Celtic suffer near 60-year low in Bodo/Glimt - Ange Postecoglou's big decision, was Conference League relevant

In the rush of some among the Celtic support to proclaim Ange Postecoglou’s team as a dramatic upgrade on recent times, the slide represented by the humbling Conference League exit to Bodo/Glimt tells a different story.

The upshot of their miserable 2-0 loss in the Norwegian return leg of their last 16 play-off is not just that they have tumbled them out of a third straight European competition at the earliest juncture possible. The 5-1 aggregate defeat represents their heaviest losing margin in almost 60 years competing in continental competition when pitted against a side from outside of Europe’s big five leagues. Indeed, it is one of only a handful of knock-out ties where they have been beaten both home and away. All a world away from them only two seasons ago topping a European group for the first time – courtesy of Europa League exploits wherein they didn’t lose in four games against top five league teams – under the now derided Neil Lennon.

Postecoglou’s decision to start without a clutch of key performers in Bodo resulted in Callum McGregor, Liel Abada, Jota, Josip Juranovic, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Reo Hatate and Greg Taylor all being initially placed on the bench. Yet, that wasn’t the reason his team came up short in the Arctic Circle. It merely betrayed two other considerations. The first, that he knew the jig was up for his team in continental competition following the 3-1 first leg reverse in Glasgow … when he fielded all his go-to men. And, secondly, that the Conference League is largely an irrelevance for Celtic when set against the bid to win the cinch Premiership. In that respect, it made sense to give so many of those who will start for the crucial meeting with Hibs at Easter Road a midweek breather.

Dee