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Celtic’s Task Is Pretty Simple Today. Get Started On The Run That Wins Us The Title.

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This morning there are some pretty ridiculous headlines branding Chris Sutton pathetic because he won’t concede the title, as if his doing so would magically wrap the trophy in blue and white ribbons and drop it right off at their door. You would never think that if we win today the gap at the top drops to a mere two points and a handful of goals, would you?

Everyone in the media and across the city thinks this is over. That Sutton is even having that asked of him with a dozen games left for us and so little in it seems vaguely absurd. If we had not conceded late to Kilmarnock, we’d be looking at going back top today. So, what, exactly, would the media be writing if we were? That the league was over?

Of course not. There are twists and turns yet to come here. We’re not out of this race by a damned sight. There will be points dropped on both sides of Glasgow before this campaign ends, and we have to play them twice having won the first two games.

What will take to win this? That’s easy. Twelve wins out of twelve, although eleven wins and a draw, provided the draw was against them, would get us across the finish line. I think it’s quite possibly with ten wins and two draws provided that we beat them at least once. But just to be on the safe side, the twelve wins on the bounce should be our target.

Are we capable of a run like that?

There are two ways to answer that question and both are valid.

The first is, do we look capable of it?

The answer to that is no, but I’ve seen us do tougher things than that to get across the line in a close league race and it’s not impossible to do.

If you’re asking me if we are capable of it, that’s the second answer right there.

Because of course, yes.

We have the players who are capable of it and we have the guy who I still say is the best manager in this country and to prove me wrong someone’s going to have to show me the comparable record to his, at any other club?

We know we can still do this.

We know we have the talent in this squad for it.

But morale is low and, with some justification, we feel like we’ve let it slip through our own fingers. For all that, we can’t think fearfully about this.

That kind of fatalism practically hands them it on a silver platter.

Because if we win today we’re down to eleven matches and just two points in it.

That’s the truth of it. This race wouldn’t be over if we were the ones with the two-point lead and there is not a single outlet in this country which would be acting like it was.

So this is it guys. Win today and then into midweek.

I remember Gordon Strachan talking about this stuff once upon a time and his comments were very simple; when you’re chasing you don’t look at the past or at the future but at the next step on the road in front of you. Win one. Then move onto the next one.

Sounds simple, right?

Well we’ve made it harder than it needed to be this season, but in the end that’s how it’s done, like putting one foot in front of the other, and they say that a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Winning this title starts with a single win … today’s.

Let’s get that in the bag and then move on to Wednesday.

One step at a time.

One game at a time.

One win at a time.

It doesn’t have to be fancy or clinical or brilliant … but you know, one big win would really get the heads up again, so that’s what I’ll be hoping for.

See you all on the other side of it.

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  • John L says:

    As you said yesterday, no one will help ,and no one should. Hearts just rolled over and got their bellies tickled yesterday and, I said before a ball was kicked, they will be 3 up before halftime.

    The last management team at that club got sacked for not laying a glove on the new rangers ,I see no change.

    Every game is a cup final and, I hope, that we are up for the fight.
    Today would be a good day to start. Hail Hail

  • Stephen says:

    Winning this league will I believe just paper over the cracks.
    This board won’t change their approach in how to run a modern football club, disaster will need to happen like handing Sevco the prize.

    • Michael Collins says:

      How right you are Stephen. We need Lawwell out the door and a lot of that money out of the bank and into the team. This season is too late, as you said winning the league would only be papering over the cracks.

  • king murdy says:

    quite right james….
    i don’t see another scottish team beating the huns, or even taking points from them…i actually think we can and will…god alone only knows where my optimism is coming from…but the problem being is the matches against the others….we need to get a run going and instil confidence and belief into the side…
    i love it that we’re getting pelters from every direction…i think keevins is totally correct-for once-in his summation of our season….the board,lawwell and DD will not take a blind bit of notice from celtic blogs or the fans in general….but they just might sit up and take notice of being mocked in the press…
    and of course….how sweet it would be, if we can somehow pull the season together and win the title…how sweet….
    the huns think they have it won……I FUKN LOVE IT !!

    HH

  • John McGuigan says:

    Is that the same Chris Sutton James, you say is over critical of Celtic ?
    i have said on here before he is no apologist and has been nothing but truthful as far as the club he obviously loves is concerned so try cut him some slack the board will get their just deserts hopefully.

  • bertie basset says:

    i hope you’ll get the weather you are expecting james however i believe Hatate after been benched earlier in the season has no time for rodgers , we won’t see him in a celtic shirt again unless rodgers is gone , same with Kyogo sitting on the bench our top scorer last season , our midfield seems they don’t want to know whats going on , i reckon rodgers has lost the dressing room , they have been dire for the last number of months and i can’t see where the change is going to come from , today will confirm all either way .
    Even if we win our remaining games and it comes down to the sevco games , lawell has given the MIB his blessing to do as they please , they’ll be no objections from celtic when we will be cheated in those games and even if there is , it is too late

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