James Forrest
The Emperor of Ice Cream
Celtic released a statement last night which celebrated our 5th in a row title triumph. It also issued an apology to Hearts. I do not think Hearts deserved an apology of that nature, because their own statement was full of bitterness and whingeing.
But I know why Celtic issued it. This is what big clubs do.
They act responsibly, professionally and with respect for their opponents.
I read it and, I will admit, part of me thought: why? Why apologise to a club whose own statement dripped with bitterness and grievance? Why extend respect to people who seem incapable of giving it back?
Why can Hearts just not accept the fact that Celtic deserved this title more? Celtic act with respect and high professionalism towards other clubs, no matter if Celtic win or lose a game. There is no hatred from the club towards them.
Celtic act professionally. That is why they apologised to Hearts in the statement.
My first reaction was to think that if Hearts cannot respect Celtic, and if they cannot stand Celtic, why should Celtic act this way towards them and say, “We’re sorry,” when what we receive back is hatred and aggression?
Then my Ginger Witch instincts kicked in, and I knew exactly why Celtic did it.
We did it because nothing more clearly demonstrates the difference between a responsible and reasonable and rational club and one which has left all that behind to pursue bitterness and moan about agendas and hostile environments.
That is what big institutions, serious institutions do. That is what champions do.
Celtic act like Celtic. Even when others lose their heads, Celtic keep theirs. Even when others lash out in frustration, Celtic respond with professionalism. That difference matters. It always has, which is why we don’t go down the Statement O’Clock road.
You can feel it in moments like this. One club celebrating greatness with dignity, the other sounding consumed by anger because the reality is too painful to accept. Celtic deserved this title. Over a season, the table never lies. It is the oldest truth in football. Thirty-eight games expose everything. Quality. Mentality. Consistency. Courage.
Once again, Celtic stood above everyone else in Scotland.
Five in a row does not happen by accident.
Five in a row is not luck. It is not referees. It is not conspiracy. It is not “narratives.” It is relentless excellence. It is standards so high that other clubs spend more time complaining about Celtic than trying to become Celtic.
That is the uncomfortable truth for these people underneath all the whingeing. They cannot stand the fact that Celtic continue to rise while they remain trapped in excuses. In order to beat Celtic, you first have to understand Celtic … and they don’t.
That is what annoyed me about the apology. Not because Celtic were wrong to do it, but because Hearts had not shown that same class themselves. Their statement came across like a club raging at the world instead of accepting defeat with dignity.
There was an edge to it. A bitterness that overshadowed everything else. Instead of looking inward and asking why they fell short, the focus drifted towards Celtic again.
It always comes back to Celtic.
That is the burden of being the biggest club in the country. Everyone measures themselves against you. Everyone reacts emotionally to you. Every Celtic victory becomes a national discussion. Every Celtic title becomes something opponents try to explain away instead of simply admitting the obvious.
Celtic were better. Because we were. And deep down, they know it.
That is why Celtic’s apology actually says more about Celtic than it does about Hearts. It was not weakness. It was not Celtic bowing down or acting like pawns. It was Celtic behaving with the professionalism expected from a club of stature. A club with worldwide support. A club built on values bigger than petty point-scoring.
Celtic understand that winning with grace matters too. We understand that you can beat an opponent without needing to humiliate them. We acknowledge how hard Hearts fought and how they made us battle to the last. In doing so, in acting with such decency, we have shown how small minded and bitter they are.
That is why, whether Celtic win or lose, the club rarely descends into hatred or public tantrums towards opponents. Of course, fans will argue and emotions will fly. Football would be dead without passion. But institutionally, Celtic tend to act with composure.
There is a reason for that. Great clubs act proportionately. Great clubs think beyond one angry weekend.
Maybe that frustrates supporters like me sometimes, because emotionally you want to roar back. You want to say: hold on a minute, where is our respect? Why should Celtic apologise when others throw aggression, resentment and accusations in return?
But then I look at the bigger picture. Celtic do not apologise because Hearts deserve it. Celtic apologise because Celtic hold themselves to a higher standard. That is the difference.
One club reacts emotionally because it is wounded. The other acts like serial champions who understand that responsibility comes with success.
It reminds me of something I have always sensed about Celtic.
There is a power in the club that goes beyond trophies. A confidence. An aura. My Ginger Witch senses always pick up on it. Even with this board of prats and fools, Celtic know who they are. That identity still burns strong.
That is why panic never fully consumes us, even in difficult moments. That is why this team always seems to find a way. And that is why, when the dust settles, Celtic are the ones lifting titles while others are still writing complaints.
Five in a row. Again. Think about that for a second.
The consistency required is frightening. Different managers, different players, different pressure points, yet the outcome remains the same. Celtic standing on top of Scottish football. That is not arrogance. That is reality. That is strength.
Perhaps that reality is exactly what some clubs cannot stomach anymore. Because no matter how much bitterness is thrown around, no matter how many statements are released, no matter how loudly rivals rage against the machine, Celtic keep winning.
We are bigger. Stronger. More successful. More professional.
That is why the apology happened.
Not because Celtic were weak. Not because Hearts earned special sympathy. But because Celtic understand that sometimes true strength lies in humility. In basic decency. In behaving like winners, as much as the other side behave like losers.
Celtic act like leaders in Scottish football because they are leaders in Scottish football. And honestly? I would rather support a club that shows class in victory than one that loses itself in resentment after defeat. That is the Celtic way.
Champions on the pitch. Professional off it.
