Approaching last year’s Scottish League Cup Semi-Final, I wrote about how the latest incarnation of the Celtic and Rangers saga did not feel important to me, nowhere near as important as previous encounters between two Glasgow teams had anyways. It had been three years, a liquidation, scandals on and off the pitch, and relative domestic success at either end of the scale since they had squared up. That, and I didn’t entertain the notion of Celtic losing that day as well. Something is different about this one however.
Last year, Celtic approached that semi-final as clear favourites. They delivered a victory at second gear for much of that game. Two goals and a stroll I’d call it. The Ronny Roar made its debut at Hampden Park to all sections of the Celtic faithful. A couple of weeks later, Celtic played host to another marvellous European football occasion when they drew 3-3 with Inter Milan. The football on show and the philosophy Deila was trying to implement was refreshing. As Celtic won their fourth league title in a row, it seemed like this was the beginning of something special.
Although they missed out on a domestic treble in harsh circumstances, Celtic have found themselves sliding down the surface of things while perched at the summit of Scottish football. Where did it all go wrong? The transfer window last summer was a disaster. The reliance in 2014-15 on loan signings precipitated another upheaval arrivals of sorts. Despite this influx, Celtic bowed out of Europe on all fronts before the New Year. They progressed to the playoff stage of the Champions League qualifying and were drawn against Malmo. Comfortably positioned with a 3-1 lead at home in the first leg, the concession of a late goal from Jo-Inge Berget (a flop at the club the previous season) seemed to plant a seed of doubt within the team which manifested itself into a disappointing 2nd leg performance. Malmo seized the initiative by taking lead midway through the first half, on the night and in the tie. Celtic had a legitimate goal from Nir Biton ruled out on the stroke of half-time before the home side doubled their advantage, which they never lost. Virgil Van Dijk was gone shortly after that night. It cast a dark cloud over the supporter’s season which hasn’t abated ever since.
The Europa League, which provided great entertainment the previous season, immediately transported Celtic into the Group of Death alongside Ajax, Fenerbahçe and Molde FK. And even then, Celtic were poised to start the group style after 2-2 a draw in Amsterdam in their first game. Racing into a two goal lead at home against Fenerbahçe in the second game, a predictable error (in hindsight) from Efe Ambrose changed the game. The Turkish side found a way back into the game and forced another 2-2 draw for Celtic. It was a blow that the team, in my opinion, hasn’t really recovered from. After that game, Molde took 3 points home and away against the Hoops. Celtic would finish bottom of the group with only 3 points, all coming from draws. There would be no European football after Christmas, a barometer on which some clubs supporters judge the entire season.
What hasn’t changed is the clubs position at the top of the Scottish League table. However, it hasn’t been pretty. What I found most disappointing about Celtic this season is that the football on the pitch has regressed significantly. The fluid passing is no longer a consistent and fundamental part of the team. Their inconsistent form allowed Aberdeen mount a title challenge at one stage of the season. Between the months of February and March, the prospect of the Champions falling behind and losing the title was a real one. Neutrals looking on and Rangers’ supporters took great delight in this prospect. Serious discussion about the title race extended to sacking the manager to ensure that their grip on the title wouldn’t be lost. The pressure from all sides was mounting on Deila.
You can point to the inferior signings but also at the manager who hasn’t found a team he is happy with. I could only shake my head when as the deadline of the January transfer window approached, the club signed Colin Kazim-Richards on a free while sending Nadir Ciftci, only signed in the summer, out on loan. Ciftci is the worst player in Celtic’s history to wear the No.7 jersey but Kazim-Richards is not exactly someone I’d replace him with either. Anthony Stokes had long been sidelined by the manager and eventually sent out on loan to Hibernian. Patrick Roberts (also signed that January) has been a positive inclusion to the side but he is still only on loan from Manchester City. While Celtic are poised to win a double, you would never think that given the negative feeling amongst the fans. Even though Celtic have pulled away from Aberdeen as the split was announced, the growing discontent with the Norwegian’s management may not be alleviated even with a victory this Sunday in the Scottish Cup.
