It’s interesting to see the Lawwell v Rodgers tensions being discussed online and elsewhere. The reality is both men are doing their job, something that seems to escape those with polarised views on the matter. Brendan Rodgers has been tasked with obtaining success on the pitch, something which nobody could deny he has achieved in blistering style since his arrival – and with the guts of his predecessor’s squad. But standing still in football is death. Celtic, by Rodgers’s own admission, are not even doing that; they are weaker. Long-term readers will recall I predicted Celtic’s downsizing in quality some years back. Lack of any kind of credible challenge from SPFL teams – including Rangers – over the ensuing seasons does not mean Celtic’s dominance is because they are world-beaters. The reality is that Celtic are fodder in Europe and the millions banked from CL qualification only keep things above water. There is no quantum leap to vast revenues for Celtic without television riches. This curtails any ambitions the club or its manager may harbor. The reality of this revenue ceiling affects Rangers also. If Steven Gerrard overturns his former gaffer’s hegemony and wins the title, he will meet the same challenge. That challenge is to take the club to the next level and make a mark in Europe. Without the riches of television enjoyed by EPL clubs. Seeing Brendan Rodgers’ viewpoint is easy, especially for Celtic fans desperate to see their team achieve 10 in a row. But there is a strong case to argue that Peter Lawwell is also doing his job here. Celtic fans have long boasted of their club’s prudence and frugality in comparison to reckless overspending across the city, with all the ensuing ramifications it brought. The irony is that these same fans want their club to splurge money to keep the dominance enjoyed over the last few years. However, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that this is precisely the temptation David Murray succumbed to and which led to so much hurt for thousands of Rangers fans. The brutal fact economically is that success in football costs money and that the more money you throw at attempting to be successful, the greater the chance that you will end up financially troubled or even ruined. This is the lesson Rangers supporters have had rammed down their throats for years now by legions of Celtic fans with some mysteriously acquired expertise in high finance and corporate accountancy. The real lesson now being learned is that dominance comes at a price. Sometimes that price can be too hard to pay. The question every Celtic supporter must ask themselves is are they willing to pay it? It is certainly one the Celtic board must ask as they have a fiscal duty. But one thing is for certain. Celtic will find it tougher this season, as evinced by the loss at Tynecastle. The problem for Celtic and Brendan Rodgers, which is not shared by Rangers and Steven Gerrard, is that they have everything to lose. Rumours are doing the rounds that Rodgers is for the off and the board have a replacement lined up. True or not, you would expect such speculation. And of course, this could all just be a rocky patch on the road to 8 in a row. Indeed, Celtic could win in Athens on Tuesday and go on to bank another bonanza chunk of Champions League dosh. But for Celtic Football Club, the perennial dilemma is one that must be addressed: How do you balance fiscal prudence with the fans’ persistently voracious appetite for success? That is not the job of the football manager but the job of the CEO. Across the city, Rangers failed to find that balance and paid a heavy price. Listening to Celtic fans lambasting their club’s lack of spending in this transfer market, I am reminded of all the crowing from these fans about how spending too much was Rangers’ downfall. He who has an ear, let him hear… The negativity surrounding Celtic at this present time reminds us of another important lesson that astonishingly we have to be reminded of, which is: Just when you think you are going to dominate forever, life has a funny way of crashing through your delusions. Whatever happens, for Brendan Rodgers and Celtic, dominance is no longer a given. Photo by Daily Record
Source: Bill McMurdo, Blog
Source: Bill McMurdo, Blog
