An Abysmal Slap In The Face - No Neil: Credit To You

NEIL, Neil, son - haud yer wheesht; stop and think; engage brain before opening gob.

Yes, what you see as a slight on your players might not be that; just have a think about it.

Without touching the heights of the two games against Barcelona, your Celtic team has romped away with the SPL title. OK, they were everybody's tip to win and the hottest of favourites for the crown. However, as generations of punters can testify - sure things don't always win. Your guys did, they delivered.

But, I suggest the lack of a Celtic player in the short-leet for SPFA Player of the Year is no slight on your squad, rather, it is testimony to what a good squad you have built and to your prowess as a coach.

Clearly, in the eyes of their peers, this Celtic squad is arguably better than the sum of its parts. This current Celtic squad lacks a Johnstone, or a Larssen or a Dalglsh, but, as a team it is unquestionably the best in Scotland.

It must be great to be the coach of such a squad. Look how ordinary Barcelona can look with the mesmeric Messi; without Van Persie, would Manchester United have won their 20th English title? Probably not; but, Celtic can still function in Scotland without Scott Brown, or James Forrest, or Kris Commons, or Joe Ledley.

These Player of the Year awards serve a purpose, but, football is a team game. At its best it is all about 11 separate guys coming together to form a great team. The current Celtic squad is definitely not a great CELTIC team, but, it is a winning one. For that, the coach should take great credit and even without a PotY winner in the ranks, he has much to celebrate.

So Neil - shut up,take the kudos and win the Scottish Cup - that ought to guarantee you the Manager of the Year crown, although, for me, you've done enough already.

NOW, to the big question. Will Cousin Vinny DARE to sanction WGS for his four-lettered comment on Neil Lennon being banned for three games?

If you had to share a building with the wee man - would you?

And, if he doesn't - will Neil Lennon report WGS?

ABOVE, I mention Neil Lennon as Manager of the Year. Managerial Prat of the Year has already been won - by Mr Rodgers of Liverpool, for his ridiculous attempt to defend the boy Suarez following his ten-match ban for biting. Pathetic.

I sometimes get the impression their is a generally-held belief in the upper reaches of the English Premiership that players, managers and directors, they all feel that normal laws and rules of decency and good behaviour do not apply to them.

A YEAR ago, when it all really began to unravel at Ibrox - I suggested that it might be in the best interests of Scottish football, were Rangers to be put into abeyance until all the unanswered questions about who owns the club, Ibrox, Murray Park, the St Etienne bike and everything else was sorted-out.

I suggested this was such a horrible can of worms is might take years to get to the bottom of the whole nasty business.

Watching this week's events from afar, I fear I was maybe being too-optimistic.

I suppose we could always go for the Dallas option - give Rangers back to David Murray and pretend the last 18 months or so was a dream.

The alternative is to leave it to the lawyers and the accountants to sort out; and I, for one, object to that bunch of over-paid boils on the arse of humanity making any more money out of fitba.

But, I suppose we will have to thole it.

FINALLY, this week: around 90,000 Germans invading London to trumpet Deutschland uber alles before, during and after the Champions League final - isn't it a wonderful prospect - I suppose the Tartan Army really ought to join in and travel down to show our support for our Teutonic allies.

And, unless Messi and CR7 can inspire come-backs of Kilmarnock proportions (look it up in the football history books), it could happen.