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.
Absolutely dreadful witnessing that today ! I, for one have always been positive and will remain that way, but to ignore what is presently happening, would be burying your head in the sand ! Today, there was no fight, no inspiration, no shape and no idea!
How we remedy it …thousands of fans will be asking the same thing tonight?
We have a week’s grace until the Livi game…let us sincerely hope we have a few solutions!
Not ideal at all!!!
This is what Lawell wanted. Close race which means his beloved Old Firm is in tact. He may be hoping for 56 so they get the added Champions League money so they will be saved financially. All is well in his mind. If the roles were reversed they would crush us.
Too any players believing the hype surrounding them 7 points was a great lead and as you wrote this was meant to be our easiest section of the fixtures .Something is wrong somewhere.
I always wonder if the likes of Lawwell sr look at this and think “yes the strategy is working”.
We’re an utter shambles and deserve nothing on the basis of the ineptitude we witnessed today.
On the back of a dreadful day today, I think you are seriously over estimating Sevco. I will be surprised if they don’t drop the ball big-time between now and next wkend. Levein has St Johnstone better organised and The Dons will sweat blood tomorrow to prevent TavPen lifting the trophy.
You have been calling it correctly all season to date. Sevco are not very good. Our recent form has been horrendous, but we will still be ahead approaching the game on 30th…and comfortably ahead after that game.
It feels like Lennons last season in charge, everything unravelling in a negative way, today was a hard watch.It is hard to have confidence in the upcoming window that the board will bring in decent players n spend.Is their a breakdown with BR n players? The wasted summer has come back to bite us .BR the board n the players have a lot to answer for
This has been coming for months. We all know recruitment was abject this summer. But our squad is capable of better. Do the players hate the system, or the manager?
It’s dreadful to watch us just now, even when we win. Either the players aren’t following instructions l, or the manager wants us to play that way. Neither of these are easily fixed, which is a worry. The fastest route out of our woes is to use the winter break to completely change our formation and style of play.
I won’t hold my breath.
Managers should be at our club only once, it would seem.
We are not a serious football club.
Imagine, if there were a conspiracy between Celtic and Rangers to keep the league competitive and Rangers funded.
That theory died (c.2012) Paul when Rangers died…
There is no Rangers –
However I very much hear what you’re saying !
This moment was going to happen as soon as the two Lawwells came through the door. I have utter disdain for both of them but don’t forget the rest of the board and Desmond’s part in all this. I would prefer none of them were in position. With regards to Rodgers just listen to his after match interview. What he said is a disgrace. It is clear he cannot motivate anyone. The players must take their share of the blame also. Not being good enough is bad but to have no fight or desire is even worse. Our squad is so poor that Bernabei came on today. How ridiculous is that. The two Johnston’s were terrible and I won’t mention one trick pony Palma. I have said enough about him previously. Before today my concern was that Rodgers has constantly changed his story regarding recruitment. He must think the fans are stupid. We all know he was not in charge of recruitment in the summer but he has told the party line so as not to upset his pal Dermot. He should have the guts to tell us the truth but I won’t hold my breath. The club is a total shambles and don’t blame the GB for what was on the park today. They didn’t pick the players and tactics. That was down to others. The loss in atmosphere should not deflect from the dross we are witnessing.
The blame game just isn’t going to go away now and somebody has to be held accountable for the current shit show?
Can’t defend Rodgers whatsoever now, and players totally chucking it in, under his management.
Hart our most experienced player, punching a ball when simple catches were there to be taken?
Yet again Taylor in the 6 yard box from a corner, another costly goal conceded?
Bring on bernie for Palma when 2 goals down at home?
Could go on and on about the shite on show yet again today?
The issue remains as its becoming a more regular occurrence, up to nearly every week of late, actually going beyond the halves of matches now?
Plenty can be pointed towards the board, and Celtic will always be a better place without any lawwells involved, but the reality remains as that is not going to change anytime soon, if ever at this stage?
Someone has to be held responsible now, and the scapegoat needs to be Rodgers now?
This season is to important to allow this shit show continue imo.
These established players are currently playing so bad lately, that I’m struggling to see where the improvements will actually come to salvage this season at this stage imo?
