Celtic are back on league duty tomorrow at Paradise.
The home crowd, despite being shorn of the Green Brigade, will no doubt be able to generate a “sack the board” chant during the proceedings.
Although I can’t disagree with the sentiments contained within that incantation, there is one minor problem with it.
Dear reader, there is no board.
For example, it is hard to imagine, with the current shitshow of a transfer window unfolding, if, say, Brian Quinn were in the boardroom at Parkhead.
Appointed in 1996 by Fergus McCann, the guy who had been at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Bank of England, held power to account at Celtic.
To compare him with the current cobweb-covered ensemble in the Parkhead boardroom is an exercise in cruelty to all involved.
If you doubt me, then Google “Juninho EBT”.
His replacement in 2007 with John Reid can now be viewed as Desmond starting to put his apparatchiks in place.
Someone close to the current recruitment bin fire sent me this earlier today:
“Nicholson and MacKay simply can’t do the job they’re paid for. Are they seriously thinking of spending £6.5m on a Serie B player who’s out of contract in the summer? Utter madness!”
For the avoidance of doubt, I have no opinion on the merits or otherwise of Farès Ghedjemis.
Or whether or not the work experience crew at Celtic will pursue the signature of Chidera Ejuke.
As I understand, his name has certainly come up in recent days at Parkhead.
Whatever the state of play with these potential acquisitions, either loans or signings, the substantive point my source makes holds true.
Planet Fitba is well aware that Celtic find themselves in the distressed purchase phase.
For clubs and agents, that is blood-in-the-water time.
Of course, this points to the strategic weakness of Celtic’s feudal chain of command.
Everything must get royal assent from King Dermot.
With that in mind, I still think it was yet another own goal to prevent the Dauphin from reading out all of Daddy’s statement.
The booing allowed Peter Lawwell to close the meeting and prevent further evidence from being laid before the rest of us.
No doubt the folk in the room felt good about making noise, but it served those they considered to be their enemy.
Those who would style themselves as some sort of Left Opposition to the current regime at Celtic should start thinking like Michael instead of venting like Sonny.
At the moment, they’re about as effective as Fredo.
Here is an option that Mr Desmond is really concerned about.
Thinking that the tactics of 1994 will work in 2026 is a folly worthy of the Maginot Line.
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Only 2% of match day support attends the pre match protests, that tells you the vast majority of fans just want to go and support celtic.
I don’t care who the board are, as long as they have the best interests of celtic at heart. They don’t get it right all the time.
We can’t win everything all the time , but we are winning most trophies most of the time.
The 2% of fans who want to turn celtic into a political organisation won’t win, but they will harm celtic.
I’d imagine the board are under pressure from the sponsors to sort it out, this is what the green brigade issue is.
For 2 hours on match day, can we not leave the politics outside the ground and get behind celtic.
Our board depends on supporters like you.
What the board depends on is,
They own the shares, money in the bank and a STH waiting list and in the middle of a very successful period on the pitch.
You’re picking a fight when they are at their strongest.
Im a happy clapper as they say, if you want persuade me and other fans ,wait till the next AGM and see if there’s a more professional approach.
Here here
Very good post & you’re 100% correct there’s faults on both sides. Better communication from the board & Better behavior from fans and certain shareholders would definitely improve things.
First things first, if as we all suspect, the window will close with no additions to the team then a boycott of the Dundee Cup match should be called.
Fans have paid for their season tickets, so there is little point in not attending league games however depriving the Board of Cup revenue may dent the bonus structure.
The Celtic Fans Collective represents tens of thousands of active fans and bringing together major organisations like the CSA, Affiliation, Trust, individual CSCs etc under the one umbrella that had never before achieved.
Credible sources give a figure of £5m for the success of the Not Another Penny initiative and the visible rejection of the current regime is constantly remarked on by a hostile media, which helps to keep the pressure up.
Desmond and his cronies were driven out of ManU by the collective actions of fans and nothing else.
CSL? When you set up a company, website, PR etc without any visible support from the fans then clearly, you’re looking to dictate to them and not work with them.
Months later I still can’t see any visible support and simply puff pieces doesn’t cut it.
One of the guys is an ex-Partick investor and his brain-dead marketing BS would’ve been rejected by any credible source as a way of reaching Celtic fans.
The other one is David Low, the Beale to McCann’s Gerrard, we’re led to believe, late of the Celtic Trust where his vision and strategy is the same as now and bombed.
He maybe a skilled background operator but he’s no leader, certainly not for Celtic fans.
They also keep criticising Celtic fans and their organisations, just like the board (the real enemy?).
So, what’s the game, weaken the strong collective of Celtic fans, in the hope that they get invited to the comfy seats, as supposed progress but, in reality, nothing of the sort.
Or are they a stalking horse for a major player to ride in on as the saviour, in the confusion, but without any credible support among the fans, which will only lead to problems down the line?
Perhaps someone like Willie Haughey, who couldn’t stand the heat of justified criticism at Queens Park. Jeez.
Lawwell’s gone, Nicholson and McKay are teetering due to the successful actions of the collective and it’s risible to suggest Desmond cares a jot about the CSL, if he even knows about them, which is doubtful.
Excellent analysis
CSL consulted with and continue to have conversations with Celtic shareholders
CSL have been clear that they have nothing but respect for the Celtic collective
Duncan Smillie was a non exec director and Chairman at Partick Thistle, he was not a shareholder or investor
Maybe check out the CSL articles of association 🍀
https://celticsupporters.net/articles-of-association/
They weren’t forced out of Man Utd by the fans. They were bought out by the Glazers as they took control.
Dermot, Magnier and McManus sold their nursing home shares for £5.2 Billion last year.
Dermot probably doesn’t want disturbed as he’s been counting his Euro’s since October.
That’s just my theory. It may or may not be true.
It’s easy to criticise, especially when you don’t put forward any alternative actions for the fans to take.
So you just sit back and say nothing and let things rumble on
I couldn’t agree more Ed.
Easy to snipe from the sidelines.
Yes things were so different in 1994. We were on the verge of bankruptcy. We are currently cash rich.
Buying up shares has its merits but.wont come close to weilding any influence.
What do you suggest Phil?
I suggest you visit the CSL website