After less than a year in Scottish football Chris Jullien knows how the system operates. Celtic’s success is just too much for many to contemplate, even after nine years getting used to it.
Ally McCoist and Alex Rae provide a regular flow of attack, they watched Steven Gerrard’s title challenge collapse after the winter break but have turned their anger on the SPFL for ending the 2019/20 season on the same grounds as France and Belgium. The Scottish Junior Leagues, Lowland and Highland Leagues have used the same system.
McAuley described the title win as hollow and tainted while McCoist told talkSPORT listeners that there would be an asterisk placed against the 2019/20 title.
Over the last week Gareth McAuley and Walter Smith have raced to the media to question Celtic’s title success while Jullien stays in Lockdown, working on his fitness and amused by the flow of critics that can’t cope with 9-in-a-row.
The French defender quickly became an essential part of the Celtic defence with the added bonus of pitching in wit vital goals in Europe, the League Cup Final and away to Hamilton in the SPFL when the match was level with 12 minutes left to play.
After years of battling in mid-table with Toulouse Jullien has embraced a new challenge and mentality, discussing the detractors he told the Daily Record:
When the season has to end like this, then you are always going to get people speaking against it. For me, it definitely is a title that I am proud of.
I will get my medal, I have won the trophy for Celtic and that is perfect. If people want to talk it down, I will just ignore it. It’s always going to be like that.
To win the league and cup in my first season at Celtic was huge. We showed everyone that we deserved it with the way we played over the season.
I am really happy right now and I felt very moved when the trophy was delivered to my house. It was a huge moment for me to win my first league championship.
When I arrived at Celtic, I knew that I would have to become a new man on and off the field. To receive that trophy was just the perfect achievement at the end of the season. It was hard not to celebrate with the fans but that will motivate us even more next season.
Next season is likely to start behind closed doors but if Jullien and his team-mates secure another SPFL crown the celebrations will be like nothing Scottish football has ever witnessed before.
