What – or Who – is Stopping Celtic Winning The Treble?

Celtic’s recent historic ‘Quadruple Treble’ is an outlier in World Football. Success of that nature is incredibly hard to come by, and the history of Celtic (and of football) tells us this.

Despite dominating Scottish Football in large spells, Celtic have won just SEVEN trebles in their 135 year history – FOUR of which were in the last FIVE years. The others were won by Jock Stein’s side in the 66/67 and 68/69 seasons, with Martin O’Neill’s all conquering team of 2000/01 completing the set.

It’s therefore not a foregone conclusion that Ange Postecoglou’s side are going to coast their way to treble number EIGHT. Far from it. But what (or who?) is going to stop them from doing so?

Injuries?

Kyogo, Jota and Giakoumakis amongst others missed large spells of last season due to injury, and we’ve been without Callum McGregor, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt at times already this season. The best training plans, sports science, and recovery programmes can’t account for the fact that any player can be injured at any time. That’s football.

(Though Manuel Neuer could have helped his cause by NOT going on a ski trip immediately after Germany’s World Cup exit. A trip which resulted in a broken leg meaning he’ll miss of Bayern Munich’s season.)

Carl Starfelt of Celtic receives medical treatment during the Cinch Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Rangers FC at Celtic Park Stadium on September 03, 2022. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Complacency?

Of Celtic’s 15 league games this season they have won 14 of them. The exception was a 2-0 defeat by St Mirren in mid-September. A result which may just have provided a timely reminder of the dangers of complacency. Ange made six changes for that game and both he and the players quickly learned that taking your eye of the ball – even momentarily – can be costly.

The Opposition?

Can the rest of Scottish Football – and nearest rivals theRangers in particularly – do anything to stop a Celtic side on an impressive upward trajectory. Results from the first half of the season would say no.

Mick Beale – a man who the mainstream media have fawned over as some sort of Pep Guardioloa / Alex Ferguson / David Copperfield hybrid will need more than some fancy buzzwords if he’s to get more out of a side who have performed abysmally at times this season.

The first serious test for him will come on 2 January at Ibrox. It could be a long end to the season should Celtic take all three points from that one.

VAR?

Since its first introduction to Scottish Football towards the end of October, Celtic’s relationship with VAR (and how it’s been applied) has been interesting, to put it politely. Our first game saw us concede two penalties to Hearts (which were penalties incidentally) but inexplicably NOT be awarded one of our own when Michael Smith decided to play some volleyball in the Hearts box.

Further VAR shenanigans would follow against Dundee United (Bernabei’s ‘hand ball’ when looking the other way) Motherwell (Jota’s disallowed goal, captured on a Nokia 3310) and right up to our last game pre-break against Ross County. On that occasion a ball was flicked on to Matt O’Riley’s arm – possibly outside the box – but the officials had no issue in ‘agreeing’ it was a penalty.

The application of VAR in Scottish Football has been puzzling at best, and shambolic at worst and it will remain a concern for anyone of a Celtic persuasion should we not see improvements in 2023 and beyond.

Ange’s Side Can Make New History

So, what do Celtic need to do between now and Scottish Cup Final Day to make more history? To stand alone in the record books as the club with more trebles than any other in World Football? All going well we’ll find out in about 30 games time!

In this latest episode of The Celtic Exchange Weekly we provide an in-depth assessment of the challenge that awaits in the second half of the season, as Ange and his players aim to make their own history.

ALSO IN THIS EPISODE

• Should The Josip Juranovic Bidding Start at £25M?
• Moritz Jenz’s Creative Writing Skills
• Will Callum McGregor Go Straight Back In The Lineup?
• More #MysteryCelt Woe For The Panel

Listen now on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

About Author

A child of the 80s, I have hazy memories of being at the Centenary Cup final at Hampden in May 1988 as we won the league & cup double, but then had to wait almost exactly a decade for our next league title as Wim Jansen & Co stopped the 10! I’m the founder and host of The Celtic Exchange podcast where we now produce several shows per week covering all things Celtic.

3 Comments

  1. The push has started already, Nick “penalty to Rangers” appointed for an easy and convincing win in Beales first game. Coupled with the totally unbiased Steven Mclean appointment at a possibly tricky Don’s tie, if we win a treble it will be a truly astonishing achievement.

  2. Referees are a worry especially when they are been backed a group that have proved they have no love for Celtic_fc_1888 and its been proven this group is SFA who will back refs and var as we have seen in the first couple a weeks hearts game shows it and it had nothing to do with teething problems it’s human misplaced judgement

  3. As our late great Mr Jock (The Boss) Stein had said as long as we play football “The Glasgow Celtic Way” Then we should take no notice of the referee, But unfortunately this time [VAR] may try and stand in our way of being the best team in Scotland “But once again we have another great manager in Mr Ange (The Boss) Postecoglou who has got the bhoys playing some really good football and also once again, Our manager Big Ange comes from the same mould as Mr Stein God Rest His Soul by saying if we play Big Ange football then we can once again show no concern for any officials and or “VAR” By Playing Football The Glasgow Celtic Way Hail Hail.