SPFL Premiership: Celtic's stumbles give Deila food for thought

Yesterday I was writing about how the SPFL Premiership has been been a bit of an oddity this season.

It gets odder.

Celtic could have jumped up to third by winning today's home game against Hamilton.

Then this happened:

Celtic 0, Hamilton 1.

Which leaves the table looking like this:

Hamilton top, Celtic sixth.

Maybe the drama of Hamilton's defeat of Hibs in the play-off matches has given them a momentum that survived the summer.

Maybe it's just a flash in the pan.

Hamilton won't win the league. But Celtic need to do more than just win their game in hand to get back to the top of the table.

When Ronny Deila was given the Celtic job a lot of people asked "who is Ronny Deila?"

It's a problem for him, not yet a fatal problem but an issue nonetheless, that we're into October and people are still looking at each other and asking "who is Ronny Deila?"

Sixth in the table after eight games and no Champions League football (despite getting a couple of chances to make it).

Thursday's Europa League win over Dinamo Zagreb was a bright spot. The continued rehabilitation of Craig Gordon to fill the gap left by Fraser Forster's departure is another.

His is a team in transition. But being Celtic manager means making your mark on the team while still winning games. If you don't get the knack of that quickly you've got problems. Ask Tony Mowbray.

And the weight of expectation and the evidence of history combine to make unusual defeats look more meaningful than they actually are.

So this wasn't just a bad day at home to a useful Hamilton side.

This was a first home defeat to this opposition since Neville Chamberlain was still trying to appease Hitler.

It ends a run of home form that stretched to 34 games undefeated.

Celtic's strength is usually to rise above the rest of the teams, a refusal to get embroiled in that aspect of the Premiership which means anyone can beat anyone else on any given day.

To do that you need to be winning more than 50% of your games.

He's won four from eight in the SPFL and seven from 17 in all competitions. That's not good enough.

As I wrote yesterday, Celtic will win this league. The board should also show patience with Deila, they need to back their man.

But the patience can't be endless. Spending much longer than a quarter of the season mucking about in mid table isn't acceptable.

My personal view is of a manager still uncomfortable in a new role in a new country. I don't think he's handling the press particularly well and, Celtic fans might want to correct me, I don't sense a huge connection with the support.

Sometimes managers, however good, just don't "fit" with certain clubs. Deila's not yet convinced me that he's not fallen victim to that situation.

After the game he told the media:

"I'm not worried."

Any more results like today and he'll probably be feeling a lot less sanguine about his team and about his own position.

Rangers newco: Hamilton hit back

Another day, another statement.

Hamilton this time, again capturing the anger that SFL feel about the position they've been put in. And still no response from the SPL "no to newco" majority that could help allay these fears.

Coupled with the earlier statement from Raith might we be moving to a position where the SFL clubs refuse to take any vote on admitting the Rangers newco? That would certainly heap the pressure back on the SPL and SFA.

The full statement:

As you all know I attended the SFL meeting earlier this week to discuss the various proposals put to us by the SFA/SFL/SPL. We have subsequently had a board meeting to discuss the consequences of each of these scenarios. It is also now apparent that Rangers Newco will not play in the SPL next season.

As you are aware the proposal being favoured by the governing bodies is that Rangers Newco are parachuted into the Irn Bru SFL Division 1, contrary to Scottish Football League rules. If our Governing bodies ever get round to tabling any firm proposal to vote on it is unlikely in our opinion that this proposal, in isolation, would be acceptable to the members.

We believe that a complete overhaul of the game is required for the good of Scottish Football. League Reconstruction, play-offs, a fairer financial distribution model and a more effective Corporate Governance are some of the major issues which require to be addressed. The current circumstances we find ourselves in have created an opportunity for these changes to be implemented.

We believe the problems facing the game are not of the SFL’s making and as such would strongly suggest that the SFA, our governing body, take immediate ownership of the current situation in tandem with the two League bodies, and table a set of proposals at next week’s meeting providing a solution for the way forward in the best interests of Scottish Football.

In the meantime the situation changes daily and it is our view that HAFC and the other SFL clubs should not be put in the position to vote on something which may destroy Scottish Football.

Thank you for your support in these most challenging of times.

Les Gray
Chairman HAFC

From www.acciesfc.co.uk

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Posted missing

The best laid plans and all that.

So I've missed an entire year of Scottish football.

And what a year.

Rangers in a European final for the first time since 1901 and despite failing to score a goal in the whole tournament - (I joke) and who can knock their defensive tactics now?

Gretna in freefall. The fairytale turned into a nightmare (that cliche is copyright of anyone who has written about the story) as we should have guessed it would.

Hearts' debt rises as Romanov goes missing and his little son has a benny at the AGM.

Celtic are largely crap but somehow keep the SPL alive until its last act.

Hibs lose John Collins, lose two months of their campaign then invite Mixu to shake things up and fight anyone who looks at him.

Craig Levein gets United into UEFA contention where they have to fight Motherwell, whose season has reached Shakespearean heights of tragedy and thrills, all played out on a stage that looked like all the world had trampled over it.

Scotland came close to Euro 2008 in a group they had no right to compete in. Then Alex McLeish proved that, whatever else he is, he will never be accused of loyalty and longevity.

Hamilton capture the First Division after leading from the front. Another SPL shock team, they can at least look at what Gretna did and try and do the exact opposite.

It's been fun, it's been sad, it's been farcical, it's been boring at times and it's been a whole lot more besides. And it's still not over. Ranger still have eight games to play as leg two, three and four of the quadruple loom into view. This is despite having already played 9500 games since the season began back in 2001.

All Celtic can do now is win their games and hope Rangers slip up in the SPL. As always the best scenario in Govan would make it a long, cold summer in the east end of Glasgow. Whether Mr Strachan is around to share the close season with his adoring faithful remains to be seen.

The honour of lining up in the UEFA Cup with the might of Queen of the South is still up for grabs. Motherwell's games in hand might be the ace up Mark McGhee's sleeve. Or they might not be. Hibs hopes imploded somewhat in the game against Aberdeen that meant so much to the home side that Jimmy Calderwood didn't even get off his sun bed to go. Craig Levein's Utd might be the most deserving. If they don't make it then they might well qualify for the European Cup for incredibly tall football teams.

So with three weeks to go of an elongated season it's all to play for. Actually that's not true. But some embers of competition remain even for teams that aren't Rangers. I'll be there every step of the way. I'll be there for the close season. And I'll be there next season when the whole carnival kicks off again.

But I've said that before!