CELTIC crash out of Europe in midweek, then, right on cue, the Green Brigade comes to the aid of the club - their wee "political" statement offering Peter Lawwell a nice wee subject to deflect attention away from the club's on-field failings.
The GB and their many "lodges" across the city - Vanguard Bears, Sons of Struth etc, etc, really do perform a great service for the Big Two of the game up here. For as long as they continue to fight the age-old religious and political battles of Ulster, they're a nice wee smoke screen for the continuing deficiencies of the two clubs to which they are, however loosely, attached - and for that greater and more-failing entity, Scottish Football.
I kinda feel a wee bit sorry for Mr Lawwell this week. There he was at the Celtic agm, buttering-up the Green Brigade and the other wilder elements of the Celtic Family with his admittedly funny, but, so unnecessary wee jibe about Rory Bremner. Now, two weeks later, wee Peter, the fans hero, is having to chastise these same fans - Kismet.
One now awaits the next big set-piece of the off-field pantomime in Scottish Football, the long-awaited Rangers agm - during, or after which, I feel certain, we will get the next case of foot in mouth syndrome.
BUT, to get back to the fitba. It was hardly surprising, but still disappointing, when Celtic finished last in their Champions League group. I alwasy felt third place and the Europa League was the best they could hope for - the chances of two of AC Milan, Ajax or Barcelona under-performing enough to allow what is, by Celtic standards, a barely-average squad, to get into the top two in the group were always too slim to back with hard cash.
That one of the other three should perform worse was more-likely, but still, hardly worth backing. And thus, it came to pass. As I say, no great surprise that Celtic are out, but, what a desperately sorry fist they made of the Milan game.
The circle Neil Lennon has to square is this - he's got a squad which is, by far, the best in Scotland, but, is simply not up to taking the club to the next level: how does he do this.
I have long been critical of the continuing Celtic and the old Rangers for their continued refusal to back and adequately prepare young Scottish boys for the first team. These clubs, more than most, need Fans on the Park and maybe with a few more of those and a lot fewer badge-kissing mercenaries, they might do better.
Celtic will win this season's Scottish Premiership by a country mile. But, this will not prepare them for next season's Champions League. Well, here's an idea: why doesn't Neil Lennon immediately implement a three-foreigners rule for the good of the club.
We already know that Celtic's age group teams are the best in Scotland - well why not form Lennon's Lads - a 21st century version of the Kelly Kids or the Quality Street Kinds of blessed memory.
Surely a Celtic first team comprising Fraser Forster (who by the way, for a Celtic goalkeeper isn't that keen on crosses and needs to sort this failing out quickly, or no Brazil next summer), Charlie Mulgrew, Scott Brown, Kris Commons, James Forrest (provided he can stay off the Sex Offenders Register), Samaras and one other non-Scott, plus four of the better youngsters could win the Premiership. Maybe not by 15-points plus, but, they could still win it.
Furthermore, a Celtic team, heavily reliant on young, home-grown Scottish Celtic fans just might tempt one or two of the other clubs to come out and have a go at them, rather than opting for safety-first, lose by as few goals as we can; making for a better quality of Scottish domestic football.
Following a season of having to scrap for wins, and with that domestic experience behind them, a younger Celtic team just might do better in the CL. I think it's worth a try.
By the same token, I still feel Rangers have missed a trick in not throwing more youngsters into the come-back campaign through the lower leagues. I managed to stay awake until half-time in their televised game at Arbroath this week. At 3-0 at the break, it was always going to go downhill in the second half. But, I still say, more kids and fewer over-paid players operating a couple of levels below where they should be is not the firm foundation for an immediate assault on the Celtic monopoly come 2015-2016. But, one or two more youngsters allowed to develop for that 2015-16 campaign just might tip the balance.
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