Some Celtic fans have mocked Craig Beattie’s comments about his former club having the ‘bottle’ to win the Scottish Premiership title once again this season.
Beattie, who is a product of their Old Firm rival’s youth academy, has played for Celtic during his playing career as well. The former striker played 36 times for Celtic during his time there, scoring ten times too.
In a recent interview that Beattie had given to Sky Sports, he had talked about Celtic’s ‘bottle’ for the title and whether Neil Lennon’s men have the ability to win the crown if the race goes down the wire towards the end of the season.
But Hoops fans have mocked the former striker for his career as a player.
Craig Beattie questions if his former club Celtic will be able to withstand a title race against Rangers in the Scottish Premiership. pic.twitter.com/KUysrPrSrr
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) November 11, 2019
15 different clubs in his career spanning 16 years, 62 goals (average 3.9 a year)…… he would know about NOT handling pressure. pic.twitter.com/gjIvGPhMCo
— celticforever (@ClarkKe01956140) November 12, 2019
Why does this guy get airtime what did he ever achieve in his lifetime
— Gordon (@Gordon_DH) November 11, 2019
Sky have a tremendous knack for digging up or employing complete idiots – Andy Walker, Charlie Nicholas, Davie Provan, Kris Boyd & now this no mark! If these are experts, God help us!
— Alan McGrane (@AlanKerrMcGrane) November 11, 2019
This guy was a failure as a player and pretty woeful as a pundit. FYI Celtic have risen to every challenge.
— papa bolingoli (@Andyq65) November 11, 2019
Celtic are currently top of the Scottish Premiership with 31 points on the board. But Lennon’s men are also tied at the top with Rangers, who are only behind their fierce rivals on goal difference.
The Hoops won the domestic treble twice under the tutelage of Brendan Rodgers and won every possible domestic trophy during the reign of the current Leicester City boss. They have also won the Scottish Premiership crown consecutively in the last eight years.
Rangers finished second in the league last season and finished as many as nine points behind Lennon’s men. Indeed, some Celtic fans said that there is no reason for Beattie to question their club’s ability to win the title.
Just forget about celitc clinching their 8th SPL in a row? Won a treble treble by beating hearts? Scoring a 94th min game winner to qualify for next stage in Europe after 4 games? Hasn’t a foggy dew….
— Connturk 88 (@Connturk8) November 11, 2019
Both teams were level in January. That was billed as a title race. Celtic’s manager walked out in February. Celtic got Neil Lennon. Celtic won the league by 9 points with a gap of 13 at one point and won a treble treble. They know how to deal with pressure. The others do not.
— Whisky for Breakfast (@PoorThings1992) November 11, 2019
Beattie, himself, won the Scottish Premiership twice during his time at Celtic in 2006 and 2007.
What do we think?
It will be unfair to say that Celtic don’t have the bottle to win the title. But what is worth questioning is whether they can do it when the season heads into the last 2-3 games of the campaign. That situation hasn’t really cropped up in recent years, but it could this time.
If Beattie was referring to a situation like that, some criticism is unjustified.