Celtic 69 and out – a time for pride, recognition, reflection and reality

So, the inevitable happened. Celtic lost a domestic game in Scotland after 69 unsuccessful attempts by Scottish opposition.

In every defeat, there is disappointment (and none of us would have chosen to have that British-record run come to an end in the manner that it did) but there is also immense pride in having witnessed a Celtic squad excel to such heights of superiority over our domestic rivals.

For that, the players and coaching staff will go down in history as one of the all-time great teams in British football.

And, if Brendan Rodgers is the supreme architect of this achievement, special credit should also go to Scott Brown as his engineer-in-chief.

Brendan has made Celtic a 21^st-century club in its approach to the game, confounding many (including this silly blogger) who were sceptical about his ability to take a place in the top tier of managers.

Broony has, in the Brendan Rodgers era, cemented his place as a Celtic great – both as a midfielder and a captain.

He has had his detractors but can now be mentioned in the same breath as Billy McNeill, Danny McGrain and Roy Aitken as captains; and Bobby Murdoch, Bertie Auld and Paul McStay as midfielders.

But all the players and coaches deserve to be lauded for their contributions to this latest chapter of the History Bhoys. No one can ever detract from their being part of a remarkable feat.

But, if there is one good thing about the loss, it is the removal of the Albatross that can be record-chasing (or defending).

When, under Neil Lennon, we were pursuing and breaking the clean-sheet record, it seemed to me to come at the expense of player development. Everything seemed to be about not losing a goal and team selections appeared to be cautious despite a comfortable position in the league, with promising youth players being benched or loaned out. (This cynic suspected that the board was especially keen to inflate the transfer value of Fraser Forster. He still does.)

But in recent months – arguably since the start of the season – the unbeaten record seemed to weigh Celtic down, rather than imbuing the team with assuredness. That’s largely speculative, of course.

But one thing that can be said with some confidence is that the season to date has shown few indications of the admittedly radical progress that was seen last season.

We still have comfortably the best team in Scotland but, if anything, we have regressed since Tom Rogic rallied through the rain to score that Scottish Cup Final winner against a backdrop of lightning and ecstasy.

Looking back to this blog’s reviewing of the squad, there are comments that look well-observed and hopelessly ill-judged.

On the plus side, I was sceptical about the contribution that Johnny Hayes would make or even if he would sign. I expected another dominant season from Scott Sinclair and thought that we were a Paddy-Roberts-signing away from a devastating wide-right position.

I highlighted Celtic’s need for depth in defence, as cover for Gordon, Šimunović and Boyata, while noting Lustig’s increasing frailty.

On the other hand, I was predicting that Gordon could make the keeper’s position his own into his 40s and full of praise for the burgeoning pairing in the centre of defence.

As a mere blogger, rather than a “bona-fide journalist”, I can say that I was half-right about Johnny Hayes, right about Lustig, right about needing defensive cover and shown to be as wrong as you can be about our goalkeeper and first-choice central defenders.

I will not turn this into a diatribe about individual players save to say that Scott Sinclair – in the absence of competition for his place – has disappointed, Craig Gordon has often looked like a rabbit in the headlights in big games (I thought he looked nervous in the Scottish Cup Final and terrified in the Scotland-England international) and shown feebleness for much of this season.

Boyata has regressed to precisely the player we saw under Ronny Deila, unable to concentrate on scratching his arse and chewing gum at the same time, while Šimunović has the ability to appear unflustered, however many cataclysmic mistakes he makes in a game.

They have become the perfect combination of bewilderment and wryness. Boyata exhibits that “what just happened there” sense of decency that at least looks as if he understands that something has happened in his sleep. Šimunović reacts to every cock-up with that wry smile that almost seems to relish saying: “This is just the paradox of me.”

With Lustig, it’s simpler. Crudely put his heart’s in the right place but his legs won’t follow.

But what do all four of these defensive players – and Scott Sinclair – have in common?

There is no meaningful and sustained competition for their places in the team.

Anthony Ralston looked ready to make a strong challenge for the right-back position before being affected by injuries. Dorus De Vries remains “damaged goods” in the eyes of many fans. Erik Sviatchenko got injured but was, nevertheless, being seen as unlikely to feature in a team that likes to play the ball through all positions.

Kristofer Ajer is probably not quite ready and it could be very unwise to put such a young player into a malfunctioning defence, with all the attendant risks to his confidence and reputation.

Scott Sinclair looks to be demonstrating the confidence issues that, indirectly, brought him to us in the first place.

Personally, I do not get the impression that he is complacent but rather that the reason that such a high-quality player landed in our lap may have been that he struggles to cope with expectation.

But casting amateur speculation aside, there is a picture of a squad that showed exceptional progress, barely-strengthened in the summer in problematic positions and now being exposed in those same areas.

Admittedly, this offers no explanation for the “Stuart Armstrong situation” and James Forrest has continued to perform well, even after the Patrick Roberts injury that looks likely to have ended his involvement with Celtic.

So, perhaps now is the time to ask the $64,000-question: Is Brendan Rodgers being fully supported by Peter Lawwell and the board?

