Celtic and Adidas have officially revealed their latest Irish Origins lifestyle collection, despite the ongoing Not Another Penny campaign and the Green Brigade stand-off.
The Parkhead club are yet to reach a resolution to allow the Green Brigade back into Celtic Park but still expect fans to dig deep.
It’s a daring and bold move the Celtic board have made and leaves them open to further criticism from a fan base who have been bombarded with constant merchandise releases this season.
Celtic release Irish Origins merchandise:
The new Irish Origins kit is a tribute to the club’s founding roots. Featuring the iconic trefoil logo and a tricolour-inspired design, the range appeared on shelves this morning.
However, for many supporters, the stylish aesthetics of the new kit are being overshadowed by an ongoing atmosphere of uncertainty at Celtic Park.
The timing of the release will be a source of debate among the fanbase. The Green Brigade silence continues to be a major talking point, as the Celtic Ultras remain locked out of Paradise.
Celtic more interested in commerce than the fans:
Despite the commercial push, the mood around Paradise remains critical of the Celtic board.
Merchandise launches are often a source of excitement for fans but with the standoff with the board and the Green Brigade continuing, and the frustration of the club spending no money in the January transfer window, this will go down like a lead balloon.
For the club, the Irish Origins range is an invitation to celebrate history. But for fans, this is viewed as another cynical move by the Celtic board to squeeze even more money out of a supporter base who have been drained this season, yet see little return on the pitch.