Had things worked out differently, there could easily have been a scenario whereby Daizen Maeda and Arne Engels tuned in from afar to watch this Scottish Cup final on TV. It was back last summer that the plug was pulled at the 11th hour in Maeda's proposed move to Wolfsburg — and the Japanese striker let it be known that he wasn't overly happy about it. A deal had been agreed between both clubs and Maeda was keen to make the move after being crowned PFA Scotland Player of the Year last season. Celtic's failure to source a replacement saw the whole thing binned.
Engels then became the subject of a £25 million bid from Nottingham Forest back in the January transfer window — and plenty of eyebrows were raised when Celtic turned down such a hefty offer. The Belgian international had been signed for £11 million just over a year earlier. The chance to more than double their money on the midfielder must have been tempting.
Over the course of a season which has been fractured to say the least, Maeda and Engels have not been short of critics among the Celtic supporters. The erratic and unreliable nature of Maeda's finishing has been a major issue at times. So, too, the way in which Engels simply drifts through games, seemingly offering nothing beyond penalties and a decent set-piece. In what will almost certainly be their last game in a Celtic jersey, it was fitting that Maeda and Engels should set Celtic on the path to Scottish Cup glory by putting them 2-0 up.
For all they have had their critics at times, you cannot fault their contribution over recent weeks. Maeda has scored nine goals in his last seven matches. One of those effectively was the winner to clinch the league title against Hearts last weekend, with the Japanese striker also finding the net with a cute finish for 1-0 here at Hampden against Dunfermline. Engels also scored a penalty last weekend and, like Maeda, he has been one of Celtic's big-name players who have really stepped up to the plate in recent weeks.
If this was to be a parting gift, then helping the club secure a domestic double was a nice memory to leave behind if they do move on to pastures new in the summer. Yet, for all this was a day of triumph for Celtic, nobody should lose sight of the bigger picture. The club remains a basket case behind the scenes. The alchemy of Martin O'Neill can only mask that for so long. The fundamental structural issues that preceded — and necessitated — his arrival still remain.
If the Celtic board thought that summoning the old warrior back to steady the ship would take the heat off them, they were sorely mistaken. It was midway through the second half, with their team leading 2-0, that Celtic supporters cleared their throats and chanted 'sack the board' once again. That was almost the soundtrack to the first six or seven months of the season, only to then be shelved for a period as the supporters tried to unite behind O'Neill and his players. But it was back here in Mount Florida. Loud and clear. The Green Brigade also held up a banner calling for the board to be sacked and stressing the need for change.
It was a strange backdrop to what had been an otherwise good day at the office. Ultimately, Celtic were far too good for Dunfermline. But how the club moves forward from this season will now be the focus of all attention. Do they stick with O'Neill or twist and go for someone younger and fresher? The way in which O'Neill was once again serenaded by fans at full-time, his name echoing around the stadium, made it clear that they do not wish this to be his last match in charge.
Having made the journey from Fife to Glasgow, the 17,000 Dunfermline fans packed into one end of Hampden were in fine fettle prior to kick-off. A sea of black-and-white flags also featured a tifo display harking back to 1961 and 1968, two years which are woven into the fabric of the club courtesy of their two Scottish Cup triumphs. Lennon had spoken during the week about some of the memorabilia and pictures from the 60s which are now dotted around East End Park. Figures such as Sir Alex Ferguson and Jock Stein stare back at him from the walls. They are memories of a glorious past and Lennon has made no secret of his desire to lead the Pars to a brighter future.
When he sits back and reflects on this disappointment, Lennon will have cause to regret his team's failure on what had actually been a decent start. Dunfermline were pressing Celtic high in the opening 15 minutes or so and were showing enough positivity to suggest that this would be no formality. But they crumbled after Maeda ran off the back of John Tod and latched on to a long ball before dinking the ball over Aston Oxborough for the opening goal. Engels then lashed one in from 25 yards shortly after to double Celtic's lead. By the time Dunfermline reached half-time, they were punch-drunk, with only 17 per cent possession across those opening 45 minutes.
As the sun peaked through the clouds above Hampden, the Celtic supporters were already in party mode by then, a sight which would have sent a shiver up the spine of those who stay in the Trongate area. Lennon made a triple change at half-time, with Chris Kane and Zak Rudden offering plenty of physicality at the top end of the pitch as the Pars boss threw caution to the wind and went long. With the sun gleaming off their shaven heads, Kane and Rudden threw themselves around like some kind of Right Said Fred tribute act. Dunfermline flirted with the idea of mounting a comeback when Josh Cooper pulled a goal back, but, in truth, it always looked like a lost cause.
This was a day which belonged to Celtic and O'Neill. Shortly after full-time, Lennon graciously held aloft the hand of his old mentor and gestured towards the Celtic fans. The likes of Maeda, Engels and several others almost certainly won't be back next season. It remains to be seen whether the same will be true of O'Neill.
