Just recently Celtic got kicked out of Europe – again. We’ve been walking the league, and kicking it while it’s down for good measure, but things simply aren’t going too well on the international scene. Come this summer it will be 15 years since our last final – though this isn’t saying much, since we’re not all haughty-like and demanding cup finals every year. The recent performances are not good though, we used to have much more bite. I’d count it 5 years since our last credible campaign, though the clash with Inter under Delia was a mighty effort.
However way you put it, though, the current crop simply cannot compare to the Strachan sides in the recent past. We used to be a much larger threat in the Champions League back then, and we reached the last 16 fairly frequently. There was a good mix between local lads and foreign talents, and we were playing our own brand of football. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that we should splash big bucks only cause all the rest of Europe has gone into a financial frenzy, but we could be a little smarter with our purchases.
The coming summer is crucial for the club. We have a good team brewing at the Parkhead, but we have to push on. We don’t have the financial pull to hold onto good players indefinitely, but we need to take advantage of the good crop and put together a strong team for the next 3-4 years. So, what are our biggest needs? That’s a fairly easy one – a goalkeeper, a right back, and a striker.
The last bid would be the most controversial, as had you asked me but a year earlier I would’ve said that we are well stocked in the striker department. However, I believe now that ol’ Kris is right and we have to start planning for life without Mousa. I’ve been very disappointed with the lad this year, and even if it turns out as ‘another’ prudent financial move, I am sick and tired of mercenaries going off south without having actually achieved anything with the Bhoys!