All Quiet on the Western Front
Is it me, or has the build up to the forthcoming Old Firm match been lower key than normal?
Perhaps it’s too early in the season to concern ourselves about six-pointers or ‘must win’ games.
Or maybe all eyes were focused on a tiny principality awaiting a predictable group-of-death draw in the Champions League.
Regardless: this particular game on Sunday will be a clear indication of what has happened in both camps during the summer months.
Firstly, the transfer market has been hardly blown open by the Old Firm. This may be predictable, but I would have expected both clubs to be making further inroads in the ‘undiscovered gems’ market. This is where scouts earn their money. Neither club has particularly excelled in this field of late, Boruc accepted. This is surprising considering both clubs have accepted that the transfer-market proper, turns a ‘cold’ shoulder to the ambitions of Scotland’s top sides. The focus should be on what happens between the transfer windows and not during it.
Nevertheless, where Celtic have clearly outstripped their Glasgow rivals, is in the success of their youth policy and in their ability to attract any home grown talent.
With the return of the prodigal son, Celtic have clearly demonstrated wisdom over emotion in their re-signing of Mr. Maloney. Personally, I feel the youngster was badly advised to leave Celtic in the first place. But he won’t have been the first Scottish superstar to regret the move south to the bright lights of the Premiership. But returned he has and Celtic can only capitalise on his eclectic ability and dazzling speed.
Another home grown Celtic star, Aidan McGeady has surely matured into a fearful site for any opponent. Accolades and awards aside, I reckon on this season being Aidan’s best: at home and on the European stage. I am ever dumbstruck by the nonsense I hear from a certain element of the Parkhead faithful (the same one’s I fear who attack our number one asset – Gordon Strachan) who label the young Celt as a ‘one-trick’ wonder. Well, if McGeady has only one trick up his sleeve then I’m afraid the rest of the SPL are running around naked on a Saturday afternoon. Time after time, he has delivered the telling pass or the vital goal that helped Celtic clinch the three-in-a-row. Shaun Maloney did exactly that in his last Celtic season also. They made the difference.
Celtic’s other important success over Rangers over the past few seasons has been the ability to attract home grown players to Parkhead, rather than Ibrox. The fact that they haven’t always turned out to be great business, is tempered by the reflection that they’re better in our camp than our enemies. Okay so we won’t get the signature of the player who has Ibrox at heart: Nacho Novo to name an obvious example, but they are few and far between.
On this basis, I think Celtic have delivered, with the help of the greatest manager since Jock Stein, to deliver the title three times in succession to Paradise.
Looking to Sunday with the lack of great movement in the transfer market, the teams are very much relying on these dynamics which have happened over the past couple of seasons.
It’s hard to see how Rangers will take anything away from Parkhead come the final whistle. Their strike force is a spent force. Their rear guard are octogenarians in footballing terms. Their midfield is desperately seeking Barry.
Celtic managed to weather the predictable Smith-McCoist onslaught from last season, but that has petered out. I think they have learned from it. A poor team doesn’t put on the fantastic run-in (must-win) that Celtic put together at the close of play last season. It took, courage, ability and the bottle to get up and shake themselves down when everything was looking desperate after the Motherwell defeat at home: and the only one believing in them was Gordon Strachan. But they managed it despite the fractured support of the fans.
This season, it’s time to put to rest the one-match-from-a-sacking mentality for our management team. It’s time to rally behind the ‘whole’ team and acknowledge the results that speak for themselves.
I, along with many others predict a comfortable Celtic win on Sunday.
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