Let’s keep it simple, let’s not get into the big debate tonight, although let’s acknowledge a few obvious facts. The first of which is this; we’re now in a lot of trouble. The Ibrox side is not just very much in this race now but they are in control of it. It’s now in their hands, with us having turned our seven point lead over completely. If they win their games in hand they’re top, that’s where this currently stands and that’s the position we’re currently in.
Blame? Take your pick. The manager. The board. The players. The fans. There’s enough of it to go around, and all of it has contributed.
We have a supporter group at war with the board when all they’re being asked to do is behave like everyone else. We have players who look like they’ve chucked it, actually chucked it entirely. We have a board which took responsibility for the transfer policy away from the manager and squandered the summer … and we have the manager who has allowed that. This is the perfect storm. This is why we’re here. But now we face the question;
How in God’s name do we get out of this mess?
Oh I will fill pages, and run this into many thousands of words, as we go ever every single one of these factors over the next few days. The week ahead of us is empty; tomorrow we’ll probably watch our rivals claim the first domestic trophy. In midweek they’ll cut our lead to just two points and they’ll still have a game in hand.
So we can devote this week to feeling pissed off or we can spend it constructively and trying to work out what we need to do, as supporters, going forward. Don’t ever think we don’t matter, we do and that’s a fact. Even directing the blame where it belongs can be constructive and there will be plenty of that to go around in the next seven days.
It is important to stress than nothing has been lost today which cannot be won back. A football season is a marathon not a sprint, but let’s not lie about this; we look terrible and false bravado is not called for and false hope does us no good whatsoever.
When a league title race shifts as dramatically as this momentum shifts from one team to the other and right now it is with them; if they keep on motoring we’ve got to do everything right just to keep up. February is already causing me sleepless nights; the title race could be over by the time it ends if we go into it under strength, especially considering how bad we are at the moment.
I’m holding back here, obviously. If I write what I’m thinking tonight, all of it, if I let it all pour out, my anger is going to erase any opportunity to properly explore these issues at another time, and this moment requires cool heads and not knee jerk reactions.
But yeah, we’re in a bad place tonight and a lot of trouble and you can feel this whole campaign starting to unravel around us. There are reasons for it, and we have the good fortune of being headed for a month where we could, in theory, confront some of these problems and emerge from the end of it with more focus and a clearer path … but I have to be honest with you, folks, I don’t have a good feeling about it at this moment in time.
Tonight I’ve got nothing good to say, not one thing. I have nothing positive to offer, not one word. I have no praise for a single person who was involved in that today except for those who sat until the end in the stands and tried to give the team some encouragement … we are still the best thing about Celtic, and I say that at the end of the ugliest atmosphere I’ve sat in for a long time, and I cannot blame a single person who gave vent to their feelings.
Those us of who were there today can take comfort from two things; we aren’t responsible for the multi-layered shambles this club has somehow gotten itself into and we are heading into a window where we can radically change our situation. Nothing has been lost here today that cannot be won back. It’s shocking that we’re even talking like that, but this is where we are.
Yes, and we’re not reacting to just today’s result.
This frustration has been building over the season so far.
Today, the players looked like they have downed tools.
And perhaps most concerning:
in the Celtic TV post-match interview,
BR looked / sounded like a shell of a man:
short on confidence and positive ideas?
I’m a bit baffled with the Rodgers tactics today ! You are getting skelped 2-0 . Everything you try turns to rust . Yet the manager decides to take off Palma ,who is one of a few players on the park who might just create the spark for a fightback ,to be replaced by a defender who has scarcely been in the boss’s plans all friggin ‘ season so far ? I suppose a lot of things are making fans baffled right now to be perfectly honest …..
regards who are to blame…how in hell can you possibly throw in the fans? are you serious ?
