Not since the days of the Kelly’s and the Whites has there been so little trust in a Celtic board. Its just about at breaking point now
Eric Knott 
Craig Foy - SNS Group/SNS Group/Getty Images
The Celtic board have outdone themselves in this transfer window, it has to be said.
You often wonder what it is they feel that they’re achieving by continuously weakening our footballing operation?
I think I can now safely say that we will commence the 2024/25 season weaker than we finished it.
There is no way the players required to strengthen this squad will be in the door before next Sunday’s game against Kilmarnock.
No way.
The lack of respect for a fanbase, whose loyalty is like no other, is staggering.
It reeks of utter contempt towards us.
Give us your money, we’ll happily take it, and give you nothing in return.
We’re going to rob you of your hopes and dreams for this club, and charge you extortionately for the privilege.
And what’s more, you’ll bloody like it!
For every action, there is a reaction, as the saying goes.
I suppose in the Celtic board’s case, it will be as a result of complete inaction where they will eventually get a reaction.
And it is my firm belief that the reaction they don’t seem to expect is not very far away at all.
This board has ridden off the goodwill of our fanbase for too long now.
There is a limit to what people will take, and if the board really wants to test that limit, they’re doing a damn good job of it.
They should be pulling out all the stops to give Brendan Rodgers what he needs.
He has more than shown them his value with a majorly successful pre-season tour in the US.
12 goals scored, and just 4 conceded.
DC United, Man City, and Chelsea, all comprehensively beaten, yet our board thinks it’s acceptable to further weaken Brendan Rodgers’ squad in this abomination of a transfer window?
Their behaviour also shows a complete lack of respect for the manager and what he has achieved.
To do this to him not once, but twice, beggars belief.
I could say that this board never learns, but how can I?
They don’t seem to want to learn.
It seems as if all they care about is the bank balance, and how much more burgeoning it can become.
When will it ever be enough?
Joe McHugh put an article up this morning, where he outlined that board mouthpiece, Steven McGowan was on message with the news in the Daily Mail that Reo Hatate is a target for Leicester City.
In his article, McGowan outlined that Celtic have not yet sold a first team player in this window.
Yet, being the operative word.
In other words, despite the fact incomings have been minimal, we should be grateful to the board that they haven’t sold any of our first team players at this point.
Surely the board would not be so foolish as to rip out the heart of our midfield, and sell both Reo Hatate and Matt O’Riley?
Surely?
Nothing would surprise me anymore.
The strength of the playing squad is clearly a trivial matter for them.
I just cannot wrap my head around the fact we will kick off this season weaker than we finished it last season.
It beggars belief.
If the board are intent on spending little or nothing in this window, then why can’t they just be upfront about it?
If there is some other grand masterplan surrounding the hoarding of tens of millions, then just tell us what it is?
Doing nothing, telling the fans nothing, achieves nothing but frustration and discontent.
Trust in this board is now at an all time low.
Not since the days of the Kelly’s and the Whites has it been at such a low ebb.
Doubtless, I will still have board apologists coming on and singing their praises in the comments section of this article.
Telling us what a great job they’re doing.
To those people out there who still firmly believe they’re doing a great job, answer me one question:
Do you think it is acceptable for us to commence our season next Sunday in a weaker state than we finished last season?
No matter how you spin that, you cannot justify it.
You cannot justify it when you look at Brendan Rodgers’ achievements last season.
At a time when the board totally handicapped the manager with two poor transfer windows, and with fan discontent rising, Rodgers still delivered a League and Cup double.
In doing so, he spared the board the wrath of the fans.
In return for that, the board should be bending over backwards to give Rodgers what he needs to improve this squad.
Yet here we are, less than a week away from the start of the new season with no significant outfield signings.
Paulo Bernardo may be coming, but all that succeeds in doing is maintaining the status quo in midfield.
Last week, in one of my articles, I said it wouldn’t come as a shock if we were expected to accept Bernardo as a replacement for Matt O’Riley.
I haven’t changed my viewpoint on that.
We are starting the season with only one recognised striker.
Adam Idah seems no closer to a move to Celtic than he did when the season finished.
There is no mention of our initial low-ball offer of £4 million having increased.
We have only one recognised left back in Greg Taylor.
