Very pleased Peter Lawwell has opened up a bit today (in The Sun, I know…) on the workings of the club, I hope this is the start of a trend in more regular communication. If there’s logical explanations for Celtic’s actions, inactions, views and general strategy, we should be giving them far more often than we have.
On the club’s financial strategy, his comments were not far removed from yesterday’s blog, “if we take the club into £20m worth of debt, and [Champions League qualification] doesn’t happen, where does that leave us?
“For a Scottish club to owe that kind of money leads to trouble. You don’t have to look very far [Govan] to see the consequences [administration and/or liquidation]of people trying things which ‘might’ happen.”
We’re only a few years from that touchstone but the point still needs to be made.
On one point, there’s probably a bit of work to do: “You’ve got social media and the bloggers, posters and trolls who think they know what’s going on at the club. They don’t.
“They don’t have all the information. The reality is different from their perception and I need to deal with reality every day.”
Social media will never have all the information, but football clubs need to find out ways to harness what is still a new and emerging phenomenon. At the very least, they need to find ways to head off wildly inaccurate and damaging fantasies.
Everyone believes they deal with reality, not perception. I laugh when I see new posters here saying “I’ve no axe to grind, but…….” None of us believe we have an axe to grind, we all believe we bring reality to the debate.
Self-awareness in this respect is not part of the human condition. If people experience, see and read certain realities, perceptions consistent with those realities are perceived as reality.
The only way around this for the club is to ensure Celtic fans have access to sufficient verifiable realities to offset perceived realities. Let’s keep the verifiable realities coming, soon if possible.
Really hope Leigh is playing tonight, and he gets his 40th goal. It would be a fitting achievement for a thorough professional – who never lets an opportunity to show Celtic fans how genuine his delight to be here is.
There’s a Football Forum at The Iron Horse pub, West Nile St, tomorrow [Thursday] from 18:30 until 21:00. Three authors will talk about football within Scottish society.
Our own Alex Gordon, author or Winds of Change, Caesar & the Assassin, A Bhoy called Bertie, Celtic the Awakening and more, “will provide stories of and insights into the integrity of the Scottish football press and media”. Alex is a former editor of the Sunday Mail, so this one should be interesting.
Sandy Jamieson, author of Celtic Submari: a new model for football relationships, among others, will also be speaking. The third panelist is Alan Ness, author of the football novel, A Man’s Game.
There’s a £5 (to Dogs Trust charity or discount off a book) charge at the door, no tickets in advance. Introduce yourself to Alex, if you’re there.
392 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- »
I hope Liverpool
Fans are picking up Celtic fan disapproval re The Sun…
Wee Bobby- I’m assumin’ that’s no the ole Yiddish rhymin’ slang.
CULTSBHOY CAN NOT RELATE TO CELTIC BOARD AMBITIONS ON OR OFF THE PARK
Is next years title race still a one horse race??
So Pedro the Bonus collector.
Where to start?
We went for Ronny and now we are coming for you? Really!
Na mate.
You are the cause. Ronny was the effect of your disasterous failure.
Ronny should not have been employed but once employed should not have been sacked (or left of his own accord) until you had walked the plank!
What an unbelievable pile of pravada.
Get rid of me the man (he assumes a man) coming in will just need to do what he does. Honestly! What an ego this cretin holds of his own perception of his reality of himself.
Please Peter the bonus collector. Please keep going to The Sun only next time make it the big yellow ball in the sky and don’t come back soon.
Seriously man. The Sun? After the weekends tribute to the families finally winning justice against a lie supported by that rag. Serioulsy Pedro the collector of Bonus’s. How far out of touch are you?
What a trooper you are.
Time to replace the statues of Jock, Jinky, Billy and Brother Walfrid me thinks with one big staute of Peter holding his perfect sheet of balances and his personal bank account aloft.
You are the man.
What and absolute Tube of a man.
But hey, he’s a Celtic supporter so all good.
Macjay and Tony (The Liar) Donnelly) mustl have spilled a little bit of personal fluid reading that I am sure!
MWD
Thoughts and prayers for Bobby Carroll, family and friends.
As others have said it beggars belief that P. L. would give an interview to that rag, irrespective of the content. To do so 3 days after having hosted the representatives of the “96” is totally reprehensible in my opinion.
HH
DBBIA @ 2:15 PM,
A spot on post.
Though of course although there is no stratagy, there is a reality.
Peter’s not going to tell us what that is though.
Hail Hail
DD 12:49
Am with you the sun is nothing but ersewipe Justice for 96.HH
Mike in Toronto, what part of my response did you read that makes you accuse me of “being a hun?” Not asking you to apologize for you’re way out of left field barb (for you non-Canadians, that loosely means, “crazy”), but for the record, I have supported Celtic all my life, my late father and late grandfather were supporters and my father’s commemorative brick takes pride of place in front of CP, entitled “Clydebank Bhoy” so my Celtic credentials are impeccable. Like every other poster on this blog I have the right to my opinion, but what I will never tolerate is anyone even making a hint of a suggestion that I am anything other than a true Celtic fan 24/7. So unless you have anything constructive to say about either my comments or Paul’s article then don’t come on here and make cheap insults. Since you’re from Toronto and in my neighbourhood, more than happy to meet you in person over a beer and set the record straight. HH!
