We have been ‘treated’ to some strange predictions recently regarding the outcome of the league this season, especially when it comes to how Celtic will fare. We have had EBT tax cheat Craig Moore saying Celtic will be hoping they can claim second spot, we have had Ian Murray claim Celtic will finish fourth, we have even had our own John Hartson say Celtic should put a statement our backing our manager due to our poor start this season.
Thankfully though Chris Sutton has stepped in to add his thoughts surrounding the whole situation, and thankfully he hasn’t been swept up in the wave of over-reactions currently flowing around the pundits who are supposed to be experts on the Scottish game. Writing in his Daily Record he noted: “We all know second is last in Glasgow but it’s absolute nonsense for anyone to suggest Celtic are going to finish fourth in the Premiership this season.
“It’s laughable, in fact. I know Celtic are sitting in mid-table right now but we’re seven games in (eight actually Chris but go on) for heaven’s sake. I think most sensible folk would see they are in the early stages of a rebuild, there have been some damaging but expected setbacks, but there are signs of progress and better times ahead.
“I’m not saying Celtic will win the league this year. I’m not even saying Ange Postecoglou has to win the league this year.
“It would be daft to demand it, truth be told, as he walked in to a complete mess and it was always going to take time to put the club back together.
“His remit this season should be to narrow the gap on Rangers and I’m convinced that will be the case.
“As for Hearts and Hibs finishing above Celtic come May. Do me a favour. They’ve got off to good starts but we’ve seen it before and they struggle to maintain it over nine months. They are playing at full pelt whereas Celtic have not even really got started yet.
“The victory at Aberdeen last weekend might prove to be crucial. Postecoglou has needed a break and that might have been it. Fans need to trust him. I know he was a left field appointment but he isn’t some rookie. He’s got a track record of building successful teams wherever he’s been and there needs to be some patience to allow him to do the same at Parkhead”.
I think Chris Sutton hits the nail on the head here. People coming out with these wild predictions seriously need to step back and actually think about what they are saying. We aren’t even a quarter of the way through the season and people have it wrapped up already. As Chris said there has been plenty of recent examples of teams starting brightly, just as Hearts and Hibs have done, then tailing off as the season progresses.
The Celtic players are only in the early stages of getting to know each other and how each other play, on top of trying to adjust to a totally new system under their new manager. Once it starts clicking I have no doubt we will start to see the results we all expect and for us to end up involved in a proper title race. Hopefully when we do it will put an end to some of the nonsense we are currently having to suffer from these so called experts on Scottish football.
The sooner the better for all our sakes.
Conall McGinty
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I love big Sutty, but he is completely wrong about Ange. For as long as he is the manager, he was, is and will continue to be the wrong choice.
Experience he has elsewhere has zero bearing on anything.
This is Celtic! Scotland’s one and only big club with a mouthwatering history of unprecedented success.
Ange had never even been to a Celtic game before he became boss!
He has no idea what it takes. He has no idea what being Celtic means!
At best, and I have serious concerns in this, he may be a one trick pony. At best!
He has a shaky Plan A, and that’s where his tactical alphabet stops.
We are in a terrible place with a very grim future as long as he holds his job with us.
Let’s face it! What manager worth his bacon would cone to the biggest club in the country and not bring his own backroom team along with him? NONE!
I have no respect for a yes man who takes his directives from non-football board members, and as much as Ange tries to convince himself and us too, that he is making the decisions, he confirms his selection was a poor one.
Truth be told, he is nowhere near to being as good as Neil Lennon. He has taken us dramatically, even drastically, backwards.
The headstrong among us will try to convince ourselves Ange is a step up from Lennon but deep down we all know he isn’t.
Ange is probably less tactically capable than Ronny Deila and John Barnes, and that is no mean feat! These two weren’t tactically smart combined!
From a club like ours to fall from grace as far and as fast as we just have, especially from a position of colossal strength like we were in, is heartbreaking and shameful.
To be second to a very average Sevco is quite frankly, embarrassing.
Sutty is just being a fan. He needs to be more honest.
Hi Neil, I know you are desperate for attention at the moment but to say Ange is ‘nowhere near as good as you’ has literally gave me the biggest laugh of the weekend. Keep up the good work Neil!