This position has not been adequately strengthened for years now, with various attempts at replacing Kieran Tierney since his departure 5 years ago, failing miserably.
Greg Taylor has been the only constant since then.
Don’t get me wrong, Taylor has done a good job in that position, but he has often been found out at European level.
He is a decent level Scottish Premiership player, but Europe seems to be a step too far for him.
It seems like we just talk about the same issues, season after season, and nothing changes.
Last week, Brendan Rodgers gave clear instructions as to what he needed in terms of player signings to Michael Nicholson and Chris McKay.
It is now up to them to deliver on his expectations.
If we close out this transfer window having not significantly strengthened, with the board trying to sell us the same old hard luck stories, there is going to be serious discontent amongst the fanbase.
The fact that our main rivals are in disarray may well ensure an easy ride for the board, until we enter our European campaign.
Add to that, the performance of the team on the US tour, and you get the feeling the board thinks they’re going to be able ride this one out as usual.
They either need to deliver on Brendan Rodgers’ expectations, or end up with a seriously pissed off manager, and a seriously pissed off fanbase.
Would that even bother them?
I don’t think you could mark these guy’s necks with a blowtorch.
Its up to them to change the impression most of us have of them.
They could start by signing some players.
It really shouldn’t be this hard, should it?
Or a certain chairman could do the decent thing and resign.
We live in hope….
It is outrageous that our club, my club has not signed starters and strengthened our squad.
As a share holder I find it ridiculous that the club hasn’t invested to improve our overall position.
If Bre
Nden walks its on their heads, are you listening Mr Lawwell, we won’t forgive and won’t forget come the AGM.
Iv not heard anywhere that the manager has asked to sign anyone and been refused. Not sure why the board are being so heavily criticised….?
It’s no surprise, they’re not Celtic fans….
I’ve Said all along that lawwell has an agenda against Brendan Brendan stopped the projects coming in so lawwell said we’ll no one is signing then when are the fans going to wake up to that fact
Craig peden yet another board apologist it’s disgraceful
Another article that says it like it is Eric. They do this, safe in the knowledge the fans will do nothing, those of us prepared to give up our season tickets have already done so, that leaves the, ‘if I give it up, someone else will just take it’ brigade. The board count on this, and know they will be fine, history tells them so, unfortunately.
As to their motivations, I can only assume that they genuinely believe we have a football team that is there to support their business, rather than the other way around.
Why doesn’t Jim W call them out at the AGM then??
A bunch of nodding dogs for shareholders.
Call them out please, the board hides from the rest of the support
It’s scandalous this has been allowed to happen again and seriously undermines the manager and his staff . The only way to bring them to their senses and strengthen the squad it to hit thaim in the pocket . A dont think a can bere another champions league campaign with a seriously weakened squad and think ill pass oan the complete package as it’s a waste of money yet again .
The fans get what they deserve, if they are not willing to sacrifice a game or two, by boycotting the games, better still protest outside the stadium while the game is being played, as the board it would seem are only interested on the bank balance, the fans have a lot of power if they would only use it
I don’t understand Craig Peden .How dumb are you.Brendan Rodgers just sat at a press conference in America to say he had a meeting with Michael Nicholson and some lackey to tell them exactly who he wanted in what positions,what planet are you on lackey.
I think one of the main issues here is that last summers transfer window was so poor that the Manager can’t get the targets he wants in unless those players that where bought last summer are either sold or put out on loan . But to be starting a season with one recognized striker is embarrassing for a club our size, it seems clear now that the board have no ambition to at least compete in Europe, as a season ticket holder I don’t think I’ll be buying package this year, why should the fans be all in if the board isn’t all in
It seems to me that Rodgers has accepted moving to the same bonus scheme as the Directors and will not rock the boat again . Treating the Champions League as the Directors bonus scheme leaves a very poor taste in my mouth and I find it disgusting our club treats the World’s best competition for clubs in this way . No doubt a totally unjustified hike in Euro prices is on the way and fans once again used as fodder .
They don’t want to depress their buddies in Govan any further by making us stronger, greedy Pete will see to that no doubt!
I posted this earlier on another blog, if anyone can offer an alternative to the usual cries of boycotts and withholding cash(none of which will ever happen BTW) then please share them.