The Sun… fair enough, your awareness level has not yet reached zero Peter…
Struck by some social media comment over the last 2 weeks suggesting a softening of the story run in der hun as being more pro Celtic speculating that someone was deliberately courting an ‘in’ as a way of holding/attracting readership in competition to the level 5 daily ranger content…
Probably just that uninformed social media commentary though eh?
Based on Paul’s puff piece here (so disappointing) I think we can see that Peter is first and foremost an accountant and an excellent Director of Finance. Those are the views I would expect a DoF to hold and offer.
But a CEO needs to have a wider perspective and balance risk (not eliminate it). As I understand it the Board has accountants in the majority and then lawyers explaining why our strategy will always be zero risk tolerance. The phrase ‘what if…’ framing all decisions shows the framework and why we won’t be risking anything anytime soon.
But, more than anything, co-operating deliberately with the Sun… that’s another reason for me to review where I am with this Board and another tick in the debit column.
Time for change… at all levels.
HH
I’m glad that I will never need money so badly, that I have to sell my arse.
I pity those with no principles.
You run with the dogs, you get bit.
A wee bit of fame can change people,and not for the better.
Some are easily led.
What happens in the end?
People lose respect for you.
DBBIA….Aye, you’re assumin’ right…
So clubs can’t do this? That’s interesting.
Dundee United have been deducted three points for including ineligible players in their squad during their 3-2 victory over Inverness on Friday.
Ali Coote and Jamie Robson had both just returned from loan spells and should not have been listed by the Tayside club, who were already relegated from the
Ladbrokes Premiership.
United have also been fined £30,000, an unspecified part of which is suspended, following a Scottish Professional Football League disciplinary hearing.
Coote had just returned from a loan spell at East Fife while Robson had played for Brechin the previous weekend, and teams are unable to register players from April 1 onwards.
An SPFL statement read: “At a disciplinary hearing today (Wednesday, 11 May, 2016) the SPFL Board charged Dundee United FC for playing (as defined in the SPFL Rules) Jamie Robson and Alistair Coote in their Ladbrokes Premiership match against Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Friday, 6 May, 2016.
“Jamie Robson was an unused substitute in this game. Alistair Coote was listed as a substitute and entered the field of play after 76 minutes when he replaced
Simon Murray, at which point the score was 3-2 to Dundee United. Dundee United won the game 3-2.
“Dundee United pled guilty to breaches of SPFL Player Regulations 12, 14(i) and 14(ii), which breached SPFL Rules. The breaches of Player Regulations occurred because the club failed to apply to the SPFL to league register the players as required by SPFL Player Regulations 7 and 3A.
“As a result, Dundee United were severely censured, deducted three points from their points total this season and fined £30,000 (part suspended).
“The disciplinary hearing concluded that replaying the game before the end of the season was not practical.”
John bhoy,
“Are you a hun?” is the standard greeting to new posters on here.
HH
Improperly registered players leads to a 3 point deduction?
Who’da thunk it??
Been telling ye all that this is our second 5-in-a-row this young century, and our 49th title!
TD67…SPFL moved their erchies very quickly in the Utd case…just shows how they can speed up and slow down at will…
This is a PR own goal, you only have to look at social media to know that, or think back to the fantastic tributes to the 96 on Sunday.
However, this is not a reason not to support the team on the park.
HH
Is he living in a parallel universe ?
What demographic is he trying to reach by giving anything to the ‘scum the sun’ ?
Especially, after inviting our guests to Paradise on Sunday ?
Now I believe this guy does nothing off the cuff, so this must have been
in the pipeline before welcoming families of the 96.
That makes this interview even more distasteful than normal in my view.
If it is some tactical ploy to avenge the Level 5 daily mouth-piece , then it will
Fail miserably.
If PL wanted to get a message out, then he could call Paul67 and the other Celtic Bloggers
to PH and brief them on developments, or put statement of intent out on the website,
like Anne Budge did yesterday.
Paul67, this is a great blog, and I admire hugely the effort and time you put into it.
And maybe you have made a conscious decision, that any negative comments made by yourself on here, will only exacerbate the ‘perceived ‘ problem we currently have of all things Celtic.
If this is the case, then you are doing yourself no favours. If you believe however, that everything is honky dorey, then that is very worrying also. Either way I would really like you to be less guarded with your opinion pieces. Whilst acknowledging that it’s your blog to write what you want.
There is maybe another reason for your reserve, in that you know more of what’s going on than most, and again if that’s the case I feel the time is fast approaching when the custodians have to get their message out there and quickly. not the puff piece today.
