Celtic recorded their first ever win in Germany last night – four days after losing to Hibs at Celtic Park for the first time in 16 years!
The feeling after the Hibs defeat was very, very low considering the games we have coming.
Thursday night in Stuttgart was always going to a be face saver but with most of our first picks rested, it could so easily have gone badly wrong.
And yet, like so often this season, just when it seems the last hope of some form of success is slipping away, we get a performance to give us some hope.
Vil Sinasalo looked solid in goal with Dane Murray and Colby Donovan putting in the competent displays at the back that eluded them both earlier in the season at Tynecastle.
The Hibs defeat last Sunday was a real sickener.
The atmosphere in the ground was reminiscent of of days gone by with songs echoing round the stadium at the start of the second half.
CELTIC PARK FINALLY ROARS AGAIN
With the score from Livingston filtering through the Celtic crowd were up for the fight, there was ground to be made up.
But it wasn’t to be.
Truth be told Celtic never looked to be in control of the game and the dodgy red card for Auston Trusty tipped the balance to the Hibees who always looked capable of winning the game.
With fans looking for reasons to be cheerful as they head for Ibrox on Sunday it would have been nice had our interim Chairman finally managed to deliver some of the unity he likes to talk about.
But as we have become accustomed to, the Celtic board can only be relied upon to disappoint.
Monday saw the Fans Collective release the minutes of their recent meeting with the club having waited in vain for the club to attempt to agree minutes.
The minutes paint a bleak picture with the club appearing to be no nearer taking fans concerns seriously.
LIP SERVICE TO THE CELTIC FANS COLLECTIVE
The Collective was listened to and given a fair hearing to raise the fans grievances, but the club committed to almost nothing.
Perhaps the most disappointing points to emerge from the meeting were that Michael Nicholson retains the confidence of the board and the ludicrous ban on the Green Brigade remains in place.
The ban on the Green Brigade is quite clearly hampering the first team as we approach the fixtures that will define our season.
And yet the collective ban on the ultras group remains in place while head security guard Mark Hargreaves tries to get over some hurty words he may or may not have heard a few months ago.
And as for Michael Nicholson remaining as CEO, there is surely no worse news for supporters looking to finish the season on a high.
NICHOLSON- SEASON TICKET SALESMAN!
Just try selling season tickets on the back of Nicholson choosing our next manager and overseeing the summer overhaul of the first team squad.
And yet despite all this, last nights win in Stuttgart rekindles a little hope that maybe just maybe we can snatch this title despite all the obstacles this board has put in our way.
The team put in a great performance and as always the Celtic fans provided the fantastic support that the team feed off.
But just to be clear – should Celtic win this seasons title by a solitary point it will represent a colossal failure on the part of the board given all the advantages they held last summer.
We should have been out of sight in the league and back competing in the Champions League.
But maybe the fans, Martin O’Neill and the players can find enough to get us over the line.
1 Comment
by Valentine's day massacre
Quick question to Lord Haughey : After all of the events and episodes surrounding Celtic FC this season which have included Michael Nicholson in huge parts , would you give an executive job to Mr Nicholson at one of your companies if he applied in person ?