Celtic’s absolute disaster in Linz. Who’s to blame? Martin O’Neill? The players? The board? All of them have to take responsibility for that calamity…
Last night we witnessed one of the biggest capitulations ever when we threw away a four goal aggregate lead in Linz. A result that ranks with the worst in the club’s history, and in doing so witnessed our dreams of reaching the Champions League group stages ripped into absolute shreds.
For the second year in a row we literally threw away a £40 million golden ticket, and we now need to ask serious questions of not just the players, and coaching staff, but yet again those who run our club from above.
LASK were worthy winners of the tie, we have to give due credit to them and also wish them well for what will be their first ever Champions League campaign. Even in the first leg they looked the more dangerous side, and were unlucky not to score on a few occasions. The 3-0 scoreline certainly flattered Celtic, unlike last night when LASK fully deserved their 5-1 victory.
Last night the Austrian Champions showed fantastic professionalism. They also proved that they possessed terrific ability, and leadership, whilst having full belief in themselves, everything our players did not, and we can only start a post mortem into why that was the case.
READ THIS…Capitulation in Linz as Celtic left humiliated yet again
The buck of course initially stops with the players, and the manager who afterwards accepted full responsibility. Despite going into a one goal lead on the night, and a four goal lead on aggregate, the players somehow turned off, and allowed the home side back into the game.
Even when we went into the interval at 1-1, we had 45 minutes to reshape and hold on to a three goal advantage. But somehow they collapsed in the second half offering the home side some encouragement as they sensed our vulnerabilities, and went for the jugular.
The second half substitutions were horrendous – Dane Murray at right back with his arm raised playing the LASK goalscorer onside, Luke McCowan’s just awful performance repeatedly losing the ball and eventually setting up the LASK winner.
That’s all down to a combination of the mindset of the players, and the manager whose job it is to motivate and shape his players.
Being able to run a bus through our midfield and defence didn’t help either, the gaping holes in the middle of the park, as well as the backline are a major concern going into the rest of the season, an area that is in desperate need of upgrading.
Some of Martin O’Neill’s substitutions going into extra-time were quite baffling too. When we went into extra time, needing a goal, and he decides to throw Tony Ralston into proceedings when we had the attacking ability of the recently signed Haissem Hassan to call upon.
Callum Osmand, James Forrest, and Johnny Kenny were also available, but why the veteran Irishman decided to go with a player deemed third choice in his position is a complete mystery.
Even in the extra time period, we looked devoid of both spirit, and a cutting edge, we were an absolute disgrace and deserved all we got, that’s the honest truth.
Our incompetent board have also got to take their share of the responsibility, that’s a fact.
READ THIS…Total Abdication – No Hiding Places After Celtic’s Austrian Horror Show
They might have spent nigh on £30 million over the summer, largely funded by the sale of Arne Engels. But once again their incompetence on the recruitment front has seen them fail to strengthen an area of the squad that cost us big time last night.
We finished the game with a back four of Anthony Ralston, Dane Murray, Auston Trusty, and Liam Scales, and that is quite ridiculous for a game of this magnitude.
We’ve asked questions of last night, and we can only ask what happens next.
Will we bring in new players to improve the areas of our squad that cost us so dear last night? Will we decide to cash in on yet another key player due to missing out on a big payday?
The manager and players are quite rightly facing their share of criticism, but those upstairs have to take responsibility also. All eyes, and righty so, will be fully focused on the Celtic hierarchy in the weeks to come.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
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2 Comments
We can rant and moan as much as we like, upon the total collapse last night?
But it boils down to we aren’t good enough for CL football, not at the moment anyway imo?
Trying to go from a below average europa league level team last season, to a decent CL team in the making, with only 4 additions, to losing 3 capable of producing in European football, was to big of a bridge to cross for ourselves imo?
That doesn’t excuse the manner of our collapse either?
Could understand playing the high risk factors in such an open game at home?
Still continuing with it, while having a 4 goal advantage?
Was ridiculous tactically and that’s upon MoN and the coaching staff imo?
The player’s themselves, both individually and collectively as a team, need to take a long look in the mirror at themselves now also?
We may have had our fair share of luck over the course of this tie, but it eventually ran out, with individual errors at school boys levels, costing ourselves so badly?
This 8 homegrown quota rule, continuing to cause issues within our European squad process?
Which isn’t that surprising really, with the problems occurred in development terms, to actually get to the required standards needed within European levels nowadays.
Moreso the question remains as to whether Calmac can operate with a defensive midfielder, which we still lack for a European campaign?
No doubt there will be plenty of focus upon the board, and Nicholson in particular?
The biggest question remains, as to why is there such a stand off, in order to see what European competition we may be in, before getting the players required into our club?
Still believe that contracts offered to players would be based upon a europa league basis, with bonus payments for CL imo?
If that is the current situation, then why such a delay, as the outcome of a qualification process shouldn’t really matter within offering a 4 year minimum contract imo?
This area, along with the potential budget involved for our 25man European squad, needs resolving at this year’s AGM?
Handing the collective a dossier to cause disruption, all the while they haven’t got themselves in order whatsoever, will resolve nothing either imo?
The only real good news, is that a europa league campaign, should form better stability within our squad, in order to potentially rise again for CL football.
Not going to be achieved, with so many changes involved, during each summer period imo?
Big decisions still await before this window actually shuts now?
But the biggest question still remains, as to whether we can play such an open game within European football, which leaves ourselves exposed so defensively, without the right balance to cope properly?
Such decisions still sit with MoN, and was the trusted manager within our support to be making the likes also imo?
Too little too late by the Celtic Board —They waited on the revenue from the sales of Maeda and Engels before completing deals on the players they wanted to sign . Calum McGregor is in the twilight of his career ; a great player and great captain of Celtic but even he cannot stop the , ” March of time” . His legs have gone and most supporters have known this for some time .
Every effort should have been made , knowing that Engels was departing , to sign at least two :- Fast , strong , skillful and athletic mid-fielders because that is what you will face from every decent team in Europe , nowadays . Year after year we are not beaten by skill in European competition , we are beaten by fittness , strenth and athleticism . Last night and previously in Europe , opposition players fly past the Celtic mid-field and defenders as though the Celtic players are standing in cement . The mid-field is the ,”Engine-room” of any good team and as McGregor & co. collapsed , so did Celtic , therefore . the Board must be prepared to pay , “Big money ” for the right kind of mid-fielders . The Celtic Board’s , dilaying & dalaying and trying to look clever , once again cost us a place in Europe’s elite competition .
The Board , however , do not decide on tactics nor do they pick the team . To play the same players and tactics who played in the first game , at Celtic park , was utter madness . MON and his backroom staff knew that we got out of jail at Celtic park and the result did not reflect the game . So why did they keep the same Formation ? They should have seen that :- The back-four would have to play at their best ; the mid-field would have to be strengthened and playing Hogh up-front on his own did not work . Therefore , MON and his cohorts must take lion’s share of the blame for this defeat . Lastly the players must take their share of the blame :- They were brushed aside in almost every 50:50 challenge and were second to the ball throughout the full game . Some of these players should be politely asked , ” Do you really want to play for Celtic” ?
What a disgrace -The Clown-Princes of Europe once again but that’s what it takes to be a Celtic fan . Hail , Hail .