Callum McGregor reckoned Celtic saved the best for the last game in the first round of fixtures that gave Ange Postecoglou the most difficult start possible as a sort of ‘Welcome to Scotland’ gift from those folks who compile the fixtures.
With around £40m the prize for winning the Scottish Premiership this season due to the almost certain automatic qualification to the Champions League there is obviously a great deal at stake this season more than any other to win the league.
Last year was all about bragging rights and an added spin-off in merchandise sales etc but this time it’s big business for the Scottish Premiership title challengers.
So it appeared to be remarkably fortunate for the current Champions to avoid travelling to any of the top teams in that first round of fixtures while Ange Postecoglou – the belated managerial appointment after the Celtic Board got themselves into a mess waiting for Eddie Howe – clearly got the shortest straw imaginable from the chaps at the SPFL who organise the fixture lists.
You can imagine Ange taking his first look at that. “Hearts, theRangers, Livingston, Aberdeen, Motherwell and Hibs all away from home? Has there been a mistake?” he might have asked. “Just an honest one” any Celtic supporter could have answered. Anyone in any doubt about the fixture list advantage that has ended up (helped by a huge load of Honest Mistakes) giving theRangers a two point lead at this stage really needs to read our earlier article on this from 24 September, see below.
READ THIS…A Club’s Remarkably Advantageous Fixture List and it’s Certainly Not Celtic
So here we are just two points behind as the fixtures flip and that deficit is only there due to a serious of honest mistakes – and they are becoming increasingly blatant and hard for anyone at all to defend, with the possible exception of the Rangers TV show broadcast by BBC Scotland, although for some strange reason they still call it Sportscene.
Why was this not a penalty? pic.twitter.com/dC5evT93Yd
— Scots-Irish citizen (@irish_scots) October 28, 2021
Didn’t even discuss their offside goal pic.twitter.com/f0d81AELLH
— Michael Stewart CSC🍀🇮🇪 (@Frankiebhoy8881) October 28, 2021
With a properly operating VAR system in Scottish football this season, Celtic would already be well clear. But the reality is we are two points behind and with the teams listed above all coming to Celtic Park between now and the start of the new year Celtic can build up a real title momentum.
The Celtic captain knows it’s all going in the right direction. After the 3-1 win at Easter Road on Wednesday night Callum McGregor, as reported by Scottish Sun, had this to say.
“That’s as good as we’ve been. Some of the stuff was outstanding. We should’ve been five up before they had a chance.
“It was our best display away from home. We almost played it like a home game in the first half. It’s great that we seem to be improving with every game.
“We’ll look to continue to do that, keep working hard, stay calm under pressure — and just keep trusting the manager and trust what he’s trying to do.”
The Celtic captain added: “We’ve been to a few hard places and won and for a new group that’s super important to know you can go away.”
First up is Livingston, 60,000 Celtic fans all behind the team and the manager and creating a positive playing environment for the Celtic players to thrive in. That is in complete contrast to what appears to be happening down river, where the agitated natives become restless and their players clearly are struggling to cope with the return of supporters. Covid champions indeed.
Callum McGregor spoke to the Celtic Fan Media last week – it’s well worth a listen – and after the Mainstream Media have had it all their own way in getting access pre- and post-match to the Celtic players and manager that is now changing. The Celtic Star has been in discussion with the decision makers at Celtic on this and after this Fan Media event with the Celtic captain went very well a decision has been taken to allow fan media access on a rotating basis to the first team media conferences before and after matches.
Ange Postecoglou himself has had plenty to say about the condescending questioning he’s had to endure so far. And unlike other clubs the Celtic Fan Media will NOT be getting charged by the club for asking questions. One hack who perhaps supplied the straw that broke the camel’s back is this chap…so we really should say thank you!
