2020/21 was a horrendous year for Celtic Football Club. The Hoops were demolished on a regular basis in Europe and they failed to secure a trophy for the first time in a decade.
Celtic are a prestigious club and if you’re not winning a major honour as their manager, your job is always going to be in trouble.
Neil Lennon’s time at Parkhead was ticking away as protests mounted not just against his coaching but also the ownership at board level.
Lennon eventually resigned from his role towards the end of February but it took until June to find his permanent successor.
Life under Ange Postecoglou has been mixed. He has guided the Bhoys to the Europa League and there is a clear method to their play of pressing and transitioning from the back.
Sadly, Celtic are still a mess defensively and they’re having to contend with plenty of injuries too.
Things have got so bad that Postecoglou has had to bring Boli Bolingoli in from the cold.
After his mishap last term it looked as though he’d never play for the Hoops again but needs must with first-choice left-back Greg Taylor set to undergo shoulder surgery.
Bolingoli was left out of the club’s European squad for this term but earned his first minutes under the new manager in the shocking 1-0 defeat to Livingston on Sunday.
Unfortunately, the defender did little to prove his doubters wrong.
The £15k-per-week earner spent last term in Turkey after being given a stern telling off by Lennon.
He’d visited Spain on an unsanctioned trip during the height of the pandemic and had failed to tell anyone at the club.
The defender returned, trained with the team without isolating and even played in a match, putting not just his teammates at risk but also everyone at Kilmarnock.
Speaking amid that controversy, the former boss was dismayed by Bolingoli’s actions. He raged: “I think it is one of the worst behaviours from an individual I have come across.”
Lennon continued: “Boli took it upon himself to go to Spain and not tell anyone and not tell anyone when he came back. Obviously, we found out about it on Monday and we were just so perplexed, but also in despair of it, really.”
The fact the full-back didn’t leave this summer was a surprise but following his performance against Livi, it would be a shock if we saw him in Celtic colours again.
He hasn’t played much football but his display against one of the worst-ranked sides in the Premiership was questionable.
Postecoglou was let down by the Belgian who conceded possession on 18 occasions, made three fouls and was dribbled past twice.
Taylor is hardly a reliable figure defensively either but at least he’s not blatantly disregarded the club.
While the Scot remains out injured, Postecoglou simply has to look at handing Adam Montgomery more game time instead.