Further, were Brendan’s comments a few weeks ago about “in the time we’re here” and “you don’t get long at the big clubs” (paraphrasing) in any way related to dissatisfaction with the support he has been given, having brought great success and even greater revenue?

We have interesting times ahead in the next transfer window.

On form, do we have a better starting-eleven now than we did in May? I would say not.

The level that our team has achieved may seem to represent a comfortable plateau to our directors, high above local rivals, but the manner in which our defence has been exposed in recent months suggests that complacency at boardroom level may lead to further disappointment.

We were hammered in the Champions League and have now failed to win a home game in the group stages in two campaigns, taking just one point from twelve.

So, where are we going?

Yes, we are in a strong position in the league and might yet scrape a second treble.

But some of us who have become accustomed to corporate Celtic might reasonably choose now to raise the issues.

Regardless of any nonsense Peter Lawwell tried to pull by saying that “the Plan” had allowed the club to secure Brendan Rodgers, it is self-evident that Brendan’s appointment is the antithesis of the “cheap-manager-willing-to-relinquish-player-recruitment” plan.

Brendan Rodgers has a laudable and impressive record of developing talent. But is charging defenceless into European competition really part of his club-building plan for Celtic?

Time – just a few weeks of it – will tell.

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Celtic 0- 5 Paris St Germain: Proud of my team in the soft power era. Yes, seriously!

Losing is never acceptable. When is a Celtic 5-0 home loss to Paris St Germain a matter for Pride?

They came, we all saw, we lost. But, in defeat, we remain “unconquered”.

What rambling nonsense is this?

Well, firstly, this blogger never accepts defeat, never mind emphatic losses, at Celtic Park of all places.

A year ago, we lost 7-0 in Barcelona, arguably a comparable scoreline, given that we were away from home then but, tonight, we were at the often-feared Celtic Park.

And yet, the performances were starkly contrasting. In the Camp Nou, our fledgling team seemed out of its depth, lacking confidence and, essentially, courage. But it was clear that we were on the beginning of a journey. We just didn’t know where we were going or how fast.

Tonight, we suffered a historic defeat. In no way could that scoreline be considered good enough. But it should not be seen as humiliating or embarrassing.

Make no mistake – the day we accept defeats as part of our story, we will be on the road to mediocrity. And that is somewhere no Celtic fan would be content to be.

On the other hand, tonight I saw the most expensive football team ever assembled playing brilliant, sometimes breathtakingly-good football, a team teeming with talent in every position, which often looked like their players were wearing magnetic boots while dealing with a light, ferrous ball.

PSG played a game that few of us will ever see in football. When the great Barcelona team played something comparable to that style, the football world Kowtowed in appreciation.

But, as media figures will emphasise, Celtic suffered the club’s worst home defeat in 100 years.

And yet, what I saw tonight was a team that played with the heart and courage that was so missing from the Camp Nou 12 months ago.

And a special mention for Anthony Ralston, who played like a lion.

I saw a team with real quality, going for it and maintaining a level of professionalism that the sports pages are unlikely to reflect tomorrow.

For those who may wonder what the headline refers to, “soft power” is considered the new, big thing in politics and international diplomacy. Crudely summarised, it is the understanding that internationally-prestigious events or media coverage have a major impact in raising the international standing of nations and other entities.

The oil-wealthy Qatari government that funds Paris St Germain may or may not see establishing footballing credibility in advance of the World Cup as being crucial to their international standing.

Should we expect similar support from the Scottish government for Celtic or prefer to field our green-and-white hoops for the traditions of our club, our supporters and our history?

I saw a still-improving team, led by coaches who understand our tradition, fighting for the club, with skill and courage, never accepting second-best.

Mistakes were made but I was – and am – proud of our players.

How about you?

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Celtic qualify after Astana Champions League nailbiter. What have we learned from this?

First, the good news. We should congratulate Brendan Rodgers, the players and coaching staff for a fine achievement in qualifying for the group stages of the Champions League.

The improvement over the past twelve months has been remarkable and, as we have seen against Kilmarnock twice this season, our young players are developing well.

Tough Night in Astana: But the mighty did not fall

One of the rare joys of watching football is to see young players coming through and blossoming into first-team footballers. It was what Jock Stein once described as his greatest pleasure as a manager and should be at the heart of any club’s aspirations.

It is also good business, as Manchester United illustrated with their “Class of 92”, including Giggs, Butt, Beckham, the Neville brothers and Scholes. We don’t appear to have that level of talent from the development squad, with the exception of Kieran Tierney, but it shows that even the richest clubs benefit from developing their own players.

The young signings we have made are also bringing great hope. We all know about Moussa Dembele but Olivier Ntcham is already showing signs that he may be the story of this season. Eboue Kouassi is still promising and I believe that he will also come good, but over a longer period of a year or more. The same applies to Kundai Benyu.

These two players have talent and seem eager to play but they lack the top-level experience of Ntcham.

It’s important to focus on these positives and to remember just how far we have already come before looking at negatives and the next steps that must be taken to keep making progress.

The two legs with Astana, in particular, illustrated that perfectly.

And, when I look back at what I wrote at the end of last season, it wasn’t too far off the mark. Notable exceptions were the prediction that Johnny Hayes wouldn’t sign and the expectation that Nir Bitton had played his last game for Celtic.