I believe a majority of the fans would be delighted to see Ronny Deila sacked. Many of whom are calling for Neil Lennon to return. Others would be happy with David Moyes. As far as I’m concerned, they can pick anyone they want and before long, they would turn on him too. As Celtic off the field have had to adapt to the absence of European football and the money spinner that was an Old Firm encounter, the expectations of the fan haven’t changed with it. Much of the supporter’s dismay with the club is focused on the manager. Yes, Deila is accountable for the team he sends out and how they perform. The regression of key players from last season for example, Stefan Johansen, Kris Commons, Stuart Armstrong and the captain Scott Brown, is unacceptable. Where was the free-flowing fluid Celtic side that took the game to Inter Milan and fought their way back into contention? Why are they still so defensively susceptible to even a gust of breeze getting the better of them at times? There are many questions supporters can rightly ask. I am asking them myself. There are some more they should be asking too but not of Deila.
While I believe it would be pointless to ask some Celtic fans to adjust their expectations and look at certain things logically, here’s a question I would ask. How well do you believe the club can do on their current budget, and their reliance on loan signings? How can any manager in the future realistically expect to match the hopes & dreams of all the faithful when he will have his hands tied to the crumbs from the boardroom table? The merry go round of signings & departures will only continue with new management, stifling the development of any Celtic team in the future. It was the same in Neil Lennon’s final season in charge especially.
Many of Deila’s detractors have been quick to slate the signings being made under his management but not so long Teemu Pukki was signed to replace Gary Hooper. Derk Boerrigter was signed to make an impact in Europe. He never stayed fit long enough to say the word Europe, never mind play there! Hólmbert Friðjónsson? Remember him? Why would you, he never played a game for the club. Amido Baldé did however, sadly. Bobo Baldé scored more goals than he did and he was a central defender. They were all signings made to replace the integral players who got Celtic to the Champions League but sold for huge profits. The cycle has continued to this day. A pertinent question the fans might want to ask is how much shit can you throw on a stick before it sticks? My eloquent articles might bemoan the wording of that last question but it’s one worth asking when looking at the club’s transfer policy today.
I don’t mind to an extent what the Celtic board has to do to ensure the clubs long term future financially. The last thing I want to see is the club endure a demise as dramatic and painful as Rangers’ was in 2012. Much has been written and documented about the clubs great escape from the liquidation death knell in 1994. However, I won’t fall into the trap of singling out the manager when he cannot be given a proper chance to build a team and his vision for a club with the support of the board. There are a number of aspects of the 2015-16 season to criticise, Deila is only one of them. I’m not asking Peter Lawwell to sanction the spending of millions every summer. It’s very possible to build a decent side without blowing money and without buying eleven new players in the transfer market. Look at Leicester City for example! Until a change of vision from above comes, the cycle will continue. Managers will be lauded, then derided before the next one comes along. Sooner or later however, a club will come along and dislodge Celtic at the top. And then the board will be forced to stump up big money to come back to former glories. It doesn’t take a visionary to see this.
Is that club going to be Rangers? They are a club on the rise and looking towards the future. Unlike some Celtic fans out there who would obsessively follow the exploits of their new/old/similar rivals across the city, I haven’t been keeping an active eye on Rangers and the Scottish Championship. Truth be told, I honestly couldn’t have given a flying fuck how they have been getting on. It makes no difference to me whether they have won a lower tier cup or whether they lost surprisingly to a team with much smaller resources. I’m only concerned about Celtic and their opponents in the Premiership, (and those we encounter in Europe). Nowhere else. The reason I’m writing about them now is because they are meeting Celtic again in Cup competition. Its sparking feelings of old within me that games between two Glasgow clubs used to do.
