Celtic’s Treble dreams were crushed by Aberdeen at Hampden in the Scottish Cup final.
It put a dampener on what has been a pretty strong season, including winning the double and securing a 55th Premiership crown.
Let’s be honest, there can’t be any arguments here, Celtic deserved to lose to Aberdeen, after a pretty poor 120 minutes, and then missing those crucial spot kicks.
As you can understand, the mood was pretty low after the game, with Callum McGregor in tears on the pitch.
That’s the crazy high standards Celtic have set for decades now, as winning Trebles has become the norm.
But Chris Sutton wanted to shut off some jibes from Robbie Savage regarding that penalty shootout loss.
Chris Sutton responds to Robbie Savage’s Celtic and Aberdeen ‘budgets’ claim
It is well-documented that Celtic’s budget is bigger than most, but that’s what you get for being Scotland’s most successful club and playing in Europe’s elite competition.
Sutton usually hammers Savage, who is the manager of English non-league side Macclesfield, and how they were only champions this season because they have a bigger budget than the rest.
Following Celtic’s loss, Savage wanted to bring that argument back on the table, before Sutton put him straight about how it ‘isn’t easy’ winning Trebles, as he told 606 on BBC Radio 5 Live Sport.
“You talk about big budgets, what’s Celtic’s budget compared to Aberdeen?” asked Savage. “Come on, Aberdeen fans.”
Sutton responded: “Do you know what, I take my hat off to Jimmy Thelin, and Aberdeen. Remember their start to the season. I think they won the first 16 games, or whatever, and then the wheels came massively off.
“Then Celtic beat them ten days ago at Pittodrie, with their B team. Yet, Thelin went to a back three. Adapted. They found a way. They had about 3% possession. Did you see the goals? Kasper Schmeichel had a stinker. The Aberdeen penalties were brilliant compared to Celtic.”
Savage on the wind-up, then interrupted: “What’s Celtic’s budget compared to Aberdeen’s?”
Sutton then added: “Celtic have the bigger budget. It’s not easy winning Trebles. Celtic have made that look easy. But is that a good thing for Celtic? In the summer, they need recruitment. I don’t think that’s the worst thing in the world. Well done to Aberdeen.”
Savage then continued: “Aberdeen haven’t beaten Celtic for 30 games. Wow. Wow. Incredible. Are you going to say live on national radio, after you hammer me every week about a big budget? It’s not easy all the time to win trophies when you have a big budget.”
Celtic are ‘bored’ of winning
You can’t say that the players were complacent, but the lack of competitive edge to matches in recent weeks was showcased in the team’s performance.
Either way, Celtic need to take their medicine, and move on. Aberdeen deserved to pick up that trophy after over three decades of waiting.
But Sutton did suggest that Celtic are now ‘bored’ of winning trophies, given that they have 42 to their name since 2000, and the next best is Rangers at 18.
“Celtic were flat,” added Sutton. “They didn’t deserve to win. They have won so many Trebles in recent times. They made it look easy.
“Do you know what? I am not saying the team were complacent. I just think that sometimes you get bored of winning, and Celtic have maybe got bored of winning.”
A shocked Savage responded: “Bored of winning? Celtic have got bored of winning?”
Sutton then added: “They have won so much. There is an element of that.”
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