mate…if you think banning the GB is somehow partly responsible for the sharp decline of celtic fc…you really need to go and press your reset button….ffs. no doubt tho, members of the GB be nodding in agreement with that sentiment….they are another over inflated ego…one of many within celtic fc
the fault lies entirely with the board….lawwell, lawwell, desmond and the other self serving bastards at boardroom level….and rodgers. but not the players…in my opinion. the board appointed rodgers….it was a terrible decision…and of course, his ego could only accept….these are the same players AP had winning a treble 6 months ago ffs…..the board KNEW AP wasn’t gonna hang around…and who did they go for….LAZY LAZY LAZY appointment…
how rodgers can look himself in the eye is beyond me…..he’s an egotistical prick…and you james kept telling us he is an “ELITE COACH”…and that the huns were about to implode – any day now….ffs…..who’s imploding now ?
the board and desmond will do NOTHING…..rodgers will go when HE decides to go and not before-because he has a 3 yr contract……the fans who complain and protest will be labelled as “entitled”…once again…the board and head coach of celtic fc have handed the SPFL title, gift wrapped, to their biggest,oldest and hated(tho’ not by the celtic board) rivals.
YEP….”A CLUB LIKE NO OTHER”
FAIL ! FAIL !
We’ve created a shockin problem for ourselves. Our savin grace here might be, that it’s only halfway through the season and imo, the ibrox team are’nt as good as they and their media think they are. It’s not at this time irretrievable, tho it soon will be.That will depend on how and IF this board deliver and how the team reacts. Disgraceful this has been allowed tae happen.
Agree , nothing is won in December but the title can be lost. We are a listless ship careering towards the rocks atm.
Can Jan window change that? I don’t know but BR better get battering doors down to get the guys he needs.
If not, he needn’t be here.
How can the fans be to blame for this mess? The board have to take this fully and utterly. They have appointed a guy who is not up to the task. The task being take the best team in the country by a mile with millions in the bank and retain their position. He should never have been allowed back. Shambles by those who make the decisions. The fans should demand better, and rightly so
hopefully your fuller review will discuss how we have failed to handle ALL season teams who play with a back 5 and 4 in the midfield and this was all before the current issue we have
James, we are all hurting tonight, because that was one of the most appalling games in the past 2 months, and there have been many. The team looks lost, with no direction, and Rodgers looks as if he had been hoodwinked, maybe for the second time. Why, oh, why, have we stuck by Taylor, and brought in Johnston and Forrest from the cold, as they are way off the mark. Green Brigade back, never, agree with you wholeheartedly. Lawell and co, never been so depressed as when the Kellys’ had control, self serving …… no answer to where we go now
As much as I hate to say this but I have very serious doubts about Brendan. There have been too many lack lustre performances while his own demeanour on the touchline is not exactly encouraging. In effect this would appear to be a continuation of his final season with Leicester.
I just pray that this will not encourage a biscuit tin reaction at boardroom level, he needs to get players in that he has identified and let’s see what he can do come January.
It definitely looks as if Brendan has lost the dressing room.
Should he go? No!
Not yet anyway. The game against the huns and the January transfer window should seal his fate.
I’m very emotional just now. My views will probably change but just now I am so angry.
Things have been looking ‘untidy’ for a while. When it comes to European progress, or lack of it, perhaps some will turn their discontent on the Board, justifiably so, but there’s hardly a manager in Scotland that wouldn’t romp the Title with the squad Celtic have available. Displays have become less and less inspiring as the season has gone on. Is the manager too calm or too indifferent ? Has he ‘lost the dressing room’ ? Is anyone seriously saying that Celtic couldn’t, all being well, have beaten Kilmarnock and Hearts ? All is not well but the team manager is primarily responsible for morale and performances as well as tactical ‘systems’.
Lagerbeilke makes an impact. Lagerbeilke is dropped. What’s going on there ? As for signing ‘quality-experience’ – do we mean Phillips, McCarthy, Keane ?
Whatever the underlying cause, the unity that the previous manager engendered (albeit before jumping ship) has been frittered away in disappointment and doubt.
Glad to hear your gonna try lasso that horse . The GB were not there mate and not been since the ban. The board ?need to go , why ? Complicit in my mind in setting up Rodgers , lawell hates him so bring him back and make him look afool, tick, helpless, tick, powerless, tick.