That, and I’ve got a free weekend of knee ligament rehabilitation to spend writing articles
Only through the fact I follow two Rangers' fans on Twitter (brothers, great people, follow them @mcdougall89 and @McDougall1994) and the aforementioned Celtic folk who love to poke fun at Rangers or tweet about them, have I been seeing tweets referencing Rangers exploits this season. Last summer came a turning point. Ally McCoist, a club legend, was doing his best to produce a team on the field that looked as bad as the situation off it in the boardroom. Their triumphant rapid return to the top was in jeopardy. As a result, he was shunted aside in dramatic circumstances before Christmas 2014. His assistant Kenny McDowall, who oversaw the 2-0 defeat to Celtic last year, did nothing to change Rangers form on the field. He would resign in March to be replaced by former player Stuart McCall. He would lead Rangers into playoffs where they were comfortably beaten by Motherwell 6-1 over two legs. It was clear the club needed a new presence, not one associated with a club history that is still disputed in Glasgow and beyond.
The appointment of Mark Warburton was a real coup. Prior to this season, he oversaw and led Brentford FC to the playoff places in the English Championship from League 1, their highest League placing for nearly a century. He has brought this leadership to Scotland and it has shown in Rangers form this season. Whatever potential the Rangers squad had prior to his arrival was boosted by the signings of James Tavernier, Martyn Waghorn, Jason Holt and the return of Danny Wilson. Throw in Lee Wallace captaining the side and Kenny Miller (I am surprised he’s still going at this stage) and Warburton has built a team that has stormed their way to promotion, securing the Scottish Championship title by the beginning of April. Critics, journalists and opposition supporters, might say it is what they expected from the club against inferior opposition. Their turbulent 2014-15 season is enough evidence to show how badly it can go under the wrong guidance. They are entering this semi-final encounter full of confidence and ready to claim the scalp of the Scottish Champions. What a difference 15 months can make.
Do I fear Rangers? Not necessarily. Celtic still have quality players in all areas of the pitch that Rangers don’t have overall. The cause for concern is that the team has stagnated this season, finding themselves devoid of consistency & quality at key moments of games. This is something I'd expect Rangers will look to take advantage of tomorrow. Their defence needs to be consistent from the first minute to the last. Even if they play well, Celtic will be reliant on Leigh Griffiths to deliver at the other end. His blistering goal-scoring form this season has maintained Celtics presence at the forefront of domestic competition. If he isn’t firing, who else will get the goals for the Hoops? Kazim-Richards has only scored once since arriving in January, against East Kilbride. He could make himself a hero by scoring tomorrow but I won't be holding my breath.
It is worrying that you are hoping the occasion of the game itself will spark some quality and form into your integral players. Scott Brown in my mind, should be playing for his Celtic career tomorrow. He was better last week against Kilmarnock and needs to step it up once more. Stefan Johansen needs a performance of 2014-15 vintage to redeem himself. A three man midfield of Brown, Nir Biton and Johansen pushing forward will give them the opportunity to control this game. I wouldn't mind Tom Rogic starting tomorrow either in that regard. As for creativity in the final third, Roberts and Gary Mackay-Steven will be looking to make their mark on the game. They cannot allow themselves fade out of the game. Kris Commons, the forgotten man of sorts, may be given a chance tomorrow. He’s never played a bad game against Rangers after all! It is the youth of Roberts and academy graduate Kieran Tierney, an undoubted gem from a season of inconsistency, that I am hoping to bring a positive influence on Celtic tomorrow.
I am expecting a Rangers side to be motivated beyond belief to produce an upset. If Celtic start poorly, this game can get away from them. I would fear for them if they went behind, as they will it difficult on their current form to break their opponent’s resistance. I can imagine the Rangers defence sacrificing their bodies blocking shots if defending a precious lead late on. Such sacrifice tomorrow won’t be a surprise. The occasion demands it. Defiance, commitment, and no shortage of effort from every player. The Ronny Roar is no more, except for a brief revival away to Kilmarnock in March. I’d be delighted to see it return with vengeance come full-time tomorrow. Rangers are on their way to the top tier of Scottish Football. And with it, they bring a renewed belief and desire to take down the club the fans regard as their greatest foe in every walk of life. A victory for them would give birth a new era of Scottish Football. The presence of the two Glasgow clubs in the top tier might well do that anyways.
Better start getting used to this feeling again.
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