It was a good soundbite at the time. Perhaps, eventually, even a stick with which to beat Ange Postecoglou when his hurriedly arranged marriage with Celtic began to hit the buffers.
‘We never stop’ was the big Aussie’s tag line as he marched out onto the training pitch at Lennoxtown on his first day on the job. On reflection, 18 months later, he’s proved to be every bit as good as his word. They have not stopped. On the contrary, they have barely paused to take a breath.
But there’s something bigger at play now that the champions are closing in on another domestic clean sweep. It’s no longer merely a case of Celtic not stopping. Rather, it’s beginning to look as if they might be absolutely unstoppable for as long as Postecoglou has his hands on the wheel. It certainly appeared that way for Hearts on Saturday when the men in maroon were mercilessly mowed down on their own pitch and in front of their own fans, despite Robbie Neilson plotting for a place in the last four of the Scottish Cup.
This is what happens when an immovable object becomes an irresistible force all rolled into one and it’s why Postecoglou has spoken about ‘doing something special’ before the current campaign comes to a close in a little less than three months from now.
For the hard understanding, that was Australian code for completing a treble and it’s becoming difficult to envisage anything other than a full house of glittering trophies being wrapped up in green and white ribbons when the curtain comes down at Hampden on June 3. And that’s even before the draw for the Scottish Cup semi finals is completed after tonight’s last eight tie between Falkirk and Ayr United.
One way or another, realistically only Rangers can stand in Postecoglou’s path but the truth of the matter is Michael Beale’s big rebuild is not yet sturdy or robust enough to withstand what Celtic will hit them with when the time comes at the national stadium, be it in the next round or in the showpiece finale.
And the Englishman is attempting to spin plates at a time when a section of the support is nearing a full scale revolt against the men at the top of the staircase.
Yesterday at Ibrox, as Beale’s side laboured past Raith Rovers to make it into the hat, the lack of atmosphere inside the stadium was the most remarkable feature of an otherwise instantly forgettable cup tie.
The noisy, militant wing of the Broomloan Road stand locked themselves out of their own singing section amidst all manner of suggestions.
The Union Bears claimed this was the result of heavy-handed policing from the other boys in blue, whose job it is to keep these adolescent agitators in check in the name of decency and maintaining public order.
Others suspected their absence was down to a diktat fired straight from the boardroom bunker, preventing them from openly criticising the regime - only one week after these same fans unfurled a banner which demanded change at the top.
For the record, the club released a statement before the final whistle had sounded on yesterday’s 3-0 win to explain they had refused to permit what would have been an ‘offensive anti-police’ protest.
If that’s the case then good on them for taking such a noble and no-nonsense stance. Certainly, someone somewhere wanted them to be silenced and whoever it was got exactly what they wished for on a day which summed up the current climate of disquiet on the south bank of the river Clyde.
Beale might be repairing the broken bunch that he inherited from Giovanni van Bronckhorst in rapid style but, if the club itself is fractured from the top down then what chance does the Londonder really stand?
The manager has called in public for unity and alignment as he attempts to steer the ship through some seriously choppy waters but the latest horribly misjudged noises from above, which dropped in the form of a podcast with investor Stuart Gibson, went down like a depth charge.
Gibson appeared to be in a state of stonewall denial as he spoke in gushing terms of the quality of those currently manning the club’s command centre. It was tone deaf. But if this really is the prevailing mindset inside the Blue Room then it’s no wonder the fans are reacting with such hostility because – banners or no banners – it feels as if fundamental change will be required if Beale is to successfully play catch-up this summer.
Fresh investment and new ideas will be needed as well as a more open and transparent approach to reconnecting with the fanbase. Even Beale, who speaks with admirable honesty, has tripped himself up over the past few weeks by insisting repeatedly no contracts have been offered to the likes of Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent. How can that possibly add up when, on the eve of the new season, Van Bronckhorst insisted that Morelos was poised to put pen to paper on an extension?
“Alfredo is very positive about a new contract,” the Dutchman said before adding, “We are doing our very best to get a new deal agreed and we hope to have that sorted out in the coming weeks”. Either that deal was taken off the table or Beale is completely unaware that any such discussions were held before he arrived, in which case he’s not being fully informed from above.
Or they did not take place at all, in which case the previous manager was wilfully leading the fans up the garden path where the future of his first choice striker was concerned. And that would make even less sense.
Beale also openly accepts that all manner of big decisions will have to be made in the summer as he moves into the second phase of his tenure. What he doesn’t need is to be bashing heads with his own board at the same time.
For now, though, he can only play with the hand he’s been dealt as another defining Hampden confrontation with Postecoglou looms large on the horizon. And he is likely to discover once again that the stopping of Celtic is going to take a bit more time.
READ NEXT
