Rangers are almost certain to win the Scottish Premiership, ending Celtic’s dream of winning an unprecedented tenth league title.
Celtic are 18 points behind the league leaders and are now on the lookout for a new manager after Neil Lennon tendered his resignation on Wednesday.
The Bhoys are now looking towards a period of rebuild under a new manager, but McManus feels that this season’s failures are down the complacency that has plagued both the club and their fans.
He believes that Rangers’ performance in the 2019 Scottish League Cup final was a giant warning for Celtic despite the Bhoys winning the trophy.
He also stressed that the Celtic fans were also overconfident about winning ten-in-a-row and downplayed Rangers’ threat at the start of the season.
McManus said on PLZ Soccer: “I think there has been so much complacency at Celtic for a number of years. I think it started with the League Cup final.
“Celtic got very lucky that day and while they won it, which should have been a huge warning sign to the board, to the players and everybody that Rangers were improving fast.
“Rangers have improved year on year since then and Celtic have not and complacency set in.
“Sir Alex Ferguson said that complacency is a disease, he never allowed it at Manchester United year after year and he changed big players.
“Celtic have not done that and complacency ran right through the club.
“The supporters thought ten-in-a-row was in the bag, absolutely no doubt about it. Steven Gerrard has never won a title, he would bottle it and Rangers would bottle it.
“This stuff was in their head for months and months and that is the sort of complacency that seeped in and you are seeing the fruits of that with Rangers miles clear.”
Celtic are being linked with a host of managerial options as they set their eyes on trying to regain the title.