That may have come against Astana.

Astana are a decent team and I suspect that they will qualify for the Champions League next season and cause some scares.

We deserved to qualify but they exposed some frailties, with dynamic attacking play that we are unused to, in Scotland.

Going back to my piece about possible ins and outs, I may have to correct myself about Craig Gordon. He is a good shot-stopping goalkeeper but, despite his experience, I am increasingly concerned about the nerves he appears to display in high-pressure matches.

I thought so during the Scottish Cup Final, again during the Scotland-England international at Hampden and also against Astana.

Admittedly, goalkeepers usually need a central-defensive pairing in which they have confidence and Gordon did not have that. No blame should be attached to Kristofer Ajer but, though played out of position, Bitton again looked like the last man you would want beside you when your back is to the wall.

Nevertheless, Gordon was beaten at his near post – almost a crime for any top goalkeeper – and inexplicably parried a ball downwards in his penalty area to an Astana player, when he could have caught it.

That was self-evidently due to nervousness but will he be similarly shaky in, say, Madrid or Munich?

We also saw the other side of Mikael Lustig. Lustig is much-loved for the joy he clearly takes in playing and winning for Celtic.

But the Astana match showed again that he does not do well in frantic, top-tier games, such as in Barcelona last season. Frankly, Lustig’s legs look to have gone, after a number of serious injuries over the years.

It’s great news that Anthony Ralston has shown that he can play in the first team but, do we want to depend on him, at 18, against the cream of Europe?  Probably not, though that is also not a criticism of him.

We have a weakness at right-back that some top teams will undoubtedly test.

The centre of defence is not such a cause for concern as it appeared against Astana because Dedryck Boyata will, hopefully, be back in a few weeks. The expected arrival of Rivaldo Coetzee will bring someone who, according to reports and his history to date, should bring real quality and Jozo Šimunović is a Champions League defender.

Presuming the Coetzee deal is confirmed, he can be expected to pair with Jozo in Champions League games, due to his international experience. But Brendan would be unlikely to have any fears about placing Ajer next to Jozo for domestic matches.

So, while Erik Sviatchenko is rumoured to be on the way out, we don’t really have the defensive crisis that the Astana performance may have suggested.

Up front is a different story. Brendan quite rightly pointed out that he had had to play Champions League qualifiers without strikers, having stated previously that he didn’t sign another because it was impractical to bring in an expensive forward who would sit on the bench.

He has, as ever, a point. Preferring one forward and with goals in other areas of the team, it is difficult to keep three quality players who are vying for one spot happy. And it can be very costly.

And yet surely we need someone now, given the injuries to Moussa and Leigh Griffiths over the early weeks of the season. Wingers and attacking midfielders may know where the goal is but the runs that strikers practice, the tricks they learn and the instincts they develop over years are something else again.

Bad defenders leave a team humiliated. Bad strikers merely mean lost opportunities. So, with the price differential, it’s only natural to focus on defence. But we still need at least one more. If he is a top-class old pro who is content to play about 15 games a season, great.

If he is younger and hungrier, then we can presume that the way is being paved for Moussa to leave.

We should, though, remember that this is all, in a sense, good news.

Brendan, the coaches and players are doing an outstanding job in climbing the upward curve. And, again going back to an earlier piece, we should be looking to finish third in our Champions League group and ecstatically happy if we finish second.

The Champions League is not only awash with richer clubs but also becoming something of a clique in which strong clubs from lower leagues have gained considerable experience that we still lack.

Where we are now, fourth would be a disappointment, third an outstanding success and second outrageously dizzying, leading to new and unrealistic expectations.

An experienced civic politician once told me that there was “no comfortable plateau” on which cities could exist. They were either going up or going down.

The same could be said of football clubs.

Celtic are not where most of us believe we should be, in European terms. The corporate nature of football has ensured that TV money has made the field of play ridiculously uneven.

But enjoy the draw on Friday. We are going up.

• What now for Celtic and Brendan Rodgers? Pt 1 Legitimate goals for the season ahead

• What now for Celtic and Brendan Rodgers? Pt 2 How to make the best in Scotland better

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From Green Brigade to Grudge Brigade – Celtic must end this crass act

The danger inherent to earning a reputation is that you may long feel compelled to live up to it

Making a name for yourself is not what it used to be. Andy Warhol's famous 15-minute share of fame came long before social media offered new ways for otherwise unremarkable people to launch themselves into the attention of others who would otherwise have no interest in them.

It has become the sport of the day – on Twitter, Facebook, comments pages of news websites, forums and the blogosphere.

Wilde was onto something when he said that the only thing worse than being talked about was not being talked about.

But the sad fact is – as countless washed-up once-weres can testify – that, once you have tasted a bit of attention and called it fame, there can be a destructive compulsion to remain in the public eye.

I recall my own doctor – a thoroughly decent guy and good GP – getting his name and picture in the papers. A few months later, he was there again. And then it seemed as if he was doing things primarily to enjoy that rush again and again.

I wouldn't go so far as to say that he became a bad doctor but he certainly seemed less dignified and sympathetic than before.