I want our current board of directors gone as much as anyone, and have consistently held the view that our club is run to subsidise the PLC instead of the PLC doing everything it can to provide funds to put the best possible team on the park.
However wishing for something means nothing in the corporate world.
The only way anyone on the board will be removed is if holders of more than 50% of the ordinary voting shares agree they need to go. With Desmond holding roughly 35% and Bank of New York Nominees Limited with 17.83% I don’t see a route to that happening under the current ownership.
6 months ago our share price was 125p it’s now 177p having been as high as 195p so its clear investors and the market are delighted with the way the club is being run.
Fan protests achieved nothing at Newcastle and Man United, with the owners only selling shares when they received a valuation they were happy with, so good luck with sack the board signs.
There is no significant threat to the clubs continued dominance of Scottish football as the second biggest club are a shambles with no real money to invest in the team, and the rest of clubs are not of sufficient size and turnover to mount a challenge.
So unless our largest shareholders receive an offer that meets their valuation of their shares we are stuck with them and their corporate vision for the club.
We started last season weaker than the one before and didn’t strengthen. So if no transfers come in were even more weaker than 2 seasons ago!
Finger out board or you’ll feel the wrath of the support.
Peter lawwell just fuck off
Craig Peden
says:
29th July 2024 at 12:27 pm
Iv not heard anywhere that the manager has asked to sign anyone and been refused. Not sure why the board are being so heavily criticised….?
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You are either trying to take the piss or your as thick as shite.
Which one are you?
Who is meant to be looking at players to come in surely if none in then whoever the people are should be hung out to dry , also when Brendan came back there must have been talks between him and DD to guarantee no interference from an incompetent board, there needs to be a mass demonstration before ko next week.
The board need to decide whether they want to run a football club or a savings bank
It’s clear that the board are happy to win a pretty poor league having spent the bare minimum to achieve it. Compete in Europe? Forget it, they’re happy to pick up the bug bucks for qualifying, but don’t care if we get skelped in every game
Trash talk and poison yet again from a wanna be famous celtic journo…utter garbage
I wouldn’t be surprised if the board class Maeda as another striker work MJ as possible back up. How many Scots do we need in the team for CL games? 8?…Bain,Taylor, Cal. Mac. Forest, Welsh, MJ.
Never waiting until next week the demonstrations for lawwells removals should have started ages ago get him out once and for all
Stephen
says:
29th July 2024 at 4:08 pm
Trash talk and poison yet again from a wanna be famous celtic journo…utter garbage
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Happy clappers like yourself are deluded.
Happy clappers like this will keep us 1 step ahead of Govan fc.. And get the yearly humiliation in Europe
If they don’t strengthen considerably before the end of the window,the fans should have a merchandise ban or CL tickets.Onky way 2 get change is hit them in the pocket.
Where’s ma new bling? It’s no coming quick enough. We’re becoming as spoiled and entitled as the 90’s Ibrox support.
Brilliant article, Eric. There are ways of boycotting the board without harming the club. Mass protests outside the ground. Anti-board chants inside the ground. Do not buy merchandise at the club shops. Do not buy food or drink inside the ground. Do not participate in the Paradise Windfall. These steps would show our contempt for Porky Pete & The Parasites, while still backing the team.
Hail Hail.
BREAKING NEWS
I give up. Many of my fellow Celts seem to have a disturbingly weird BDSM kink session going on with the board. It’s like watching 60,000 Celts volunteer to be tied up in the basement to have their arses oiled and repeatedly whipped by Liewell, Nicholson, and Co., only reaching a climax when they are released to cry on Twitter about their rosy red cheeks, being spanked into the transfer wilderness. Will they the Celtic fans ever learn? No, because apparently they’re faithfully blind through and through, most haven’t the courage to do what’s necessary to save this club, the fanbase is too weak, full od deluded socialist, just take our money and wip our arses.
Time after time, you gullible idiots and faithful blind morons keep handing over your hard-earned cash to these money-hoarding charlatans. Like an unhappy girlfriend, Celtic fans then proceed to concoct every excuse imaginable to explain away their mistreatment, hiding behind nonsense like, “I support the club, not the board.” Well, the board runs our club, so there you go.
