Only in the increasingly mad world of the Old Firm could one club have clear-the-air talks between players and management 24 hours before going top of the SPL. By all accounts the Celtic squad spent a part of Saturday with Tony Mowbray, Mark Venus and Peter Grant trying to broker a peace deal.
The cause of the players' discontentment, one must assume, came from the scatter-gun approach that Gordon Strachan's successor has taken to his side's inadequacies this season. Singling out the central defence for criticism after the defeat to Rangers, then the attack after the draw with Motherwell, and them lumping all the players in to a 'not good enough' category after the Europa League defeat by Hamburg, would have done nothing for team morale.
After the 2-1 win over Hamilton at New Douglas Park on Sunday, where there were no real signs of improvement although the Hoops' first win in five games eased some pressure, skipper Stephen McManus admitted that "time will tell" if the talks had been successful. Certainly, it appeared to be a chastened Mowbray who turned up at the post-match press conference.
He refused to discuss the quality of his side's performance, significant, perhaps, given that the issue has been a staple topic of his discussions with the media since he arrived at Celtic Park in the summer. He did, though, trot out the managerial mantra of the result being the most important thing.
It was perhaps an indication that a pact of sorts has been made to keep criticism in-house. How long that will last, time, indeed, will tell.
How long before the question of new signings is addressed, is easier to answer. Next Friday, Celtic's AGM will take place at Parkhead and you can be sure that chief executive Peter Lawwell will be quizzed, by shareholders and the media, on how much Mowbray be allowed to spend when the January transfer window opens.
The reply will be typically corporate, a promise of funds without an exact figure being made known, which, to be fair, is understandable. Mowbray's early stock-take, though, suggests that a Willo Flood-type signing (whatever happened to him?), will not be enough to keep him happy and the fans, similarly depressed with what they have been watching thus far, will also be looking for a boost. There are many outside Parkhead who, like most Hoops supporters, believe that not pushing the boat out in January cost Celtic the title last season. I am one of them.
Lawwell, keen to keep the club's debt in check, will be under pressure to release funds for his manager although Mowbray's summer signings may cause him to have some reservations. Striker Marc-Antoine Fortune, at the cost of around £4million, is only just returning from a knee injury but his early performances were unconvincing. Defender Danny Fox (£1.5million) was left out against Accies despite being fit again. On-loan midfielder Landry N'Guemo, after an impressive pre-season, is struggling with confidence. And his passing. He too, was left in the New Douglas Park stand.
However, with rivals Rangers in turmoil at the moment, the Old Firm dynamic has the potential to change again. After Saturday's 1-1 draw with Hibs at Ibrox, Light Blues' manager Walter Smith, with some exasperation, revealed the bank was running the club while a new owner is sought. Smith is not sure if he will still be at the club in January, far less expecting any money to replenish his severely limited squad.
While their great rivals remain in limbo, the chance for Celtic to regain recent superiority may be available again.
It would be folly for Lawwell to pass up on it this time.
Last updated: 26 October 2009, 13:53
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