‘This happy clapping justification of continuous FAILURE’ ‘It smacks of Lawwell’ ‘the guy has zero ambition’ Celtic fans identify the architect of failure

Soccer Football - Scottish Premiership - Kilmarnock v Celtic - Rugby Park, Kilmarnock, Scotland, Britain - April 16, 2023 Celtic non-executive Chairman Peter Lawwell in the stands before the match REUTERS/Russell Cheyne

There was a very familiar feeling to last night’s defeat in Rotterdam for most Celtic fans last night.

Normally an underprepared side featuring players short of playing time got exposed in Champions League qualifiers but last night it was on the big stage with all the trimmings and crucially for the club executives, huge payments.

For years former CEO Peter Lawwell would tell his favoured reporters or the AGM about how Celtic aspired to be a Champions League club in everything that they do.

Held hostage by the poverty of Scottish football the countries most prominent club was working bravely to maintain a presence and respect on the continent, such as that November night in 2012 when Barcelona were humbled.

Since then there has been just two Champions League victories- after last night that statistic is looking like remaining static for at least another year.

Lawwell earned himself a place on the board of the talking shop known as the European Club Association where his influence is token, much like Celtic’s appearances in UEFA’s prime competition.

With his domestic title shifted from CEO to Chairman his influence on the club is all encompassing, highlighted by last night’s dismal performance away from the comfort zone provided by the SPFL.

A year ago there was consolation in playing well for one hour against Real Madrid and ‘what if’ moments from Callum McGregor and Daizen Maeda.

Feyenoord are certainly not a Real Madrid with the only consolation to be taken from Matchday One being that the scoreline was only 0-2.

In 12 months the team and squad have gone backwards at a rapid rate, as others improve Celtic regress.

With £72m in the bank account at the end of June it almost feels that the Chairman’s policy is to prepare for failure, as if there is some sort of managed decline.

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