It's the fate of all who seek attention for attention's sake. They rarely recognise the distinction between fame, infamy and notoriety. As long as they can get a regular hit of being talked about.

Which brings me to the people that every Celtic fan seems to be talking about now – the Green Brigade.

Like most Celtic fans, I've enjoyed many of their displays and their contribution to the atmosphere at Celtic Park, which – contrary to misinformed comment – was lauded long before the Green Brigade existed.

But, over the years, I've found myself raising an eyebrow at some of their antics. Partly because there was always a “look at me” element to their displays but mostly because they had a tendency to seek confrontation where none was needed.

Like most, however, I was of the mindset that they were an asset to Celtic who should be supported, forgiven for past misdemeanours  and, in return, they should observe the rules of safety and desist from putting the club at risk of sanction.
That was largely my position on Wednesday night, even though I felt that they had gone too far once too often.

Let's address the banner nonsense right away: they had no right to take an image of our manager – a Northern-Irishman – and associate it with paramilitary activity, however “cleverly” they thought they had done it.

After the match, David Healy was referring to Brendan Rodgers as “a class act” for shaking the hand of every Linfield player in the dressing room.

Whether Brendan did that simply out of sportsmanship, through affinity with fellow Ulstermen, or because he sees every opportunity for bridge-building as a small step in bringing a better life to people in the six counties, only he can say.

But the contrast with the actions of the Green Brigade could scarcely be more stark. They weren't class, but crass.

Worse, though, they clearly contravened UEFA rules that the Green Brigade have flouted before and punitive action was inevitable. In fact, it would be hard to avoid the conclusion that they were actively provoking sanctions.

There is a delusion that persists in the minds of some Celtic supporters that all that UEFA will do is issue a fine that the club can afford to pay. But when any authoritarian body sees that fines have no effect, they turn to more serious penalties.

Perhaps that really is beyond the wit of some of those self-styled rebels in the support.

For me, two things changed my position from advocating one last chance to lancing the boil once and for all.

One was the pathetic statement issued by the Green Brigade saying they were accepting responsibility before going round the houses of every grudge and grievance they have been harbouring over the years and finishing by saying that nobody will ever tell them how to behave.

That pretty well ties Celtic's hands because, even if they could set aside any personal slights or vendettas, they would be negotiating with a group that has publicly reserved the right to observe only its own rules of conduct.

I don't like the corporate nature of Celtic or modern football in general. I also dislike the corruption of UEFA and the equally corrupt and inept SFA.

But I do like Celtic and, in general, Celtic fans. Like millions of others since 1888, I've put a lot of my heart and soul into the club and I want to see it do what it's meant to do – play good football on the park, support charities and make Celtic supporters proud.

Which brings me to the second reason that I say this must finish now.

Over the past few days, Celtic cyberspace has been filled with the sort of venom directed at any who have dared to criticise the Green Brigade that was once the preserve of a club whose fans thought they were the definition of dignity.

In support of the Green Brigade, lifelong Celtic fans have been subjected to a torrent of abuse with expletive-ridden posts berating “panty-wetters”, “soup-takers”, “Tories” and an array of accusations that to criticise the behaviour of a group of “Ultras” was tantamount to supporting the British establishment, disrespecting the people of Ireland and those who fought for it and abandoning the working class.

The logic is laughable but the division amongst Celtic supporters that the Green Brigade has sown is not.
In defence of the Green Brigade, almost every aspect of Celtic – fans, management, European prospects and more – has become fair game.

It has unleashed a keyboard thuggery that is tarnishing Celtic's name and setting fans against each other. All in the name of a bunch of lads who want to be notorious Ultras.

No group should be allowed to have this effect on the club that we have loved and sustained for more than a century and no amount of colourful banners and jolly singing is a compensation for what these attention-seeking egotists have done in the last few days.

Thanks for the good memories but it's time to end this crass act.

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Craig Whyte and Rangers freak show does nothing for Celtic or Scottish football

Here we go being “obsessed”. Dust down any other social media tropes for those who dare to comment on the Craig Whyte case or the freak show that has been Rangers and their sequel, The Rangers.

Perhaps spin-off would be more appropriate as this sorry tale has gone from Breaking Brox to Better Call Donald as the focus has shifted from one improbable anti-hero to another with the common theme being that everyone close to it ends up being irredeemably tainted.

Apart from, perhaps, Donald Findlay QC. There will be no paean to Findlay here, any more than any sympathy will be extended towards the club that cheated the tax-payer, businesses, employees, fans and the game of football.

But Findlay could claim to be “untainted” in the sense that just about the only criticism that would sting Scotland’s highest-profile lawyer would be that he was a bad lawyer, which he patently is not.

Lawyers can be a peculiar breed – indeed, every profession has its attendant foibles – but they often get a bad press unnecessarily. They do an essential job that you hope never to need but pray to the great star above that you get a good one, if you do.

Something like an insurance policy; everyone hopes never to collect and resents paying but wants to make it work for them when called upon.

Findlay gives the impression of being that particularly obsessive type – the kind who feels a rush of cerebral orgasm when touching a clever legal spot. The kind who would see “lawyer” as being what defines him before family, faith, football or even Freemason.