Kennedy steps up funds arrive jan job done and we win the league again ( all that matters) board and lawell looks like saviors job done again.
The ordinary fans need to see through this and need organisation to help, like it or not GB can organise and can coperate when the club and team need it to be at loggerheads with this board at this time is ABSOLUTELY the right thing to do be for all of us for they ALL must depart our house for all the good they do ( apols to cromwell).
Exactly mate get the GB back in, imagine going into a Celtic v (What ever you want to call them) without the backing of the GB. Of course the biased main stream press will criticise the board if they do back down but at the moment I can’t see another way forward.
First of all let’s stop blaming referees and VAR for our dilemma, let’s not pick on players as the same ones that are on the park were here last year under Ange, the blame firmly lies with Rodgers and his style of football, he has cut off all service to our top goal scorer Kyogo, so much so that he would be better not playing, his possession type football is boring and ineffective and turns decent players into duds, Rodgers should never have been brought back.
Yup, not great just now. However we are always vulnerable after a euro midweek game, so while not great being out may assist the league battle. Form has been up and down no doubt but the injuries have also been severe as on key personnel. I been also been thinking the old adage of never return. It rarely goes well, is that we are seeing? Thought BR a better coach than that mind. The loss of a superstar on the wing a key (unfairly criticised) defender and a solid midfield man who were not replaced well that’s the crux of it for me, that along with the injury situation plus not having an effective back up for Big Joe. How BR put up with the summer recruitment I’ll never know but dropping a boy who scored your champions league winning goal says much I think. Not there yet but COVID season reminders are entering my head big time. A dons win today would assist matters and slow their momentum so here’s hoping, badly need a run of wins now especially the next 3.
Morning folk’s, just getting over the shock from yesterday. Look I don’t fully buy in to this “sack the board thing” yes they have a lot to answer for and my main gripe with them is re hire of Brenden Rodgers, instead of thinking out side the box. Let’s face it his tactics and style of play are unattractive the zip has gone.
When the board messed up the Howe appointment, they got lucky with Ange. Lucky, they almost lost him to AEK Athens but the timing just worked in their favour. His appointment quickly took the focus away from them, yet although others recognised early on he was the best manager we have had in a long time they couldn’t secure anymore than their initial 12-month rolling contract. His knowledge of the asian market brought in some gems, actually it was a sad indictment of the clubs previous recruitment competence.
Before Ange left, the excitement was about which positions would be filled by a few new class players, enhancing the present well performing squad.
Ange left, 3 well performing players left (Starfelt, Jota, Mooy) and not one of a plethora of signings improved the first team.
Is it any wonder therefore that the club fell short in Europe once again?, I don’t think so. The previous manager returned to talk a good game but what calibre of manager would accept the transfer activities he has overseen. One with an ego obviously, and with enough experience to deflect most of the blame from himself, but perhaps he’s not the class act some would like us to believe!
I am quite heartened by the vocal criticism yesterday to the board by our supporters, it was well directed. This board has consistently shown it is satisfied simply winning a 2-horse race, and now they may once again fall short even in that endevour.
It looks like we’re getting what we deserve with Desmond and Lawwell overseeing the club!
Hi James I’m very disappointed that you have obviously decided not to publish my post of yesterday with no explanation.I know that there was nothing offensive contained in it, and I can only assume you personally don’t agree with my concerns.
However you could have responded outlining your opinion, after all I thought that was what your column was a about, indeed very disappointed.
You always flap and fluster like a baby.
Grow a set & get a grip.
There is a heed tae heed coming too.
So who still has control?
In the head to head Beaton and Chetin’ with all their whistles, flags and monitors will have absolute control…
That is not a good outlook for Celtic !
I’ve been a Celtic supporter all my life my flats is covered with Celtic memorabilia I’m a woman I’ve even got at a Celtic kettle I’m disgusted by the way this team is playing I blame Brendon Rogers and the Celtic board they have given the league title to rangers bring back Scot brown he is the only one who can motivate this team and don’t seek Matt o reilly
Can’t believe we have lost 2 games on the trot