If you truly support this club and want to see the change that is needed, then grow a spine and take a stand. Boycott all merchandise and matches this season, send a message, or otherwise, bore of
Lets remind ourselves of how the faithfully blind and their sycophantic psychosis behavior down through the years has allowed the board to act with complete impunity:
SNOWFLAKE WARNING, FEELINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET HURT
The Celtic fans backed us the board/club during a global pandemic, we (the board) flushed £35 million down the toilet & blew the 10iar, erected barricades, and deliberately ignored the concerns of the Celtic support, we the board used the blue nose tainted elements of the British media to insult & labelled Celtic fans with untrue, deceitful slurs of ‘entitled’, ‘mob’, ‘scum’ & dirt, yet, after all that, they still came back for more of the same, renewing in their thousands ???? beggars belief (complete faithfully blind suckers), yous want Champions League fitba, aye right we’re downsizing! To help save Sevoc, now shut up & give us your money. Liewell and the board have:
1: Constantly interfered with the recruitment process
2: Continuously undermined managers to pursue their own ‘money-hoarding’ agenda
3: Wasted countless millions on project players & journeymen, with the insulting excuses of “We Don’t Want To End-Up Like Old Co”
4: They held back on money needed money for Champions League qualifiers
5: They’ve regressed Celtic to a joke & laughing stock of European football to the point we’ve become the whipping boys for Europe’s smaller clubs that operate on a fraction of our budget
6: Under Liewell and the boards ‘money-hoarding’ mismanagement, we’ve only qualified for the Champions League twice in the last eight years
7: Under Liewell and the board’s ‘money-hoarding’ mismanagement we’ve lost out on £280 million of much needed Champion’s League revenue
8: Under Liewell and the boards money-hoarding’ mismanagement, they flushed £35 million down the toilet, blew the 10iar & called it progress
9: Under Liewell and the boards money-hoarding’ mismanagement, Sevco have were resurrected to save the ‘Old firm’ Brand & the long-term financial future of the SPFL
This preseason we’ve bought two keepers for £1 million whilst getting £3 millionish for Oh a nett profit of £2 millionish, that’s a total disgrace. We’re blessed with an elite manager and an inept board, he’s being hamstrung at every turn. Last week you said Eric we’re a football club first and a business second but our board don’t seem to see it that way. In any other job you’d be sacked for just mosying along at a half-arsed pace and expecting everything to turn out alright and that’s the luck of this board. They gave Ange the job as a last desperate act and fluked the biggest result of their lives as Ange also turned out to be an elite manager but he saw the writing on the wall and pulled on his Air Jordan’s and ran for the hills and I honestly believe to be the case. I’m sick of being embarrassed in the Champions League because this board couldn’t care less about anything else other than staying ahead of TRIFC and that’s just not going to do it for Celtic supporters anymore these people need weeded out and get run down London Road and off the premises for good.
Couldn’t agree more Bob, but not sure what point you are trying to make with ‘socialist’, or indeed it’s relevance to what you are saying, or to Celtic , or the supporters?.
Why the concern, Champions League money, no real challenge in Scotland. Rodgers should be winner again this season
Bob
says:
29th July 2024 at 10:51 pm
Why the concern, Champions League money, no real challenge in Scotland. Rodgers should be winner again this season
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Nurse!!!
Bob
says:
29th July 2024 at 10:51 pm
Why the concern, Champions League money, no real challenge in Scotland. Rodgers should be winner again this season
—————-
Nurse!!
If Roger’s is accepting this he’s part of the problem with his salary linked to profit, it’s the same every year and every year I foolishly think it’s gonna be different more fool me and us
Is it perhaps fair to say ,right now that we ,as a club are an an ,annoyance and very difficult to deal with as far as transfers are concerned and that our reputation is now ,speedily going before us ?? The footballing world is a very small one and word,I’m sure has spread that dealing with celtic is just not worth the time or effort with
constant ,low ball offers.
Nothing new here we the supporters have been treated this way since my day I’m 71, I don’t think the board want us too far away in front of rangers I think that’s obvious as we could have done that numerous times from the late sixties onwards, we the fans are a captive audience and don’t the board know it, the club at present reminds me of the kelly days unfortunately
Although I’ve been as frustrated as everyone else with the board over the years I’m not getting the timing of this article, yes we’re gonna start the season weaker but surely it’s about how we look at the end of the transfer window that really counts, no cl qualifiers to get through we can afford to be a bit more patient and make sure we get the right players in and avoid making the same mistakes as last summer, I don’t trust the board at all but I do trust the manager and with him saying he wants genuine quality through the door this summer these players will be harder to get and take a bit longer, come the start of September if we’re still weaker by all means we should be calling out the board in a major way, I may be deluded here but I actually still think we’re gonna have a strong window by the time it closes, we are all right to be sceptical of the board delivering but still just over a month of the window left surely we are best to reserve criticism of out transfer business until then.