So, to see him in Craig Whyte’s corner against his former friends and colleagues only added to the slapstick nature of the Govan Comedy.

The rest of Scottish football can laugh for a moment – and probably should. The case against Whyte smacked of bitter, visceral revenge and the defendant (himself no “innocent” in the world of underhand business) looking like a patsy to draw the focus from the real culprits in Rangers’s demise – David Murray, Campbell Ogilvie and a bunch of directors.

It’s amusing because the metaphorical blood promised by the same people who ushered Whyte into Ibrox has not been shed. He’s not going to jail, after all, for buying a football club that was already on the rocks and finally sinking it.

But any sympathy for Whyte should extend to the actual injustices visited on him (when his erstwhile backers hung him out to dry) and “respect” should be limited to an Artful Dodger who had enough craft to see Fagan and Bill Sykes hoist by their own petard.

That the Scottish Football Association should respond by mooting a legal challenge to recover a £200,000 fine for “bringing the game into disrepute” is worthy of derision at best and another reason for an organised campaign to clean the SFA of the corrupt and the incompetent – which covers just about all of the senior positions.

Having a president who lied about knowledge of EBTs while having received one himself at the club that was under investigation brought the entire game into the worst ill-repute possible.

21st-century Scotland is still so small in places that a small, one-nation clique of handshakers, blazer-wearers and pocket-liners can still hold sway in major institutions to the detriment of the game of football and the reputation of the country itself.

Do not underestimate the power of football. The modern political consultancies have been tuned into the “soft power” potential of sporting and media events to enhance a nation’s international standing for years.

It is for this reason, above all, that the political world suddenly becomes focused on gay rights when major tournaments like the Winter Olympics and World Cup are awarded to Russia. The politicians care no more for Russia’s oppressed LGBT communities than they do for them in the British Commonwealth but PR-gold sporting events? That’s a problem.

Forgive the digression but a Scottish football game that was healthy and winning friends on the international stage would be a major boost to the stature of the nation. And the tawdry, insular catastrophe that has been the Scottish game similarly has an inverse effect.

So, what now? For a few days fans of the other Scottish clubs will exchange

jokes and the endless stream of shysters and snake-oil salesmen a who have stuck their nose in the Ibrox trough over the years will bleat like lambs marked out for succulence.

Then, on Saturday, the nation will unite to support the SFA’s team against England. If they win, the game will ride a summer wave of delusion; if they lose Gordon Strachan will be sacked and that will be the Scottish football news.

It’s no good asking: when will the punters have had enough? The punters had enough years ago and came back for more, martyring themselves like the unappreciated partners of a no-good spouse, whining over cups of tea and deserving very little sympathy.

Celtic supporters of a certain vintage will recall that we have had our own camel-coat-wearers to bear and that our own major shareholder has a few sharp moves of his own.

But until the fans start to act – by boycotting the national teams and exerting co-ordinated pressure on their own clubs to reform or disband the SFA, they will be part of the problems, victims facilitating a wider malaise.

A stinking fungus has befouled Scottish football for generations. The game will not be rid of it without root-and-branch removal.

Hold your nose, not your breath.


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What now for Celtic and Brendan Rodgers? Pt 2 How to make the best in Scotland better

If you’re a Celtic fan reading this (and if you’re a fan of any other team: ha, ha, nae luck!) you’ll still have that warm fuzzy feeling.

We celebrated the 50-year anniversary of the Lisbon Lions with a season that made its own history. In fact, we may have to change the Scotty Sinclair song to squeeze in the words: invincible, infrangible,

But, as was said in the first part of this blog, we are good – the best in Scotland by as many country miles as separate Glasgow and Aberdeen, taking the scenic route – but not anything like the clichéd “finished product”.

That part is academic – the best teams never are.

However, the mind-boggling transformation of Celtic is, perhaps, lending credence to unrealistic appraisals of our squad. The upward curve of Celtic’s quality has been so sharp that it may seem to be pointing to the heavens.

But we all know the dangers of expecting moonbeams of success.

So, when the ecstasy gives way to cold, hard analysis (which will undoubtedly have been going on for the past 12 months), it’s a good time to look at what we may need to move to the next stage of development.

It can’t be all champagne and shamrocks. (I’ve already slapped my own face for that but can’t bring myself to delete it.)

So, realistically, who will be in and who will be out next season?

In Goal

No prizes for guessing that Craig Gordon will be our number 1.

Craig has seen off the challenge from Dorus De Vries, upped his game in terms of ball distribution and been an exceptional performer for three years and, at 34, could play for six-to-ten years, based on current trends for goalkeepers, fitness and form permitting.

Less clear is who will deputise.

Brendan Rodgers knows De Vries well but there was little to suggest in his first-team spell that he still retained whatever it was that he once had. To be fair to Dorus, he was playing in a team that was still learning to defend properly but he had done little to inspire confidence.

Likewise, Logan Bailly has been around without ever seriously looking like an alternative between the sticks.

Brendan has alluded to some young goalkeeping talent in the ranks but you can expect either a promotion from within or a signing to provide assurance, should Gordon be injured or need rest.

