If you’re coming off a Derby Day rout and heading into international football, what you want more than anything is a peaceful couple of weeks. That time is crucial for rebuilding morale, reorganising, and preparing to mount some kind of fightback. If you’re the team that won the derby, you avoid doing or saying anything that might upset your momentum. You act professionally and sensibly, and you simply get on with the job.
One of the clubs involved in that game has done it right. The other has done it disastrously wrong. Instead of using the fortnight to regroup, rebuild, and rediscover their identity and purpose, the club across the city has spent the past ten days tearing itself apart with infighting, incompetence, and staggering incoherence. From Dave King’s shambolic press statements to the manager being undermined at every turn, I’ve never seen anything quite like it.
For those of us who write about football in Scotland, particularly in Glasgow, this has been a gift. The international break is often filled with dull news about which Celtic players are on national duty, who’s performing well, who gets injured, and who doesn’t get selected. That would be tedious for both me and you. Instead, we’ve had something much more entertaining to focus on, rather than endlessly debating when the SFA will finally muster the courage to sack their failing manager.
Yet, even with all this good copy, the events we’ve witnessed have been extraordinary, and that’s not an exaggeration. I’m grateful they’ve provided so much amusement, but I’m also bewildered as to how they got into this mess in the first place. It’s a situation that got even more bizarre last night with the incredible news that they couldn’t close a deal to hire a St Mirren director as their new chief executive. Believe me, that’s a story I intend to revisit later today.
Meanwhile, here at home, our own club is a model of calm and professionalism. The only noise from us in the last week and a half has come from a series of interviews that have only improved as they went on. First up was the manager, who gave a storming performance, even with Ally McCoist as his interrogator. I managed to watch without being too irritated by the ex-Ibrox boss, because Rodgers was so excellent throughout.
Then there was the fantastic interview with Alistair Johnston, which I thought was tremendous. Our young Canadian international came across superbly: confident, passionate, articulate. Watching him, I couldn’t help but wonder if he’s a future Celtic captain. He has all the qualities: driven, committed, and already very good at what he does. He’s only going to get better.
That was followed by an impressive interview with Luke McCowan, who said all the right things you’d want to hear from a new signing—he’s here to work hard and fight for his place, not just to warm the bench. I thought he was equally as impressive as Rodgers and Johnston.
What a contrast between their club and ours over the past ten days. We’ve projected the calm assurance of champions, while they’ve looked like a circus act. Our fans can’t wait for Saturday’s fixture at home against Hearts. Theirs are living in perpetual dread of what might happen to them on Sunday in Dundee.
And they’re right to be worried. There’s so much wrong over there right now that even an elite manager, like the one we have at Celtic, would struggle to fix it quickly. And Philippe Clement is certainly not that man, as he proved again last night with a rambling performance at a fan Q&A. I’ll be diving deeper into that subject a bit later on.
The contrast between these two clubs is staggering.
We are ahead of them in every department at the moment. Even sides that aren’t up to much could have found a way to get through the last ten days with some semblance of coherence or unity. Instead, they’ve spent the past few days trying to sell their club captain when they don’t even have a replacement for him. That’s how mad it is over there.
In the meantime, Celtic just gets on with things, preparing in a relaxed atmosphere. We have the luxury of a solid lead over their hapless club, even if we’re not quite clear at the top due to Aberdeen’s excellent early-season form. The whole club exudes confidence, and we are in a happier place than we’ve been in quite some time, while they stumble around like a drunk who can’t find his way home.
The international break is almost over, and we couldn’t have asked for a better time of it. Yes, it’s been frustrating waiting to see our team again—it felt like an eternity last week. But weekends when Celtic play are what we live for, and it’s great to be able to get back to discussing team selection, who might be rested, and which of our new signings will make a home start.
Whatever the answers to those questions are, it’s a thrill, a pleasure, and a privilege to be a Celtic supporter at this moment in time. I simply cannot wait for Saturday.
I think we should talk less about SEVCO and their hapless season – it’s not going to change?
James, I’d love you to do something on Aberdeen and whether we feel their challenge is ‘real’ and how we could see the season panning out against them.
