SENTINELCELTS

We’ve been in this position before. Talented players making their mark domestically and on the continent, squad needing not broken up or pushed out the door but rather reinforced with more quality in key positions, a Celtic minded manager with a grit and determination towards making our beloved a genuine force against any club in any league.

We were handed the slow lane just over 20 years ago, it was a cruel and bitter blow to see the juggernaut sold for parts rather than refurbished to a better standard, but yet form then to now many building blocks have been laid, foundations that are supposed to keep Celtic from deliberately veering into the slow lane again.
It’s widely recognized the Seville team peaked that season, but this bunch haven’t. That squad hit its height, that group of players gave their all, but their value was decreasing, wage bill high, and the slow lane was to balance the books.
That process lead to this point, it took a while but football operations and the accounting department hit their jackpot this season. This campaign was very memorable, very significant, and very lucrative.
It’s widely said our manager never had equal/top talent to call up from the bench on Tuesday. Since Seville with players being younger in general plus the five subs rule, it’s a squad game more than ever.
And there’s no financial crisis looming with the highly paid first team about to hit mid 30’s and all leave for free.

Celtic are in a position of strength.
To enter the slow lane would be unforgivable, and inexplicable.
To continue to invest, which is paying off handsomely, would go a long way to show boardroom and supporter ambitions are aligned.
A long way towards trust and faith between both.
And not only that, our stock has never been higher meaning the odds of good investments just improved.
There wasn’t a single broadcaster, podcast, agent and player cum observer who wasn’t transfixed by events in Munich. Games like that can sway the public to have admiration, and a previously out of reach player to put pen to paper.

And there’s the elephant in the room, our managers short length of contract.
I imagine a spree of talented 22/23 year olds arriving would not only signify backing your man, but increase his desire to hang around and scale higher up the mountain.
Good players in their early 20s with talent and legs, exactly what our bench was missing in Munich.
The summer window and a contract extension will be inexplicably linked for better or worse.

Traditionally it’s at this point I would hope for the best and prepare for the worst, but on this occasion I’m not accepting that at all. Not while are in the rudest of health, not while squad improvement is easily affordable.
It’s said Ange exposed Celtic’s lack of ambition, well Brendan has certainly put those ambitions front and centre.
There’s no hiding place, no excuses can be made.
It’s literally time for a club ‘that aims’ to be world class in everything we do to put (some of) their money where their mouth is, because you were 3/4/5 signings away from shaking the entire footballing world just days ago.

This summer transfer window should be all about one thing and one thing only, Celtic flexing their muscle.
“We’ve got something special here” said the King of Kings, 20 odd years later of getting the books, signing philosophy, and hierarchy correct,, it’s ringing loud and true once again. We’ve no barriers, no accountants in the way.
Our glass ceiling was one blow away from shattering for good.
This summer must bring the final hammer, or else.

By Mahe
sentinelcelts@gmail.com