Defence

Like squeezing the toothpaste tube, let’s start in the middle.

What a transformation 12 months brings!

From a team that could attack but not defend, Celtic fans got – whisper it – confidence in the defence. That was thanks in no small part to Kolo Toure.

Kolo didn’t play so many games and he made a few mistakes, which he owned up to like the great professional that he is.

But, to this spectator, his contribution was the catalyst to that unbeaten season. If, as Brendan says, he was brought in to assist Scott Brown in leading the team, it was his sorting out of the defence that was, perhaps, the defining moment of Celtic’s season.

You wouldn’t have to be a football analyst to twig to the fact that the guy who had done it all and was directing less experienced defenders was making an enormous contribution. But his fleeting appearances lately suggest that his role next season will primarily be a coaching one, rather than on the field.

We have seen the most-improved player at Celtic Park Dedryck Boyata and Jozo Šimunović establish themselves as the first-choice pairing in central defence and they look to have huge potential.

While Jozo always looked like a class act, there were serious doubts about his fitness before this season. Dedryck, on the other hand, evidently had ability that was all-but negated by lapses in concentration.

What we now have is a central two who look like they can grow to be something special, Dedryck is the player most charged with bringing the ball forward from defence and he has evident power as well as being a threat when attacking corners.

Jozo appears to be one of those “low-pulse-rate” defenders who keeps calm when the pressure is on – well-illustrated by that precise challenge against an on-rushing Kenny Miller, which so troubled some minor Sky commentator.

But who else? Obviously, Erik Sviatchenko remains a significant part of the team and will challenge the two men currently in possession fiercely. Brendan is on record as saying that any player coming into the team will have a chance to keep the jersey and, if Sviatchenko’s stock has dropped a little in recent months, it is largely due to the technical improvements in Boyata and Šimunović’s games.

There is no reason to believe that Erik cannot up his game even further.

However, a gap remains. There will be an early assessment of Kristofer Ajer’s readiness to be part of the “four” (given that, favouring a small squad, Brendan Rodgers can be expected to roughly follow the “two players for each position” model.)

Ajer would be many fans’ first choice and, as long as his major lessons from Kilmarnock have been how to avoid flying elbows and nothing to do with nutrition, he has a real chance.

If the assessment is negative, the market awaits.

At left-back, the story is one of joy in that Kieran Tierney is a player to envy. At 19, we should spare him the hyperbole but let’s just say, in the language of cheesy martial arts magazines: “This guy’s good – and I mean REAL good!”
Young, already brilliant, getting better, abundant technique, Celtic through-and-through, already committed to us. We have a player!

But we also need back-up.

Emilio Izaguirre is loved by most Celtic supporters for a reason. His passion, his flying runs down the wing (especially when he first signed), his smile, his love of the club. He’s a damned good player and all-round good guy who will be fondly remembered at Celtic Park for many years to come.

But will he play much? Probably not.

Emilio has great qualities and deserves his place in the current squad but the positional sense as well as quick control and crisp short passing as well as crossing may not be his strong suit.

But how do you fill the role of challenger to one of the best young defensive talents in the European game? It’s a huge challenge.

Not to have an effective replacement risks making Kieran the sort of target that he was in the Scottish Cup Final – take him out of the game and you negate a huge part of Celtic’s potential.

For any Champions League campaign, a quality contender for left-back will be needed.

On the right, Mikael Lustig is another who has won hearts for his evident joy in playing and winning for Celtic. Mikael has been an excellent servant for the club and will most likely start the season in possession of the jersey, especially as he can play in the centre, too.

There have been times when his gallusness in Scotland have not been matched by his resilience in Europe – our last Camp Nou adventure being one – but Lustig is another who has improved his technical game under Brendan and the coaching regime.

However, he has also had injury problems over the years (though there should be a shout-out to Celtic’s fitness and medical staff for their work over the last year) and he isn’t getting younger.

Relatively little has been seen of Cristian Gamboa since his signing – though what we have seen is that he is incredibly fast – and this may reflect a sense that he is not yet up to the task of taking the right-back jersey, even to protect Lustig’s body.

Do we need to sign a right-back? Probably, yes.

Midfield

We have an abundance of riches in midfield and – ironically – arguably too much.

All three of this blogs regular readers know that it has been a steadfast supporter of Scott Brown, a position that has made its lowly editor and sole writer smugger than a hug in a bearskin (artificial) rug over the last year.

Brown is the main man and will be for some time to come. A blind man listening to Radio Clyde could see that the £3m-signing of a 19-year-old Eboue Kouassi was intended to pave the way for a gradual transition for Scott.

Gradually, if Kouassi lives up to the billing, he will play more and more games while Brown will be used for crucial matches and rested occasionally.

If Scott is going to stay with Celtic for the hoped-for ten-in-a-row, it is only natural to expect his appearances to decline in number but be focussed on very significant games.

Nir Biton, on the other hand, will go. Biton is the most frustrating type of player. We have all seen what he can do but can’t rely on him to do it when the going gets tough. His “hamstring injury” in the 2016 Scottish Cup semi-final was almost matched by his “invisible midfielder” showing in Barcelona. Lustig stepped up; Biton didn’t.

