This was a painful one to take, mainly because it all boiled down to not taking chances, in particular that one in the first minute, and RB Leipzig took theirs. It is true that we still have a minuscule chance of making the Europa League, but it depends on a combination of results, and we all know that it is not very likely. I think we have to reckon that Europe and Celtic are parting company for another year.
And still we have the same question that many people in Europe ask year after year. How is it that a club, famous throughout the world and with a stadium and crowd that most clubs would die for, cannot get a team to compete at a reasonable level in Europe? How do you account for it? We have a huge support, we crave success, we have tasted success (now sadly long ago) but we cannot now get a team. Why is this?
There are of course two answers. One is that we cannot compete financially with England, Germany and Spain. That answer is only half true because there are teams from Belgium, Holland and Denmark who seem to be able to do better than us – and with a support that is a fraction of ours. And the other is that we “lack the cutting edge” ie we cannot win when we need to (and we certainly needed to last night), we cannot score when we need to and we cannot keep clean sheets when we need to.
So sadly Ange has failed to lift us to a level higher than Scotland. True, but he deserves another go, and not everything was bad last night. There were some good individual performances, and we were not disgraced. We competed with RB Leipzig, and we were not entirely out of place in the Champions League. But there is no getting round the fact that we lost, and Ange now joins a succession of Managers who have failed to deliver in Europe.
But let’s talk about the good things. We have mentioned the atmosphere and the passion – and the silence for the Donegal disaster was immaculate apart from one buffoon in the Jock Stein Stand – but we must also mention the passion and the commitment of the players who looked as shattered and as hurt as we were at full time. That was good to see.
We are, at least, all in this together. It is also true that a performance like that would have defeated quite a few teams, but as you don’t tend to get many chances in Europe, you must take the ones that you do get. It may be that some players in the forward department may have reached the limits of their ability as far as Europe is concerned, however well they have done in Scotland.
All Celtic games are important, but Saturday’s one against Hibs now assumes gargantuan significance. Every effort must now be made to ensure that last night’s defeat doesn’t become an “infectious” one. The last three League games have not been great, and we really have to bounce back. If this means Lennoxtown becoming little other than shooting practice and particularly heading practice, then so be it!
We must learn how to take chances (and half chances), we must learn to shoot, and basically, we must score goals. And then of course after Hibs, there is a League Cup game at Motherwell. We have to win that one – or else there can be no treble, and in any case, if we do not win the League Cup, I think we all know who will.
It was a disheartening experience last night. Quite clearly, Celtic are not yet at the place we want them to be. Perhaps they are on their way but they have a long way to go, and we will still be there to support them. Rise, Celtic, rise!
Oh, and another thing! Last night’s refereeing was the worst I have seen for a long time! Don’t you agree?
David Potter
A period of silence is now held in memory of the 10 people who tragically lost their lives in Creeslough, County Donegal on Friday.
YNWA 🍀
If you can, please donate to the @irishredcross Creeslough Community Support Fund below.
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) October 11, 2022
