Appalling Celtic transfers heap the pressure on standout stars as figurehead made to do four jobs

Callum McGregor ran himself into the turf trying to do about four jobs.

Kyogo Furuhashi was off the pace and then hesitant at his one big chance. Joe Hart was unsure and punched a ball he should easily have caught. Even the normally effervescent Matt O’Riley looked lethargic and screamed at the ground in frustration after yet another attacking breakdown during the second period.

For weeks and weeks, Celtic’s senior players have had to carry the burden of appalling summer recruitment at Celtic and fought valiantly to cover it up. Mentally as much as physically, it has to have been exhausting and draining. At a time when those boys have desperately needed help throughout a punishing period of domestic, European and international commitments, now in the midst of a key pre-shutdown period, they have been stretched to the limit.

Crying out for assistance, it wasn’t there. It hasn’t been all season. And this was the day when, just like the patience of the fans, the elastic-band snapped. In truth, you had to feel some sympathy for the treble-winning stalwarts during the loss.

At half-time, the team was booed off and, given what those individuals have delivered for the club, that felt harsh on them. But, of course, it wasn’t about them. That anger from the stands, although a bit of it was for ref Kevin Clancy, stemmed from the dreadful work of the last transfer market which has provided projects unable to assist, left those lads exposed in the trenches and finally strained to breaking point.

During the second period, the rage did find its intended target. The hierarchy. Chants of “Sack the Board” took you back to the early 1990s, which was apt given so, too, did the Celtic performance. Individuals voiced bitter and sustained