With Stuart Armstrong, the only real question-mark is whether he wants to stay or would like to try European pastures new. No one can criticise his personal desires but he has a great opportunity to be part of an outstanding Celtic side.

That probably cannot be said for Gary Mackay-Steven, who joined Celtic with Armstrong. GMS has great talent but an apparent lack of self-belief that has probably held him back from fulfilling his true potential as a player.

He’s almost certain to go.

Liam Henderson, on the other hand, is a trickier one to call. When given his chance, like Ryan Christie, he has looked capable of stepping up but the competition is fierce in Celtic’s midfield.

Both Henderson and Christie have impressed on loan spells to Hibs and Aberdeen respectively. The question is: can they challenge for a place in Celtic’s crowded midfield area? If the coaching staff think not, both will be major additions to whatever teams they join.

Callum McGregor, on the other hand, has kept his position, improved when it looked to many as if he would never cut it above Scottish Premiership level and been on the verge of a Scotland cap, which he deserves.

But, there is still a question-mark over McGregor. There was a hint of it (though perhaps unfair) in the Scottish Cup Final. Callum was never born to be a left-back but when under attacking pressure he made panicked passes, putting his team under pressure.

He will hope never to play that position again but perhaps it points to something about him that other teams could exploit.

Playing in an advanced role, he is a potent weapon. But, if defending in the opponents’ half, would he reliably make calm, safe passes? McGregor could be a surprise exit, though his qualities are such that he would seem to be well worthy of the opportunity of being part of the squad.

On the left – well, isn’t it great that sometimes first-class players have career dips and come to Celtic? The comparison hasn’t been made so often but there are obvious parallels between Henrik Larrson’s career stalling at Feyenoord before being “rescued” at Celtic by a coach who understood him and Scott Sinclair’s journey to Celtic Park.

Like Henrik, having tasted disappointment, Scott Sinclair may just go on to be an even more important player in our history than anyone (other than a balloon blogger) could realistically suggest after one season.

Sinclair is a player of the quality who would ordinarily never have considered coming to Scottish football but will very likely stay for the ride, now that he has found his place.

Thank heavens for rich clubs signing great players and ignoring them.

As a back-up to Scotty? Virtually impossible but may be where Ryan Christie comes in. Expect Scotty to play a hell of a lot of games over the coming seasons.

On the right, well, if Patrick Roberts can somehow be kept, there is no question to answer. James Forrest is a highly-talented player who this blog once suggested run away from the club.

But the potential continued competition between Forrest and Roberts would seem to end any speculation about the wide right position.

That said, Paddy is going back to Manchester City and he is quite right to do so. To be a fly on the wall between him and Pep Guardiola when they discuss whether or not Paddy will be a mainstay of City next season.

But, as Roberts is not our player, another wide-right with goal-scoring and creating ability is a major priority.

One player not filling that role will probably be Johnny Hayes.

Hayes is a very good player and deserves respect. That said, some people seem to think that anyone who hears some words from Brendan in his ear is a potential signing target.

Much like Barrie Mackay before a tabloid linked £6m of Red Bull Leipzig’s cash to a player who was rarely played in the later stages of the season.

This is unfair on Hayes, who can damage any team but should probably be looking at a move to a team in the top third of the English championship, rather than Celtic.

Brendan’s signings have largely been speculating on young talent he believes he can develop (Dembele, Kouassi), players who have potential but who have under-achieved (Sinclair) or players who bring real top-level experience and quality (Toure).

Johnny Hayes doesn’t seem to fit with Brendan’s “plan” but that is no negative reflection on him.

Forwards

We need a forward. Correction: we need two forwards.

Moussa Dembele says he is staying and he can stay forever. This is not a blog that will advocate cashing in on players, no matter how much poppy is dangled.

If Moussa stays for the Champions League qualifiers, that will be great; for the European campaign, terrific.

But we need back-up and Leigh Griffiths has the potential to be that. Unfortunately, Leigh still seems to struggle with that propensity towards being a thorn in his manager’s flesh.

Never mind his whining about being substituted: what Brendan said a few months ago about conditioning in order to be ready to the intensity of first-team football has been almost lost in the feel-good around Celtic’s season.

Maybe I was the only one to wince when Leigh said that several people would celebrate the treble win for days and that he was one of them. A few beers after the season – sure. Talking on TV about benders may invite questions about professionalism.

We must sign at least two forwards – probably one young and one with top-quality experience.

Maybe someone who has done it all, doesn’t need the cash but would like to make a “football decision” before going to China?

Nah.

As you were, Celts.

Pt 1: Legitimate goals for the season ahead
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What now for Celtic and Brendan Rodgers? Pt 1 Legitimate goals for the season ahead

Well, the season which surpassed all understanding is done. Breathtaking, astonishing, Roy-of-the-Rovers stuff, topped off by Tom Rogic showing that his appreciation of high drama is as sharp as his shooting.

To all who played a part at Celtic Park over the past 12 months, thank you, well done and stay healthy. You’ll be getting calls for commemorative events in 20, 25, 30, 40 and 50 years time.

Now, to next season with hopes burning brightly and eyes on more glittering prizes.

