Celtic Has Held The Showdown Talks. Now Fans Want To See The Action

If a week is a long time in politics, then God only knows how we measure how long it feels in the crazy world of Scottish football.

The last seven days have seen our club battered from pillar to post not just from the usual subjects in the mainstream media but from within the support itself.

It’s hard to argue that any of it hasn’t been warranted.

Last Saturday saw us fail to beat a Derek McInnes led Kilmarnock for the third time this season, and even worse, for the third time we got what we deserved.

A slow, turgid display that seems to have become the norm since the return from the winter break saw the men from Ayrshire have the more clear-cut chances in front of goal.  Were it not for the heroics of the soon to be retiring Joe Hart in Celtic’s goal, it could have proved to be an even worse day at the office.

In the aftermath, both Callum McGregor and the returning Greg Taylor have confirmed that there was a full and frank discussion amongst the squad in the dressing room.   Senior members of the team have felt the need to lay out in the strongest possible terms what is expected of the new recruits in terms of effort and dedication.

Whilst not usually a fan of these revelations making their way into the public domain, I would imagine that the confirmation of the riot act being read out by those in the team who have seen and done it all here before to the other members of the squad as welcome news.

Standards at this club were set a long time ago and they should not lower simply because a few project signings can’t meet them.

Regardless of how good or bad any individual transfer window goes; it is a supporter’s gift to still expect that a Celtic side won’t be matched or beaten for effort.

And if there are players that can’t meet that expectation then there is only one place for them to go and that is the exit door.

But that is for another day, right now we must deal with the title race.  And whether we like it or not, this is the group of players we are relying on to get us over the line.

And whether the mainstream media like it or not, it is mostly a group of players that have risen to the challenge over the years.

For all the premature celebrating and title coronation street party arrangements going on in the red top rags and phone-in shows regarding the Ibrox club’s recent upturn in fortune in results, it is worth remembering that all it takes is one slip up and the table changes again.

I’m already resigned to them being hailed as world beaters come quarter to 5 tomorrow (or more accurately 5pm once you include injury time). But there is still a long way to go in this title race.

Come Sunday, it is vital that we do our talking on the park and not in the dressing room and remind everyone (including ourselves) just who we are.

The interim results show this club is in rude health despite the setbacks of this season, and whilst that is for another article, what it shows is the foundations of the club remain as strong as ever.

Write us off in this title race at your peril.

Anthony Dunn is a regular contributor on the EndlessCelts Podcast. You can watch it live on YouTube Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 8.30pm