“Simply distressed” might be the best way to put it.
The featured image was my response to the unfolding shambles yesterday with some Blackadder humour.
Of course, it is too soon to see if Celtic’s work experience transfer window is a watershed.
For the avoidance of doubt, such an embarrassing set of interconnected failures should result in people clearing their desks today at the Parkhead sarcophagus.
Is the much-vaunted Football Doctor a quack, or was his forensic diagnosis ignored?
I’m told that two other candidates were interviewed and were impressive.
However, Mr T was Brendan’s choice, as it should be.
The key component of that much-used medical term is the second part from the Greek gnosis (lit. knowledge).
Yesterday, as this shit show was unfolding, I spoke to a source who had been in the room when the recruitment targets were being identified MONTHS AGO.
I reminded myself that one should never remove incompetence as an explainer in a situation.
Your humble correspondent can never get on any conspiracy train for that very reason.
Quite simply, conspiracy theorists in the political sphere have to believe that governments are competent.
Sorry, can’t go there.
Consequently, I believe organisations of any size tend to be incompetent at some level.
What differentiates them is what they do afterwards.
Learning organisations don’t cover up; they open up.
The arrogant belief that Celtic could secure a balance sheet victory by waiting until the 11th hour of the window backfired spectacularly.
A distressed purchase is economics 101, and that’s the situation the Parkhead club manoeuvred itself into when the Dolberg deal fell flat.
The seller detects desperation in the buyer, leading to a higher price.
Brendan Rodgers made it very clear in presser after presser recently what he needed, and it ultimately wasn’t delivered.
Moreover, he was also unambiguous about what kind of role he saw for himself as Celtic manager.
Banners and social media memes make for good theatre, but they will not perturb the Ancien Régime in the Parkhead Boardroom.
This isn’t 1994, and performance in the car park won’t do it this time.
The hibernating members of the Grey Brigade have all been there too long and owe their place to a shareholder who acts like the owner.
Only when this is challenged at a corporate level will change happen.
Tonight, the members of the Celtic Trust who attend their AGM have an opportunity to take a small but significant step forward.
If they vote in Duncan Smillie as their new chairperson, then that organisation can take the first step to becoming fit for purpose.
The corporate dysfunction at Celtic needs a corporate challenge.
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If Brendan is still the focus of one’s ire then symptoms are your thing.
To prosper, it’s the illness that needs dealt with.
Short-sighted, parochial fans will be satisfied as long as we continue to sit atop a mediocre league, our club has potential way beyond that. The suits are OK with that too, though, as long as they turn a profit. Wee minded attitude that stunts our growth.
The last few days of the window was amateur hour, an embarrassment.
Until the board are replaced the current stasis is our norm.
There is no doubt that the board has made mistakes. The first one was bringing Rodger’s back. The second one was allowing him to spend £26 million last summer on players who are simply not good enough to be first picks, one of whom has now been sold at a circa 25% loss. Trusty is fortunate to be in the squad. Engels can take penalties but adds little else. That £26 million is less than half of the total £62 million Rodgers has spent as a Celtic manager. I struggle to remember some of the players he has signed, several of whom played few if any first team games. On top of that Rodgers chose and recruited the people who have led the scouting department. The truth, difficult as it is for some to accept, is that Rodgers never has been an elite manager. Anyone who believes otherwise has not been paying attention. His record in England includes the relegation of one club, and the long term demise of three other clubs. Europa? His record is appalling, and the Munich games were an exception to that rule. How many times have opponents put 5 goals or more past Celtic under Rodgers. So the board probably took the decision not to give him funds, especially following the ECL debacle this season, unable to score against a dreadful team over two legs and extra time. Then we are treated to one of the worst performances by a Celtic team in my (long) lifetime. Rodgers has one system and he has been found out many times. We’re the tribute act at Ibrox anywhere close to a decent team Celtic would not have won the last two league flags. I agree the board has made mistakes but Rodgers record for signing players is quite simply shocking. He looks and acts like a man who knows his future lies elsewhere, similar to the post Valencia debacle. Celtic need a manager who is not scared to lose, because with that mentality we would win many more critical games. Another mistake the board made was failing to get rid of Rodgers when he capitulated in the cup final. The board must take responsibility for their actions but Rodgers has no right to blame them and by doing so abdicate his responsibility. This will be a long and difficult season and the sooner a new manager is appointed the better the chances of winning a domestic trophy will be. Chris Sutton indicated Rodgers should resign. God willing that will happen during this international break
The celtic trust need to hire a corporate lawyer to find out if the board members are acting in the best intrests of the club and ALL shareholders or if they are just working on direction from 1 shareholder.
If it’s the latter , they are breaking corporate law and they should all be struck off from being able to be directors again.
Everyone outwith the football department who is responsible for transfers should be sacked. This window was the worst I can remember
The usual line at the AGM is that they say they are working in the best interests of the COMPANY which might be the opposite of, the best interests of the football club.
It pains me to say that the sheep (with all due respect to Aberdeen) that will purchase Europa League packages are part of the problem not the solution. Fergus made a mistake when exiting Celtic after 5 years as he had stated, by enabling the current situation, where previous family dynasties have been replaced by the Desmonds.
Stop giving any money at all to this discredited board starve them out
I wonder what sort of percentage the smaller shareholders have. Is it hight enough to be a nuisance to the board?
It is between 15 & 20 percent, but the difficulty is finding the people who hold those shares. Hopefully the Celtic trust can reach out and find them and use them collectively.
How can they make a corporate challenge when all the minor shareholders won’t come forward? I believe the Celtic trust have been down this road before, so what would make the appointment of Duncan Smillie so different? I wish him well. Promised my grandson the new Celtic top for his 16th birthday and I felt like a “Scab” buying it for him.
Fingers crossed for a new Celtic Trust