About six months ago, Peter Lawwell asked a question. He wanted to know why, with the club in the best financial position its ever been in, with league titles in the bag and champions league football, the fans weren’t happy.<\/p>\n
If he hung around long enough to watch the shambles at Murrayfield last night, he would have got the answer. With a few expletives thrown in for good measure.<\/p>\n
Celtic were beaten-well and truly beaten-2-0 by a Legia Warsaw side currently tenth in the Polish league. A side who have only won one home game this season. Against us, by the way.<\/p>\n
For all the talk pre match of heart and passion, Celtic looked disinterested, lacking organisation , composure and any threat of winning the game whatsoever.<\/p>\n
How did that happen ?<\/p>\n
Well, lets go back to the end of last season, when Neil Lennon wanted to buy Robert Snodgrass, who he felt would improve the team, adding some much needed creativity to the middle of the park. Apparently, he was told he wasn’t getting the money for him, and the resulting stand off led to him resigning, which was gratefully accepted by the board.<\/p>\n
In comes Ronny Deila, a man with a vision which is nice, but lacking in experience and man management skills. With the players either unable, or unwilling to adopt his style, the crash against Legia becomes inevitable.<\/p>\n
Thats only part of it, though. The real reason for last night is simply downsizing. The refusal to replace players of quality with similar players. This hope that we’ll always turn up a gem from somewhere. But the problem with these “gems “, even when we find them, is that their heads are turned south at the first possible opportunity, and while the bank balance is inflated, the team needs to be \u00a0constantly \u00a0re built.<\/p>\n
And thats no way to run a railroad.<\/p>\n
Celtic supporters are loyal. Whatever else we can be accused of, we usually turn up in great numbers, buy the merchandise, and support the team. But when they are taken for granted, they kick back. And the time to kick back is here.<\/p>\n
With no Champions League football this season, a major selling point for the club when buying players, the reverse will happen. Fraser Forster, Virgil van Dijk, possibly a few others won’t be here come September 1st. Deila needs investment if he’s to achieve anything this season. And that includes domestic success. If he knows of any players who can play his system, he needs to be ringing them this morning, otherwise he’ll be back in Norway in time for the Midnight sun. Although he probably feels like he already is.<\/p>\n
A number of players have reached the end of the road with the club, judging by the last two games. But the question remains, is it their fault ?<\/p>\n
Deila has come in with his ideas, and with John Collins, a reputedly piss poor man manager, they have combined to alienate the lads who won the league at a canter last year. They don’t look happy, in fact they all-perhaps Adam Matthews and Calum MacGregor excepted, looked as though they would rather be anywhere else than Edinburgh last night.<\/p>\n
Why do we have to rebuild every four years ? Why can’t we have a smooth transition from one manager to the next ?<\/p>\n
Why does the club care more about the balance sheet than the team on the park ?<\/p>\n
Plenty of questions, not many answers. But its apparent that the club, from being in a position to dominate Scottish football for a number of years, have made a complete and utter balls of it.<\/p>\n
Again.<\/p>\n
Someone has to be held to account. Lawwell is the man in charge, and if he wants to salvage any credibility from this episode, then he needs to invest in Deila, his choice of manager, and prove to the supporters that he does have the clubs best interest at heart. He needs to show that what has happened so far this season is unacceptable, and he needs to show he is doing something to rectify matters.<\/p>\n
Because what we have seen so far is nothing short of embarrassing, and although he might not be, we are proud of our club.<\/p>\n
And we don’t like anyone taking the piss out of it.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I could go on for hours in this vein, but moaning is not going to change anything. Starting from this morning, Lawwell and his puppets need to get around the table, and start putting our club back where it should be.<\/p>\n
Anything less, and he can put himself on the transfer list.<\/p>\n
Football without fans is nothing. Lawwell might soon be able to see that for himself.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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