WHEN media outlets from China, India and seemingly every country in South America claim the football world is laughing at Celtic then it’s probably time to take stock.
In the hours which followed what has been called the worst result in Celtic history, it seemed almost every newspaper on the planet carried a story online or in print about what happened in Gibraltar. In Scottish terms, the men from Parkhead were the talk of the steamie.
Lincoln Red Imps sound like a team put together by group of pals who drink in a pub called The Lincoln. With every respect in the world to those players who were excellent in their historic 1-0 victory, that actually isn’t a million miles from the truth.
But here’s the thing. Brendan Rodgers’s arm has never been stronger. He can now go to Peter Lawwell, who was at the debacle in Gibraltar, and say to him; “These guys aren’t good enough.” The man who runs Celtic can only then nod his head in agreement and ask his manager what he wants, and then deliver it.
Because what is the point of this brave new world when there remains the same old problems?
The outrage over Tuesday night’s result might pass. Celtic will get through this tie, they might even get to the group stages, although what a proper team could do to them is a frightening prospect, and a good start to the domestic season would help put this memory to the back of the collective minds.
When people talk of Gordon Strachan’s time at Celtic, they reminisce about three league titles in a row, the 2008 season run-in, two last 16 Champions League finishes. The 5-0 defeat in Bratislava barely rates a mention.
Supporters still proudly wear Henrik Larsson t-shirts 12 years after he left the club. That bad pass against Hibernian which allowed Chic Charnley to score a winner on the Swede’s debut is not really a big part of the great man’s legacy.
And it could well be that this defeat, no matter how embarrassing it feels right now, will in time be seen as nothing more than one of those daft nights that do happen to Celtic. We shall see.
Rodgers did not slaughter his players after the match because he needs them for the moment. What he said and thinks will be very different things. There would have little point in public criticism when he will ask them next week to go out and make up for what they did.
But Celtic cannot go into the next round of qualifiers against better opposition with Efe Ambrose on the field. He was found out two years ago and on Tuesday evening a 33-year-old copper tore him a new one.
Ambrose was booked early on and then proceeded to brainlessly dive into tackles, sometimes getting the ball, just, and sometimes not. The referee was lenient with him. Ambrose has completely gone. It is actually cruel to keep playing him.
Saidy Janko was seen as a genuine prospect at Manchester United. On the evidence of his time in Scotland it is impossible to see why. Nir Bitton has gone backwards, much like most of his passes, and Scott Brown chased about the park to absolutely no effect.
The captain ended the game arguing with opponents. He is now 31. Surely that energy and anger has to be directed in a more productive way. Brown is on borrowed time with a fair few supporters. He knows it as well.
And Rodgers should not be let off with this. It was like watching a Ronny Deila team with so players out of position, Leigh Griffiths and Ryan Christie to name but two, a 4-2-3-1 formation which has never worked, and the change of tactics late in the game was to throw on James Forrest, a guy who doesn’t even want to be there.
What must Scott Allan and Liam Henderson think when the ineffective Forrest is in the squad before them? I watched him in the warm-up. His attitude resembled a five-aside player on a Monday who had a hard weekend.
The pitch was awful so why not play long balls? Why not get more crosses into box? Why not put a couple of big guys up-front? Win ugly for one night only. Figure out a way to get through it, rather than trying to pass your way through nine players on a surface unfit for purpose.
Tom Rogic kept rolling his foot over the ball and attempting step-overs. It never worked and was never going to.
If Lawwell felt the squad had enough about them to get through at least the first two qualifying rounds before the important final tie, which if Celtic get there will be against decent opposition, then he was dead wrong.
At least one, maybe two, centre-backs are required. Someone who is big, can defend and knows when to clear his lines. There is a worrying lack of creativity in midfield. Bitton might come good again but that team needs a central midfielder who can score and create goals.
And if Griffiths, Celtic’s best player, is not in the No9 role then don’t play him as deep as he found himself on Tuesday. What a waste of such a natural goalscorer. Only he and Kieran Tierney got close to pass marks against the Red Imps. Not the first time that has been said.
Look, it’s not a disaster. Rodgers has money, if not a lot time, to get things right. Celtic should score four or five past this team next week, they could still progress in the Champions League and while losing to a bunch of guys who before the game worked in their real jobs does give the other Premiership teams cause for hope, the current champions remain the strongest side domestically.
Rodgers said after the match he wasn’t embarrassed. He was. So, too, Lawwell. The Celtic supporters certainly were but they cannot do much about it. Rodgers and Lawwell can and should.
If Lincoln Red Imps turn out to be Rodgers’s Artmedia Bratislava or Charnley goal then fine. If not, well, something is dead wrong.
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