Progress is made by focussing on tomorrow.
This means thinking ahead and planning for the actions needed to secure a better future.
Sunday’s Scottish Cup Final – and the achievement of a twelfth consecutive trophy – was emphatically not the day to do that. We also, rightly, all took yesterday … and some of us are taking today as well just to enjoy the achievement and the history it made.
The game was as strange a final as can be imagined. Celtic were so far ahead at half time and then at times we seemed lucky to hang on.
Because of that, many will use the events of the game as renewed evidence of the need for managerial change, and new players too. I know James is intending to do exactly that.
But for the moment – at least – that would be utterly wrong, which is why he didn’t do it right after the full time whistle, why he didn’t do it yesterday and why, so far, he hasn’t done it today.
Right now, everything should be about the monumental achievement of a quadruple treble, a momentous event unparalleled in world football. Yes, unparalleled regardless of what the Lincoln Red Imps might say.
Such a dominant cup run is without precedent, and likely to never be repeated.
The struggles at the weekend will anger some, but they’re also a reminder of how difficult this achievement was.
In many ways, Sunday was a far more significant day and achievement than Ten In A Row would be. I know that’s a controversial view, but I do believe it.
Ten leagues titles on the bounce would be phenomenal, and shows real ability.
However, emulating this across so many cup games is remarkable, given the lack of room for error. It took phenomenal team spirit, concentration and nerves of steel.
A single league game lost is not necessarily fatal to winning the title. But the same cannot be said of a cup run.
Sunday’s struggles are a reminder of that. We might have lost – at several times – but didn’t. That’s a tribute to the players and management team that saw us through.
Football is a constantly moving game. Success one day can soon be forgotten – just ask Claudio Ranieri at Leicester.
Some people may want to pick holes with the many issues the game raised. But not for now.
For now, we continue with celebration. That, and not recrimination, should be the single and only activity. The achievement merits that period of calm.
This is an accomplishment which marks out this side alongside the greatest in the club’s history.
A team that takes its place in world footballing history.
Matthew Marr is a Celtic fan and blogger, and a regular contributor to the site.
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