Whatever is going on with Rodgers I haven’t a clue, but his methods are certainly having a drastic effect upon this squad of players, and think he needs to go sooner rather than later before to much more damage occurs to ourselves this season?
Was in favour of his return, currently can’t stand the sight or sound of him now?
That’s the effect he’s had upon myself, so hardly surprising that the player’s seem to have come to that conclusion well before myself imo
Rodgers has lost the players trust we have watched this over the last few weeks I was not that keen on him coming back but went along hoping it would be best for the club.But I don’t think it’s going to end well he knew how Celtic operates regarding buy and sell players that’s how the club makes it’s cash lawell runs Celtic and that’s a fact on Desmond’s instructions so things won’t change Rodgers might turn it round but there is still bad blood with sone fans that’s soured the fan base and also fans getting banned for misbehaviour it’s a mess at present but still a long way to go in the league can we turn things round yes but the players also need to get on with if not Rodgers is toast.
The disconnect between the club and the support seems very wide right now James. The behaviour of the board at the AGM, awarding themselves significant wage rises and making idiotic jokes about refereeing in this country illustrates how far removed they are from the reality that we see from the stands.
It’s clear there are deep seated issues with the team and I fear there is no quick fix for it. I don’t believe a change of manager would be the right approach, butI do believe Rodgers needs to take a long, hard look at his tactics and find a way to beat a team that sits deep and counters. I also strongly believe that the defensive coaching staff urgently have to sort out our complete inability to defend set pieces in our own box.
January needs to be an exceptional window.
We are not a serious football club. We have the resources at our disposal to leave Sevco well behind in the January transfer window. I have no confidence we will do so.At any football club the starting point at any season should be ,let’s be better than we were last season. Identify any weak points in the team ,identify you’re signing targets and spend the money strengthening the team.These simple ambitions are not met at our football club. We are a club with no coherent planning in place.h
Let me give you a wee nudge in a certain direction james the 2 guys in picture at top of your article start there and work your way through the club its no rocket science
Get the GB back in. The place is like a library. I’m in the standing section. Could not believe the booing at half time. For all those that that couldn’t wait to see the back of them, as Delia Smith once said of the Norwich fans “where the hell are you”.
liewell will do nothing he has what he wants to bring the old firm back and at the same time destroy Celtic so he can pour money into his and his son,s pockets and allow the scum to bring themselves back to life
Aye well – We were all so very cocky in September as well…
It doesn’t do to be cocky in football especially in Scotland –
That Sevco win over Hearts by 2-1 last month handed to them by cheats with whistles, flags and monitors could and probably will see Sevco over the line…
Then watch their directors keep their jackboots on our throats with all next seasons Champions League bounty…
Sinking ship James no doubts about that but where to start? Rodgers was back at the club in June
so what part did he play in the abysmal signings that were made – millions wasted- did he sit back and let the Board members pick these players or did he have an input? -The duds(apart from Palms)that have been signed is one thing but the positions that were crying out to be strengthened apart from the centre backs were completely ignored Striker, Central Midfielder & Left Back – surely Rodgers was aware of this? I can’t imagine him returning to the club without being promised control of the signing policy -?? Or is he in knee deep with the Lawwells? I may be wrong but the dressing room don’t look like they’re 100% behind him either. A January window may come too late to save this season whoever is responsible for this mess has a lot to answer for and head or heads must roll
This must be the best few hours in the combined history of the old r4ngers and the new OLD FIRM SEVCO. From the expected dropping into the Conference League to suddenly being on top of their section in the EL, to gaining massively today go top of the league (the games in hand are a given, even without outside or inside help) to surely winning the LC tomorrow. All this within a space of 43 hours. To ice their cake, it was helped along the way by two of their bitter former players. Meanwhile, the complete and utter opposite has cursed Celtic You can blame everyone under the sun, even Santa for cheating and dishing out early presents, but we
have to face facts and admit that the party, if there ever was one, is over. You can be sure, regardless of all the inside information
about Clement being denied a fighting fund in January, that if they get their noses in front by then, they will soon get the money to spend and spend it they will. I have no opinion one way or the other about the GB but surely if an animated and noisy support can help to win games, then the opposite must happen when that support is silenced. Maybe, though, it is only coincidence that the
bottom has fell out of Celtic`s season since the days of the ban.