A national proxy for Celtic

The Scotland national team is a decent proxy for Celtic on the international stage.  If anything, they are more limited in resources, unable to innovate in different markets, as we are.  In previous generations, when domestic leagues across the Continent were semi-professional, Scotland’s 5 million population and fully professional league was a sufficient bedrock.  Not anymore.

Scotland are entitled to enjoy this moment in the sun.  They will qualify for the Euros and in Steve Clarke have a manager who will ensure cheap defeats are rare.  It will only be a moment, though.  This is unsustainable, Scotland will regress just as Wales did and Ireland before that.

Celtic’s ability to innovate will bring them to the top table regularly, but the demographics are against everyone from a small country, club, or national team.  This reality is a hard enough burden to carry for the club we love, so best wishes to Scotland, but I can’t get up for it.