One year and five days ago, Celtic suffered a 5-1 defeat to the reigning champions of Europe, Real Madrid. Last night, it was a similar story for Celtic, as they fell to a 6-0 defeat at the hands of Los Blancos’ fiercest rivals.
Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic would have learned a great deal from a campaign where his side showed glimpses of potential, it was a campaign nevertheless where his side was largely outclassed, bar the games against Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk (who incidentally last night defeated Barcelona 1-0 in the Champions League).
Positions that needed investment to compete in Europe’s premier competition would surely have been identified by Michael Nicholson and Mark Lawwell, as they prepared for the summer transfer window ahead amid a changing of the guard in the manager’s office.
Goalkeeper and left back were the obvious positions desperately needing upgrades, yet neither position was strengthened. Another striker was needed but none arrived.
Brendan Rodgers also spoke about the need for a box-to-box midfielder at the start of the season, but instead brought in Paulo Bernardo on loan from Benfica on deadline day. Bernardo certainly isn’t that box-to-box player and while he’s been reasonably impressive so far he is no more than a decent addition to the squad rather than an upgrade.
So questions must be asked about Celtic’s planning in the transfer window.
If Rodgers identified that a box to box midfielder was a position that needed investment, why was a last minute loan on deadline day what sufficed as filling that gap in the squad.
Rodgers starting eleven and subs did their upmost given the unfortunate circumstances last night, but the reality is the Irishman has been fundamentally let down by those above him at the club in terms of recruitment.
Those at the hierarchy at the club lack the ambition to make any progression in Europe, instead satisfied to qualify through winning the league and receive the illustrious Champions League prize money.
Those at the board and even some supporters, will point to the fact that it remains too big a risk to target players consistently above the five million pound mark in order to compete further with Europe’s elite. There were tweets about this last night, remember Barkas and Ajeti they argued
But what is the alternative?
Too many failed signings in the £1m-£3m range and our ability to win the league on an annual basis, allowing qualification to the Champions League, becomes an uncertainty. Heaven forbid we leave the door open for theRangers.
Even just looking at Feyenoord, a club of a similar stature in a similar situation in terms of having won their minor domestic league and qualified automatically for this seasons competition, they have shown a great deal more ambition in the transfer market.
Their first appearance in Europe’s top table in a decade, and not even having the luxury of Champions League prize money from last season, they still managed to trump Celtic’s spending by £12 million.
Some will point to the difference in TV prize money in both respective leagues, a fair argument in the broader context. But the point stands, Celtic’s fanbase spans all the across the world, financial figures are the best they have ever been yet board’s ambition in Europe fails to match the fans’ ambitions and expectations year on year.
Celtic will return to domestic actions this weekend, and there still is a minimal chance Rodgers side can still get out of their Champions League group. His side sit eight points clear at the top of the league, all is not lost and all is not gloomy.
However, in order for Celtic to make the next step on and off the field, ambition need to be shown at board room level, and such ambition to compete at Europe’s top table has been sorely lacking for a very long time.
Will that ever change? After his European exit last year Ange Postecoglou gave us hope that things would be different this time. The Tottenham job was too much of an opportunity for him to refuse, which is fair enough, but we never got to find out what he had in mind.
Instead we’ll await to hear from Brendan Rodgers and specifically if he is going to be back this time around. There are two transfer windows for Celtic to show some long overdue ambition. And that is no more than what the Celtic support deserves.
James French
I wouldn’t hold my breath…
Just on your point about Shakhtar last year. We could and should have scored 6 v them away last year. We created so many chances it wasn’t real, but couldn’t take one to give us the three points. Indeed their manager after the game said that Celtic were a BETTER side than Leverkusen, who Shakhtar had beaten in the 1st round of fixtures. Our inability to beat a fairly ordinary Shakhtar side probably cost us a place in last seasons Europa League after Xmas.
It will continue like this. We are going nowhere in Europe. This team will break up next summer.and itwill all start again. Europe is a dead-end. The best we can hope for now is to get through a group stage without being humiliated. That would be progress.