I LANG SYNE bought into the late, great, Ian Archer's theory that football was the 20th (now 21st) century example of clan warfare; and that warfare is never more extreme than when the two parts of that single clan: the Old Firm, clash.
Four days on from Sunday afternoon's events at Ibrox, the dust has still not settled. It would be wrong to say few of us saw that one coming - with Old Firm games, it never does to expect the expected, the old fixture's capacity to surprise remains unaffected by the length of the rivalry. Sure, Rangers won, but that victory will only delay the inevitable - Celtic will still be crowned SPL Champions, season 2011-2012, while Rangers' future will remain in doubt for a few weeks or months yet.
Their win should leave Ally McCoist asking one question of his players - Where have you been since October? The other questions to be asked of Rangers have been being asked for some weeks now, since the slide into administration.
Rather more questions should be being tabled across the city. Why is it Celtic's form dips when the game really matters. They are a wee bit like Andy Murray - they can put together a run of victories against diddy opponents, but, when the result really, really matters - as in the League Cup Final, or the Old Firm match - why do they tense-up so and struggle?
Might it have something to do with their manager's personality? Say what you like about Neil Lennon, he is his own man. He has built-up a "no one likes us - we don't care" mind set inside Lennoxtown; this plays well with those in the Celtic family who, in spite of the massive strides so many of the club's followers have taken in all aspects of Scottish life, still like to see themselves as the Irish outsiders, despised by the rest of Scotland.
But, maybe a wee bit less: "us against the world" and a bit more: "We Are The People" might play better. Just a thought mind you.
Then there is the big question for the Celtic Family - just what do they do about Neil Lennon?
I admire his refusal to trim his sails, to be less-confrontational. That says, he ought, perhaps, to chose his causes with a bit more care. Sure, he didn't think the two red cards his players got at Ibrox were justified - but it is indeed rare for a manager at the top end to admit a red card to any of his players were justified - lest they be absolute stone-wallers, whereupon the manager will find plenty of mitigating factors.
However, Law Five cannot be more clear: "The referee is the sole judge of fact". In a clear and provable case of mistaken identity - the red card will be rescinded, otherwise, it takes the help of a good lawyer to rescind the card, but, the clock is not wound back to the point of dismissal, the player returned to the game and the match finished. So, Lennon ought to know by know, having a go at the referee at half time does no good.
Calling a referee's decision "criminal" after the match does no good, while doubting the capabilities of an official, even before a game is played, is just plain stupid. Is there nobody inside Celtic Park who can sit-in on Lennon's interviews and save the manager from himself? He is now being seen as a serial offender when it comes to comments about referees and decisions and the SFA will surely despatch him to the stand for a long time to come.
Actually, a season-long touchline ban might be no bad thing for manager and club. From the stand, he would have a better view of the game and might be better able to make changes, which he could then have passed on to the players by his assistants, while not putting his own participation in doubt by removing himself from the firing line. Generals long ago stopped leading from the front; if football is indeed: "war without bullets" maybe it is time for football's generals to view proceedings from higher ground.
I SELDOM comment on other blogs, but, my old mate David Leggat, in his blog 'Leggoland' is, I feel, doing himself no favours. We in the hack pack have long been aware of Leggo's Rangers leanings; he might not be RWM of Lodge 1690, the Lap Top Loyal, but he is an extremely-long-serving member.
Leggo sees pro-Celtic conspiracies everywhere, but right now, he is, I feel, and as a long-standing pal of his I ought to caution him - barking up the wrong tree in his warnings concerning the involvement of "Celtic's lawyers" the Glasgow firm of Harper McLeod in current Scottish footballing issues.
The Chairman of Harper McLeod is Professor Lorne Crerar, an old boy of Glasgow High School, a former top rugby referee and the man to whom, when there is a ticklish issue erupts in world rugby, the IRB, SRU or any of the leading governing bodies of world rugby, turns.
Professor Crerar and his team know their sport and sports laws - their integrity and fairness is beyond question and to cast dubts about this, purely because they are "Celtic's lawyers" does Leggo no favours.
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