If they are not extremely careful, Celtic fans may soon find themselves stomping angrily onto sacrilegious territory. A debate is already heating up over Martin O'Neill's role in the club's summer inactivity, questioning whether the old fox is helping or hindering Celtic's ambitions.
Is O'Neill a helpless victim of the board's inexplicable transfer market inertia, or a complicit co-conspirator in Celtic's self-inflicted decline, in danger of being regarded as a Dermot Desmond stooge? Either way, O'Neill could be gobbled up by the very civil war he worked so hard to repel during last season's double-winning campaign.
O'Neill's Legendary Status at Risk
O'Neill's contribution last season was legendary. Twice he answered Desmond's call, and despite turning 74, he salvaged the league title and added a Scottish Cup. This built on a legacy dating back to the turn of the century when he secured his status as one of the club's all-time greats. Most importantly, his presence in the dugout engineered an uneasy truce between fans and the board, averting a full-scale revolt.
But the ceasefire was always unlikely to hold. By doing next to nothing since the transfer window opened over a month ago, Celtic's dysfunctional board has taken a wrecking ball to it. Five weeks in, only one player has been added to a squad that was hardly fit for purpose last season.
Transfer Window Inaction Fuels Anger
Camilo Duran has arrived from Azerbaijan for around £6 million, scoring two goals in two friendlies. But even if Duran turns out to be a world-beater, O'Neill finds himself wedged between a rock and a hard place with only two weeks until the season kicks off against Dundee. His squad has been ripped up since the last-day title win over Hearts: Kasper Schmeichel retired, fringe players and loanees have left, and Daizen Maeda, Arne Engles, and Reo Hatate are expected to depart. Captain Callum McGregor hinted he might leave unless the board matches his ambitions.
The failure to tie down Kelechi Iheanacho on a new deal, when a one-year option was available, added farce to an already ludicrous situation. O'Neill himself had assumed the Nigerian would return, making the situation even more jaw-dropping.
Is O'Neill an Enabler for the Board?
The question must be asked: is the great galvaniser now at risk of being pigeonholed as an enabler for a busted flush of a board? An almighty backlash is on its way, and this time O'Neill's human shield may not withstand it. The danger is that reverence turns into resentment. There is still time for reinforcements before Champions League qualifiers in mid-August, but that would reek of the scattergun complacency that got Celtic into this position, pushing supporters to the brink of open mutiny.
First and foremost, there is a league title to defend. In case Desmond or chief executive Michael Nicholson were not paying attention last time, Celtic came within minutes of losing it on the final day against Hearts. Since then, the man who masterminded that unlikely near-miss, Derek McInnes, has moved to Ibrox with a greatly enhanced budget, taking two stalwart players with him.
Rangers' Threat and Celtic's Complacency
McInnes has heavy lifting to do at Rangers after pushing them into third place in what was supposed to be a two-horse race. But that does not excuse Celtic for falling asleep behind the wheel throughout another transfer window. O'Neill will have to front it all up again, likely shrugging through the days ahead without raising alarm. But if he is not bothered about being placed in such a preposterous position, he ought to be. He may be willing to do a favour for a dear old friend, providing a solution in an hour of need. But if it begins to look like he is defending the indefensible where Desmond's regime is concerned, he may soon stand accused of being part of the problem.
