I think no matter how this season pans out we're definitely back to square one in the summer and the focus of any debate should centre on the way forward beyond this season with regards to the manager and how the team is built.

What's worth bearing in mind is that all the managers post Stein, specifically the Strachan years and Mowbray's tenure so far in these prudent times, should have given Celtic a clearer indication of what we require from a Celtic manager and the team he puts on the park.

Robbie Keane

Probably the nearest we'll get to another talismanic striker and yet he's still just that bawhair out of reach.

It would be an absolute travesty if we came within touching distance of finally finding Larsson's proper replacement before letting him slip away without so much as a league title or a run in Europe.

Season long loan? Rent before you buy?

I've heard various murmurs regarding the chance of a permanent deal being struck and I'd had the same thoughts. So what else is stopping him from becoming cards in?

This is where the Legend of Larsson can be the best bait for a player seeking glory. Keane has scored the goals but he's never married that with the success to match.

Will the manner of the defeat at Ibrox be enough to fire Keane's passion to put the Huns to the sword and hunt down Larsson's legend mantle?

The wages may not match EPL levels but I'm sure we wouldn't be averse to another one of those payday fund raising games like the one Larsson received if it meant we'd finally found that missing link up front.

Nothing wrong with a wee bit of wishful thinking.

Boruc and McGeady

I was of the train of thought that we should punt them both to expedite Mowbray's rebuilding of the team but was on the receiving end of a raised eyebrow for wanting to see the release our best players.

There's no definitive answer as both men on their day could be the difference between full points or not and sticking or twisting is a right battle royale between the heart and the head but we do still have a new team to build.

In terms of importance to the spine of the team, I'd keep Boruc before McGeady but I still think there's merit in the funds their sale would inject into project 'Square Wan' if we're still being fiscally prudent about these matters and allocating the funds more proportionately to the team building process - see Keano, Roberto.

Of the big ticket players, Scott Brown's the biggest enigma as we haven't seen the best of him yet and he's become captain before his time at a period of instability at the club. I'd be loathe to let him go just now.

It's just a pity Fletcher found his feet at Man Utd. I really hoped he'd be let go and we'd have had a shout but that wily ol' Sir Bassa knew he had a player in there that a lot of Utd fans couldn't see and managed to force it out of him to the extent he's now a Utd regular.

Funnily enough, the same Utd fans that couldn't see the manager they had in Fergie either 20 odd years ago.

And that brings us back to the Mowbray question.

It'd be sheer folly to make any comparison between the Mowbray of now and the Fergie of 20 odd years ago but the point I'm making is that are we satisfied Mowbray has shot his bolt just based on the way this season has panned out for him?

Maybe the fact that there is a Mowbray question at all is an answer in its own right but I'm still on the fence.

Then again maybe the fact that I'm on the fence at all. . . . . . .

I want him to prove his detractors wrong and get it right for Celtic but at this rate he'll have no toes left if he keeps shooting himself in the foot.

The nearest experience we have to the direction Mowbray's Celtic is taking is Tommy Burns and just look at how that team evolved into O'Neill's Seville team.

Wim brought in Lambert and Larsson to stop the ten. Dr Jo gave us Mjallby, Viduka and Lubo. Barnes brought Petrov, lost Larsson and then lost the plot at the same time.

O'Neill picked up the reins and instantly transformed the team giving us Sutton and Lennon to complement Larsson before picking up Hartson. The one thing missing from O'Neill's Celtic was a good goalkeeper.

We now find ourselves having to build a new team like the culmination of the one above but with a beady eye on our expenditure AND having to make it happen in the (square) wanner. . . . .

Was Mowbray the only one surprised at this team's failure to go from Strachanesque to Brazilian in one fail swoop?

Especially if Celtic wanted us to accept the 7 or 8 transfer window model then the change in footballing philosophy should have matched the pace of change in personnel (see expedite, Boruc & McGeady).

With regards to the team Fergie built and Hansen's you don't win things with kids quote look how long it took before it all fell into place for him at Utd.

It wasn't until Fergie signed Schmeichel to complement McAllister and Bruce, Robson and Ince, Hughes and McClair that he stoated the title.

Fergie had the potential of the kids in the team but they played alongside the backbone of proven performance.

All of the hindsight from above regarding building a successful team playing better fitba starts with the manager capable of putting a solid spine in place first (see plc, tight bassas).

The best thing about being back at square one on yer arse is that the only way is up.

The big question for Celtic is just how much do we rip up before starting all over again……….?

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