Celtic fans are right to be pretty jittery at the moment, because this has been a lousy, self-defeating transfer window so far. We badly need to up our game, not just because it will strengthen the team but because if we don’t there are going to be big problems going forward, with unhappy fans and, most of us suspect, a pretty unhappy manager.
But it’s incredible to me than in a summer where our fans are increasingly frustrated with the club, and people are questioning our board like never before, that Ibrox has managed to upend our best efforts to blow it by not only looking weak and staggeringly vulnerable but a club run by people that make you want to drop to your knees and thank the Lord for bespectacled fiscal conservatives and rotund former CEO’s with cheshire cat grins and heated driveways.
I mean we might not have new outfield players, but we still have our stadium intact. Yes, with the working disco lights and all. And we’ve got a party to plan!
Listen, the chaos over there might have made our board complacent, but I know one man who will not allow it to cloud the minds of the people who matter; the players. The boss will not be looking at the absolute state of the club across town and thinking that we can just piss about. Look at the way we’ve played the two games of the US tour. At high speed, with quality football, with a team that looks more prepared than I’ve seen them in pre-season for years.
The manager has them drilled and focussed. And this is where I laugh at times at the idea that our club is trying to stay just a step ahead of Ibrox. Because that is not, and never will be, in our gift. The only way we could guarantee that they would stay on our coattails is if we were writing the cheques to them ourselves; otherwise, they are always going to be more than capable of screwing up their own business and allowing us to move further ahead.
Even with almost no spending we still look light years ahead of them right now. Light years. How is that even possible? It’s possible because they can’t manage their own affairs.
We will replace Idah, perhaps even with a guy called Adam Idah, because we have to. We will replace Bernardo, maybe even with a guy called … oh you get the point, right? Because that takes us back to the strength of the last campaign. We will almost certainly add a couple of players to make us even stronger than that. But even if we didn’t do any of that … we still look far superior to their ramshackle outfit, who lost last night to a League One team.
So, yeah, under normal circumstances you could see how a team might lose focus. It would be easy to do. Domestic competition isn’t great to begin with, and with our rivals in full-on self-detonation mode and the manager hanging on by his fingernails it’s obvious that the greatest threat we might face this season is if Aberdeen hire an Italian cycling team’s medical department and all hit the heavy caffeine doping. Or if the SFA puts Hugh Dallas in charge of VAR. (The first scenario is highly unlikely; do not rule the second out even for one minute.)
In all seriousness, it is at moments like these when you are glad for the manager and the captain. Rodgers won’t let that happen. McGregor won’t let that happen. For a long time the mantra of our team has to been to treat every game as if it were vital and every opponent with respect, and as long as we do that, as long as we focus on our own business it does not matter what the club across the city does. It does not matter how big a mess they are in.
Not only am I confident that the gulf in talent between the two clubs is enormous, but I’m 100% certain that our manager will not allow that to influence the way we go about our business on the pitch. Let them fumble. Enjoy watching them crumble. Our team has a job to do either way. Three points a week on Sunday, and then onto the next game.
Nothing is more important, and nothing will be allowed to distract us from the task at hand. This is how titles are won. One step at a time. Points on the board.
Great article James
BUT in reference to some of your earlier blogs I emphatically agree with your views on Glasgow world rag, they are even worse than the daily rag, seemingly the Huns are getting a loan deal for some Czech guy
who scored a goal against us 9 years ago!
we are shaking in our boots , a dreadful publication,
Ah think the concern is the same for most of us. It’s no that we don’t have faith in the manager. Thats no even in question. IF ( and thats a big IF) he gets the proper backin from this board, ahm confident he’ll excel domestically and even have a decent chance in the Europa. (Realistically the CL’s out of our reach) Give him what he wants.
You know, James. Maybe my head is in the clouds but have you, perhaps, considered the possibility that the manager’s message to the current squad has finally got through to them and he is using this period to assess the squad with a view to making some refinements to his shopping list?
Look at Kuhn, for example. Nobody was that impressed up to the end of last season but now what we’re hearing is that we have a new player on our hands. If that is the case, that will solve a lot of problems in terms of our requirements.
The pre season has obviously been positive thus far but it has also shown us where there are no excuses for not strengthening. Primarily at CH. I am sorry, I like big Scalesy but he’s not good enough as a first team pick.
