SENTINELCELTS

It’s been a season from hell, but not necessarily ‘the’ season from hell.
We’re still second, have a few decent/saleable players about the squad to fund the big rebuild, and haven’t been spanked by a record scoreline, touch wood for that’s what it’s come to.

As such, there’s a reasonable chance something goes right, just one thing.
It would be so very Celtic like to really show up this Sunday but then I also wrote that regarding the recent Cup defeat.

I don’t want wholesale changes despite the outcry for it, because I want the main protagonists to experience this fixture and all that it brings, for better or worse, and recently it’s definitely been for the worse.
No, they should fall on their sword together, fresh names and faces should not be brought into this disaster of a campaign, or put out there to be kicked off the park, ‘given a taste of the man’s game’ the commentators would no doubt tell us.
Let the usual suspects take the field, and give us this final memory of them as a group.

How or what Kendo is supposed to say to instill some fire in the belly is a huge conundrum. There are things to play for beyond professional and personal pride, but I find it hard to believe this group would care at this stage.

Take the fact Martins 21 point legacy is on the line.
That swing happened a crazy twenty years ago this year, how time flies, and it absolutely just made my day, day after day, back then. I recall it like it was yesterday ‘they are the benchmark, only trying to narrow the gap’ Midas waffled.

Big John and our readers will know exactly what Martins 21 point swing legacy is, but given our expected central defenders come Sunday were in nappies when the momentous Little General toppling took place, good luck getting it to motivate them.

I guess it’s just a matter of personal pride for myself and maybe a small band of others, but to see Martins achievement beaten by not a good team, just a solid one, would feel very unfair to me.
No matter what though, I’ll never forget what he and the troops did that year.
I never thought I would type it but losing the league by twenty points would actually suit me this season.

Those hoping to earn a permanent position or move to the club should in theory be putting in a real shift in order to catch the next managers eye, or DoF or whoever.
Taylor and Moi spring to mind, as does Bain. Superclub linked Soro I’m happy to keep hidden away, but not see scarper away, but I get the feeling that link will put a spring in his step and as such wouldn’t be surprised if he got the nod.
It must be said though, for a club NEEDING a massive rebuild, the two most saleable assets (Kris and Odsonne) need not be risked for this dead rubber. Their collective 40 million or so might just see the bench with a safety first attitude.

I’m not predicting scores or how the game will go, not with this shower of ,,
But I do have another hope, and that is our new regime under Dom are savvy enough to hog the headlines next week no matter what the result of this game.
Dom being in the PR game previously shouldn’t need told this, but we could and should use the Mondays after big games or events to hog the limelight, get the chins wagging all week, start setting the tone ourselves. This time it would be Tuesday due to the clubs self media blackout to help highlight racism.

It felt like Wednesday was our usual news breaking day for a while, but post big game Mondays no matter the result should be used to our advantage from now on.
We win and announce news, the fans feel even more reassured the club was just looking down and out, but in reality plotting.
We draw see above.
We lose, we’re automatically competing for the sports headlines, helping set the tone rather than reacting to it as usual.

The Monday after the Champions receive the league trophy could similarly be used, but hopefully under Dom and perhaps a new head of media we must become much much more savvy about when to break items for maximum effect, how to counter perceived negative publicity, speaking up to fill the information void with fact rather than fan fiction.

If the season ticket renewal forms are heading into the postbox this Monday, the PLC will be praying for a victory to help sales along, while the fans pray for victory for very different reasons, mostly to salvage some pride.

With goodbyes, reputations, purchases, renewals numbers, legacies and more on the line it actually has more to offer than the dead rubber it’s become, but this shower have placed themselves in an impossible position in that win and we roll eyes wondering where that has been hiding, lose and the apathy strengthens hurting the ticket sales and sending Tim’s into the summer hurt.
A tragic mess and it’s just best for everyone to consign this season to the dustbin, and move on spiritually and physically in some cases.

Because it’s clear that some players, and now some of the support sensing the future under a hostile regime, just don’t care anymore.
Certain players dont deserve a final Walk On, and if there was a full house would probably receive two different words.
That’s the tens real legacy.
Wishing for us to lose by ‘only’ 20 points and never to see half our team in the Hoops again.

By Mahe.