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A little phony Ibrox momentum doesn’t change a thing about Celtic’s task on Sunday.

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If you believe the headlines, we’re about to play a world-beating side at the weekend. If you believe the headlines, we suddenly have a lot to fear. But Celtic fans have, for many months now, been fearful of only two things in relation to this game: the officials and the possibility that our team might approach the game with a degree of complacency.

There’s not a thing we can do about the officials. Once upon a time, we might have ensured that John Beaton never refereed another one of our games. But let’s be honest, that ship has sailed. The chance to act was back when he was caught drinking in an Ibrox supporter’s bar. If we’d pushed the issue back then—on behalf of sporting integrity and fairness—we might very well have changed the tone, the tenor, and the course of this debate.

Whether it was a failure of not trying or a failure of trying and not succeeding, that moment passed us by. That ship sailed. So, about the officials? There’s nothing we can do—except to be good enough that it takes the matter completely out of their hands.

That leaves complacency. Who is actually worried about complacency? It might have been a concern under a different manager, with a different captain, and players in the side who were not winners and not determined to hoover up every piece of silverware they could get. One of the reasons for my confidence as a fan is knowing that overconfidence won’t afflict this team.

In that regard, last night only strengthened my conviction that complacency was never going to be an issue. We know their club can raise its game for individual matches. We know their players may even prefer not being favorites because it alleviates pressure. They’re not going to be favorites going into Sunday. They’ll be the underdogs—maybe less so than they would’ve been before their so-called run of form—but underdogs nonetheless.

Yet in a curious way, they’re under a bit of pressure themselves now. Their fans are convinced that holding off Spurs in a game they might even have won on another night proves this team is better than we’ve all been saying. Better, in fact, than they’ve been saying.

It amazes me that they seem to believe this.

Strangely, a fair few Celtic fans have also expressed—not concern, but a certain amount of wariness. I suppose that’s only natural when the team across the city thinks it has finally found its feet. I’m not concerned about their form, though, or that they’ve come through a period of deep crisis seemingly intact. What makes me think is that they will play with a bit of belief.

That was not in the script folks, and I might as well admit it.

What we were expecting was a team on its chinstrap. A side battered by psychological blows. Instead, we’re facing one with its head up, a side that feels the wind at its back. That can make a team dangerous. Momentum carried Aberdeen earlier in the season; it carried them to Celtic Park, where they fought back from 2-0 down to claim a 2-2 draw.

And yet, I remember how that momentum crashed.

I remember that it happened at Hampden.

I remember that it happened because of Celtic.

We took apart that Aberdeen side, a team that, at the time, looked like the second-best in the country. And when I think of that, I’m reminded that momentum only gets you so far. Every heavyweight challenger who’s ever faced the champion thought he had momentum on his side. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have been in the ring. Most of those guys got knocked clean out.

And that’s exactly what I expect to happen here.

The idea that this isn’t a shambles of a team anymore doesn’t mean we’re in trouble. It doesn’t mean we have anything to fear.

For years, we’ve heard people say their performances in Europe would eventually translate into the domestic game. I’ve never bought into it. It’s never convinced me they’re some unstoppable super force. Why? Because we know they’re crap, that’s why.

They’re a team of raging mediocrities, led by raging mediocrity. I didn’t fear them when they got to the Europa League final, because that same season, we won a double. All their alleged progress in other years? Those were the seasons when we won trebles.

So what exactly is there to fear right now—other than fear itself?

What we’re seeing is nothing new. This time, the hype says they’re ready. This time, they’ll clean our clock. It’s always the same. And it always ends the same way—with a Celtic captain walking around Hampden holding a trophy.

We watch them every week, so we know what they are. But more important than that; we watch us every week, so we know what we are. And that’s why any lingering concerns I might have will have faded to nothing before kick-off and will seem like memories lost in a fever by the time Brendan Rodgers takes the bow at the full-time whistle.

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3 comments

  • Brattbakk says:

    They had a good performance against Spurs, their best for ages. I was expecting them to be bedraggled and devoid of confidence coming into the cup final but instead they’ll come with some belief. Tavernier will start after Werner made him look world class but all that will make his disappointment all the greater when we lift another trophy.

  • Clachnacuddin and the Hoops says:

    Gonna be nervy day but if we bring our A team performance we should prevail…

    Pleeeeeeeeeezzze Just Fuckin Do It Celtic !!!!!

  • Johnny Green says:

    If it wasn’t for the significant trophy count involved, this would just be yet another game and yet another step towards an Invincible season for us. The cream on the cake is the fact that they have built themselves up to be shot down in flames once again and I have no doubt that we will put them firmly in their place. I have absolutely no reservations about this mismatch, no sneaky fears and no sense of foreboding……we shall not be moved!

    COYBIG.

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