Ally McCoist might be as omnipresent as a static cling on every football show you open from Champions League nights, TalkSPORT panels, Premier League matchdays, and his opinions on Celtic often raise an eyebrow or two.
But this week, on TalkSPORT, he hit the nail on the head with his analysis of where Celtic’s season has gone off the rails.
It’s been nothing short of disastrous.
Four defeats on the spin now, defensive frailties, a growing disconnect between players and system and mounting pressure on Wilfried Nancy have left supporters searching for answers.
McCoist believes one of the core issues has been where Celtic have aimed their focus, not upwards toward excellence, but sideways, simply trying to be “better than Rangers.”
He said: [TalkSPORT]
“You know, I think, and I think I’ve said before, I actually think Rangers have dragged Celtic down a bit, because though we’ve been that bad, and I think Celtic have been lazy, and inept, because they’ve looked at us, and went, ah, we’ll beat them anyway, right? And instead of looking there, they’ve looked at us and went, we just need to go there, we just need to go there. I might be wrong, it’s just what I think.”
There’s frustration in those words, but there’s a stark truth too.
When a club of Celtic’s size and heritage starts to benchmark itself against one rival alone, it signals a loss of ambition rather than a laser focus on excellence.
Fans know Celtic should be aiming higher, competing domestically with dominance, and in Europe with intent, not merely trying to edge one fixture each season.
And that brings us to Sunday. Celtic host Aberdeen at Celtic Park, a fixture that has taken on enormous significance after a run that has seen confidence drain away and support boil over into protest territory. A fan demonstration is planned before kick‑off, with supporters demanding accountability at boardroom level and beyond.
For all the talk of tactics, managerial philosophy and recruitment, the stark reality is this: Celtic haven’t picked up a win in four straight matches. The players know it, the manager knows it and supporters feel it in every chant that echoes around Parkhead.
McCoist’s words might come from a rival, but on this occasion he articulated the frustration many feel.
Celtic’s focus can’t just be on one match or one rival. It has to be on upward ambition and consistent standards.
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