Celtic Chief Executive, Peter Lawwell
Once upon a time, in a land shrouded in myth, Celtic were promised a Generation of Domination.
The term was catchy and carried the allure of some days of recompense when Celtic fans would enjoy success, as some compensation for a near-decade of misery in which our rivals across the city - through double-dealing for sure - arrogantly taunted us as second-class citizens in a very parochial Scottish football world.
And for a moment, cutting through the hyperbole, things were looking good. True, the Celtic spin machine was lying to us all the way. For example, one master of figure-juggling told us that Gordon Strachan had won three titles in a row for only the third time in the club's history. And some swallowed that whole, apparently forgetting the fact that one Jock Stein had achieved three-in-a-row three times consecutively and Willie Maley had done the same twice.
For those peddling such nonsense, though, past victories had to be diminished to make a more modest achievement, impressive though it was, seem all the more remarkable. That Celtic's decline should be contrived on 5th August 2008 could hardly have been predicted by anyone. That was the day that had fans enjoying the discomfort of their rivals on hearing the scoreline: FC Kaunas 2-1 Rangers.
Rangers exited the Champions League and Celtic could only prosper from their misery, exploit their weakness and march into the Generation of Domination, securing an advantage that might never be overturned. But others at Celtic thought differently and having briefed their "independent" friends in Celtic cyberspace, we started to hear of the value of "banked cash".
Ambitious transfer plans were shelved as it was expected that more modest outlay would secure title number four.
And, despite clear difficulties on the field, despite the fact that Gordon Strachan had told Peter Lawwell that he was in his last season, something that was kept from the fans, it looked that another title might be won, such was Rangers' parlous state. Some expressed anxiety going into the infamous Willo Flood transfer window that the directors and executives thought that serious investment would not be required, a seven-point gap having been established at the top of the table.
The title was lost and, with it, Champions League revenue. They repeated the feat again, and again. We now hear little from Celtic media about how dominant a team has to be to win three titles in a row because that has the converse implication that to lose three consecutively establishes a team as firmly second-best.
All this to a club whose imminent financial collapse has been offered a comfort to Celtic fans, skirting over the shocking state a club must be in to be bested three times by rivals in financial crisis.
One thing alone has justified the near-silence from Celtic fans as the club's ethics and values have been dismantled and its directors praised for pursuing a strategy that brought few trophies, less European income, and found fewer fans willing to buy tickets. That is the debt of loyalty fans owe Neil Lennon.
But when the manager of Burnley turned down the chance to manage the club he loves so that we were left with a man who came cheap but just had his team relegated, applause from the gallery and praise of the fat-cats picking up bonuses was a dereliction of duty. Neil Lennon was given the job and has done about as well as anyone could in the circumstances.
It is those circumstances, brought about by a criminal neglect of our club, dishonestly reported and accepted by noveau riche market-watchers, that should have all Celtic fans raging with anger. John Reid leaves a club that hasn't been Scottish champions since 2008 celebrating. If there was any fire left amongst the Celtic support, he and his cosy circle would have been hounded out long ago.
Celtic are now about accounts first, media spin second and football third. Game on.
 |
Posts
