Celtic must not consider the Europa League an afterthought.

I am still hurting, I am still angry and, if I am completely honest, I am still struggling to come to terms with Celtic being knocked out of the Champions League by LASK. That wound is fresh, it is painful, and I don’t think any Celtic supporter can simply brush it aside and say, well, let’s move on.

No. Not this time. Because what happened against LASK exposed too many things that need to change at Celtic. It exposed weaknesses in the squad, weaknesses in preparation, weaknesses in mentality and, perhaps most importantly of all, weaknesses in the way this club is being run.

But now we have another European chapter in front of us. The Europa League. And Celtic, for God’s sake, take it seriously.

Because look at the ties waiting for us. At Celtic Park we have Marseille, Ferencváros, Celta Vigo and Be?ikta?. Away from Paradise, Celtic will face Benfica, Union SG, Omonia and Torreense. That is the draw, and it gives us some proper European nights to look forward to.

Tell me honestly, does that look like something we should treat as a consolation prize? Absolutely not.

There is quality there. There is European experience there. There are difficult away grounds there. There are clubs with history, ambition, money, quality players and European pedigree, and that is exactly why I am saying this now, before the first ball is kicked: Celtic, take the Europa League seriously.

Don’t treat it like some second-class European competition.

Don’t use it as an excuse to rotate half the team and hope that somehow our superior domestic form will carry us through.

Don’t turn up with that timid European mentality we have seen too many times before and, most importantly, don’t let this board treat the Europa League as an afterthought.

Because I have had enough of that.

We Celtic fans want this team to show us something. We want to see power, strength, hunger, quality and mentality. We want to see that beautiful, nasty, ruthless winning attitude which says: “We are Celtic. We have come here to win.”

That is what I want. That is what Celtic fans want. That is what we expect.

Because after the humiliation against LASK, Celtic have a point to prove. Not only to Europe and not only to us supporters, but to themselves.

This is where the board needs to get real. The big question is whether they’re capable of doing that.

Now I am turning my attention straight towards the Celtic board pricks.

Yes, you lot. You know exactly who you are. Because if Celtic are genuinely serious about competing in Europe, this is the moment when you need to demonstrate it. You cannot tell us that Celtic want to compete at the highest level and then leave the manager desperately trying to build a European squad with holes all over it.

You cannot expect Martin O’Neill to perform miracles. You cannot expect him to squeeze every last drop out of a squad that has obvious weaknesses and then blame the manager when European football exposes them.

And you certainly cannot sit comfortably in your offices while supporters watch Celtic struggle against clubs with greater European experience and say, well, that’s football.

No. Get real. The Europa League gives Celtic another opportunity, but opportunity means nothing without preparation. If these board pricks genuinely want Celtic to progress in Europe, then prepare this squad properly.

Give Martin O’Neill the players he needs. Give him experience, pace, physicality and quality. Give him players who understand European football and who aren’t frightened by the occasion.

Because these ties are not going to be won by reputation. They are not going to be won simply because we are Celtic. They are going to be won because we are better prepared, better organised, mentally stronger and more ruthless than our opponents.

That is the standard. Paradise must become a fortress again.

And I am particularly excited about these home games. Marseille. Ferencváros. Celta Vigo. Be?ikta?. Bring them to Paradise.

Let them walk into Celtic Park and understand immediately what they are dealing with. I want the stadium roaring. I want the players flying into tackles. I want Celtic pressing, attacking and moving the ball with confidence.

I want opponents looking around them and thinking: “What the hell is happening here?”

Because that is Celtic Park at its best. That is Paradise.

I refuse to believe Celtic cannot recreate that atmosphere and that football on the European stage, but the players need to give the supporters something to believe in. The supporters cannot create everything. We can roar. We can sing. We can intimidate. We can create that incredible Celtic atmosphere.

But once the referee blows the whistle, the players have to do their bloody job and we need the right standard of players if we’re going to do it as a team.
And then there is Benfica. Now that is exactly the sort of European night I want Celtic to embrace, not fear. Embrace.

Because if you want to become a serious European club, these are the nights you have to learn how to handle. You cannot spend your life hiding from difficult opponents. You have to face them, fight them and believe you can beat them.

Yes, I know Benfica are a massive club. I know their European pedigree and I know how difficult playing away in Europe can be. But I don’t want Celtic arriving there already beaten in their heads. No chance.

I want Celtic arriving there with their chests out. I want them believing. I want them thinking that Benfica are the ones who should be worried.

That is mentality, and perhaps that is the biggest thing Celtic need to rediscover in European football. This is about more than results.

Of course I want Celtic to win. I want Celtic to go as far as possible and I want European nights in Glasgow that we will remember for years.

But this is about more than simply counting points and victories. I want to see evidence that Celtic have learned from LASK. Because if we go into the Europa League playing the same football, making the same mistakes and showing the same weaknesses, then what exactly have we learned? Nothing.

And that is unacceptable.

LASK should be a lesson. A painful one, yes. A humiliating one, absolutely. But a lesson nonetheless. Now Celtic have the chance to respond, and I want that response to be furious. Not emotional fury without substance. I mean footballing fury.

Intensity. Discipline. Courage. Quality. Hunger.

That is what I want to see. Celtic, show us who you are.

So here I am, Celtic. Your Ginger Witch is speaking again, and I am saying: wake up. The Champions League door has been slammed shut. Fine. It hurts. It bloody hurts.

But another European door has opened, and behind it are Marseille, Ferencváros, Celta Vigo, Be?ikta?, Benfica, Union SG, Omonia and Torreense. There is plenty there to challenge Celtic, plenty there to expose Celtic and also plenty there for Celtic to conquer.

So don’t you dare treat this competition as a consolation prize. Don’t you dare approach it half-heartedly. Don’t you dare give us another European performance where Celtic look like strangers to themselves.

Take it seriously. Prepare properly. Strengthen the squad. Give Martin O’Neill the tools. Fix the weaknesses. Build the mentality. Then go out there and bloody fight.

Because I don’t want Celtic simply participating in the Europa League. I want Celtic competing. I want Celtic winning. I want Celtic making Europe remember who we are.

We are Celtic. We are champions. And champions don’t feel sorry for themselves after one painful defeat. Champions get back up. Champions learn, respond and fight.

So Celtic, this is your opportunity. Show us fans your power, your strength, your hunger, your quality, your mentality and your winning attitude.

Above all, show Europe that the Celtic team which walked off that pitch against LASK is not the Celtic team which will walk onto the European stage again.

Because I am not asking for miracles. I am asking for Celtic to finally behave like the club we all know it can be.

Take the Europa League seriously, Celtic.

And this time, make us Celtic fans proud.

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