Wednesday 26 June 2013

Eyes To The Ground For Change



You barely had time to take a breath this year before the Celtic news cycle began again. They're at it already; training, improving, leaving, joining. Joe Ledley's drive into the top right hand corner past a hapless Hibs is already history, a stat, a record of achievement that says Celtic won the double in their anniversary year. The entire focus is now on a part-time team from North Belfast. Yet our gaze, as fans, of course goes beyond that tangible fixture towards another cosmic journey that will bring us to the edge of our dreams on a cold Autmun night, a place where 18 year olds from Coatbridge take on footballing gods and win... it's two nil, it's two nil, it's two nil!

You'd be forgiven for thinking that seems as far a journey as it has ever been. Many felt that the team stuttered last season in the progress Neil Lennon has made since becoming manager, despite exceeding expectations in Europe. Many feel that this Summer may be a transition from Lennon team number one to Lennon team number two. Some say our stars will leave and we'll be back to walking the precarious and at times unfulfilling line of securing talent for the future and providing the team with first team performers. But let's numb the pain of any bad news with good news first.

Celtic are thriving.

For the first time in years the club is in a position to make progressive monetary investments for the future. Already they've slashed season ticket prices, reintroduced family incentives, invested in partnerships that will bring digital connectivity to match days and stamped authority on their section of the transfer market. None of this is possible without the cosmic journey. New arrivals Virgil Van Dijk and Amido Balde fit the existing profile of new Celtic signings; physically imposing, young, hungry, rising footballers. If you drew up a list as the final whistle blew against Hibs in May of player types Celtic needed you'd surely put a strong, tall striker and an alternative natural centre back near the top.

Change will happen this Summer but it is not a negative and it is not because Celtic stuttered last year, it's because Neil Lennon brought players to the limits of their value. When that happens then it is time to see through 'the plan'. That plan is to realise a player's value in order to invest in the change that brings about the next cosmic journey. Some argue if it's worth the risk to sell a Victor Wanyama or a Gary Hooper for money when their performances may bring you to that glory (and in turn money) again in Europe. Frankly, yes it is. If you do not sell these players now then their contracts run out and you lose them for a fraction of their true value in the marketplace. There's always a chance the player signs another contract, and yes Neil Lennon has hinted that negotiations may re-open with Hooper, but you can't bank chances and chances do not allow you to plan for the future. Celtic must exert its influence in this aspect of a player's value.

However changing everything all at once from a position of strength would be foolish. Ideally the only first team players that will leave this Summer are Wanyama and Hooper, in part due to their contractual situation. This would leave us with a core of a team that can use their time and experience together as a machine to generate success for yet another year. If you add in the next generation replacements and the hallowed creative, central, attacking midfielder then a team is well on its way to taking on the elite of Europe and having its foot on the throat of Scottish football.

Early complacency in the transition is an issue. Embarrassments lie in every dark shadow of  the European qualifiers, waiting to creep up on an unsuspecting Celtic that has new horizons and a deep gaze towards the distance. Buying early was key and a lesson learned from campaigns now stretching back half a decade. While Celtic have been able to afford to be proactive this pre-season, you still get the feeling that qualification for the Champion's League group stages will again open new doors personnel wise that can excite the fans. Neil Lennon has ensured now that settling for less is not an option and there will be deep disappointment if we do not make it to the big dance.

Domestically Celtic must look for consistency. A team of course cannot win every game but it was frustrating to see some of the performances churned out mid-season last year. If not winning then a Celtic team must at least give heart and at times this lacking. Thankfully the quotes from the camp pre-season appear to chime with this thinking. There is always a chance another club can string together victories that puts unnecessary pressure on Celtic and we have to be in a position to counter the hysteria that would undoubtedly build if this was the case. Ideally the progression from a double is a treble. A treble is something that in my opinion you can never expect but I am as hopeful for it this year than I have been for a long time.

It's clear that in the sweet part of the city times are good on and off the field with or without change. Change should be welcomed, it should be seen as a new beginning. Some try to paint these changes as a drama or a negative that can destabilise the club. This has little chance of happening, we must evolve and shift as a football club to meet old challenges and face new challenges. It's all part of the cosmic journey.

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