Good article James…
Yep – Cockiness and arrogance has long been the utter undoing of The Sevco Huns for sure…
Look at that dud Sakala who was gonna do this, do that, do this, do that to Celtic in The 2023 League Cup Final and The 2023 Scottish Cup semi final…
He was so very vocal about it and what happened…
Celtic won a WORLD RECORD EIGHTH TREBLE so we did…
And he had to silently slither away in the dark like the lower than the snake’s belly that he is…
And he wasn’t the only one –
But they never learn there do they…
They’ve been quiet so far bar the shoogley pegger spouting bitterly that they were the better team in the Scottish Cup Final…
But Give it time – And the arrogance will come to the fore…
It’s coming to a place near us next week – nothing is surer –
And James will dissect it all brilliantly here on The Celtic Blog FREE !
Bizarre as it sounds the only way this board is going to act is when confronted with a strong team from south of the river Clyde. As doesn,t look happening, nothing will change. But as you said in a recent column this is the last year of automatic placing in Europe. So another embarrassment in Europe this season, feet dragging by the board on transfer could result in BR walking at the end of next season.Thats how serious I think this is. Would love to hear what Desmond has to say about this
What the fan’s want is to do well in the champions league, I’m not interested in what’s happening in ibrokes. That’s why Rodgers wants to bring in quality players and not projects.
I’m very very interested in what’s going on at Liebrokes Kim – And for very good reason as well…
That Celtic FC and Celtic supporters and every other of the 41 competing club’s fans ‘slept at the wheel’ as Liebrokes gathered trophy after trophy illegally surely makes every other supporter of every other club bar The Sevco Huns HAVE to be interested in what’s going on at Liebrokes 24 / 7 / 365 given that that pure scumbag Doncaster awarded them every STOLEN trophy and said they were the same club ‘Absolutely’ –
That he did and Celtic said nothing to counteract it seen me seen me chuck it as a season ticket holder after 27 years…
That cash now goes towards two games for ma favourite English team below Premiership level and The Mighty Clachnacuddin FC of The Highland League instead !
Firstly, I fully understand and respect that large swathes of our fanbase are both angry and nervous at our current inactivity in this transfer window.
I am one of them to a degree…however, I have always been a very optimistic, or glass half full person. It’s not for everyone, but it does help, when pragmatism may be attempting to steer us towards a more negative outcome.
Even before our manager came out and spoke of his conversations with the two board members, re signings, I still believed we’d bring in players of the requisite quality that he wants, and our squad needs…albeit the transfer dealings being laced with the tardiness and parsimony, that we’ve come to expect, when PL is directing traffic at our club.
Our manager has nothing else to prove to these charlatans on our board…he needs their full backing now, and if it is given freely and correctly, I believe he will build something really special, that we can all savour for this, and forthcoming seasons!
Presently, the Sevconians are revolting…( in many ways,) and another one of their omni-shambles is being created before all of our eyes.
This is not the time for any of us ( especially our indolent board,) to be blasé or cocky about them or what may await them.
We have to deliver the proper tools to our elite manager, ie quality additions, and let him work his magic, domestically and of course, to reassert ourselves on the European stage. If our manager’s needs are taken care of, then the playing side of our club will prosper.
Anything less, would be a complete and disgraceful dereliction of duty from our cash rich overseers, and a two fingered salute to BR, and us, the fans.
So, Celtic board…the clock is ticking and you know what’s required by our manager ! Let’s see it done, sooner rather than later, and definitely not ignored!!!!
Pure fab post Gerry !
Thanks Clach, hope you’re well!
I’ve been saying the same thing for weeks, Gezza, although not quite as eloquently as you just did. Let’s keep the heid. But, yes, it’s very much understood we need to strengthen. Like you, I am optimistic about that happening. But I’m not a mug. I know what this board is like through previous experience. The board of directors know what is on the line here. Woe betide them if they, once again, come to the conclusion that they know best. Because most of us know that they’re not as smart as they like to think they are when it comes to what’s needed on the pitch.
Totally agree Roonsa…we are all old and wise enough to have seen these scenarios play out many times. However, as we all concur, it’s imperative that we satisfy the needs of our manager, and let him do the rest.Which he will!
Restoring our European reputation should be uppermost in everyone’s minds! That has to happen !
For once, we hope the board can read the room and not be as ignorant or obtuse, as they have been on many previous occasions !
Think the concern most of us have isn’t with BR. If this board (and it’s a big IF) back him properly, ahm confident he’ll excel again in the spl and every possibility, give us a decent chance in the Europa. The CL’s in reality, out of our reach. Give him what he wants.
Bernardo back for €3m is a great piece of business. I reckon we will get more for selling Johnston.
Bueno from Wolves, LB on loan looks an interesting deal and one we should be able to make permanent at a decent fee. We get to see how he makes out first.
Couple of strikers now Celts.