Celtic head into Europe again, languishing in 35th place - without a single point and facing three of their next four matches on the road

Brace yourselves and weather the tempest.

Celtic have found themselves in this exact predicament countless times in recent seasons, meaning they don't require a meteorological alert or a designated storm system to understand how to endure at its centre and emerge unscathed on the far side.

Therefore, despite Boelo's attempts to knock them off balance in Leith on Sunday, they responded as they typically do. They dug in and departed with another trio of league points secured.

Yet, while they've perfected the skill of navigating the whirlwinds of their own making, there's a persistent concern that, on this occasion, it might not simply dissipate, as it has on all those previous occasions.

It may well do so again. Perhaps, when May arrives, the club's faithful will once more be gathering in Glasgow's Merchant City, marking a 15th championship in 16 seasons, reports the Daily Record.

Exactly as they habitually do.

However, that's only if successfully defending their domestic title remains the ultimate objective for this football club. And it's starting to seem as though segments of the support are no longer willing to accept that narrative.

Naturally, they'll welcome whatever silverware comes their way.

Certainly, they'll have deserved the opportunity to savour the occasion too, having remained loyal to their side throughout another tumultuous and emotionally draining season.

Should Celtic manage to navigate through the swirling ticker tape and secure another Premiership crown, they'll at least have prevented the worst-case scenario - watching the trophy head across Glasgow to their rivals.

Successfully fending off this latest Rangers challenge might bring more of a sense of relief than celebration because, at this moment in time, there's scant evidence of advancement on the field or any clear strategic direction being implemented behind the scenes.

Increasingly, it appears the champions are scraping through by the narrowest of margins.

Admittedly, yesterday's victory at Easter Road restored the four-point advantage at the summit. That Celtic struggled wasn't particularly shocking given the dreadful, blustery weather conditions battering Leith during the storm.

The match itself was riddled with mistakes and, frankly, Celtic's display matched the kit they wore - thoroughly uninspiring.

However, on occasions like these, what counts is getting through unscathed, and that's exactly what Celtic achieved in Edinburgh.

Even still, there wasn't much to cheer about, and not solely because Alistair Johnston's long-awaited return from the substitutes' bench lasted fewer than 20 minutes.

The Canadian came on to replace the injured Colby Donovan, only to limp off himself requiring a substitution. All of which meant Dane Murray finished the match deputising as a makeshift right back, precisely when Martin O'Neill believed his choices in that area were starting to appear considerably more robust.

It proved to be that sort of afternoon for Celtic and their boss. One best consigned to the memory bin.

Kasper Hogh was reintroduced into O'Neill's first eleven and spent roughly an hour being buffeted about like discarded packaging.

The £11m signing squandered a handful of opportunities during his time on the pitch but, for the most part, contributed precious little before being substituted by Hasseim Hassan.

O'Neill stated afterwards that this represented Celtic's 'best win of the season' which was in itself an admission that his team was performing well below its optimal standard.

It was a result secured through pure grit and resolve and, ultimately, these tend to be the sort of victories that accumulate into championships throughout any league season.

Which returns us to our opening point.

So once more, the question needs posing: is another Premiership title truly going to suffice for supporters who have every justification to expect more from a club that is itself in limbo?

Three consecutive Europa League losses suggest an extended spell of gradual deterioration and the image of a 74-year-old figure managing all this and trying to keep everything intact from the touchline, serves as additional evidence of this myopic, short-term approach. There's no doubt O'Neill pulled off something of a miracle last term when he stepped in for Brendan Rodgers and subsequently Wilfried Nancy, at a time when Celtic's error-prone hierarchy appeared determined to self-destruct.

The experienced manager earned praise from the Hoops faithful for his heroic efforts in steadying the ship and securing a remarkable double.

Yet despite O'Neill's monumental achievements, the underlying problems continued to simmer beneath the surface.

Those lingering issues threaten to erupt into a full-scale crisis on Guy Fawkes night, when Besiktas visit Glasgow's east end hoping to inflict more damage on Celtic's European aspirations.

The big-spending Turkish outfit currently occupy eighth spot in the 36-team standings, having collected seven points from nine available.

Celtic, in stark contrast, head into this fixture languishing in 35th place, without a single point and facing three of their next four matches on the road.

Put simply, while progression to the knockout rounds already appears a remote prospect, there remains a very real danger this could develop into an utterly humiliating ordeal.

Should things deteriorate further from what has already been a bruising campaign, the psychological damage could prove long-lasting.

Success in the domestic cups might offer some consolation to Celtic's support. A significant portion may well feel satisfied if the season concludes with silverware and continued supremacy on home soil.

Yet for a section of supporters, even that will fall short of delivering any real sense of contentment. These fans are merely putting up with their club at present.

Whether that patience will hold firm long enough to see another title triumph remains very much to be seen.