For Celtic it’s back to life, back to reality for on Saturday at 5.30pm. Scottish Football is back at long last.
The downside of a defeat in a Glasgow Derby is it takes three weeks to get on the grass and back on track. There has been plenty of analysing and self-reflection during this mid-season vacuum and that’s no bad thing as long as it’s constructive and positive. You sure as hell learn more from adversity than you ever do from coasting. Having the time to look back and ahead will be to Celtic’s advantage.
A break in winter and a visit to Dubai is bound to have recharged a few batteries and given coaching staff and management some much needed time to emphasise their message, after months of two games a week only interspersed by International breaks. A time when the players are sent to all four corners of the globe.
We wouldn’t have it any other way. As supporters we want top class talent from around the globe representing Celtic but it means it’s hard for coaches to get their messages across when its play, rest, train and play again week in week out. Now Lennon, Kennedy, Duff and all the supporting cast have had an opportunity to get their ideas reinforced for the business end of the football season.
Celtic’s apparent demise has been greatly exaggerated, so much so that you’d think Celtic were the underdogs this season. Let’s be clear on that. We have not been second best for some time and with a support, players and staff working together it won’t be changing anytime soon.
So far this season Celtic have been able to win one piece of silverware and it’s sitting in the Parkhead Trophy room. With the league cup bagged and the other two remaining ours until proven otherwise, there’s a lot to look forward to as Celtic strive for a fourth consecutive treble.
Every single trophy is Celtic’s to lose and up to now we’ve had a pretty fine record in rising to whatever may come our way.
What we have this year is a challenge, much like we did at this time last year in fact. It’s a good time to remind ourselves of just that- how that worked out in the end and through a lot more turmoil than we face now.
Our players have the experience in the minds and in the legs. We have no rival who has that to fall back on-it shouldn’t be underestimated.
Defeats to Cluj, Livingston and ‘the’ Rangers have been the only marks against for this Celtic team so far. We remain top of the pile in The Premiership, we’re in the last 32 of the Europa League and we now get the chance to start our defence of that famous old trophy The Scottish Cup against Partick Thistle on Saturday. Bring it on.
When our biggest problem is a three week hangover to a derby defeat I’d take our difficulties over anyone else’s that we may be up against.
When Saturday comes around again we’ll have a Firhill Cup tie against Partick Thistle to blow away the cobwebs and reacclimatise to the wind and bluster both on and off the park.
Neil Lennon and the team will have had a chance to not only re-evaluate but also realise that there isn’t too much wrong.
The transfer window is and continues to be important – and we’ve touched on just that in another article – as does addressing the issue of how to line up against the ‘Rangers’. There will have been plenty time for introspection, analysis and enough reflection to realise the baby doesn’t need to be thrown out with the bathwater.
We need to find a way to match one opponent. Against the rest the formations and game plans have worked from Sarajevo to St Mirren and with most other stops on the way.
We found a way in Rome and we found a plan at Ibrox. What we don’t do now is rip it up and start again. We flex our financial muscle to strengthen in the areas Lenny has targeted and we find a winning formulae against one team. That should not be beyond the realms of possibility.
As a team Celtic cannot afford to concede the higher ground we have against all other opponents. To change the tactical approach that has seen us win ten consecutive trophies due to one aberration on 29 December, would be an overreaction and it won’t happen.
By all means use it as a warning, a shot across the boughs but not as a panicked reaction or an excuse to return to the drawing board entirely.
As we head back to action on Saturday we know what lies ahead. We’ve already there are many out there twisting the knife, blurring the edges and using any means they can to weaken Celtic. On and off the pitch this Club is going to face by fair means and often by foul, the might of a footballing nation tired and jealous of Celtic’s continued success.
Attempts to browbeat and intimidate, borne of jealousy will undoubtedly increase. Nine in a row will taste all the sweeter for it.
Niall J
SUPPORT CELTIC, SUPPORT CELTIC POOLS
Help raise money for Celtic Youth Development by joining the £1 weekly lottery and you could win up to £25,000 – just click on the photograph below to join.
