Celtic supporters know from first hand experience that, just because the results continue to roll in on the pitch, that does not mean all is well off it.
In a disastrous 2020/21 season, as the Hoops handed their crown over to Old Firm rivals Rangers, years of mismanagement and poor recruitment came home to roost. In fact, Celtic actually picked up fewer points last term than in the season before, despite the fact that that campaign finished two months early due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
But it could have been worse. Just look at Galatasaray.
In less than 12 months, the most successful football club in Turkish history went from finishing one point off the top to sleepwalking into a relegation battle. Galatasaray are currently just two places off the drop zone in 15th.
They haven’t finished lower than 11th since the Super Lig began in 1906. So spare a thought for Sacha Boey.
Why did Sacha Boey turn down Celtic?
“Yes, Celtic wanted to sign me,” the former Rennes right-back explained last year when asked why he turned down the Hoops in favour of a £2 million move to Istanbul.
“When I had to make a decision, I chose Galatasaray because it was a bigger club. That’s why I chose Galatasaray.
“I know Galatasaray from my childhood and the matches they played in Europe. There are games they played against PSG before.
“I came to Turkey to improve myself and I will do the necessary work to achieve this. We want to do our best as a team on the field.”
A ‘bigger’ club maybe – and that is certainly debatable – a ‘better’ club they certainly aren’t. Not currently, anyway.
Because while Celtic appear to be on the right track again under Ange Postecoglou, seven games away from re-claiming their place on the Premiership throne, Galatasaray are making history for all the wrong reasons.
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