Celtic's Perplexing Season: A Search for Consistency Amidst Tension
When you search for something relentlessly without success, doubt inevitably creeps in about its very existence. Celtic supporters, accustomed to watching their team play with verve and purpose in green and white, have spent much of this season anticipating a timely return to form. With the business end of the campaign now upon us, they are still waiting patiently.
O'Neill's Assessment of a Fragile Squad
Martin O'Neill, whose Celtic side face St Mirren in the Scottish Cup semi-final on Sunday, refuses to believe that this squad has no higher gear to engage. 'We've played some ties against European sides that are decent sides, you know?' he remarked. 'I know Bologna got well beaten there by Aston Villa the other night, but for us to have gone there, down to 10 men, still compete and get out with the draw was impressive.'
O'Neill pointed to credible away performances against Stuttgart and Feyenoord as evidence of underlying quality. 'So, you're hoping that those sort of performances against very good sides away from home show you there's something there.'
A Season of Disguised Talent and Stuttering Form
It remains a perplexing situation. Despite injuries and the chaotic nature of a season with three different managers across four spells, Celtic have occasionally flashed their talent. Yet, they seem to have mastered new ways of disguising it.
The victory in Stuttgart on February 26 was hailed as a potential turning point. However, a dismal first half at Ibrox the following Sunday and a lack of complete 90-minute displays since have undermined that optimism.
Credit is due for recovering from a poor defeat at Tannadice with narrow wins over Dundee and St Mirren, keeping title hopes alive. But neither performance was particularly inspiring.
The Weight of Expectation and Title Race Tension
O'Neill has identified a key factor in the team's staccato domestic form. 'I think there's just general tension around not just ourselves, but Hearts and Rangers kind of trying to just get over the line,' he explained. 'I've seen it before. And honestly, the winning of the game is the most important thing.'
He emphasised the relief of victory, noting it allows recognition that performance can improve. 'That's the relief of winning the game — knowing that you can do better. And I would hope that we would. Well, we would have to do better on Sunday. Otherwise, we could lose the game.'
Identifying the problem is one thing; solving it is another. With eight league defeats leaving them trailing Hearts and Rangers, and only five games remaining, the margin for error is vanishingly thin. If tension has been a factor so far, it will likely intensify as the season climax approaches.
Adapting to a New Dynamic and Facing Criticism
'We have a group of boys here at this minute who are winners, who have done it,' O'Neill stated. 'I think the issue I have is that, generally by this time last year, the league was won. So, you're not really going through that sort of tension.'
He highlighted the different dynamic of chasing rather than leading. 'Since I've come into both spells, it's just a matter of chasing the teams. That in itself creates a different dynamic. It's a different thing. So, players then have to just get used to it.'
Some fans, like former striker Frank McAvennie, have expressed boredom with the team's plodding performances. O'Neill shows sympathy for this view. 'If you're asking me about an honest assessment of us, I think we could play quicker. I think we could,' he admitted. 'I think we could take, let's say, four passes instead of six to get to the same spot.'
He acknowledged that most criticism is probably fair and expressed hope for improvement next season. 'Celtic can be better. Celtic Football Club will be better. Hopefully, they'll be a better side next season — be able to compete from the start and things like that.'
Cup History and the Immediate Challenge
O'Neill's past Scottish Cup record is formidable, including wins in 2001, 2004, and 2005. Yet, he still recalls a painful 2002 loss to Rangers. 'That one was really hard to take,' he reflected.
Now, the immediate hope is that something clicks. After December's League Cup final defeat, which O'Neill watched from afar, the threat from St Mirren is clear. Under interim boss Craig McLeish, they have already beaten Celtic at Hampden this season and are capable of doing so again.
With a trophy at stake on May 23, O'Neill might sacrifice a sparkling performance for progression. 'I don't think we are good enough to dream that far down the line,' he said pragmatically. 'If we can win the game, it definitely would have a positive effect. No question about that. Similarly, and quite the opposite, I suppose, it (a loss) could have a poor effect on us. But we're going all out to try and win the game.'
