Ugly scenes after the League Cup defeat to Ross County reflected a growing sense of frustration among fans
So much for managing Celtic as football’s equivalent to living on Easy Street. Fifteen years ago, Martin O’Neill’s tenure ended with a painful concession of the title on its final day to Rangers. Having stayed a season too long – even by his own admission – Gordon Strachan departed in 2009 with Rangers again the champions; the Celtic support were tired of one-liners and one-dimensional play.
Tony Mowbray toiled before being sacked. Having taken charge for the first time, Neil Lennon resigned in 2014 with the staleness of a one-horse race unable to stimulate him any longer. By the time the Ronny Deila project ended, two years later, there was acceptance that this punt was worthy of a smaller club. Celtic raised the bar in hiring Brendan Rodgers but there was only so long the current Leicester City manager would handle being the only fish in a small pond; internal rancour at the onset of season 2018-19 preceded the inevitable.