Some people in our media are just desperate for Celtic to fail. They ...

Today, a national newspaper—though I won’t name it—and a certain journalist—also unnamed—reminded us of an enduring truth: there are people out there whose lives seem to revolve around the fantasy that we are forever teetering on the brink of total collapse, just one result away from disaster.

I know some readers urge me to name and shame those I write about, but there are times when discretion serves a purpose. In this instance, I’m not giving the newspaper or the journalist the satisfaction of being named. They don’t deserve the recognition. They’ve done nothing to earn the publicity except attempt to troll us, nor the privilege of being elevated to a discussion about Celtic by having their names in it. Instead, they will remain in the shadows, where their bitter scribblings belong.

For most readers, it won’t take much effort to figure out who I’m talking about or the nonsense I’m referring to. There’s a reason I don’t feel the need to spell it out. We’ve all seen this narrative play out before, and we know what’s coming.

A bad result for us on Wednesday will be seized upon, blown entirely out of proportion, and presented as a catastrophic event. Never mind that this season has already been a success in many ways. Never mind the fact that one poor night won’t undo the strides we’ve made or the strength of this team. For these individuals, that’s irrelevant. What they crave is chaos. What they want is a crisis.

What astounds me is their complete disregard for the bigger picture. A bad result for Celtic doesn’t just hurt us; it damages the country’s coefficient, diminishes Scotland’s prestige in Europe, and threatens our ability to graduate teams into the Champions League in the future.

Yet none of that seems to matter to these people. Their fixation is so single-minded that they can’t see—or don’t care about—the broader ramifications. They’d happily see all of Scottish football burn to the ground if it meant the opportunity to gloat at Celtic’s expense. That’s the level of pettiness we’re dealing with here.

Some of these individuals claim to have Celtic connections or have even been described as “Celtic-minded.” But their bitterness—whether it stems from past grievances, personal slights, or some perceived injustice—has twisted them into something unrecognisable.

They’ve become obsessed with the idea of us suffering. It no longer matters to them whether that’s justified or not; they just want it to happen. But their motivations, whatever they are, have led them to a dark and toxic place.

Here’s the thing: I don’t believe for one second that they’ll get their wish.

I fully expect us to win on Wednesday, and I’m confident it will be a comfortable enough night. That’s not to say there aren’t reasons for nerves—there always are when the stakes are high—but I believe in this team and this manager. I’ll write more about those nerves later, but for now, let’s acknowledge the reality: some people are openly rooting for us to fail. They see Wednesday as an opportunity to stir the pot and cast doubt over the manager, the players, and the club as a whole.

Not that the team isn’t already under scrutiny.

Some players are getting it in the neck, and it’s not just the defenders this time. Both of our strikers have come under fire, and even the midfield isn’t immune to criticism. It’s a testament to how desperate some people are to generate a negative headline.

They will grasp at the flimsiest evidence, twist it to suit their narrative, and push it as far as they can. These critics are the same people who have repeatedly demonstrated their cluelessness when it comes to assessing talent, yet they still have the audacity to pose as experts.

Take Adam Idah, for example. Some of these clowns have latched onto his recent goal drought and are calling him a waste of money. It’s ludicrous.

As I’ve said before, we didn’t pluck Idah’s name out of thin air. We saw his quality last season, and we know what he’s capable of. Yes, he’s had a lean spell, but we also know that with time, patience, and support, he’ll find his feet again.

But these people would rather take cheap shots because it costs them nothing, and they know they’ll never be held accountable for their ignorance.

And it’s not just Idah. Celtic as a whole is constantly under siege from these critics. They thrive on turning minor dips in form into full-blown crises. They know they can’t sustain that narrative for long, so they’re already preparing for Wednesday, hoping for a poor result so they can unleash their fantasies of our season spiralling out of control.

It’s pathetic. These people epitomise the small-mindedness and bitterness that plagues much of the media in this country.

They would rather see Celtic crash out of Europe than succeed because it gives them the story they want. They don’t care about the damage it would do to us, to Scottish football, or to the coefficient. All they care about is getting their anti-Celtic headline and indulging their thirst for revenge over imagined historical slights.

Their bitterness is appalling. Their ignorance is legendary. And time and again, this team has silenced them. I look forward to us continuing to do so, not just on Wednesday, but for a long time to come.

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