Jurgen Klopp referred to his Liverpool players as “mentality monsters” when they ruled the English football league. And it wasn’t just a quick soundbite. It is a state of mind that distinguishes the good from the great. A switch that indicates they are no longer content with the sensation of winning trophies. Rather, they are scared of how they will feel if they do not. Ironically, it was this same, almost irrational dread of losing that Walter Smith credited with propelling him from one achievement to the next throughout his two sparkling periods as Rangers manager.
And that mindset has settled on the east side of Glasgow, as Celtic’s extended reign of domestic supremacy enters its next chapter. Brendan Rodgers and his players celebrated earning a third consecutive league title – and the club’s 12th in 13 years – as if it were the first piece of trophy they’d added to the cabinet rather than just another one. For at least one of them, however, the entire event felt quite new.
Liam Scales may have been around the club for some time, watching from the sidelines during several celebrations over the last three years. However, he was never satisfied that he belonged there. But, at the age of 25, Scales has matured as a Celtic player. And he was there in the thick of it at Rugby Park, having made 46 outings this season.
And yet, no sooner had the work been completed with a 5-0 demolition of Kilmarnock, Scales was already thinking about what happens next. And the awful realization dawned that if Celtic failed to follow up with another trophy at Hampden in ten days, some of the luster of this ultimate achievement would be lost.
Lose the Scottish Cup Final to Rangers and face a summer filled with remorse. That is not something these serial Celtic winners have been programmed to accept. When asked if a defeat in the end-of-season showpiece would severely damper Celtic’s morale, Scales replied: “Yes, absolutely.
At this club, we understand that winning one prize is insufficient; you must also win every other trophy available. That is the expectation and the mindset we have. That is the way it is, and I’ve learned it this season while playing.
I’ve definitely seen it in prior years, but being a part of it today makes you feel it even more. It’s a given. It’s just how we all think; it’s our mentality. We want to win against St Mirren at home on Saturday and make it a memorable moment for our home fans. Then comes the Cup Finale.
We certainly want to finish the double. We’ll celebrate tonight and throughout the season, but I don’t think we’ll be really content unless we win the cup final. We will not switch off. You’ve obviously seen the lads’ mentality in recent years, so I don’t think that’s conceivable.”
Scales, who was loaned out to Aberdeen a year ago, probably didn’t think any of this was within reach. But a slew of injuries, combined with an underwhelming summer recruitment push, allowed him to sneak back in through the back door. He’s suddenly front and center.
And he cannot get enough of it. Scales went on to say, “It’s really beautiful and brilliant. Just a sense of sheer delight. I’ve won things back home in Ireland, but this seems completely different because of the circumstances and the turnaround I’ve had this year. “I’ve previously observed these celebrations from the outside. It felt similar to that the year before I went on loan. It was bittersweet.
You were happy because the guys are your friends and teammates, but you feel like you haven’t contributed as much as others, and it isn’t as good. But I know I can truly enjoy this now.
I feel like a vital part of it, and it’s lot simpler to feel and appreciate the emotions of victory this way. When the final whistle blew, it was pure delight. It’s just all the hard work during the season, and you think, “That’s it, it was all worth it!” “We’ll go out and have a good time, but we have games coming up, so we’ll have to be a little more responsible. But we will have a good time because I believe we deserve it.
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