A week ago there were clear blue skies ahead for the expectant bears, even more so on Saturday evening as they drooled over Celtic’s home draw with Motherwell.
A few more interventions from the Belgian magician and the quadruple was in the bag with a place at next years money spinning World Club Cup a matter of course.
What could possibly go wrong?
It seems that no lessons have been learned from the Gio and Beale Revolutions, after two draws reality has made an unwelcome return although a win over St Mirren or Hearts in the next week should relaunch the hope that is slowly killing them.
Signing up to the madness, with a three year contract similar to the ones given to Beale and van Bronckhorst is Philippe Clement. An incredibly dull character who struggles to raise a smile in media conferences, even when trying out his own special type of humour.
What is no laughing matter is trying to make something out of a squad of serial losers fattened up by the expensive signings made by the two previous flops in the manager’s job.
Those years of mismanagement have taken the wage bill above Celtic’s with even some fans starting to question what they are getting back for the blue pound.
The wage issue really kicked in when Kemar Roofe was signed from Anderlecht, the fact that the Belgian side wanted rid of the striker after just one season really ought to ave been a warning sign.
John Lundstram was next on the bandwagon before things went crazy in the summer of 2022.
Connor Goldson discovered that no-one in England was interested but found a very lucrative four year deal waiting to be signed. With the new benchmark around £40,000 a week the agents for Tom Lawrence, Rabbi Matondo and Ben Davies were soon knocking on the door with Ross Wilson happy to sign them off before escaping to Nottingham Forest.
Fan expectations for a January transfer war-chest are being dummied down but it is hard to believe that Clement’s negotiations didn’t cover January spending plans.
December is shaping up to be pivotal on the park, off it things could be very interesting as reality dawns on Clement over what he has signed up for.
