8/10
LEAGUE: Champions, 99pts (2012-13 - champions - 79pts)
SCOTTISH CUP: Fourth round
LEAGUE CUP: Third round
MOST USED FIRST XI: Fraser Forster, Adam Matthews, Virgil Van Dijk, Efe Ambrose, Emilio Izaguirre, Stefan Johansen, Scott Brown, Charlie Mulgrew, Joe Ledley, Kris Commons, Anthony Stokes
OVERVIEW: So, how to judge a Celtic season? Well, they reached the Champions League group stages again and they won the league by about a million points, with only a solitary defeat. The caveat is that the domestic cups eluded them and they were far less competitive on the continent than in 2012-13. And, of course, their wage budget is greater than that of every other Premiership team put together, so a convincing league win seems like the minimum expectation. I suppose they can only beat what's put in front of them. But the sheer predictability seems to be driving fans away - Celtic Park was less than half full for some league matches - and Neil Lennon has departed having clearly decided that he can't take the club any further.
HIGH POINTS: That sensational comeback in the final Champions League qualifier against Shakhtar Karagandy was something to behold. Domestically, wins over Caley Thistle (6-0) and Motherwell (5-0) showcased some of the best football of the Lennon era.
LOW POINTS: Crashing out of the Scottish Cup at home to Aberdeen was a bit shoddy. Losing to Greenock Morton at Celtic Park in the League Cup was downright embarrassing.
STAR MAN: I expect both Fraser Forster and Virgil Van Dijk to move on this summer. Forster was as reliable as ever in goal, and impressed on the European stage again. Van Dijk, meanwhile, was pure class from the off. His skill on the ball surpasses that of many of the forwards he opposes in Scotland, while his defending is simply excellent. Both players will be wanted by clubs who can pay far more than Celtic can. But it was Kris Commons who scooped the Player of the Year awards, and quite right; playing in a more advanced role, he was lethal in front of goal domestically, and set up plenty for his teammates as well. At 31, he is playing the best football of his career.
ONE FOR THE FUTURE: The club hasn't blooded that many youngsters in recent times, so it was good to see young midfielder Liam Henderson get a run in the team at the end of the campaign. He's neat and tidy and looks like a player; hopefully there are more opportunities to come.
WASTE OF SPACE: A contest between £1.8m misfit Amido Balde and the perenially injured £3m winger Derk Boerrigter. Neither really contributed anything of note and were very poor pieces of transfer business last summer. It's hard to know how Lennon ever saw the lumbering Balde fitting in to a side who rarely play direct football.
THE BOSS: I wasn't surprised to see Lennon depart. On the budget he has, he's going to struggle to get the team beyond the Champions League group stages in the future, and he's even recognised that getting them there will get harder and harder. His reputation could only be harmed if he stayed at Celtic Park for longer. As for 2013-14, the team came very close to going unbeaten in the Premiership, which suggests he has got better at keeping the players motivated for less important games, but being dumped out of Europe earlier probably helped that. Even after four years in charge, it's difficult to gauge how capable a manager he is because of the paucity of opposition he has had.
PROSPECTS FOR NEXT SEASON: Can I be the first to congratulate the new Celtic manager on winning the 2014-15 league title? In seriousness, the new man will probably have at least a year's leeway, given the miniscule likelihood of there being a challenge from another Premiership club. However, Champions League qualification will be harder than ever with having to play the home ties at Murrayfield. I also recall that the O'Neill and Strachan sides split up very quickly following each coach's respective exit; will there be a lot of players who follow Lennon out of the door? I know it seems odd to suggest a title-winning season could be a bit bleak, but that's a sign of the situation that Celtic and Scottish football are in...
FIRST TEAMERS DEFINITELY LEAVING: Georgios Samaras
L.
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