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Premier League "not a priority" says Beck

By Kevin Beck - Thursday, April 2, 2020 - 3:53:06 PM

Celtic manager, Kevin Beck, caused a mixed reaction this evening as he told the Glasgow Gazette that the Premier League was not the priority this season. The Hoops, who sit 4th in the Premier League and 13 points behind runaway leaders, Boca Juniors, have experienced indifferent home form over the past couple of months and Beck feels it's cost the team a genuine shot at the league title.

"It's the same problem which we can't seem to shake off for a long period of time. Our home form has caused us real difficulties, dropping too many points to be realistic title contenders. That's why, given Boca's healthy lead at the top of the table, we have turned our main focus to the Premier Cup in our search for success this season.

Of course, we'll continue to try and win every game even if we have to make priority changes with the Cup in mind, but as shown with our result against Strasbourg yesterday, we can still compete despite making changes. The league is not the priority for us now this season".

When asked what he thought the cause of the problem was, Beck had this to say.

"I've no idea! It was the same last season, but then we found some form in the second half of the season so I hoped the tweaks we made had worked. But then we suffer again this season, winning just 50 percent of our home games in the league so far. Yet we have a 100 percent record in home cup games! We smash Greuther Furth 5-1, then the next week we lose 0-3 to Sheffield United. Same team. Same tactics. Bizarre.

We have picked up more points on our travels so far this season and sit 2nd on away form, then we are down in 8th for our home form. If a team cannot win 75-80 percent of its home games, then there is no chance of them winning the Premier League.

As much as finished 2nd or 3rd is nice and a respectable achievement, those positions are just 1st loser, 2nd loser, and so on. It means nothing in reality other than a few more pounds in prize money. The Cup is more important than this and we play a very strong Oviedo team next, full of quality and experience, and we need our best players available to fight for a semi-final place."

Plenty of fans took to social media to question Beck's mentality with 9 games of the league campaign still to play.

One fan said "Last season, Boca Juniors stumbled to the A2 league title after being in a healthy position. Who is to say the same can't happen this season? We need to be in position to capitalise if the chance comes.".

Another fan said "Guy has lost it. What sort of message does that send to the players? Who can blame them now if they decide to put their feet up and cruise through the remainder of the league campaign? What is we lose in the next round of the Cup, will we just shut up shop early for the season and go on holiday? Bonkers!".

However, many fans also backed Beck, with one saying "Makes perfect sense. We are potentially 3 wins away from winning the Premier Cup. Boca Juniors only need 14 points from 9 games to guarantee finishing ahead of us. Why focus our efforts primarily on being an 'also-ran' when we can put our best efforts towards trying to win a trophy? I'm glad some of our 'supporters' don't manage us!".



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