There is a school of thought within some elements of our support that our directors must be working to an agenda designed to throw this title race Ibrox’s way. I don’t understand how anyone can believe it. This alleged unwillingness to “bury them” is brought up every now and again and I have to remind people that burying them is not in our gift.
We couldn’t put them in a permanent hole even if we wanted to. Some version of them would always rise again. But we can put our boot on their back if we chose to and decide which form they exist in. I do agree we’ve been somewhat lax on that front.
But there is one major hole in the theory, and it came to a head again during the month of January. Even if our board were trying to throw them a title, and creating the perfect conditions to allow them to do it, they would have to reckon with a very large X factor; Ibrox’s own ability to shoot itself in the foot, and their incomprehensible stupidity.
They went into the window looking for exactly the same thing as we did; a proven goal-scorer. They, like Celtic, brought in a forward on loan. A bigger name some will say, but actually just a more hyped one. They were looking for cover in other positions. They didn’t sign the centre back they were screaming out for. Left back remains a problem position.
They scrambled around madly trying to sell players. Madly because the price tags they put on their junk were crazy. £4.5 million for the Turkish full back? £3 million for Matondo? Who in God’s name was going to pay that kind of money for them? Nobody sane anyway. Had they been more sensible with their demands they may have raised a few quid.
With that money, they could have done the game changing piece of business all of us expected them to do; the signing of Lawrence Shankland, the deal which, in light of our failure, would have seen a very clearer winner and a very clear loser emerge from the window. But the reason the media is being very subdued in calling that is that their window was as poor in its own way as ours was, the only difference being their fans are loathe to face up to that.
Yet it remains true nonetheless, because the Shankland deal was definitely there to be done. His own manager was openly preparing their fans for his departure. Elements in the media were getting ready to put the pressure on the moment the first bid was rejected. It was all moving in a very clear direction; the only problem was that Ibrox couldn’t raise the cash.
Our board’s failure would have been compounded had they managed to sign him. He would score goals for any club in this league; he’s proved it by doing it at two of them, Hearts and Dundee Utd. As bad as the blow to their team is the one their fans have taken. They had been anticipating it all through January, from the minute the window opened until it closed. That it didn’t happen on the final day was a seismic shock for a lot of them, and for some in the media.
We failed to sign a left back, but that was nowhere near as pressing for us as the need for a centre back and a penalty box finisher was for them, and so I think that we’ve emerged from the window with a few outstanding issues on the back of a massive and un-necessary gamble.
But they didn’t produce a game-changer. They didn’t make any signing which fills me with concern. They have let go one striker and brought in another. Roofe and Danilo are out long term. Their midfield player is there in case Dowell doesn’t return any time soon and as a possible replacement for Jack or Lundstram now in the closing stages of their deals … the real disaster is losing Sima for an extended spell, and his replacement is being hyped but has barely kicked a ball in months.
They failed to put real pressure on us by pulling a rabbit out of the hat. It’s worse for them that there was such an obvious one and they couldn’t even get that done.
Even if our board was trying to give them one step forward, they excel at taking one step back all on their own.
There is nothing Lawwell or Desmond could do to change that. They are their own worst enemies, and as a result the biggest advantage our directors have in staying that one step ahead.
Good to see a sensible look on this for once. We have a superb squad of players who just need to find some consistency. When we play well no one can live with us but we let ourselves down every now and again. From a finance point its not worth bringing players in to cover current injuries. This just makes it harder for permanent summer signings. Support the players and they will deliver imo
Wake the f*ck up. Look at the team we finished the game with and you think we have a strong squad. Jesus weapt.
I’m sorry Kevin but,I can’t agree, we have a goalkeeper way past his best, our best defender is injured more often than is acceptable, our only left back is widely regarded as short of being Celtic class, we also have a plethora of wingers and not one of them has really excited us this season,( I exclude Kuhn as we haven’t seen enough yet), we have only one genuine centre forward and, our current playing style has almost completely negated his threat, believe me, I derive no pleasure from being critical of Celtic, just don’t think it does us any good to deny our shortcomings.
Two massive differences, we have the money to make signings and ensure league. If fortunes were reversed they would spent every last penny to stamp all over us. League now in the balance and that’s all on our board regardless of how poorly our rivals are run or how skint they are
You’d think that our club would have had the intel during last week,
that sevco was definitely not buying Shankland?
