Any manager at Celtic who watches a 2-0 lead slip to a 3-2 loss, no matter what the circumstances, is always going to be upset.

But I suspect that some of Neil's comments at the weekend said more about his anger and frustration than anything.

As a manager you need to be careful in the immediate aftermath of games – especially when annoyed – because what you say publicly you need to be able to carry out.

Behind four walls you can say what you like. I also think there is a time and a place for publicly expressing your disappointment, with performances and results.

I'm sure it was his anger that was speaking when he suggested that there are some playing for their futures on the back of isolated games this term.

The bottom line is that there has been no tension in the league campaign for the simple fact that there was never going to be anyone over the course of the season who was going to be capable of sustaining a genuine challenge to Celtic.

And I believe that is the explanation behind some of the insipid league displays we have seen, like the one at Ross County at the weekend.

There is no cost to Celtic for that kind of performance – there is no danger that their league ambitions will suffer because of it.

In any other season, there is a fair chance that dropping three points in a game where you have led by two goals could have serious consequences in terms of the league table.

That isn't the case this time around and who is to say if the usual tension was there that Celtic would have stumbled as often as they have this term?

But, at the same time, I think the manager is right to bristle if anyone suggests the title is tainted in any way.

The word tainted itself suggests that there has been wrongdoing and that most certainly isn't the case.

Celtic have had to get on with it, and I have said from day one that the loss of Rangers from the league has been significant.

But there is no way that should detract from Neil or his team's celebrations when it comes to winning the title.

The first Championship that you ever win is probably the most special, but it always comes with a massive amount of satisfaction.

There are campaigns that may be more exciting and have tension in them up until the final day, the drama of which always stays with you, but the very achievement of winning the title should always be cause for celebration.

The one lesson that Celtic could learn is looking at some of the Champions League games and just observe how the very top teams do it.

Earlier this week Barcelona hammered AC Milan 4-0. In the process they emphatically overturned a 2-0 deficit from the first leg.

I am not making any comparisons between Barca and SPL standard games, but what the Spanish side did that night was stop AC Milan from playing.

And in recent games, when Celtic have lost – Motherwell and Ross County spring to mind – that is the kind of philosophy they should try to take into the game.

If you can stop your opponents from making their mark on the game then you will always have a good chance of winning.

There are still a lot of games on the horizon for Celtic. The empty seats in the stadium at times this season have spoken of the lack of tension in the league, but at least if you are winning games and playing well there is a fair chance that people will want to be there to see it.

As soon as the title is mathematically secured – and Neil will want that as quickly as possible – I'd imagine that there will be a few youngsters given the chance to shine.

But in the meantime the senior players have a responsibility to show a bit of form between now and then.