it even when he knows it pisses people off. Sutton, Hartson and Keane are no longer players, of course, but Keane is still involved in football and he knows his profile and presence makes everything that comes out of his mouth a headline.
And sometimes he can’t help himself because of that.
Keano’s comments after the Barcelona game were harsh, but I didn’t take them badly. Because this is what Keane does, and some of our players are said to feel pretty pissed off with themselves too. Keane simply articulated some of the thinking inside our club and inside our stands. It wasn’t supposed to be anti-Celtic; Keane doesn’t have an anti-Celtic bone in his body. Roy Keane is anti-failure. That’s why it was so easy to shrug off.
But boy oh boy, Big Chris was not for doing that.
He had a right good go at Keane today, making it plain how he feels about his remarks.
Whilst putting it down to Keane’s will to win and his ridiculously high personal standards, Big Chris didn’t miss him when it came down to discussing player mentality, with Keane saying he thought some of our players were “weak.”
“Roy Keane talks about the mindset in European away games,” Sutton said. “Well, he’s managed Ipswich Town so he’ll know all about weak mentality …”
Ouch! Wow! That’s a sore one!
And I laughed reading that, and then the next bit. “Celtic were losing games on the road with a far stronger set of players than they have now …” he said, which is a wee self-deprecating dig at the Martin O’Neill team of which he was a part.
Big Chris and John Hartson love Celtic. These guys want us to be back at that level, and I really do wish we had more of their personality types in the dressing room because maybe we are a little gun-shy when we travel away from home on the continent.
Maybe there is a mentality issue, and one that permeates the club and in particular its longer serving players. Brown was furious with his own performance and that of his team-mates at full time – I actually thought he played quite well – but I suspect the away record is on his mind and the minds of a few others.
Big Chris closed out with a wee reminder. “Last season they didn’t even win a game in the Europa League,” and a wee clarifying point which should be noted. “Brendan Rodgers can’t just flick a switch after being in the door for five minutes.”
I totally, wholeheartedly, agree. We’re at the start of a process here, and a little patience and tolerance is what’s required right now. No-one can deny we’ve been a better team to watch so far this season. Europe is another level again, and it’ll take time.
I have no problem with what Roy Keane said, but he’s being a little unrealistic and very impatient.
Big Chris put him straight on both counts … with a wee bard to boot.
Good on you big man.