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.
Kyogo Furuhashi of Celtic celebrates his third goal (Hat trick goal) during the Cinch Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Dundee FC on August 8, 2021. (Photo by Steve Welsh/Getty Images)
“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.
. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
“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
Keep up to date on Twitter @HarryHoodBook
