Celtic will be licking the wounds after their Champions League exit for a long while.
Although Brendan Rodgers blamed the state of the pitch, it didn’t wash well with Celtic fans after losing to Kairat Almaty on penalties.
Anger has been directed towards the board, with Stiliyan Petrov calling on them to sign more players.
Dermot Desmond’s five-year plan has aged terribly but the players and the manager have equally got to take responsibility, as John Hartson pointed out.
- READ MORE: ‘What the club’s built on’ – Martin O’Neill’s passionate rant as Celtic suffer Champions League exit
John Hartson accuses Celtic of complacency after Kairat Almaty defeat
Plenty of Celtic affiliates have echoed their disappointment as the Hoops gear up for a Europa League campaign.
Hartson was one of those who took to social media after the game to call out the performance, and accused the players of being complacent.
Writing on X, he said: “Celtic were rotten last night.. no excuses the 1st leg at home was a hard watch Kairat looked comfortable.. 100% complacency.. too many looking around waiting for something to happen. Poor performance is an understatement..”
Celtic can restore some faith against Rangers
The hectic fixture schedule now allows for Celtic to put their misery behind them in the best way possible this weekend.
It’s the first Glasgow derby of the season as Brendan Rodgers’ side make the short trip to Ibrox to face Rangers.
If anyone has had a poorer start to the season it is Rangers and the Hoops know that a win would pile the pressure on their rivals even further.
By making it a comfortable win, there could be a small sense of forgiveness.
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