During a peruse through social media earlier this afternoon, a few tweets caught my eye and it encouraged me to write an article asking the question: Are millennial Celtic fans spoiled or entitled to demand more from the Club? A very valid question that has no simplistic answer to be candid.

On the one hand, Celtic have dominated since the turn of the century, having won 15 out of a possible 22 Championships since the millennium. No mean feat at all. However, it has to be countered by the fact that over the past decade there has been a stark downturn in success against European opposition. The no knockout phase win since 2004 a case in point. Once a gaint killer of epic proportions, now a bottom-feeder in the lowly depths of European tournament.

Tough one to take.

There is no denying there has been a correlation between the wealth of the Top Five Leagues and our decline on the big stage of Europe. With more and more dished out and carved up amongst the elite, so is there equally less and less scraps for the bigger clubs from small TV market pool countries. The Super League idea that came to the fore and sparked outrage within the game was an indication and an arbiter for the inherent greed within the sport of Football. We ultimately suffer as a club when plans like these are discussed and then executed. Something of this nature definitely awaits in the pipeline, making a hard task nigh on impossible.

Older generations tend to argue about the dark days of the early 90’s when we were on the brink of collapse. That is a true point all in all, but I’m not sure it’s entirely relevant to the argument about progression in European football in 2022. Fair enough, the younger generations didn’t have to endure that episode in our history, but it doesn’t mean they should just be thankful they have a team to go and watch, should it? Are we to just remain in ignominy as far as European competition goes? It’s not a solid argument in my opinion.

There is also the salient point about the fanbase as whole though when it comes to looking at this question. Overall, a lot of Celtic fans are happy to just be ahead of the Ibrox club – past and present – which in itself creates difficulty in trying to demand more from our custodians. It leads to a deeper and more profound, but ultimately dangerous question: Do Celtic need any form of an Ibrox footballing operation to remain purposeful? I am unequivocally in the no camp on this one, just to be absolutely clear.

Celtic will always be relevant because it exemplifies the enduring human spirit. What others do should be of no consequence to where we wish to be as a football club and a community. I stand by that statement. It was as relevant in 2012 as it is now. Shamefully our Directors don’t feel the same, as referenced by the Five-Way Agreement.

Due to this then, there is an argument to be had that our parochial mindset at boardroom level and beyond at times needs to be eradicated. Younger fans should be entitled to ask why we are continually using our neighbours as the yard stick instead of measuring up against teams like Ajax, RB Salzburg, FC Porto and others of a similar background. No one is asking to win the Champions League, but perhaps equipping the manager and the footballing department with the necessary tools to establish ourselves as a decent European team once again is not an unreasonable demand.

Absolutely, it will take time and patience, but to not have a blueprint or structure of where we want to be is the most discouraging thing to young supporters I would argue. They aren’t willing to put up with the stock reply of ‘just leave the big boy business to us lads’. It won’t wash I’m afraid to say. So there will be heated debate and consternation throughout the fanbase until a clear pathway is revealed to which we are to aspire to. They want incremental progress to establish Celtic Football Club once again on the world stage.

Ange has made progress, of that there is no denying. But if the big fella were to leave tomorrow we would be back at square one. This is not an opinion. It’s fact. We still don’t have a long-term structure that will safeguard the future and ensure progression and success. This is of a concern to young supporters of the football club. Nothing the Board has done since the summer has really changed that. They’ve backed Ange obviously. How could they not have, to be frank. They backed Rodgers when he first came in because they knew they had to. Are we to believe with only Peter Lawwell gone from that room that everyone has suddenly changed? Fanciful idea at best.

As always, the results will be seen as evidence of progress. In a few years from now if we become a Champions League regular and slowly but surely get better season-by-season, we will know that things have changed. But if we are still struggling to cut it at Europa League level knockouts then it will show that maybe the younger section of the fanbase aren’t so spoiled after all. No knockout wins in Europe for 18 years is a stain on our good name and an indictment of the management of the club from the top down. This simply has to change.

It is not an easy question to answer this one. I feel like there has been a major lowering of the bar from those inside the boardroom at Celtic Park. But at the same time we are up against it at times when they keep moving the goalposts to suit the sides from the bigger leagues. I suspect that the answer lies somewhere in the middle is the honest one to give. Far more can be done to make us better in Europe, but ultimately we will never have enough to get to another European final, let alone win one if the greed at the top of the game continues.

What’s your thoughts? Think Celtic’s younger generations have been spoiled for too long? Or are they right to demand more from the Club?

More Stories / Latest News
Spirit of ’86 looms over Hearts Scottish Premiership title hopes
Three teams, one title, no clue to who wins Scottish Premiership
28th April – Five Memorable Celtic Moments on This Day