Honestly, what we Celtic fans experienced this afternoon was frustration mixed with absolute disbelief. Seriously, I am almost speechless. And believe me, for someone who can usually find a thousand words to describe what is happening at Celtic Park, that is quite a statement to make.

I care about Celtic more than words can describe.

I have supported the Bhoys in Green and White through some good, some bad and some downright ugly. Two seasons ago, I came to Scotland for a treble party which ended in Scottish Cup defeat. When I came over towards the end of last season for the Motherwell and Hearts games it was more in hope than expectation, so I have seen some highs already and some lows.

But what I witnessed today cannot continue. Something is seriously wrong at Celtic, and pretending otherwise would be an insult to every supporter who spends their hard-earned money following this club.

What happened to you today, my boys in green and white? Where was the fighting spirit? Where was the tactical organisation? Where was the champions’ mentality?

Tactically, shite. Defensively, shite. Going forward, shite. Cooperation between players, practically non-existent. Leadership? Where on earth was it?

I am sorry, but this was not the Celtic I expect to see. Not even remotely close.

Let me be absolutely clear: I have enormous respect for Martin O’Neill. He is a brilliant man, a man who stepped into the chaos last season and helped rescue Celtic when we desperately needed someone to take responsibility.

I will never dismiss what he has done for this club. His history at Celtic speaks for itself, and his return was welcomed by supporters who wanted stability, experience and somebody who understood what wearing the green and white shirt actually meant.

However, respect for a manager does not mean giving him an unlimited licence to get things wrong. And this is where my concerns begin.

Martin O’Neill’s methods worked beautifully when he was managing Celtic 25 years ago. Football was different then. The demands were different, the tactical landscape was different, and the game itself has evolved considerably.

What worked in the past does not automatically work in 2026. Football does not stand still simply because somebody has a glorious history in the dugout.

I am beginning to wonder whether we are witnessing a managerial approach that belongs to another era. Experience is valuable, absolutely, but experience must evolve. You cannot expect yesterday’s solutions to solve today’s problems.

And today’s performance against Falkirk was another massive warning sign.

A club Celtic should be approaching with confidence, authority and the expectation of controlling the game. Instead, we watched our team struggle, lose their organisation and ultimately suffer a 2-0 defeat.

Celtic were capable of beating sides like Falkirk 5-1 last season, and now we are making the same fixture look like some complicated European examination for which nobody has bothered to revise. Champions of Scotland? Really?

I would love somebody to explain to me what exactly has happened to this football team.

Look at the recent sequence of results. Celtic produce a magnificent 7-1 victory over Hearts, giving supporters a glimpse of what this squad might actually be capable of. We begin to believe that perhaps things are finally falling into place.

Then comes another Europa League disappointment, followed by a dreadful 2-2 draw against Dundee United, and now this embarrassing 2-0 defeat to Falkirk.

Where is the consistency? Where is the plan? Where is the progression? One afternoon we look like a team capable of destroying the opposition. The next, we look like a collection of players who have only just met in the dressing room.

And that brings me to something that genuinely irritated me while watching today’s match.

Watching Celtic was like watching a school football team during PE.

I am not even joking. It looked as though every player was still trying to work out his new position, his responsibilities and what on earth the other ten players were supposed to be doing. There was no proper understanding, no natural cooperation and no convincing evidence of a coherent tactical structure.

Football is a team sport. Eleven individuals wearing the same shirt do not automatically become a functioning team. Players need to understand their roles, anticipate one another’s movements, create passing options and know exactly what is expected of them. That is the foundation of football organisation.

Yet what did I see today? Players looking uncomfortable. Movements lacking purpose. Misplaced passes. Defensive confusion. An attacking approach that seemed to depend more on individual inspiration than any collective idea.

How is that acceptable at Celtic?

We are not talking about a newly promoted club trying to establish itself in the top flight. We are talking about Celtic, a club with resources, facilities, expectations and a responsibility to compete at the highest level possible in Scottish football.

And before anybody tells me to calm down, I would suggest that supporters have already been patient enough. I do not expect Celtic to win every single match. Nobody does. Defeats happen. Football is unpredictable.

But I absolutely expect to see a team with an identity, a recognisable playing philosophy, tactical discipline and the determination to fight for the badge.

Today, I saw very little of that.

What worries me most is that these problems are no longer isolated incidents. We are seeing the same weaknesses repeatedly, and there appears to be no convincing solution. The manager must take responsibility for that. So must the coaching staff, and so must the players. It cannot always be somebody else’s fault.

Martin O’Neill deserves respect, but he also deserves to be questioned. His reputation cannot protect him from legitimate criticism, especially when Celtic are delivering performances that fall so far below the standards expected of this club.

I want to see him succeed. I genuinely do. I would love nothing more than to watch him lead Celtic to another successful season. But wanting something and pretending everything is fine are two entirely different things.

And right now, everything is far from fine.

So, what’s next, Celtic? Another must-win? Another tactical experiment? Another afternoon of supporters scratching their heads and wondering what they have just witnessed?

I am running out of patience with the same explanations, the same inconsistencies and the same disappointing performances.

The Celtic board pricks must also start looking seriously at what is happening on the pitch. We cannot keep treating every defeat as an unfortunate accident. There must be accountability, proper football leadership and, above all, a clear direction.

The supporters deserve better. Celtic Park deserves better.

I will continue supporting my club because that is what being a Celtic supporter means to me. But loyalty does not mean silence, and love for Celtic does not require me to applaud performances that are simply unacceptable.

I am angry, disappointed and genuinely worried.

Celtic, wake up before this season turns into an absolute catastrophe. Because if we continue like this, the question will no longer be whether we can recover our form. It will be how much more damage we are prepared to allow before somebody finally takes responsibility for stopping the rot.

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