Even at their best in recent decades, Celtic have struggled to win European games on the road, and right now that looks far beyond them. Winning at home is also proving too much. With three defeats from three, three goals scored and nine conceded, talk of climbing out of the Europa League group is more wishful thinking than realistic hope. Celtic's standards are plummeting, and the responsibility is shared by everyone.
Manager O'Neill and his players must answer for results on the pitch, though it is easy to sympathise with him when he is also forced to field questions about issues beyond his control, including the ongoing strained relationship between the club and a large part of its support. The board deserves the bigger share of the blame. O'Neill and, in his absence, Shaun Maloney have been left to address the disconnect between fans and club at news conferences, while no chief executive, chairman or major shareholder is seen addressing it.
The contrast with the Champions League nights at Celtic Park is stark. Those were the nights of victories over Manchester United, AC Milan and Barcelona, when a packed, deafening stadium felt unforgettable. Now there are empty seats, early departures and defeat against the eighth best team in Spain in a second-tier competition. Even as recently as February last year, Celtic pushed Bayern Munich to the wire, drawing 2-2 on aggregate until the fourth minute of added time.
The real question is what Celtic stand for. The club can talk about its great European story, but in the present day that story is tiresome, drifting from the Champions League to the Europa League and possibly beyond. Changing players and managers is easy. Changing the board and its way of thinking is far harder, and it is the change that Celtic most need.
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing