The timing of Celtic statement will be telling as wheels come off the wagon

Timing is everything in Scottish football. Especially when it comes to Statement O’Clock.

It’s become one of the running jokes in our game. When to highlight good news – and when to bury the bad as much as possible. For years, Rangers were masters at sneaking out stuff at ridiculous times. Annual accounts that read like Stephen King novels were released to as little fan fare as possible at 10pm on Friday nights. Aberdeen at one point sent out an email with their financials at about four in the morning, hoping no one would notice when they woke up.

But Celtic tried a novel approach last year. They tried to bury GOOD news. It was another one of these bizarre moments in a season where they are managing to clock up a good few. The transfer window had not long shut and Celtic were going into their Champions League clash with Feyenoord in Holland. Rodgers was doing his pre-match press conference and the chat was European aims, hit memories about the 1970 final between the pair and a bit of chat about the summer business.

The manager had barely left the media room when the annual accounts dropped. The numbers were beyond impressive. Here was a Scottish club with more than £70m in the bank at a time for most when cash was tighter than a dart players vest. Yet Celtic were attempting to sneak it out under the radar. The manager couldn’t be quizzed about it and no one in a Celtic suit was up for talking beyond the website statement – which has been the case for about two years.

The big question was why? Why the need to hide the best figure a Scottish side has ever posted? We all know why. Because the next question was why do the club need to be sitting on all that dosh. And the Parkhead chiefs knew it was well. Hence the secrecy.