Some of our supporters really do need a Champions League reality check…
Yes, we may have blown a great chance to beat an under-strength and rather poor Dinamo Zagreb side on Tuesday evening, and the players and manager deserve to be criticised for not taking full advantage, but some of the criticism is well over the top and shows how ‘entitled’ some of our supporters have become.
Not incidentally the away support that made the journey to Zagreb and gave the team tremendous backing as they always do. The critics are those on social media and watching in pubs loudly criticising every kick of the ball, or in Anthony Ralston’s case the criticism started before he’d kicked a ball.
That’s not being harsh, it’s the truth. Criticism is fine and healthy, but some of the comments on social media are an absolute disgrace, completely unwarranted and certainly not helpful.
In one way it shows how much we’ve improved that a point away in the Champions League has caused so much angst and is seen as a massive failure, but it also demonstrates how an element of our supporters have become an ungrateful and entitled bunch.
Our team has started this season brilliantly and currently sit nine points clear with a game in hand at the top of the table. We also have a chance of winning the first silverware on offer this Sunday at Hampden against theRangers.
That ‘point’ we gained on Tuesday also means we are just one win away from securing a Champions League play off place with two games to go. Indeed one point from those two game might be enough.
Nine points from six games is something we would have taken had we been offered it before the competition started. It’s also a realistic position that puts us in a great chance to achieve our target against pointless Young Boys next month. The Swiss side has been battered in all their games and will come to Celtic Park low in confidence and with nothing much to play for other than pride and maybe the cash incentive.
That to me is progression. Something we have all been demanding from the players and management these past few years.
So why all the criticism and personal abuse levelled at certain players? It’s uncalled for and these so called supporters need to have a look at themselves. They need to have a reality check and look at the bigger picture. We have progressed as a team, the players and manager deserve praise and support, not abuse and criticism.
There are a number of clubs in that Champions League table who have been embarrassed and it should be noted that over the past decade or so we’d have been in that group. We’re not. Had a little bit of luck gone our way in the closing stages of the games against Club Brugge (Bernardo”s shot) and Dinamo Zagreb (Engels cross for Idah to tap in that was brilliantly blocked), we’d have been talking about making the top eight.
Fine margins and all that. The target was the play-offs and we are well placed to achieve that at Celtic Park under the lights on Wednesday 22 January for what could be one of the biggest games of our season. We’d all have taken that position before a ball was kicked after picking up six points in 12 games over the past two seasons in the old format.
Anyway rant over!
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
Celtic in the Thirties
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Totally agree, unfortunately many like myself got a bit carried away with thinking, a top 8 finish was possible for ourselves?
Was never really our goal, when the draw was actually made, but would have been a huge disappointment, if we weren’t to get into the knockout phase at least?
So still well on course for our original intentions?
Many of us, possibly underestimated brugge as a team, and haven’t given Zagreb the respect they earned for there defensive display either?
We have shown plenty within this CL campaign to date, to say we are becoming a very decent and respected CL team at present, with plenty of room available to grow, within this level of football also?
We have seen ourselves developing well in the dirtier side of the game, along with able to play while on the back foot also?
Not like we get the opportunity to play much back foot football within the SPFL, but shown signs of just how effective and devastating we can be within the SPFL against the high press at times?
All of this still on show, and with a couple of squad places still available, to increase both quality and competition for starting positions available to ourselves?
Made massive strides forward in improvement as a team, to where we were only last season imo
Yes I agree some of the criticism is over the top,but I do take exception to your comment about some Celtic fans being entitled. I personally think that’s wrong that was a very poor team and we played poorly,we know we can play better than we did,you know if we played st Johnston and came away with a draw and played as we did on Tuesday night would you say that any criticism from fans was entitled? No you wouldn’t,truth is that was a very lacklustre performance and a chance missed. Yes some criticism over the top but entitled certainly not.
Agreed. It seems to sone folk that we are either brilliant world class invincible one week, and shite the next. It’s a modern phenomenon, this extreme polarisation in everything from politics to curry sauce. We were poor, it’s disappointing, but get over it. Rodgers has said Engels is a star in the making, I believe him. Ralston is a full regular international, he’s trusted. Reo is a maverick – who knew? If Daizen was consistent he would be playing for Barcelona not us. I lived though the early 60s and the cheating 90s. This is the best 12 years ever. Relish it.
I agree with you wholeheartedly.
This is the type of game we usually lost to a breakaway goal or two in the past. Getting a point away from home in the Champions League is always a good result.
I think you only need look at politics to realise a fair percentage of any population aren’t too bright, how else could you explain Boris or Trump, when all their failings and crimes were widely known?.
Let’s pity the poor dears, not entitled, just dumb!.
Away support seems like they pick all the young thugs and give them tickets but off course it’s not that it’s good intelligent men and bhoys with a hundred or so wannae bees it’s like life you got your wags your reality people that will do anything to get a headline some of the shows coming from America are all look at me but with cable we are doing it wags my God over 8st and your fat false eye lashes are heavier dressed up for Halloween and some off our young players putting hairspray on before the game supporters with there smoke bombs and flairs and the idiot with the megaphone if you need someone to get the support to sing you should be on the pitch these guys did the just turn up and think fans needed a conductor a wannae bee the y don’t watch the game then go home at night not go with there pals but them selve see if camera was on them bad day if not but most away fans are there for the football so don’t paint them all with the same brush yes Celtic gas green brigade yes they do a lot for the singing some of the banners are colourful but when it gets personal that’s where it should stop like most when you have self appointed spoke persons I stood in jungle for years it wouldn’t be allowed there we policed it and the police new it and appreciate it couldn’t imagine pyrotechnics there one and that would be it stopped yes fights broke but was stopped quickly 99 percent were there you might have the drunk that just turned up and hadn’t a clue to watch every minute of the game no smoke bombs or mega phone idiots just supporter there to watch the game till the pub opened great day out