But what should we realistically expect? (The silly season in the Scottish football media – is there any other kind? – will bring reported diktats from Desmond, swoops from down south and signing speculation to make you weep. Most of it will be unfounded garbage, much like the rest of this article.

Targets

Firstly, targeting the treble is usually ridiculous. Don’t get this wrong – Celtic should always intend to win any domestic tournament the club enters. But to expect to win all three again is just foolish.

Much as a self-confident man may truly believe that he has a reasonable chance of dating any of three desirable partners, it would be plain daft to be disappointed at not securing the romantic attentions of all three at the same time.

The smart man will direct his attentions to the best of the three and hope that, if disappointed, the next best will not prove to be out of reach. (It would be stretching the analogy to say that we should only hope to win one cup.)

It can be done but probably won’t. If Celtic end another season unbeaten, we should all wait for the space ships to take us away from this doomed planet as it would surely be a sign that the powers that kept the world turning were broken.

But to win the League and do so comfortably must be the number one target. The “comfort” part is important. Daylight between Celtic and Aberdeen (probably 15-20 points at the season’s end) takes pressure off players, allows some to be rested for what should be the late rounds of the Scottish Cup and lets Brendan Rodgers preserve some of the key performers by sparing them the last 15-30 minutes of games when their bodies are spent.

Prediction: 1st Celtic – P 38 W 29 D 6 L 3 Pts 93 (Stats based on the “Guff” system of football forecasting.

Scottish Cup

Having (hopefully) won the league in April, we should be red hot favourites to lift the Scottish Cup to make it a double.

By that time, we should be able to focus on the late rounds with the luxury of not needing points or defending an unbeaten run.

Who would we face in the final? Probably Aberdeen or Hibs, who I expect to make a real go of it in their return to the top division, possibly finishing third behind Aberdeen.

The major likelihood of avoiding one of these in the final would be if we were drawn away from home to both in the early rounds. Cups, of course, reflect the luck of the draw as well as form and Hearts, The Rangers or St Johnstone or a few others could all feature.

League Cup

This is the least prestigious of the three tournaments and the one most likely to lead to disappointment, ending any hopes of back-to-back trebles.

Again, Aberdeen or Hibs seem like the most probable winners, but any team in the top flight has a chance, including the two smaller Glasgow clubs.

The major reason for this is that Celtic are likely to be heavily-involved in European competition and strongly focussed on the League campaign. Something usually gives in those circumstances, with players on the fringes of the first team likely to feature.

So, with Celtic’s the scalp that everyone wants to take, a “shock” exit around the semis or quarter-finals seems a strong possibility.
Prediction:
Headlines such as: “Celtic have been shown not to be infrangible – other teams now know how to beat them.”

“Shock cup exit shows cracks in the Rodgers master-plan.”

Europe

“ I think we can win the Big Cup. Semi-finals, at least. Maybe the quarters.”
We all know the guy from the pub. He’s the same one who always answers: “11 Jimmy Johnstones” when chat turns to picking your all-time greatest football team.

Tell him (it’s invariably a he) to get a grip.

We are very good, our improvement has been beyond what just about any of us could ever have hoped for – but the gap in the league table doesn’t reflect how close we are to being a top European side.

Put your cuppa down because we’re not up to that standard – yet. But we’ll get better.

The thing about playing significantly inferior teams four times is that you can emphasise your (notional) 40% superiority four times a season. Celtic were 30 points better than the second-placed team but how well would Aberdeen do in any of the top German, Spanish, Italian, French or English leagues?

They’d almost certainly be relegated.

The Dutch, Portuguese, Belgian or Russian leagues, for example? Probably around mid-table.

So, don’t make the last season’s heroics an albatross around Brendan Rodgers’s neck. Champions league qualification is not assured by any means.
We’ll probably go into the last qualifying round as favourites with odds, depending on the opposition of somewhere around 55-70% success.

In the best-case scenario, we’ll have a tough tie with a real possibility of going out.

Personally, I think we’ll get there because of the improvement we’ve already seen, the fitness and cohesion of the squad, the quality we possess and – above all – the fact that we have a top-quality manager and coaching team.

But there will be a few butterflies.

We should realistically aim to qualify for the group stages and then be playing for 3 or 4th place. And that’s where I think we’ll be.

That will probably be clear after four matches, should we qualify. If we are in with a chance of second place after match four and secure third overall, that would represent a highly-successful season.

We could then look forward to some intriguing match-ups in the Europa League.

Looking ahead

What is perhaps more interesting is the longer-term targets – over Brendan’s seasons three, four and five.

In the past 14 years, we have reached a UEFA Cup Final and the last 16 of the Champions League twice. Be in no doubt that Brendan will want to go one better.

That would entail, obviously, reaching the last eight of the Champions League or winning the Europa League.

Targeting the Champions League last 16 should be for season 2018/19.

But for the last eight or a Europa League win, look to 2020/21.

That’s a major task but it should be where we hope our trajectory to take us.

So, for next season: a League and Scottish Cup double with a 3rd-place finish in the Champions League and a respectable showing in the Europa.

No pressure!

Coming soon -- Pt 2: Squad ins and outs to achieve our goals.
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