Neil McCann has sent out an alarm call over Celtic’s build up to the Scottish Cup Final on June 3.
Two defeats and a draw since clinching the SPFL title at Tynecatle is un-Ange like form after the Premiership was secured in such confident style.
Across football there is a natural switch off once the title is clinched with Barcelona and Manchester City having set-backs immediately after securing league wins.
There does seem to be a different tone to the criticism that Celtic are taking with comparisons being made to across the city where Micky Beale’s side had string together three successive wins in dead-rubber matches until last night’s draw at home to Hearts.
Watching McCann on Sportscene last night, Football Scotland reports the former Dundee boss saying:
You can’t escape it. When Celtic are at full strength they’re just a brilliant side they’re champions for a reason.
But when those first name on the sheet type of guys drop out then you are expecting a squad of the strength of Celtic to go in there and take care of business and they haven’t.
They were quite open at times as well. It might not be a concern to Ange but I think it will be a concern for the fans, to say ‘look, the boys behind there need to be doing better’.
Celtic conclude their SPFL campaign with a trophy presentation at home to Aberdeen on Saturday before attention turns to the Scottish Cup and the chance to complete an eight domestic treble.
All the talk and headlines previously when the 3 Celtic Japanese players got overlooked for international duty the media couldn’t throw it in our faces enough, now the same 3 are called back up for international duty and not one article in a newspaper about today.
I’m confused about McCann and his infinite wisdom regarding everything Celtic recently . How can he say that Celtic could not take care of business ,when the exact opposite has taken place on the domestic front ? Celtic are also one game away from a treble winning season and although I don’t have an MBA or a DBA ,even I can tell business has been well taken care of ! This is McCann playing to the Ibrox faithful through the media whose bosses are giving him carte blanche to spin more Bollox ! Imagine for a moment Neil McCann lecturing anyone about business ? Any kind of business ! With his track record …..
You cannot argue with what he says (much as you would like to). The theme for at least 2 months has been ‘not at our best’ and that includes beating them twice. Celtic have been poor for a while But the last 5 games have been brutal if we are being honest. Motherwell draw (garbage) Hearts (outplayed until they went a man and goal down) Them (no comment) St Mirren (deserved to get beat) Hibs (hammered). That is not a freak result or two after winning the league that is a pattern. Inverness expect nothing but they have been given huge encouragement over the last 4 weeks. I would have said Celtic were 99.5% sure of winning the Cup at the end of March, 2 months later I would say it is 80%. We will be nervy on the day and I really don’t want us to go behind. Panic will quickly infect us and anything could happen Bad form at a bad time. We never stop has clearly stopped.
Celtic Fans will be even less interested in McCann’s views than he is in theirs!