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Is Celtic’s Goal Simply to be the Best in Scotland or Should They Have Loftier European Ambitions?

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With Ange Postecoglou coming in as the new manager plus fresh blood on the squad, questions have been raised about the stance that Celtic will take in the 21/22 season. Though they will no doubt want to see a few wins over old rivals, the team should focus on what they can do at the international level.

Stoking the Glasgow Rivalry

The Glasgow rivalry needs no introduction, but no one can deny that the end of the 20/21 season saw it at its best and worst as two clashed over who would take the Scottish Premiership title. Celtic missed out on their tenth successive title, and they will no doubt be searching for vindication in this new season.

With Postecoglou’s new management, there is an improved Celtic squad ready to offer a fight on the football pitch. Despite his recent injury, new signing Kyogo Furuhashi has proved his worth in his first few games and should prove to be a fantastic asset to the team. With Celtic having dominated the Premiership for the past few years, they will hopefully be able to return to the top with this fresh team.

A Winner’s Mindset

It is important that Celtic do not focus too much on defeat if they want to emerge on top again. While Glasgow offers strong opposition, their ambitions should take them beyond the Scottish game. Every individual player and team wants to compete at the highest level, be it the GGPoker WSOP, the World Chess Championships, or a World Pizza Making Championship. Celtic must have lofty ambitions.

The loss in the 20/21 season was a disappointment to many, but it is important that Celtic adopts the mindset that there is more than Scotland, which helped them to victory in years previous.

Focusing on an International Game

To do so, Celtic should make sure that they focus on their international game as much as they do with the ones within the Scottish cups and league. With their new line up and the right attitude, Celtic should be able to competently compete on an international level.

Many people forget that Celtic was the first British team to win the European Cup – the predecessor to the Champions League. In 1967, Celtic beat Inter Milan in Lisbon. The team was immortalised as the Lisbon Lions and are still considered to be one of the best teams ever fielded by the club.

With Celtic entered into the Europa League for 21/22, they would do well to pull on some of the legacy of the Lisbon Lions. They have been placed in Group G, where it is thought that they should be able to advance along with Bayer Leverkusen.

So, what should Celtic do in the coming season? Being the best in Scotland simply isn’t enough, for both the fans and the team. They have a real chance to prove themselves as champions of not just Scottish but European football too. With a good manager behind them and the added motivation provided by that Premiership defeat in the 20/21 season, we could see great things from Celtic. As always, it will be great to see how the beautiful game unfolds for the Bhoys as the season progresses – hopefully towards a victory!

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