Celtic have not played since Sunday's defeat to Falkirk, but drama around the club continues on a daily basis, with a Europa League clash against Besiktas looming and hopes of reaching the knockout stages hanging by a thread. Record Sport examines the burning issues on the Celtic agenda.
McAvennie backlash over Trusty comments
Frank McAvennie, a Celtic favourite known for forthright opinions, was miles offside with comments about Auston Trusty being absent on compassionate leave following the death of his father. The remarks stuck a raw nerve with many punters.
McAvennie said: "I've got every respect for that, but how long do you want off? Martin O'Neill says he's away to celebrate the life of his dad. Celebrate the life? You've got football. You're getting paid and we're in trouble. How long is it going to be? It's the woke brigade now isn't it?"
Jaws were on the floor and McAvennie had to backtrack amid the backlash. Trusty is just 26 years old, living thousands of miles from his family, and has just lost his dad. It is a heartbreaking situation. Trusty's job is cooler than most, but it is still just a job, and family always comes first. Grief hits harder than any tackle, and there is no timescale for rehab with this kind of emotional injury.
Board roadshow questioned
The Celtic board appearing at a supporters meeting in Greenock on Monday night was an eye-opener. They have repeatedly said they are trying to improve communication with fans, and going out on the road is part of the plan. It is a positive step, but a strange way to go about it. Taking questions from a group of around 120 fans is no bad thing, but there are about 120,000 others who would like to hear the answers as well.
It has been almost a year since chief executive Michael Nicholson did even a club TV appearance, and there have only been a couple of Brian Wilson cosy chats where the interim chairman has promised exciting news that never seems to arrive. Nicholson handled the flak in Greenock pretty well, by all accounts, and he needs to show that to a wider audience. Dermot Desmond accused fans of dehumanising board members, and he was right, but only because they have allowed themselves to be distant, abstract characters. Refusing to answer tough questions only creates an impression of not having the answers.
B team selection debate
The Celtic second string line-up for the KDM Evolution Trophy trip to Ross County was another eyebrow-raiser for Hoops fans. Chelsea youngsters Shim Mheuka and Landon Emenalo were sent to Dingwall for a run out, while £3.4m signing Jason van den Berg got his first taste in a Hoops shirt. These guys need game time to be ready for the senior side, so it is understandable they made the jaunt north.
Likewise, that is why boss Martin O'Neill made the hike up the A9 as he desperately seeks a spark for his side. But the flip side was that some homegrown talents were nudged out of the team in a game that would have been a decent test and indicator of their progress. Players like striker Luke Clearie, who has rattled 17 goals in his last 14 games for the B team, might have benefited from seeing how he coped against an experienced League One outfit who are flying. Chelsea also might not be too fussed seeing two of their highly rated projects playing in the KDM rather than getting the top flight taste they would have preferred. The heavy-hitters did not do much to help, as Celtic lost 2-0 and keeper Corey Shaw kept the score down, adding to the levels of grumpiness in the support.
