I AM somewhat ambivalent when it comes to Celtic FC - I don't care who beats them, IN SCOTLAND. I hold similar feelings when it comes to the Rangers Tribute Act; however, when, as now, Celtic are carrying the Saltire into the European arena, then, I am a Celtic fan - as I hope also is every other Scottish fitba fan.
So, while it maybe did not hurt me as much as it did the legendary 'Only an Excuse' creation, Sean South from Croy - the way Celtic were put to the sword by Molde last night hurt.
My bigotted Uncles and Father used to revel in tales of Jim Baxter extracting the urine from Celtic in the years immediately before the return of Jock Stein to Celtic Park. They would tell of Baxter, John Greig and Ronnie McKinnon playing "keep ball", simply passing the ball around between themselves, making no effort to score further goals - the game being already won, while the Jungle emptied and the remaining Celtic fans howled their anguish to the heavens.
That sort of embarrassment has not befallen Celtic since, until, in the final 15 minutes of last night's game, when Molde indulged themselves.
Molde FFS, not Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich or Juventus - but Molde, the sixth-best team, currently, in the Norwegian League. How have the mighty fallen.
But still, come next May, the Scottish League Championship trophy will be proudly paraded round Celtic Park. Just about the only bet you can get on the Premiership outcome these days is - by how many points will Celtic win the league?
They will be back in the Champions League next season; but, can we even contemplate a better outcome than the continuing disaster this season's European campaign has become.
The question is - what can Celtic do to mitigate against another embarrassing disaster? Should they stick or twist when it comes to the managerial team? Would fielding a team with a greater number of Scots, particularly "Celtic fans", fare any better? I ask this, given the outstanding display from the youngest Celt, Kieran Tierney. This 18-year-old kid, who has come through the same coaching regime as produced the bulk of the Lisbon Lions, and the Quality Street Gang, showed more than more-experienced foreign mercenaries, recruited at great cost from abroad.
Might there be a case for trying to produce a second squad of 21st century LIsbon Lions - a team recruited from within 40-miles of Celtic Park.
Buying to sell-on hasn't worked, maybe breeding to keep and possibly sell-on might.
One thing is certain, unless there is a sea-change in attitudes within Scottish football, and, most-importantly, on the Sixth floor at Hampden - then we are all doomed, doomed ah tell ye.
I MAY have mentioned before; I live in one of these former East Ayrshire mining villages which is slowly dying. The sort of place where once, allegedly, when a young couple was handed the keys to their first coonsil hoose, the welcome pack also included a picture of King Billy on his white horse - to hang above the fireplace.
So, last night, as he waited the arrival of the supporters' bus to take him to Celtic Park, I had a brief chat with the village's "Token Tim". He was not looking forward to the game, travelling more in hope than expectation.
His take was: "I am wondering who will sell the jerseys tonight - will it be Amrose or Izzy? All I know is, our defence is shite".
If he can see that, how come Ronnie Deila and his cohorts cannot.
"We're ok in Scotland, but hey, I could play in defence for us in the Scottish League", my mate continued.
"But, in Europe, we keep getting found out".
As I say, the fans know this is a poor Celtic team, but, still they turn-up, albeit in fewer and fewer numbers.
AND FINALLY, the English MSM will continue to try to spin it as: "The Greatest and Best League In The World", but, after Bayern's humping of Arsenal this week, how much longer can they keep it up?
As the Tartan Army proudly sang, back at Wembley in 1996: "We're shite, but, we know we are."
When will this reality hit the apologists for the over-hyped nonsense which is the FA Premiership?
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