Source: Team_Talk
Auld: Title defeat shames Bhoys
A goalless draw against Hearts at Parkhead was, in the end, irrelevant as Rangers beat Dundee United 3-0 at Tannadice to take the championship back to Ibrox for the first time in four years.
Celtic held an eight-point lead over the Ibrox men at the start of 2009 and the popular belief is that a strengthening of the squad during the January transfer window would have ensured a fourth title in succession.
Celtic made a failed bid for Steven Fletcher of Hibernian and other players were linked with a move to Parkhead but when the transfer window closed, only Willo Flood from Dundee United had been recruited in to the first team squad where he has barely featured.
A disastrous second half to the season away from home saw Celtic's lead whittled away and they paid the price when they surrendered their title and with it, automatic entry in to the Champions League group stages next season which could be worth upwards of £10million.
Auld, who played in the Celtic team that won the European Cup in 1967, said that Rangers should not have had the chance to get back in to the title race and that consequently, everyone at Celtic Park has a case to answer.
"It was our own undoing," he said. "Everyone from the directors down should look at themselves and ask themselves 'did we do enough for this magnificent club?'
"I don't know who makes the decisions at the top but the title was ours in January if quality had come in.
"We had the title won in January and we let it slip. There is no doubt about it.
"We were playing well, if not outstandingly well but we needed one, maybe two players.
"I can't criticise the players who have been brought to play and maybe the club is too big for them. You can't blame them.
"Also, we have won the reserve league eight years in a row and surely someone should be coming through from there to make the grade.
"But it's not sour grapes, Rangers deserved to win it in the end."
Speculation over Gordon Strachan's future has begun with the Celtic boss linked with the Sunderland position following the departure of Ricky Sbragia.
However, Auld believes that only Strachan will know if he has the hunger for another season at Parkhead.
He said: "Gordon will make his own mind up. He has the passion but it depends how he feels.
"Only he will know if he did enough or if the club did enough to help him."
