His Analysis Of The Domestic Scene Is Even More Ridiculous Than That …
“Lennon’s squad will this season, in theory, take on a stronger Rangers, Aberdeen and Hibernian, while Hearts and Kilmarnock are more difficult to gauge, which with more games – and that means more problems – and that would see Celtic drop points, giving any of the teams mentioned a chance to mount a challenge – which Rangers did for a period last season.”
I swear to God, I have published that garbled mess exactly as it appears in the article.
Read it again. Then again. Once more, just for the giggles.
Was he sober when he wrote that?
Was whoever proofed it sober when they did?
Does nobody at The Herald Group edit this guys work?
Because that is shambolic. That should never have gotten through a proper process from page to publication. Cameron looks bad enough for having written that, but God knows how the serious professionals at that paper feel with it being out there in the world.
A sense of shame would be my guess.
So let’s try and sort through that tangled mass of jibberish for some meaning.
First, what “more games” is he talking about?
If Celtic gets to both domestic cup finals this season, and if we get to a European group stage, and if we get to the next round in Europe after that we will have played exactly the same number of games as this season. Exactly the same number.
Eight qualifying ties, six group stage games, two knockout round matches. Plus cup games. Plus league encounters.
The so-called “stronger Rangers, Aberdeen and Hibernian” … where’s he getting that from?
The Ibrox club has signed seven players, most of them free transfers. Are they materially better than they were last season? They have more players, yes, but has the squad been enhanced to where you could honestly say they are stronger?
Aberdeen has signed nine players, seven of them on frees, one on loan and one where they’ve paid a modest compensation fee. One of their signings was at the club last season and did nothing of note. Another is Craig Bryson, who’s a decent footballer, but getting on. They have lost Mark Reynolds, Gary Mackay Steven and their captain Graeme Shinnie. Are they necessarily stronger for the footballers they’ve brought in? It very much remains to be seen.
And Hibs? They spent £250,000 on a player from Forest Green Rovers and signed five on frees including Scott Allan.
Only Kilmarnock have had a genuinely interesting summer … they’ve lost their strongest asset, but they have shown ambition and imagination in replacing Steve Clark. We’ll see how they look when the campaign kicks off.
Are any of those teams going to be significantly better than in the last campaign? I doubt it. There is certainly no evidence which suggests it. There has been no game-changing signing at any of those clubs, or at any club outwith Celtic Park.
Much of Cameron – and others – hopes rested on Celtic standing still.
And the signs aren’t good on that one either.
“And Lennon will probably be without Kieran Tierney who is Celtic’s best player.”
Who spent much of last season injured, and who, at present, doesn’t look as if he’s going anywhere.
Even if he does, we have signed a very decent backup and have another couple on the radar.