As Celtic’s season crumbles before them anyone tasked with taking responsibility at Parkhead seems desperate to move it on as the latest Rangers incident gives their manager something to bemoan.
Neil Lennon publicly criticised First Minister Nicola Sturgeon for her response to the incident involving the five Rangers players who breached Covid-19 protocols by attending a house party.
According to Lennon, the FM’s response was somehow unfair on Celtic in a sort of conspiracy-laden rant about the powers that be holding his team back.
Ex-Celtic striker and fellow conspiracy theorist Chris Sutton has also been out lamenting the difference in treatment between both clubs by the Scottish Government [Daily Record].
The tears, oh my God the tears, they may be salty, but they’re genuinely delicious.
What both have failed to recognise – in true Celtic form – is that the most glaringly obvious difference between the two clubs when it comes to Covid-19 breaches is that word responsibility.
Via the club media channels Rangers manager Steven Gerrard took complete and full responsibility on behalf of the club for the five players involved in breaching protocols.
No blame, no pettiness, no conspiracies – just a genuine and sincere acknowledgment that ultimately, this was the club’s responsibility.
Gerrard also revealed that there were discussions behind the scenes between the SFA and the Government regarding the situation which, we can only imagine, Rangers are fully co-operative with.
Something tells me that post-Dubai – with egg and stale, overpriced lager on their face – Celtic might not have been quite so forthcoming.
The funny thing is the handling of Covid-19 breaches at both clubs is somewhat symbolic of their handling of the football this season.
Rangers have been composed, determined, undeterred, and responsible, refusing to let any hurdle or roadblock stop them from achieving their aims, respectful at all times of the challenge before them.
Celtic in contrast, have arrogantly bashed their way into this season following a cringeworthy summer of dodgy voting deals and absolutely awful transfer business.
This title was Celtic’s before a ball was kicked, their arrogance summed up by the multitude of videos of their fans singing about it now being hastily deleted from every phone in Glasgow’s east end.
That arrogance too apparently made them immune from the global pandemic, the decision to go to Dubai one which has already etched itself into the Scottish footballing history books.
One of their players caught the virus, passed it on to someone else, and Lennon was out claiming that because it was only two players it wasn’t a big deal – this was cloud cuckoo land stuff.
Still shifting the blame, still finding something else as an excuse, never once looking at themselves in the mirror and genuinely contemplating that it might be their responsibility and their responsibility alone.
Their tears are wonderful, this passive aggressiveness towards the Scottish government a plaster over the disaster that is their season.
But someone somewhere at Celtic Park must be aware of how this tedious nonsense in the press is making them look.
Blame Covid, blame Nicola Sturgeon, even blame the referees, but one thing Celtic will apparently never do as Rangers romp to a legendary 55th title, is blame themselves.
Here’s how Rangers supporters reacted to Neil Lennon’s comments in the press as they laughed off the suggestion the Gers are getting preferential treatment.
