Tensions tend to be high at the end of the festive period. It’s nice to spend time with the family but at the end of a fortnight of being in each other’s pockets, things can get a bit tetchy.
A fair few of us would have been roared at to put down the selection box and pick up the hoover in the last few days before normal service resumed. A few cross words by that stage is understandable – but it was still a strange time for Brendan Rodgers to pick a fight with his nearest and dearest.
There’s no doubt the Celtic manager is in a position of power right now. He’s banished any doubters by delivering a whack of success. Rodgers calls the shots these days and everyone falls in line. But taking a pop at the punters after Sunday’s routine win against St Mirren just seemed unbelievably out of the blue – and a bit unnecessary.
Rodgers was seriously miffed about some groans from the stands when the ball was passed backwards when it was goalless after half an hour. He was also extremely unimpressed by a section of supporters dusting down the old Kieran Tierney song. The Irishman doesn’t pussyfoot around if he’s in a strop either. There was no soft soaping as he let folk know in no uncertain terms he wasn’t having it. Selection boxes were dropped all over the east end and hoovers dragged out of the hall cupboards.
It just all seemed a little, well strange. In terms of the Tierney tune, Rodgers took it as a massive slap on the chops for current left back Greg Taylor. The defender might have felt that way too as he headed straight up the tunnel at the end of the game with the ditty in full force, and that might have explained his manager’s anger.
But it just seems like something has been lost in translation here. Chanting about the much talked about prospect of Tierney’s return didn’t really have anything to do with Taylor, or his ability. If the Green Brigade and Co had starting belting out the old Jota song – with talk of his return never far away – would that have been a slight on Nicolas Kuhn or Daizen Maeda? No chance.
It’s just a bit of excitement about the thought of a former hero coming home. Ask the majority of Celtic punters and the ideal scenario would be to have Tierney AND Taylor on the books. Everyone knows Tierney has had his fitness issues and they also know Taylor has been one of the most consistent performers of recent years.
The fact the current man is out of contract and no closer to agreeing a new one only muddies the waters – even for the player himself. He keeps hearing how important he is to the side, but if that’s the case, why doesn’t the club pony up and give him the contract he’s looking for?
Why make moves for Tierney as well? It’s not about disrespect, it’s about having as many good players as possible. Taylor shouldn’t feel unloved by the masses either. He gets some stick online, but that wild west should be taken with a pinch of salt.
The full back might not have his own song but he has been voted up near the top of the player of the year awards in recent years. He might be taken for granted but so have the likes of James Forrest. He’s got more hardware than Wicks but still doesn’t have his own ditty and doesn’t seem to lose much sleep about it.
As for the other dig about punters getting nippy about going backwards, Rodgers probably has a point. It’s maybe not the best time to raise it, when punters have been hiding from their Rangers supporting friends and family for two days on the back of a shock Old Firm bleaching though.
But, yes, fans should have more trust in this side and be a bit more patient. It’s always been this way though. Celtic Park can be a demanding environment, regardless of the circumstances. Neil Lennon got booed in the semi-final of the UEFA Cup, for goodness sake, for daring pass the ball back the way.
So it’s nothing new. It doesn’t make it right, of course. Like it or lump it, some folk love a moan at the game. It gets all their other grumpiness out of their system and it’s easy to groan at your team than to risk a clip around the ear from the wife.
It’s been that way since the first time someone decided blootering a ball between two stick was enjoyable to watch. The behaviour of the fans against St Mirren was nowhere near as bad as it’s been in the past when it comes to this kind of thing.
In the main, supporters have learned to be more patient under Rodgers. Most of them know the style, they know there’s sometimes a bigger play at work when the ball does round and about. Sure, some of the uninitiated sometimes forget, but they are getting there. A few years back there was one punter in the old stand at Parkhead who used to foam at the mouth shouting at his side to get the ball up the park.
At one point the ball was hoofed up and went out for a goal kick at the other end… and he moaned about this ‘long ball s****’. It’s best ignored. Rodgers doesn’t do anything for nothing, so no doubt he’s trying to earn his side some breathing room during a brutal period of games where it’s not all going to be silky football and swashbuckling style. It doesn’t help the Parkhead pitch is showing signs of wear and tear too.
So Rodgers is probably smart to attempt to nip it in the bud now. But there’s no need to all fall out over selective hearing when Celtic look in good shape to hoover up the lot.