From Strength in Depth to Managed Decline – How Did We Get Here?

January 2nd 2023. We went to Castle Greyskull with a starting 11 of:

Joe Hart. Johnston. Carter-Vickers. Starfelt. Taylor. McGregor. Hatate. O’Riley. Forrest. Maeda. Kyogo.

And then look at the bench.

Bain, Giakoumakis, Abada, Mooy, Jota, Kobayashi, Bernabei, Abildgaard and Juranovic.

That isn’t just a good starting XI. That is a squad with serious depth.

You could make changes during a game and bring on players who could genuinely change the outcome. Jota, Abada and Giakoumakis sitting on the bench for a match against them tells you everything about the level of competition within that squad.

Now compare that with where we are today.

We have spent the last few years watching established quality leave and, far too often, watching potential come through the door as the replacement.

Players who could win you games, change matches and create genuine competition for places have gradually disappeared.

And the problem isn’t simply that individual players have left.

It’s what has replaced them.

We are now watching a Celtic midfield where Callum McGregor is still expected to carry an enormous amount of responsibility despite being 33, while younger and less experienced players are being asked to fill roles previously occupied by established performers.

Up front, we’ve gone from having Jota, Abada, Kyogo and Giakoumakis competing for places to a situation where supporters are questioning whether we even have enough quality to properly rotate the team.

That is the definition of a squad getting weaker.

The most frustrating part is that this hasn’t happened overnight.

It has been gradual.

One player leaves. Another isn’t properly replaced. A promising player comes in. Another established player moves on. The squad gets a little thinner. Then another transfer window comes around and we’re told to be excited about potential.

Eventually, you look at the starting XI and realise the depth that once existed simply isn’t there anymore.

This isn’t about refusing to accept change.

Football squads have to evolve. Players move on. Young players need opportunities. Not every departure is a disaster.

But there is a massive difference between rebuilding a squad and allowing the overall standard to decline.

And that’s where Celtic supporters have every right to be frustrated.

We shouldn’t be comparing today’s bench with some imaginary perfect Celtic squad. We can compare it with our own recent standards.

A team that could leave Jota, Abada, Giakoumakis, Mooy and Juranovic on the bench wasn’t struggling for options.

Today’s Celtic feels like it is struggling to replace the options it has lost.

That isn’t progression. That’s managed decline.

And the danger is that supporters eventually become conditioned to it.

“Give him time.”

“He’s only 20.”

“He’ll develop.”

“We’ll strengthen in January.”

“We can’t replace everyone.”

Eventually, the expectation becomes lower and lower until simply winning Scotland is considered enough.

But Celtic should be asking a different question.

Are we actually getting better?

Because if the answer is no, then we have to stop pretending that constantly replacing proven quality with potential is the same thing as building a stronger squad.

The Celtic of that photograph had genuine competition for places.

The Celtic of today needs to rediscover it.

We shouldn’t be accepting the downgrades, bhoys. We should be asking why they keep happening.