I grew up and first started watching football in an era when Celtic and Liverpool were kings of their respective castles. Liverpool, in particular, simply struck fear into opponents. Knock the ball around and they destroyed you with flair, play it tough and they’d play it tougher. Much like the reign of Steve Davis in snooker at the same time, you just felt their dominance would never end.
And then came the premiership……and money. Blackburn, Leeds United, Chelsea and of course Manchester United have all shown that success now has only one road leading to it; the spending one. Sure there’ll be the occasional Everton, who work their way into the top four, but it usually takes a matter of minutes afterwards before the lack of squad investment exposes them also. A quick look at todays EPL table could just as easily be a reflection of squad investment in the last five years. It’s why about 14 teams start every EPL season without the slightest, realistic hope of anything above a comfortable mid table position. Because class always tells over a season, and class in the amounts that are needed to do well, can really only be bought.
For Celtic the fall has been even more abrupt. An over reliance on cast offs or players available on “second tier” frees (those available after the EPL and other leagues have had their pick) has resulted in a situation where even second place is now a struggle for a team who had previously seen second place as failure. There was a time, very recently, when Celtic differentiated themselves from the Kilmarnocks and Dundee Uniteds of this world all over the pitch. Now you really can’t tell there’s much of a difference.
No Champions League revenue equals no squad investment equals parity with everyone else.
Liverpool and Celtic are now trading heavily on their names. Largely full of players who really are not fit to wear the shirt, they expect Wigan and St. Mirren to fall over and die because….well because it’s Liverpool and Celtic. And like young kids who have no respect for their elders these “lesser” teams are now approaching these games as fixtures that they expect to take something out of. Why not? Are Lucas, Insua, Agger, Kuyt and even Mascherano anything that any team should really fear? And what of Celtic? Now full of players who ended up in Paradise rather than set out to go there, this team has lost it’s identity. And, of course, if you pay peanuts……
Fans of both clubs will plead the “temporary lull” case; they’re just at the bottom of a bad cycle, caused by some poor management decisions and a bit of bad luck. The reality of both situations is that maybe six or more quality additions are necessary, at a minimum, and the money just isn’t there. In Liverpool’s case the problem is exacerbated by the fact that the money is elsewhere, so the Manchester Citys and Tottenhams of this world are coming on strong. Maybe they won’t make it this year, but they’ve taken Liverpool to April and if they don’t see it through to May, they’ll be back stronger next year.
Time for Liverpool and Celtic fans to stop looking behind and start looking around. Respect and success must be bought.
