While Ibrox spends, spends, spends, Celtic watches on, and does the polar opposite…

As the old saying goes, “the more things change, the more they stay the same”, and if ever that was applicable now, its applicable to the Ibrox side.

The old regime is gone, and the Americans have taken over.

But nothing over there has really changed, has it?

They are still spending money like it grows on trees, and selling none of their supposed “big assets” to fund their transfer splurge.

Yes, splurge being the word the media so love to use.

No doubt though, the Celtic board is watching on gleefully.

Rubbing their hands together in celebratory fashion at the shitshow unfolding across the city.

Because make no mistake, all the hallmarks of a shitshow are there for all to see.

On Sunday, I wrote an article questioning whether we could see Russell Martin sacked after match day 4, if he found himself 10 points adrift of Celtic.

That would really be dependent on whether the Americans bowed to fan pressure.

If that scenario was to happen, Martin would find himself under savage pressure from the Ibrox stands.

And let’s not beat around the bush here, the klanbase are only looking for an excuse to turn on him.

Them falling 10, or even 9 points adrift of us after matchday 4 would be excuse enough for them to lose the plot.

All of this, should it transpire, plays right into the hands of our board.

Because let’s face it, if the Ibrox side find themselves 9 or 10 points adrift of us by August 31st, can anyone realistically see them clawing that back?

If anything, the gap will only widen after that.

We know the Ibrox players can never handle pressure from the stands.

So if things become toxic over there, which it very quickly can, they’ll wilt under that kind of pressure.

Under normal circumstances, I would revel in this.

To some degree, I probably still will.

But it will be soured by the fact that I’ll know our board is congratulating themselves on a gamble that paid off in spades.

They will feel vindicated when it comes to their inaction in the summer transfer window.

Where they will feel even more chuffed with themselves is if we have qualified for the Champions League on top of that scenario.

They would make out that this was some kind of genius calculation.

That they saw the inherent risks of “overspending” in the transfer market, and made a calculated decision not to do so because of what they envisaged happening over at Ibrox.

Now, as we all know, gambling involves many scenarios and permutations.

But in reality, this particular gamble is not very complex.

Part of it has already played out in favour of our board.

That being the fact that we are already 4 points clear of the Ibrox side.

There are only a few remaining scenarios that need to play out for all of this to work totally in our board’s favour.

The first part is that we defeat Livingston by 5pm on Saturday evening, thus putting us 7 points clear due to the fact they head to Paisley for an early kick off on Sunday afternoon.

They then proceed to lose or draw to St. Mirren, which, based on their current form is a very likely outcome.

In fact, I’m sure you’d get pretty short odds if you were to bet on St. Mirren winning or drawing against them.

Losing leaves them 7 points adrift of us, drawing leaves them 6 points behind.

As I’ve said, either scenario presents us with the chance to go 9 or 10 points clear.

So this particular gamble is very realistic for our board.

And by that, I mean the gamble of doing little to nothing when it comes to supplying the manager with what he needs before the transfer window shuts.

When we rock up to Ibrox on the 31st, if they are 6 or 7 points adrift of us, the pressure is entirely on them.

We can actually afford to just play for a draw in this game if we want.

They will have to go for it against us.

And with Martin’s open and expansive style of play, players like Daizen Maeda and Kieran Tierney marauding on the left will have a field day on the counter attack.

James Forrest on the right, supported by Alistair Johnston, would also run riot.

For at least 60 minutes anyway.

By which time, the job could be well and truly done.

Now, if I know this, and can realistically can see it happening, do you think our board is not looking at it from that perspective too?

So, as the Ibrox side continues to spend, and Paraag Marathe dropped hints at Elland Road last night that there may be further spending before the window shuts, our board is calculating all of the permutations of NOT spending as a result of the possibilities they see unfolding over there.

Right now, we are doing the polar opposite of what they’re doing.

But be under no illusions here, this is a very calculated gamble by our board.

Although it could easily play out just as they’d wish it to, there’s also a good chance it might backfire on them.

Realistically though, I see less chance of it going that way.

I doubt we will lose or draw to Livingston at home.

And I also doubt, unless everything somehow clicks perfectly on the day, that the Ibrox side will win big against St. Mirren.

Their form thus far domestically dictates that they will struggle at the SMISA stadium.

Toss into the mix that they might have been torn asunder by Club Brugge before the Derby game, and you know that the fans will lose the plot if they concede early to us.

It has all the makings of a tinderbox ready to explode into flames.

And as I said, while I would enjoy all of it thoroughly, and the fallout thereafter, it would be soured by the fact our board would believe their calculated gamble paid off.

Their attitude would be that they didn’t need to spend.

That they knew all along they didn’t need to spend.

Then if the Ibrox side dropped more points in the league after the international break, there would be little or no pressure on us when it came to winning the league.

Now, I’m fully aware that Hearts and Hibs could offer a somewhat more realistic threat after that, but history of late proves that said challenge is likely to fall away eventually.

This is the way our board sees things playing out.

They believe that things will play out this way because that’s the way it always has in the past.

And right now, the signs, as much as I hate to admit it, point to things remaining the same.

In fact, our board are the epitome of “the more things change, the more they stay the same”.

Because when they promise change, and that our club aims to be world class in everything it does, nothing changes.

Everything stays the same.

Both inside and outside the walls of Celtic Park.

They rely totally on that.

Its why they will never change.

And even if things did change in the Scottish game?

They’d be too old and stale to adapt.

Because the ease with which we dominate the Scottish domestic scene is the cause of their complacency.

And when complacency takes root, it results in leading to a decline in motivation, and vigilance.

Combined with a reluctance to seek improvement or adapt to change.

Finally, complacency results in a tolerance for mediocrity.

This is the road we’re headed down under this board.

And it will not change until they vacate Celtic Park.

You know it, and I know it.

YouTube: Back The Manager Sack The Board

Last night’s Trinity Tims podcast was packed full of controversial points and discussion. You can catch them all here.