Complacency Is No Match for Opportunity

By Fraser Anderson:

Stuart McCall perhaps didn’t mean to cast such a pessimistic view on Scottish football in his post match interview following his resurgent Motherwell side’s 2-1 victory over Dundee. The Yorkshireman remained a calm, passive figure as he refused to be drawn on his team’s table topping status for the second week running, choosing to describe their lofty position as “irrelevant” and followed with a despondent yet understandable sentiment: “We all know where the title’s going”.

Not that this is news to any avid follower of the Scottish game, nor indeed a disinterested onlooker of Leyton Orient. Many felt Celtic had the 2012-2013 SPL title wrapped up following the demise of one half of Scottish football’s duopoly in the close season – a feeling reflected in the pre season odds offered by Scotland’s much loved bookmakers. Many of whom offered staggeringly short odds of 1/33 of an outright championship victory, instead offering a seductive range of more enticing odds predicting when the title would be sewn up, and indeed if they would beat their Glasgow rivals to their respective third division title. The switchboards of radio phone-ins were ablaze with predictions of an unbeaten season for last season’s champions; whilst Celtic fans were revelling in both the downfall of Rangers, and their foreseeable top-dog status over The Rangers.

Breathtaking arrogance from the Scottish footballing community? Or a depressingly accurate probability of the straightforward nature of this season’s competition? Incidentally of which’s competitiveness for silverware halved when the SPL member clubs refused to vote Newco Rangers straight back into Scotland’s top flight. Mr McCall, and indeed others like him, would opt for the latter. However we may just be in the process of seeing the wheels fall from the promised Celtic juggernaut already.

 

 

Celtic lie in fifth position in the league table and have amassed only eight points from a possible fifteen at this stage in the season. Albeit with a game in hand against fourth placed Dundee United, a win in that match still wouldn’t be enough to ascend to the summit of the Scottish Premier League. Furthermore they have conceded seven goals. Of their present top six rivals only Hibs have conceded more. They have scraped a draw in Dingwall against Ross County, have drawn at home to Hibs and on Saturday lost to a virus-ravaged St Johnstone who had not won a league game since March.  This is a very different picture to the proposed scenario of maximum points gained, a multitude of goals scored, and an impregnable defence pitched against inferior mortals.  

One has to question the mindset of this Celtic side. With the best resources of any SPL club, a multi-million pound squad and the title at their mercy, their current form is akin to missing a 5 yard putt to clinch the Ryder Cup. However are we putting too much blame at Celtic’s door, and not praising the ingenuity and positivity displayed by every other side?

One would fairly point out that their quest for equality is no doubt aided by having zero distractions away from league duty. While it is unfortunate there are no Scottish clubs left in European competition aside from Celtic, the tiring cross-continent journeys would no doubt hinder the energy levels of even the most buoyant side. They are physically and psychologically sound to tackle each league game one by one. The Parkhead club, by contrast, have eight high octane-fuelled midweek ties against superior opposition – no less two games against the best club team in the world, Barcelona.

The Catalan side have provided the catalyst for Scottish sides to replicate the passing model. Scottish football has also had the pleasure of witnessing the new trend of “positive football”, the prioritising of attractive, high-tempo attacking play over the once adored adage of hoofing it the big lad up front. This has more recently instilled by Mixu Paatelainen at Kilmarnock, continued by his successor Kenny Shiels, and fundamentally endorsed by St Mirren boss Danny Lennon. These managers set their teams out to win almost every game and choose not to remain tight and remain grateful for any scraps of success. Despite the positive premise, all too often these teams can be exposed on the counter attack. But all in all it symbolises a daring approach to modern football, placing the entertainment of the paying punter above survival.

So it would appear that Celtic’s opponents are no longer here to make up the numbers. They face far more challenging endeavours as their foes grow in confidence and tactical acumen, nevertheless even the most depleted Celtic squad should be no match for their league rivals. However Celtic have had no shortage of distraction in the form of Champion’s League qualifying, and their manager cites this as a diversion from their league duties. Neil Lennon’s pre-St Johnstone comments aligned to a lack of readiness and that their SPL campaign started from that moment on. If Saturday was Celtic being “ready” then one can be justified in accusing them of complacency; an early goal against hapless St Johnstone from Kris Commons after 4 minutes. The collective mindset must have resembled: “The season starts here boys. Job done.”

St Johnstone ending their winless drought against their toughest opposition may rightly be construed as an emblem of the opportunity arising from the ashes of Celtic’s puzzling hesitancy. There is opportunity for clubs to set their sights higher than a mere extra European qualification spot. While the Bhoys falter domestically and set their sights on more lucrative competition, their local opponents will be rubbing their hands in the knowledge that a combination of distraction and nonchalance from the Champions could ultimately be their downfall; and provide an opportunistic gateway for the preying eleven clubs to prosper.