21 Apr 2021 22:00:25
If there is one major lesson that we supporters can learn from the collapse of the european super league is the power we fans hold. These owners totally discounted their own fans and have now had to back down.
Now let us look at our very own Celtic Board who not just this season but for probably the past three or four have totally disregarded the fans wishes. But hopefully things are about to change for the positive with the new man McKay now in place. Last season Celtic were touting their season tickets in early March, knowing full well that even during C.V.
we Celtic fans would step up and faithfully purchase our season tickets. It is almost the end of April and the club have still not advertised next season's tickets, I believe they know the Celtic fans will not step up until we know what the Board's plans are regarding a new manager, DOF AND what our transfer budget will be.
I believe McKay WILL listen to the Celtic supporters and a new more positive relationship between the club and us fans will now take place.
22 Apr 2021 01:12:29
This season has been an amalgamation of issues that has snowballed out of control. No one could have predicted it.
At the end of the summer window the majority of fans I knew were extremely optimistic. We were signing experienced international players like Barkas, Ajeti, Laxalt, Elyounoussi and Duffy whilst at the same time keeping hold of the so called assets of Ajer, Edouard and McGregor etc. Expecting the emergence of projects like Turnbull things were looking good. On paper we should have sailed this season.
The past 3 or 4 years has seen us complete an unprecedented Quadruple Treble. Apart from asking for a better run in Europe I don't think us fans could have asked for much more. We were spending big fees on transfers. Our wage bill was the highest in the league by a country mile. I don't really buy in to the biscuit tin mentality that some fans dangle above the boards head. Mismanagement of funds is completely separate to funds not being available. Coincidentally the people responsible for spending have actually done well in the fees we have generated for players so it swings and roundabouts there in my opinion. Other things like the whole saga of Ajeti was the cheap option to Toney seems like rubbish to me. Ajeti looked like a replacement for Griffiths who appeared to be finished at the time, and Toney for Edouard had they left. Ultimately we kept Edouard which is what most fans wanted and for whatever reason Griffiths wasn't moved on as expected.
What other wishes from fans did the board disregard? Lennons reappointment? maybe, but some fans were actually really happy with that at the time.
The internal management of the handling of issues this season from the board to CEO to the manager and coaching staff has been diabolical, there's absolutely no denying that. Ulimately those responsible have been removed from their positions, mainly down to the input of the fans. Mind you, I think there's an argument to be had that change would have happened sooner if the small element of fans who went over the top with their demonstrations hadn't acted in the manner in which they did.
Given Dominic Mackays silence so far this week I don't believe we will be too far away from an announcement with regards to our DOF and new manager. As we've not heard from him and have no idea who will be included in the new setup its hard to say whether or not the relationship between the fans and board or Mackay will be positive or not. What if the plan is to massively reduce the wage bill? We bring in a project coach like Maresca and we say goodbye to record breaking transfers and expensive PL loan players like Moi, Duffy, Forster etc in future seasons. If this is the route we go down Mackay will not be a popular figure. Personally I don't think this is the route we will go down given the £40M automatic jackpot of the CL group stages for next years league winner. I think Mackay will look to use his first press conference to implement positivity back into proceedings. Hopefully he will introduce a manger who will galvanise the club in the way O'Neill did in 2000. My gut instinct remains that it will not be Eddie Howe.
22 Apr 2021 01:15:12
I hope so Tim. Though I heard that Sky are refusing to renew the deal that will slow clubs to sell a virtual ticket so that's possibly the reason for the delay.
22 Apr 2021 07:26:01
I am inclined to agree with all that Del.
However my main gripes are we didn't get a backup right winger in the summer or january and i highlighted this at the time. We didn't make any signings in january even though it was evident there was a need for some, which was akin to accepting defeat. We allowed lennon to continue until the damage was irrepairable. There was no planning to get a replacement for Lennon and even now we are without a manager.
22 Apr 2021 11:52:27
Plenty have been saying for years our go cheap and hope on duds would catch us out. Thst never being prepared for the CL and it's riches was an abdication of reslons8bility. Lawell failed 9 out of 12 times to qualify but still took millions. No, 0lenty of people knew this was coming and it wasn't just these last couple of years. It is symptomatic of a dithering, complacent, ambitionless board that failed us.
23 Apr 2021 08:18:28
Our back up winger is dumbelle he never got a chance.
23 Apr 2021 16:05:35
A very considered opinion Del Bhoy but I reckon it’s a stretch to summarise the season past as an amalgamation of issues that no one predicted. I think that’s a bit generous Chief.
Irrespective of predictions the preparations were poor. Huge swathes of our support were not confident in the manager. Those concerns were proven 100% correct. Many also had (and still have) issues with the boards handling, particularly Peter Lawwells year-in, year-out parsimony. One of the best paid CEOs in the UK should have done a better job, put simply we should have been prepared. By example Ajeti was undoubtedly a cheap option. Put simply, we needed a forward and went for the cheaper alternative. This is just one example of the general mismanagement. If we are honest the first season the Bangers put together a strong challenge we weren’t ready. Shocking admission.
I hate to kick a man when he’s down but on Neil Lennon’s reappointment, some fans may have been happy at the time. The majority may even have done the honourable and got behind him but I repeat, huge numbers were not confident in him or happy with the way the appointment was made. They, like me would suggest a negative outcome was predictable. I hope your rite about Dominic Mackay.