Bitterest pill, hilarious, angry, ranting

News that the Maribor game later this month is on the season book has setup a dramatic climax to what will be remembered for decades as a remarkable month in our history.  We didn’t ask for this situation.  As we drifted away from Murrayfield, our thoughts were only of Celtic’s abject display, but nine days and two Uefa Disciplinary hearings later, we’re through to the Champions League play-off round next week.

For Legia Warsaw, the pill is unbearably bitter.  So much so, they had to appeal to Uefa, and on to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, despite scant cause.  CAS who will eventually be asked to determine if Uefa’s rules were interpreted correctly.  Which they were.  The consequences for Legia are so abrupt their reactions are understandable.

Football affects us in ways which are not always beneficial.  There was nothing Legia fans could do to remove their distress this past week, but reading comments, by fans of another Scottish club on this subject, has given a glimpse into the human condition.

The emotional investment by some Scottish football fans in Legia’s forlorn cause has evidently resulted in untold misery.  Celtic fell into the Clyde and came out holding a winning Euromillions ticket.  It was unplanned for, random and undeserved, but it happened and, right now, Celtic are the luckiest team in the world.

At a time when their phoenix club is falling apart before their eyes, our unearned good fortune has caused volumes of hilarious, angry, ranting.  Efforts to explain it as a consequence of immoral plots (as well as running the Celtic, the SFA, the SPFL, Glasgow City Council and The Commonwealth, Peter Lawwell also manipulates Uefa’s Disciplinary Body) demonstrate classic evidence of our old friend, Cognitive Dissonance.

We were blind lucky, accept that, or continue to give the rest of the world new and innovative ways to enjoy their football.  It’s not worth the dissonance.

It’s been an interesting week in the media.  Neil McCann’s excitable misinterpretation of the rules on Wednesday was a highlight, but the paper which brought you ‘news’ that Celtic wanted Dan Pertrescu to be manager, who declined as he was warned the club have problems by Neil Lennon, subsequently got a second story when they ran a properly sourced article denying ‘reports’ Neil spoke to Pertrescu.

I’m also loving reading those who in the media were spinning anti-Celtic nonsense that Neil left because he wasn’t happy with the player budget, now suggesting he could take over Crystal Palace, after Tony Pulis left because he wasn’t happy with the player budget.

Nonsense like this is never random, it has a purpose………..

On a related subject, I’m gutted for Palace, their fans, and for Pulis. The economics of the entire English league structure doesn’t work. Well-run clubs with good managers will be weeded out and relegated, as crazy debt-junkies inflate the bubble a little longer. Scottish football may be poor, but there are only two of our 42 clubs in any sort of financial danger.

Flag Day tomorrow, get along early, give Fergus a warm welcome back, and bring some change for The Kano Foundation bucket collection on the way in. Remember to join Fergus, Jim Craig and others from the Celtic Graves Society for the Jimmy Quinn event at Kilsyth Cemetery.

Thank you to everyone who gave so generously to Mary’s Meals by entering our competition for tickets in the comfy seats tomorrow.  I’m proud of every one of you.  My thanks also to Magners for helping out.  The competition is now closed, winners will be informed by email shortly, so check your inbox!

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