With their lingering title hopes almost extinguished at Ibrox today the blame game is underway among Celtic supporters.
Nir Bitton was an obvious fall guy on the park, red carded with Celtic in control and the decisive goal coming less than 10 minutes later.
Bobby Madden’s style of refereeing has been taken apart, particularly his lenient treatment of Alfredo Morelos with Neil Lennon’s three week respite well and truly over.
Lurking behind the scenes and out of camera shot is Peter Lawwell, in his 18th year as CEO and presiding over a slump that no one would dare to have predicted in the summer of 2018.
After back-to-back trebles the future seemed crystal clear under a driven, ambitious manager the club was starting to make an impact in Europe with domestic matters well under control.
True, two further trebles followed but the fans haven’t been fooled with the real yardstick of progress proving to be unforgiving. Lazio were beaten home and away but the sights and sounds of Cluj and Ferencvaros celebrating Champions League victories at the former ‘Fortress Parkhead’ were warnings ignored.
Panic buys followed on from the Champions League defeats with no real purpose or project other than getting through the next batch of games.
Boli Bolingoli, Marian Shved, Vakoun Bayo, Manny Perez, Hatem Abd Elhamed, Patryk Klimala and others came in without any product other than fattening the wage bill. The core of the side- Brown, Tierney, Forrest, McGregor, Edouard and Ajer- were dwindling with no replacements coming in to make an impact.
This season’s Europa League wasn’t a campaign, it was a calamity. Thursday nights were dreaded with Sparta Prague handing out an 8-2 aggregate over two matches. The top seed was out with two matches left to spare.
CEO Lawwell had taken a low profile but as fans gathered to protest he was forced to speak out. A rallying cry to the support mentioned a review of the management in the new year.
At the virtual AGM he spoke of £35m invested in the team over 18 months, most of that funded by selling Kieran Tierney with the players bought unlikely to be worth a third of the money spent to bring them in.
For many Celtic fans the man carrying out that review has long overstayed his welcome. Brendan Rodgers bailed out the failed Deila Experiment, in mid-season it looks highly unlikely that someone of a similar calibre is waiting to rescue Project Lennon. Patience and backing for the CEO has almost evaporated- just like the 10-in-a-row dream.
Message to Lawwell and the board 10 in a row was not a project. You have failed big style. @celticfc Unforgivable…
— Paradise (@67HolyGrd) January 2, 2021
It wasn’t the priority.
‘The strategy’ was all about callow players with future sell-on values.
The Rangers saw the weakness & exploited it. Brought in seasoned pros.
Lawwell always puts money first. @CQN
— CG44 (@Ticketustastic) January 2, 2021
Lawwell = the enemy within.
— Marty (@Martin_Celt67) January 2, 2021
If Celtic fans continue to allow Lawwell and Lennon to wreck the club, we can’t complain. If Celtic fans are happy being treated like fools, fair enough.
— Stef1888 (@stef18881) January 2, 2021
Whose fault is it being 19 points behind? Lawwell and Lennons incompetence.
— andrew (@andrewlisbon67) January 2, 2021
Signs been there since league cup final over a year ago Paul. Old ground …. covered many times now by many people before today. Lawwell should be fired tomorrow & that is also well overdue !
— Mark (@mark040608) January 2, 2021