IS THERE a smidgen of a chance we can attempt to adopt a positive attitude this weekend?
The doom and gloom merchants have gone into overdrive and, to a certain extent, I can empathise with their irritation about how events are uncomfortably evolving at Celtic at the moment, on and off the field.
There is a natural reaction of anger and frustration after a miserable and a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Champions League adventure that concluded in headline-shrieking ignomy after no goals in three and a half hours of non-action against Kairat Almaty.
How on earth do you begin trying to justify being turfed out of Europe’s elite competition after penalty-kicks to a team from Kazakhstan rated 311th in UEFA rankings?
GRIM AND BEAR IT…Brendan Rodgers doesn’t appear over-enthused as he acknowledges the Celtic fans after the dismal goalless draw at Ibrox.
The fans are now in a ferment following what could be interpreted as a disappointing transfer window.
That was followed by the incendiary club statement that was ill conceived, badly scripted and woefully timed.
The misguided words of an anonymous author were obviously intended to explain the fragile and unstable situation to agitated club followers, but were more akin to thowing a grenade into sweating gelignite.
However, in the midst of such turbulence, I believe we must strive for positivity.
WHAT IF Kasper Dolberg had snubbed former club Ajax to agree a deadline-day switch to Celtic from Anderlecht and turned out to be a £10million dud?
WHAT IF Benjamin Nygren proves to be an absolute steal at £1.7million?
WHAT IF Michel-Ange Balikwisha gets into his stride and displays the dazzling form that enticed the champions into parting with £4.5million for the goalscoring Belgian winger?
WHAT IF Sebastian Tounekti manages to shrug off the cloak of anonymity and the Tunisian box of tricks hits the ground running as he, too, proves to be sound value at £5.2million?
WHAT IF Kelechi Iheanacho rises to the challenge and resurrects the performances that tempted Leicester City to pay £20million for his striking services from Manchester City in 2017?
DESTINY AWAITS…new Bhoy Michel-Ange Balikwisha on the ball.
No-one is going to throw a switch to magically fuse the varied and individual talents of four players new to Celtic Football Club and the supporters, but it is NOT outwith the bounds of possibility that all of this could occur.
And, no, at my age and stage, I could never be accused of being a daydreamer. I am neither an optimist nor a pessimist, but, if I’m going to be pigeon-holed, then I suppose you could say I am a fatalist.
Que sera, sera, whatever will be, will be and all that sort of stuff.
Adopting a pragmatic stance, we have to come out of a tailspin that could morph into an irreversible trajectory and the crusade’s inevitable destination will be football’s version of quicksand and we’ll disappear from view before we kiss goodbye to 2025.
Three points from Rugby Park tomorrow would be a welcome indicator Celtic are up for the challenges that lie ahead on the fields of battle.
Keep the faith, folks.
ALEX GORDON
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