Sandman’s Definitive Ratings – Celtic v Tangerine Dream

OVERALL – 8/10 – What a difference a week makes. And an engaging manager with character, and an astute leprechaun sidekick, and a mad Doric-Arabic speaking mascot nobody can understand but everybody loves. And, of course, the ubiquitous Strachan junior with laptop. There’s not been a gang as capable of soving mysteries since Scooby ‘went to live on a farm, kids’ and our greatest recent conundrum was answered pretty quickly today – YES, we can still play.

MON will tell you it’s not rocket surgery; set-up in a system that simply lets the players solve their own on-field problems and find a rythm they can function properly as a team by. Loose structure, rigid focus. No tail-chasing or panic as gaps appear; safe in the knowledge your formation may provide adequate cover or support. After the internecine squabbles ruined Christmas and New Year for everyone, the onus was on the players to prove they had the guile and the balls to… Well, be ballers.

And, thankfully we’re back at square one again. Not ‘here’s an obscure French fella with abstract concepts’ square one, but ‘in comes a legend with a clear plan’ square one.

So off we roll again, now vibrant and hopefully over the nightmare. It must be Celtic in champions mode from now on, pressure piled onto the incestuous cousins awaiting the inevitable cracking of Zombie bottles from Gorgie to Mordor. May the ghost of Albert Kidd haunt Dens Park today and Shaun The Sheep cause havoc in the Northern Pen. For us, it’s time, as William Wallace declared: “To go to the fields of Falkirk and mess ’em up”.

Go Away Now

Sandman

🗣️ “The whole team were terrific today”
🗣️ “We have to be up for it [title fight] 🗣️ “We need bolstering and the people to come in and help the players”

Martin O’Neill has his say on Celtic’s win over Dundee United ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/FJ0ZCCYJ77

— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) January 10, 2026

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