Celtic 14 points clear ahead of Ibrox as Philippe’s Flops flop again

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The Celtic Star

·30 December 2024

Celtic 14 points clear ahead of Ibrox as Philippe’s Flops flop again

Celts 14 Clear Before Ibrox As Philippe’s Flops Flop Again…

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers arrives prior to the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and St. Johnstone at Celtic Park on December 29, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“Never in doubt!”

Brendan Rodgers’ ear-to-ear grin told its own story as his rampant squad crushed St Johnstone at a bhoyant Celtic Park. This wasn’t just a game of two halves, but of two games, since the faithful spent a considerable amount of time with their iPhones or Androids pinging.

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It wouldn’t have mattered a jot how many changes the boss made for this tussle; the result was, as my learned friend Peter Gilmartin always ventured, “Never in doubt!”

Callum McGregor applauds the fans at the end of the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and St. Johnstone at Celtic Park on December 29, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

No Calmac, no sweat

No Calmac, no sweat, as the midfield generals, Arne Engels, Reo Hatate and Paolo Bernardo put on a show worthy of Champions. And, Champions we will most certainly be once again come May (or January?) since there is not one top flight club in Scotland worthy to be dubbed, ‘rivals’ or ‘contenders’.

An early seasonal on-fire Aberdeen flattered to deceive before giving up the ghost, and a possible tilt at the Champions League, whilst theRangers had a brief flurry before reverting to type. Fraudulent aspirants, both of them!

Josh Rae looks on as he fails to stop Kyogo Furuhashi from scoring Celtic’s goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and St. Johnstone at Celtic Park on December 29, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Champions-elect, in December, Celtic’s rout of the Perth men was rudimentary, as every player, from Alex Valle and Alistair Johnston, to the resurgent Yang Hyun-Jun and Kyogo swarmed all over their blue shirts from the first whistle, to the last.

No excuses, no appeal, no rant, no blame-attaching

Saints manager, Simo Valakari was refreshingly candid at the end; “They don’t let us breathe!” No excuses, no appeal, no rant, no blame-attaching.

Nicolas Kuhn scores the first goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and St. Johnstone at Celtic Park on December 29, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

A stunner from Nicolas Kuhn, a double from Kyogo Furuhashi, and a clever slot from Daizen Maeda sealed the deal, but the power play from all over the park was frightening, especially from an oppositional point of view.

Meanwhile, over at Fir Park, the claret and ambers were doing likewise to Philippe Clement’s theRangers, much to the mirthmaking of 60,000 Paradise-dwellers whose heroes were playing concurrently.

Tony Watt robbed of a goal

A double before half-time had the Steelmen on easy street before Hamza Igamane made it eachy-peachy with a double of his own. As expected, there was some drama afoot in darkest Lanarkshire though as ex-Celtic hero, Tony Watt had two goals chalked off.

But, hold the back page! The main event of the evening came when, under pressure from ex-Barcelona slayer, Watt, Jack Butland literally punched the ball into this own net for his second aberration in a matter of days.

Just as Flip-Flop was seen scurrilously scrolling Butland’s contractual fine-print to find an exit clause, VAR came to his rescue.

The suits hurriedly inserted a new clause which stated that, in case of an emergency, the striker was not entitled to compete for the ball, despite no contact with the ex-England netfinder, sorry, minder.

There was a clear and obvious offside in the blue camp at the Ibrox men’s first goal too, but, I’m sure there will be a letter from the sent-off-for protesting, Stuart Kettlewell, carrier-pidgeoned to the SFA to discuss incidents which will have ‘the whole of Europe talking’. Clement’s phone must be going off its dial!

A sterling week for Celtic

All in all, it’s been a sterling week for Celtic. The Bhoys have romped 14 points clear of their soon-to-be-runners-up, with an epic encounter at Ibrox to come on Thursday, 2 January 2025. Beaton, Muir, and the ghost of Bobby (R.H.) Davidson will officiate for sure.

Alistair Johnston during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and St. Johnstone at Celtic Park on December 29, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

I cannot remember there ever being a dead-rubber in a New Year fixture between Celtic and this entity, or the last.

Well, there’s a first time for everything, but, for some clubs, there’s maybe a second…

Hail Hail!

Eddie Murray

Celtic in the Thirties by Celtic Historian Matt Corr is published in two volumes by Celtic Star Books. ORDER NOW WHILE STOCKS LAST!