Chris Sutton defends fan boycott with European success claim Celtic must be careful with
Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton has backed The Green Brigade over their boycott of Thursday night's Europa League clash with Celta Vigo.
It's a big game for Celtic, who likely need to win if they want a realistic chance of progressing. The Bhoys lost their first two games in this competition, and if they lose here, they would need 9-10 points plus a goal difference improvement from just five games, keeping in mind they still have to play Marseille.
Celta are in the same position having also lost their first two games, and they also have to face Marseille. That makes Thursday night a big night for both teams, but while some fans will be relishing the game, Celtic ultras group The Green Brigade will not be in attendance.
The group are boycotting the fixture due to ongoing issues with how the club is being run, although it's clear the club are not fans of the group, as shown by their recent statement in response the Celtic Fans Collective's golf course protest aimed at majority owner Dermot Desmond.
But many Celtic fans feel as though they cannot communicate their grievances with the club, and they feel as though the best opportunity they have to make them listen is to try to impact the profit margin by staying away from certain games and not purchasing merchandise from the club.
Speaking about that plan, former Hoops striker Sutton told the Daily Record: "It’s only been a few days since they were turned over by Benfica. Martin O’Neill tried to put on a brave face but Celtic were thoroughly outclassed.
“Sunday’s win was much more like it but supporters have been crying out for European success, and they have not been properly equipped to compete at the Europa level never mind the Champions League.
European success claim doesn't add up
Let it be known that we have repeatedly called out the Celtic board for their recruitment over the summer and the poor standard of it. That poor recruitment has been exposed and there is no excuse for it.
The Hoops chiefs made excuses all through the summer while Rangers and others got business done without any issues, and it was a shambles.
But there is an issue with the expectation of success in Europe that Sutton alludes to. The Bhoys may have had European success in the past, but they are not expected to achieve it now.
What success looks like could vary, and we can certainly argue that the team should be more competitive in Europe, but they are not likely to be successful any time soon.
Celtic don't have the budget to compete with any of the top six or seven teams in the Europa League, and they would be outspent by at least a few in the Conference League. They would likely be among the lowest spenders and the lowest-valued squads in the Champions League.
That's not commenting on the boycott or the validity of it, because Celtic absolutely should be more competitive, and the recruitment is to blame. But an expectation of true success in Europe is not valid based on where the club currently is.
