These are happy times for Celtic fans who are partial to a bit of Sevco schadenfreude.
Since the defeat at Pittodrie, social media has been a veritable smorgasbord of quintessentially British anguish.
The recognition that they might be Simply The Second Best for the duration doesn’t sit well with those socialised into supremacism.
Their nativist instincts are further injured by the fact that the top club was formed by despised immigrants from Ireland at a time when anti-Irish racism was mainstream and respectable.
Dear reader that is the cultural core of their pain.
Of course, these societal axioms cannot be spoken of among members of the Stenography Corps in Fair Caledonia.
The semi-final offers the possibility of temporary respite.
What the Ibrox klanbase need most of all this week is that the journey is not over.
The nagging doubt that this is the end of the road and as good as it gets is what is causing the pain.
Looking on at their torment has been fascinating.
Consequently, I considered the utility function of pain.
Kahlil Gibran’s (1883-1931) wisdom on the subject is particularly instructive.
On Pain
And a woman spoke, saying, Tell us of Pain.
And he said:
Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.
Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart may stand in the sun, so must you know pain.
And could you keep your heart in wonder at the daily miracles of your life your pain would not seem less wondrous than your joy;
And you would accept the seasons of your heart, even as you have always accepted the seasons that pass over your fields.
And you would watch with serenity through the winters of your grief.
Much of your pain is self-chosen.
It is the bitter potion by which the physician within you heals your sick self.
Therefore trust the physician, and drink his remedy in silence and tranquillity:
For his hand, though heavy and hard, is guided by the tender hand of the Unseen,
And the cup he brings, though it burn your lips, has been fashioned of the clay which the Potter has moistened with His own sacred tears.
When I read those words, I realise that every stanza has particular relevance for the Ibrox klanbase.
Once more:
Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.
Much of your pain is self-chosen.
It is the bitter potion…
Indeed so.
Sunday offers the possibility of a brief respite from their chronic pain condition.
It is fair to say that the ethnic brogue wearers in the Blue Room were less than delighted with Mr Beale after Pittodrie.
I do hope that the dignified conclave that apparently examined his severance terms came to nothing.
I’m told that Mickey B considered that the £5m for Malik Tillman was already put to one side and should not be considered part of his summer transfer budget.
Therefore, he wanted a similar quantum spent on another exciting young talent.
Speculating idly, I would say that someone like Lewis Ferguson at Bologna would fit the bill.
He would certainly please the fans if he arrived at the stadium Mr John Brown played for.
It would ethnically soothe them.
Then there is a striker who has also caught Mickey B’s eye.
The only problem is that the unnamed frontman would take up the entire budget and then a bit more!
As ever, we must follow follow the money.
Quite simply, Celtic has much more of the stuff on a sustainable basis year after year after year.
Hell, that’s gotta hurt!
Addendum
The breaking news that Mr Stewart Robertson has quit the rapidly listing HMS Ibrox will come as no surprise to regular readers here.
Here is mine from earlier this month.
Indeed, as I reported at the time when the Director of Fantasy escaped to the City Ground, several members of the Sevco High Command were expecting the managing director to be the chap who would head for the exit.
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Funny how one man’s pain is another man’s pleasure, and how watching another ‘mana pain can be so captivating and enjoyable, especially if it’s been a long time in coming and they deserve all the shit that can be heaped on them.
Where there is a decision that does not suit Scotland’s best of the rest and league runners up Scottish football has the elephant in the room nearby, especially if it involves anything to do with celebrations by the champions Celtic or their support.
Spoiler Saturday, has shown the own goals the SFA are willing to score, they could have had a super Saturday and made something of the spectacle but, alas not…Why? Looking back at previous seasons the elephant then was Police Scotland and their “concerns” of social unrest and violence by support, but yet if involves the guardians of the monuments from down old govan way, it’s not a problem.
Remembering how sick the Scottish press were that those dirty celebrating Fenians who left rubbish beside bins that were full and unemptied since the day before, shocking… How they celebrated without trashing anything including memorial benches, and did so without any violence towards each other or police Scotland and its union jack wearing constables, and yet Celtic support are seen as the national problem.
I would wager this has a lot more to do with the boys in blue, those guardians of the law and their bigoted bitterness than Scotland’s newest team who play out of Govan.
