FROM A BOUNCY CASTLE TO A FORTRESS
If Hoops keep their zero tolerance to defeats at home, it’s illustration of Ange’s transformation
There’s only one zero to be found anywhere in the Premiership table.
It comes under the home games lost category and is placed next to Celtic’s name.
It acts as a visual reminder of how Ange Postecoglou has turned Celtic Park into a fortress when, last season, it was a bouncy castle where teams came and toyed with the occupants.
The place where Celtic slipped, stumbled and fell on the back of a succession of awful results in league, cup and European competition.
A total of 12 points, five of them lost to Rangers, were shed at home in a championship lost by 25 points at the end.
Ross County came down from the Highlands and eliminated Celtic from the League Cup there.
And a succes sion of d i re performances in the Champions League qualifiers – and the Europa League – added to the impression of Celtic being there for the taking in their own home.
Ferencvaros did for Celtic in Glasgow to deny them access to the flagship competition’s riches.
AC Milan took three off them once the Hoops had downgraded to the next level.
Sparta Prague, minus half of their best players because of Covid-related issues, went one better and scored four in the same group.
Now Ange, in terms of domestic football, has no losses there.
It would be the most graphic illustration yet of the job he has done so far as manager if that zero was still attached to his team’s name at two o’clock this afternoon.
There is no cliche too large or too small to fit the nature of the occasion today as Rangers attempt to blemish a f lawless record and thei r supporters hope to experience a level of satisfaction unsurpassed in the range of emotions available on a day like this.
This is about human nature, tribalism and the fabled bragging rights. In other words, what makes the world go round for two sets of fans.
There could be no deeper sense of contentment than Celtic winning back the league title from their greatest rivals on their own ground.
No prouder moment than winning away and preventing that from happening if you’re a Rangers fan.
The only thought that unites both groups is that no pain is too great for their opponents to suffer.
When Liverpool met Everton at Anfield last Sunday it was, in terms of standing, like a platinum credit card holder versus someone on universal credit.
One has a foot in the Champions
League Final, the other teeters on the brink of relegation. But when Liverpool scored through Andy Robertson their fans’ first inclination was to sing “Going down, going down” towards their rivals – even though they live in separate worlds.
Their happiness was intensified by the knowledge the other lot were suffering at the same time.
Which is exactly how it will be at Celtic Park this afternoon.
There will be no coping mechanism for Rangers’ support if Celtic win and speculation over the outcome of the title race becomes a redundant topic of conversation.
Alleging their team threw the league away will sound delusional in the face of a 29th league game without defeat, if that is what Celtic achieve. But there’s a bigger picture.
It was invigorating to speak to the ever-entertaining Barry Hearn a few days ago.
Whatever happens at Celtic Park today, the spor t i n g e v ent s promoter reminded me and everyone else how much Scottish football owes to the clubs whose perpetual rivalry props up our game and creates a wealth that has a capac it y to g row because of them alone.
Seconds out. Round five.