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The post Celtic’s statement frustrated me at first. Then I realised it was perfect. appeared first on The Celtic Blog.
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But I know why Celtic issued it. This is what big clubs do.
They act responsibly, professionally and with respect for their opponents.
I read it and, I will admit, part of me thought: why? Why apologise to a club whose own statement dripped with bitterness and grievance? Why extend respect to people who seem incapable of giving it back?
Why can Hearts just not accept the fact that Celtic deserved this title more? Celtic act with respect and high professionalism towards other clubs, no matter if Celtic win or lose a game. There is no hatred from the club towards them.
Celtic act professionally. That is why they apologised to Hearts in the statement.
My first reaction was to think that if Hearts cannot respect Celtic, and if they cannot stand Celtic, why should Celtic act this way towards them and say, “We’re sorry,” when what we receive back is hatred and aggression?
Then my Ginger Witch instincts kicked in, and I knew exactly why Celtic did it.
We did it because nothing more clearly demonstrates the difference between a responsible and reasonable and rational club and one which has left all that behind to pursue bitterness and moan about agendas and hostile environments.
That is what big institutions, serious institutions do. That is what champions do.
Celtic act like Celtic. Even when others lose their heads, Celtic keep theirs. Even when others lash out in frustration, Celtic respond with professionalism. That difference matters. It always has, which is why we don’t go down the Statement O’Clock road.
You can feel it in moments like this. One club celebrating greatness with dignity, the other sounding consumed by anger because the reality is too painful to accept. Celtic deserved this title. Over a season, the table never lies. It is the oldest truth in football. Thirty-eight games expose everything. Quality. Mentality. Consistency. Courage.
Once again, Celtic stood above everyone else in Scotland.
Five in a row does not happen by accident.
Five in a row is not luck. It is not referees. It is not conspiracy. It is not “narratives.” It is relentless excellence. It is standards so high that other clubs spend more time complaining about Celtic than trying to become Celtic.
That is the uncomfortable truth for these people underneath all the whingeing. They cannot stand the fact that Celtic continue to rise while they remain trapped in excuses. In order to beat Celtic, you first have to understand Celtic … and they don’t.
That is what annoyed me about the apology. Not because Celtic were wrong to do it, but because Hearts had not shown that same class themselves. Their statement came across like a club raging at the world instead of accepting defeat with dignity.
There was an edge to it. A bitterness that overshadowed everything else. Instead of looking inward and asking why they fell short, the focus drifted towards Celtic again.
It always comes back to Celtic.
That is the burden of being the biggest club in the country. Everyone measures themselves against you. Everyone reacts emotionally to you. Every Celtic victory becomes a national discussion. Every Celtic title becomes something opponents try to explain away instead of simply admitting the obvious.
Celtic were better. Because we were. And deep down, they know it.
That is why Celtic’s apology actually says more about Celtic than it does about Hearts. It was not weakness. It was not Celtic bowing down or acting like pawns. It was Celtic behaving with the professionalism expected from a club of stature. A club with worldwide support. A club built on values bigger than petty point-scoring.
Celtic understand that winning with grace matters too. We understand that you can beat an opponent without needing to humiliate them. We acknowledge how hard Hearts fought and how they made us battle to the last. In doing so, in acting with such decency, we have shown how small minded and bitter they are.
That is why, whether Celtic win or lose, the club rarely descends into hatred or public tantrums towards opponents. Of course, fans will argue and emotions will fly. Football would be dead without passion. But institutionally, Celtic tend to act with composure.
There is a reason for that. Great clubs act proportionately. Great clubs think beyond one angry weekend.
Maybe that frustrates supporters like me sometimes, because emotionally you want to roar back. You want to say: hold on a minute, where is our respect? Why should Celtic apologise when others throw aggression, resentment and accusations in return?
But then I look at the bigger picture. Celtic do not apologise because Hearts deserve it. Celtic apologise because Celtic hold themselves to a higher standard. That is the difference.
One club reacts emotionally because it is wounded. The other acts like serial champions who understand that responsibility comes with success.
It reminds me of something I have always sensed about Celtic.
There is a power in the club that goes beyond trophies. A confidence. An aura. My Ginger Witch senses always pick up on it. Even with this board of prats and fools, Celtic know who they are. That identity still burns strong.
That is why panic never fully consumes us, even in difficult moments. That is why this team always seems to find a way. And that is why, when the dust settles, Celtic are the ones lifting titles while others are still writing complaints.
Five in a row. Again. Think about that for a second.
The consistency required is frightening. Different managers, different players, different pressure points, yet the outcome remains the same. Celtic standing on top of Scottish football. That is not arrogance. That is reality. That is strength.
Perhaps that reality is exactly what some clubs cannot stomach anymore. Because no matter how much bitterness is thrown around, no matter how many statements are released, no matter how loudly rivals rage against the machine, Celtic keep winning.
We are bigger. Stronger. More successful. More professional.
That is why the apology happened.
Not because Celtic were weak. Not because Hearts earned special sympathy. But because Celtic understand that sometimes true strength lies in humility. In basic decency. In behaving like winners, as much as the other side behave like losers.
Celtic act like leaders in Scottish football because they are leaders in Scottish football. And honestly? I would rather support a club that shows class in victory than one that loses itself in resentment after defeat. That is the Celtic way.
Champions on the pitch. Professional off it.
Choose The CelticBlog as a ‘Preferred Source’ on Google News for quick access to the news you value.
The post Celtic’s statement frustrated me at first. Then I realised it was perfect. appeared first on The Celtic Blog.
Continue reading...