The sfa clearly believe in your headline, what with the post split fixture announcement today, trying to inflict as much pain on Celtic fans as possible. That fixture list is totally unbelievable, it is crazy that even when the league is more or less over with, that the sfa clearly want to dampen any Celtic fan title celebrations.
In doing so they show their contempt for the everyday Celtic fan, the same fans who pay a sizeable percentage of their wages. They show their hand time and again, but, the real question is why the Celtic board continues do bugger all about that treatment of their fans? They’re the biggest club in Scotland but behave rather timidly when it comes to challenging those same authorities.
Seems there’s a need from the so called governors of the game to make something feel more relevant than it actually is let’s swallow swallow their placebo its sweet when taken with sugar coated m&ms (mumps and moans) deja bleu
Indeed, you’re correct about that, and I like the ‘deja bleu’ addendum.
As long as we’re still heading towards a treble after Sunday’s semi, I’ll take that placebo without hesitation.
KONAN
In fairness to you, Phil, you have been saying this day would come for quite some time. He has finally reached breaking point and probably realised that his advice is not being taken.
Quite a statement about Beale’s severance terms.
Ever get the feeling the 🐀’s have chosen the escape hatch on the sinking, not so jolly, Ipox 🤔🤔🤔
Yet according the STV news tonight all is well over at Ibrox
With plenty signings afoot for summer .
Strange when everybody seems to be abandoning the good ship Sevco .
Going for 55…administration events
Their pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses my happiness.
Seamus1967
Nice analogy Phil but for the last stanza – here’s hoping they don’t get their vile lips anywhere near the cup on Sunday!
Main point.
In the scheme of things, it doesn’t matter.
The resource landscape is set.
Look at the league title stats in this century (since the new Celtic Park was completed).
It’s there in plain sight.
The Scottish football hierarchy are ‘almost’ funny. They’re desperate to avoid a Celts celebration, and maybe spoil auld Charlie’s freak show on 6 May. Arranging these first two away games for Hoops might allow them some temporary relief. Pathetic.
Something is clearly about to give way !!!
I’m investing in Ben and Jerry and Rowantrees shares….
https://www.rangers.co.uk/Article/rangers-announce-executive-team-changes/6Rnj8ZE5olNX4pAFz0haMq
‘Too contrived for a novel’s
‘Rearranging deckchairs on Titanic
The new top guy the one who was responsible for all those contracts they’ve been in court for? Really?
The hordes think they have solved their problems with these latest 3 departures. It’s incredible how they just want scapegoats.
It’s telling I think that his replacement has come from within and not an outsider with a fresh outlook. Whatever is coming down the pike will I hope leave a trail of absolute carnage.
Without Celtic, Scottish football would be nowhere and could not afford the probably ridiculous salaries the administrators command so why is it the board sit back and take the crap dealt out to them The priority of the powers-that-be should have been to allow for the possibility of Celtic winning the league with their next game in front of their fans and therefore creating a carnival atmosphere as an advert for Scottish football.
As it is they are away to Hearts and Sevco first.
It’s endless.
Even a worm turns sometime but not the Celtic board.
There is a sense of impending doom burning throughout Mordor.
Good.
Jeez Charlie, let’s just examine that first line. Let’s not be completely blinkered here( unless your only ambition is Scottish football ) Celtic have fallen way behind Rangers recent exploits in Europe.
Worth considering carefully given how bad you consider Rangers to be don’t you think?
Yes Rangers reached a final. Could they actually afford the squad that got them there?
I entirely support your right to believe what you believe but, rightly or wrongly, the “Rangers” brand to most of the non-Ibrox cliental believe it is like Psycho’s mother. She moves about, lives in her old house and her clothes are worn daily but it isn’t really her although the son truly believes in her so she “lives.”
” Recent Exploits ” Worth considering that TRFC lost the Europa cup final to the 11th best team in Germany,
It is also worth considering that when TRFC played in the CL this season that they earned the accolade as the worst ever team to play in the CL
How deluded are you that you think that Scottish football revolves around Celtic? Celtic or Rangers for that matter, would be nothing without the other 40 teams in Scotland. Unless of course you want to just play each other every week. Good luck with that.
Whatever is hurtling down the tracks in their direction must be mightily formidable to make three of them jump ship within one month. Ban from Europe perhaps? Here’s hoping….