Why has Brendan Rodgers 2.0 not yet impressed since returning to Celtic?

I must confess, Saturday’s draw with St Johnstone was the first time I had seen Celtic in the flesh since Brendan returned, and to say I wasn’t impressed is an understatement. There is a difference between being unimpressed and being worried, though, and there are many more games to go before I get worried.

We’ve gone from refresh to rebuild in the space of 180 minutes. It’s not where we expected to be and it’s not where we want to be but it’s the hand we have been dealt with added bad luck. It looks like Ange smashed every mirror on the way out the building causing seven years’ worth of injuries in seven weeks.

That’s not an excuse, though. The players on the pitch, both last week and this week, were more than good enough to beat their opponents. That they looked less clued-up than their opponents is the problem. It’s not a lack of signings, not a lack of quality, it’s a lack of trust in what they are getting told to do that is causing this blip. They don’t trust the process yet.

The last manager made them feel like world-beaters; this manager has told them to forget last season and do something new. Footballers are just as fickle as fans and, like all humans, don’t like change. They need to unlearn what they believe made them good and, in their minds, learn to be good again. The new players, once up to speed, won’t have the same hang-ups as they will only have experienced Celtic under Brendan.

I remember looking around Celtic Park earlier in Ange’s reign. There were empty seats, murmurs of discontent and a feeling that everyone both on and off the pitch hadn’t quite bought into the revolution. It wasn’t until November of season one that everyone was on the Postecouglou express. The difference was, though, we could see what he was trying to do. In the flesh I couldn’t see what Brendan 2.0 wants this Celtic team to do. That needs to change or this feeling that we are not all on board could continue way past November this season.

Though, if I was to take a walk through the chambers of my mind, I do believe that Saturday’s no-show was down to the fact that I wore a replica top to a game for the first time in nine years. I’ve had warped views on me wearing a replica top for a few decades now.

My rule – for me only – was once I got over 30 then I had no right to wear a replica top to the game. In an effort to reprogram my mind I wore the infamous 1992 Peoples away kit on Saturday and, to my surprise, I saw another two fans wearing it. Celtic picked up on my poor choice of attire and turned in a performance worthy of that kit.

Today, I have remembered the last time I wore a kit – this time it was a 1988 retro away top – to a game. It was the 15^th May 2015, when I took James McKenzie to his first ever away game against, yeah you’ve guessed it, St Johnstone. The game finished up, yeah you’ve guessed it again, 0-0.

Coincidence?

Anyway, here is this week’s poem, based on Sparta FC by The Fall, called: WE ARE CELTIC FC.

Who are you, Who are you?

Who are you meant to be?

Can we have a shot on target?

WE ARE CELTIC FC!

Someone check the birth certificates,

Someone check the IDs.

Can we just score a goal?

WE ARE CELTIC FC!

Can we blame the manager,

Or the lady that makes the tea?

Can we just win a game?

WE ARE CELTIC FC!

Our forwards are looking lost,

on that we all agree.

Someone phone MIKU.

WE ARE CELTIC FC!

KEVIN GRAHAM