I saw my first Celtic match in 1958…Was eventually fortunate enough to afford a Season Ticket…which I had for over 20 years.
Two years ago I decided that I’d had enough of Lawwell and his cronies (RES 12 still gets me angry ) and, after much soul searching, I gave up my ST.
I don’t expect many others to do the same…but a boycott of certain elements of the Club’s trading should be considered.
This latest embarrassment of a transfer window, should be the final nail in the coffin for this Board…but it won’t happen…and we’ll continue to get what we deserve.
Joe S
says:
30th July 2024 at 11:12 am
Although I’ve been as frustrated as everyone else with the board over the years I’m not getting the timing of this article, yes we’re gonna start the season weaker but surely it’s about how we look at the end of the transfer window that really counts, no cl qualifiers to get through we can afford to be a bit more patient and make sure we get the right players in and avoid making the same mistakes as last summer, I don’t trust the board at all but I do trust the manager and with him saying he wants genuine quality through the door this summer these players will be harder to get and take a bit longer, come the start of September if we’re still weaker by all means we should be calling out the board in a major way, I may be deluded here but I actually still think we’re gonna have a strong window by the time it closes, we are all right to be sceptical of the board delivering but still just over a month of the window left surely we are best to reserve criticism of out transfer business until then.
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The season starts on Sunday, not the end of August and we have one centre forward.
You have a case Joe…and maybe you’ll be proved correct.
However here’s my take on Idah’s situation for example…which took place weeks ago.
US : “Hello…Celtic FC here.. is Adam Idah for sale ?”
Them: “Yes …for the right price .”
US: “And that price is ?”
Them : “£££££££”
US: “OK…Give us 4 or 5 weeks to think about it.”
REALLY…??…Is that how we operate…??
Yes…is the answer to that.
Shameful.
What board Desmond and lawwell but Brendan will get what he needs keep the faith
You have a case Joe…and maybe you’ll be proved correct.
However here’s my take on Idah’s situation for example…which took place weeks ago.
US : “Hello…Celtic FC here.. is Adam Idah for sale ?”
Them: “Yes …for the right price .”
US: “And that price is ?”
Them : “£££££££”
US: “OK…Give us 4 or 5 weeks to think about it.”
REALLY…??…Is that how we operate…??
Yes…is the answer to that.
Shameful.
_________________
I don’t disagree with that take on the idah situation at all, it is shameful, I actually think the lack of foresight in not having an agreed fee on the loan in January is probably worse as no doubt that fee would have been lower than what we will probably pay in the end, the board are at best inept however I’m still of the belief that getting in genuine quality is a harder process and these deals take longer, the reality is as well that we can’t really pay the big wages for ready made players a lot of the time or they will move to a top 5 league and give us no consideration, I think buying proper quality for us isn’t easy these days and only gonna get harder, that said the board can undoubtedly do far more to support the manager, not a fan of the board and certainly not sticking up for them but do feel we need the judge this window when it closes rather than half way through
Easy solution. Don’t renew your season book ‘ til they cough up with the signings. The Celtic fans fall for it every season. You,d be amazed at the difference that would make. Vote with your feet Celtic fans. You are Celtic, not the board.
The Bernardo deal will be pushed over the line before Sunday and he will be paraded at half time like a new guy with all the appropriate fanfare.This will be the bone we will be thrown.This board really do take us for mugs
Fagan & The Beancounter with the brown tongues, continually exploit the club, together they sucked over £10 million last season. The beancounter has his increased salary and perks to over £4 million. Not bad considering he has produced nothing. No new main Stand which could increase capacity to 75 thousand, no hotel, refurbished the dump for the womans team grant assisted and are currently dragging their heels in all other club matters. Adidas – no consultaions, Daft Bet replacements no mention. White & Kellys in masks shameless bloodsuckers