All we had to do was snap him up, for not much money
– and instead of a Championship loanee?
That one purchase would have been a sore one for sevco to take,
and a huge boost to us for the remainder of the season?
Just signing Shankland, [or even Miovski], could have turned
a disappointing transfer window into a much more positive experience,
[and whilst still being 2 quality players short.]
Another opportunity missed? 🙁
I am not hoping for a Celtic win today, I am expecting one. We are the Champions and the league leaders for a very good reason. We have the best squad, the best manager and the best support bar none. Mind the gap and watch it getting bigger as the season progresses,
COYBIG!
Oh isn’t hindsight wonderful. Only one team looking like dropping points and that’s us.
After yet another abject performance where we missed chance after chance and conspired to drop 2 points do you still stand by your assertion that we have the best squad and the best manager?
Yes
Christ on a bike James .. has the board skelped your erse..you appear to be a little fanboy now… they have done not a jot this transfer window ..
If Celtic win this league, we know regardless of what the media try and portray, the ibrox club will be in an extremely worse position. They’re hangin on, tho swirlin dangerously near the plughole just the same and losin this league, could see them theoretically, goin down it within months again. Its no to far fetched tae think, especially wi lawwell, this board don’t want that tae happen, because of what it would mean tae their hugely lucrative, long term buisness plan. Imo it makes absolutely nae sense whatsoever, tae neglect at this point in the season, strengthenin our team appropriately with the money they have banked.
The Board has form on throwing titles James. On purpose or by incompetence is the debatable point,
We are a bigger disgrace than them, Kyogo another empty shirt is doing nothing and that’s just one of a number of issues, fed up watching same rubbish every game.
Feck me “Kyogo another empty shirt”, you can blame the manager for not playing a system that plays to our best player’s strengths. We play with one striker and fire high balls into him, he moves constantly and the players around him fanny about on the halfway line cos that’s the manager’s tactics. Fed up with everyone turning Kyogo into a scapegoat now, some of our fans get more hunnish by the day. Why don’t we have a go at Joe Hart who made 2 or 3 crucial saves today, let’s focus on a couple of scrappy kick outs from shite passes back to him from the defenders. I think the players have gone from a system they loved to one they’re not on board with, that lies with the ego of the manager.
Well another 2 dropped points just highlights the failure our board to provide more quality for the first team. Quality that might well have strengthened the defence and up front. Miovski looked pretty damn good to me and would really have liked us to have put up the money for him during the window.
Our board aren’t working in our favour and that driver should now be hired to take them to the midden to help show the rankers board how to put money in the bank and save it for the sake of having money in the bank. If they’re not already working with them. Theyre wasting a gr8 club and it’s a damn shame. HH
Once again the league is going to be gifted to The Rangers.
We know the Lawells, Nicholson DD need to go.
Rodgers has to go with them.
He jumped ship 1st time round when The Rangers put in a slight challenge, he left behind a crumbling team.
People will talk about the invincibles, that only happened as Celtic won uncontested, there was no Rangers to consider.
Now Rodgers has destroyed a winning team, his possession style football does not create chances.
His slow play is pathetic.
Don’t forget what Rodgers did to Leicester, you only go from a good team to a poor team through the decisions made by the mgr.
I’ve said it before now I say it again.
Lawell senior.
Lawell junior.
DD senior.
DD junior.
Nicholson.
Strachan’s
All need to go.
The Bunnet did not save Celtic for it to be turned into a money machine for the greedy brigade.
Hail Hail but patience is running out.
It’s clear this squad is good enough but lack the experience and consistency we expect. We may win the league, but it will be despite what the board has or has not sanctioned in this window and not because of it. Never mind the Ibrox clubs, it’s an inability to beat other clubs that is going to cost us.
A half decent goalscorer, even Van Veen FFS would have fit the bill and another experienced midfielder to come in and do the job that Mooy did so well for us.
They may have bought poorly, but we haven’t bought at all and standing still at this point is akin to going backwards.
you could be right how daft their board are but after what happened in 2019 with BR and one lawell it now looks at least as stupid to appoint him again and think he could then work with 2 lawells that was bonkers.Again the more i think of it Im sure theres been a meeting a few years ago after 2012 to set up the new rules.It looks like we are all watching a rigged game.
Miovski should have been wearing a Celtic top today,,