Don’t know about you, but from my seat there was a very clear Celtic problem that surfaced again at the weekend.
The Bhoys looked absolutely ragged. Their tiredness was abundantly clear to see; the passing was slow and plodding, the pressing intensity was minimal. By the end of the meeting at Tannadice, with its obvious repercussions, Celtic looked physically and emotionally bereft.
Yes, this season has been unlike any other. There wasn’t adequate time for a proper pre-season, a continental summer trip was out of the question. For all the talk of high-intensity training in Dubai, it didn’t pay off. This Celtic side has a problem, and that problem is fatigue.
On a surface level, who can blame these players? The likes of Callum McGregor have more minutes than a COBRA meeting. Equally, players like Odsonne Edouard and Kristoffer Ajer have been run ragged. For all the recruitment of the last while, and the youngsters at Celtic’s disposal, the squad depth is minimal.
That’s a real worry, and fixing it needs to be a prerogative for the next manager. So often at the ends of matches, we’ve looked like conceding. It’s not like the Hoops have started particularly well in matches, either. If you recall the AC Milan game where we led after 15 minutes, it was a total anomaly.
Is John Collins an answer to the Celtic problem?
Right, hear me out, because I know it sounds ridiculous. But John Collins, he of six-pack fame, has put his hat in the ring for a role in Celtic’s set-up next season. He’s a divisive character; for my money, he deserves any job he wants because he winked at the camera before the first World Cup match I can remember watching. Superficial? Entirely.
Semi-jokes aside, Collins was credited with helping to bring up the standards of fitness under Ronny Deila. The duo were, and are, obsessed with nutrition and fitness coaching. The former Monaco and Celtic man recently had to dampen claims Deila made, regarding his being fitter than many of the Celtic players [Glasgow Live].
Leaving aside arguments as to whether Collins should be Director of Football, there needs to be at least one person addressing Celtic’s fitness problem. While Collins might not be the answer, necessarily, any modern club has a dedicated fitness coach. Imagine the difference it would’ve made this season, if Celtic could’ve actually lasted 90 minutes playing at high-intensity. Instead, we’ve looked laboured and meandering for most of 20-21.
What I’m saying is that at the minimum, discourse around John Collins should in a round-about way remind the Celtic board of the importance of fitness. Under Neil Lennon, Leigh Griffiths returned from the break out of shape. The likes of Rogic and Duffy never looked physically equipped to the manager’s demands. There are too many examples of this Celtic problem; being caught out late in games because the players are struggling with stamina.
I’m not suggesting John Collins ought to be Director of Football. All I’m suggesting is that if he were, there’d be a greater focus on stamina, athleticism and diet. Those factors seem to have been forgotten about since Lennon returned to Celtic.
More’s the pity.
ELSEWHERE ON 67 HAIL HAIL: a fruitless endeavour? Or a dream fit?
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