Basically SEVCO are non-entities this season. We need to move on. And that would absolutely destroy your average ‘staunch’ Hun! lol
I respectfully disagree Yorkshire Bhoy about the request to just forget about Sevco as like their deceased stepfathers ‘rangers’ they are full of dirty and shadowy dark arts and underhand skulduggery aided and abetted by the usual suspects within The SFA, The SPFL, and The Scummy Scottish Football Media of course…
They are worth a watching every second of every minute of every day of every week of every year for certain…
Great point regarding Aberdeen and where they are which is VERY healthy for Scottish Football and I think it’d be a pure fab clash between them and us at the minute…
They don’t play Sevco until around Halloween, which is a pity because if it was just now it’s be a new phenomenon – A September Halloween Massacre !
As you mentioned James, the St Mirren director who is a self confessed hun knocking Sevco back is a massive statement of what must be an absolute shambles of a club.
Perfect would be scudding the hearts and Naismith being punted.
As sevco continue to behave like a petulant child, a kids party game springs to mind.
You throw your captain in, You throw your captain out,
You do the sevco cokey and you turn about.
You win F*^> all again so you whine and shout
That’s what its all about.
Oh! The sevco cokey . . .
I have often been told not to mock the afflicted. But when it is self inflicted it’s so hard not to laugh at them.
Ha Ha Jimmy R – Absolutely awesome buddy !
You are a Captain of lyrics – And unlike poor Tav – You are a winner and a Champion at what you do !
Couldn’t agree more. The interviews have been stellar in their expression.
The one you didn’t metion was our new midfielder. He gave a fantastic interview also. Despite the hacks trying to trip him up with leading questions, the young man was superb.
With this calibre of person at our club the future really does exited.
Fantastic.
Which young midfielder are you meaning?
The Tribute Act is definitely the Trump of football clubs: chaotic, deranged, hate filled, racist bigoted, stupid, deceitful, incompetent, impotent, ugly, and with the dumbest supporters in the world.
Yes folks they arra peepo.
Apart from that they canny Trump Brendan or Celtic never ever…
Actually they couldn’t even Trump the useless Naismith and his hapless Scumbos from Swinecastle on the opening day of the season…
An absolute pure fab post nonetheless Tony B !
Thank the actual fuck that another rancid international break is over and done with (Why oh why can they just not go back to being on a Wednesday night once again and leave the domestic games unhindered on Saturdays)…
But it is what it is and we don’t seem to have done too badly injuries wise thankfully…
As you say James it’s been calm and professional off the park as well – Just the way we like it and even our board are getting a wee breather these days unlike a certain other on ‘the other side of town’ (copyright Fillipe Fillop) for sure…
And Jeez Oh – Celtic are actually getting a Saturday 3pm kick off as well and The Sevco Huns are for the first time this season (surprise surprise for us – shock horror for them) having to play after us on a Sunday…
And it looks like a Sky Sports Scotland decision and not one forced upon Sky by Sevco playing in Europe…
There will be a size 12 steel toe cap jackboot heading in the direction of the arse of The Sky Sports Scotland producer and director for that treason me thinks !
Not to mention Engels interview which I thought was also excellent. He brilliantly answered the ‘stepping stone’ type questions and avoided giving the SMSM the soundbite they were desperately trying to get. He’s another young man who demonstrated he has maturity beyond his years.
Another subject that’s bein desperately clung ontae right now, is the gerrard myth. These clowns from the DR, STILL tryin tae brand him as some sort of tactical master and pushin the idea, that if he had been backed by his board, they would be way ahead of us. Utterly deluded fkn garbage. The absolute fact, was that apart from covid, we had lennon and under him, a team on a downward spiral and unstoppable freefall, as well as a lost dressing room. That was the only way the grossly overhyped, managerial fraud gerrard got lucky. PLEASE find a way tae bring him back tae ibrox, that’s what I say. Under BR, we’ll HAPPILY expose the reality. Just as Ange would’ve, had he been given the chance.
Well played Tony Ralston for Scotland. He always gives his all for club and country whenever he plays. Shameful scottish media hacks pick on him as only celtic player , some of their comments have been disgraceful. Keep up the good work, always enjoy your insightful comments and articles.
Yes David, have to agree with you my friend regarding Ralston. I’ve so much respect for the kid. A “perfect international break” for him too. Never let’s us down. Like we Greg on the opposite flank, consummate professionals. And the internationals will only help him should we need him for the CL.