50-point gap is the challenge

DO Celtic genuinely think they can win the Scottish Premiership title by 50 points? Sure, why not? At this stage, they might even lift the Scottish flag before Chelsea are home and hosed in the Premier League. Seriously, even if Brendan Rodgers was just being meddlesome when he mentioned the 50-point target, he has to do something — anything — to keep his players motivated. He can’t have them switching off in April, lest they forget how to play at full pelt for those Champions League qualifiers in the summer. Watching them systematically dismantle teams with a series of backheels, rabonas and other goals not often seen outside friendly games of fives, it’s obvious that Celtic are already finding new and interesting ways to challenge themselves. It brings to mind tales of the great Johan Cruyff, in the twilight of his career at Feyenoord, getting two or three up in games and then deliberately trying to hit the post. More difficult, you see. The only way to stay interested against domestic opponents unable to prevent him from doing whatever he damn well pleased. It also rings a bell with any youth coach who has ever, in the middle of a small-sided training game, tried to even things up with those ploys straight out of the SFA manuals — adding an extra player to the team on the wrong end of a beating, ordering the winning team that they can only have two touches. Of course, Celtic will drop off at some stage. They may even lose that unbeaten record, on a very bad day for them and a good day for the best of opponents. After all, it’s ludicrous to suggest that they should be handicapped against SPFL also-rans. Isn’t it?