My perception is that we are on the brink, we may even have irretrievably gone past the tipping point. I’ve been supporting Celtic for 55 years and am now very seriously thinking of turning my back on this charade. At the very best, I’ll be holding off renewal until I see serious intent from Celtic Re Res 12, and same club issue. If I hear nothing then, in the words of the 2 Ronnie’s It’ll be ”goodbye from me’
HH
Starry Plough
Right now next year’s league is not a 1 horse race. Particularly as Sevco just gubbed is. afc have beaten us, hearts will improve again
However my definitive answer will be made after we appoint a manager and how we clear out poor players and have recruited.
That will be compared to Sevco who already have a decent manager and how they strengthen.
My guess is the league will finish
Celtic
Sevco
Hearts
Aberdeen
The sun…..what next a sponsorship deal with Britain first…or ukip.
Or how about a deal with the Huns….to look the other way?
Peter….and Paul 67…..you are fooling nobody, except yourselves.
Everybody sees through your pathetic attempts at deflection.
You should be ashamed.
Get down from mountain….before you fall
Vespacide
Well said.
The dispelling of the Continuity Myth should be priority number one before we have the weekly run-in with the Big Lie.
We’ve only got the legal backing of the Court Of Session, where the concept of a club floating somewhere in the ether was recently mocked by top legal minds.
Hail! hail!
YNRA.
Johnbhoy- MikeinToronto was simply usin’ the traditional form of address to any new bhoys on here.
I’m sure no offence was meant [ unless of course you really are a H–]
;/)
Geordie Munro, that’s a strange term of endearment. I’ve actually posted on here previously. I’m just not prolific like some. I agree that PL chose the worse possible outlet for his interview. I believe he should have gone on TV instead, or talked with Kevin McCarra at the Guradian.
HH.
Good Afternoon.
I responded to a post by TD earlier today when I pointed out that common business perception amongst those who study these things is that a CEO’s time is usually up after a 5 year period.
Studies tend to show that in the second half of a CEO’s tenure the results and the drive are markedly poorer than the first half. This is because when a new exec comes in the company is emboldened with new ideas, new strategies and perhaps new methods of working.
As time passes, familiarity sets in, the relationship with staff becomes more freindly than strictly professional, and the ceo finds himself or herself out of touch with the customers because he is more sheltered from them with a less acute sense of the customer base.
For a long time, the PR advice at Celtic has needed improving.
The decision to give an exclusive interview to the Sun newspaper proves that it needs overhawled and completely re- examined.
Not only is the newspaper concerned toxic in terms of Celtic fans and football fans generally, but this interview comes at a time which reverses all the right signals which were sent out when Celtic forced a begrudging apology from the Daily Record over its safe standing/Hillsborough link.
At a time when season ticket renewals are in the balance on the basis that fans want to see the club take a moral and justice stance on a number of issues, anyone within the club who thinks that an Interview with the Sun is going to be a positive step is seriously deluded and lacks even the remotest knowledge of the fan base.
Not only that, whatever message Peter Lawwell wanted to get out via this interview, it is a message which will be lost on many as they simply will not buy the publication concerned. Not only that, it is not a tactic which is likely to result in a queue of other newspapers and publications rushing up Kerrydale Street for their turn as the news, as they say, is already out.
The lack of a cogent and thought through PR strategy is so blindingly obvious that it is hard to fathom.
This morning, one well known blogger has apparently revealed on twitter and in a podcast last night that Res 12 has been referred to UEFA via the Company Secretary.
What is interesting about this phenomena is that the chap concerned was one of a number of bloggers and writers who were invited to Celtic Park to be given a briefing on the position of Res 12 amongst other things. I have no doubt that it was at that meeting that he was told what would be happening with Res 12 and that the Company Secretary would be making a referral.
I absolutely encourage Celtic FC to make more use of those involved in social media as they can often say things which the club might possibly shy away from officially for comliance and other reasons. That is a positive step and is to be encouraged in future.
However, when briefing journos or people in social media about what is about to happen or what steps you are going to take, it strikes me as sensible to have agreed those steps with any other parties involved in the process in advance!
To brief bloggers about what is going to happen on a Friday and then meet with the people you are working with to agree a way to make it happen the following Wednesday is somewhat illogical and strikes me as cart before horse.
Accordingly, I am not surprised that the chap concerned came out with absolutely the wrong message.
He is right in the intention, but completely out in his timing.
In that light read the following again:
“On one point, there’s probably a bit of work to do: “You’ve got social media and the bloggers, posters and trolls who think they know what’s going on at the club. They don’t.
“They don’t have all the information. The reality is different from their perception and I need to deal with reality every day.”
Social media will never have all the information, but football clubs need to find out ways to harness what is still a new and emerging phenomenon. At the very least, they need to find ways to head off wildly inaccurate and damaging fantasies.
Everyone believes they deal with reality, not perception. I laugh when I see new posters here saying “I’ve no axe to grind, but…….” None of us believe we have an axe to grind, we all believe we bring reality to the debate.
Self-awareness in this respect is not part of the human condition. If people experience, see and read certain realities, perceptions consistent with those realities are perceived as reality.
The only way around this for the club is to ensure Celtic fans have access to sufficient verifiable realities to offset perceived realities. Let’s keep the verifiable realities coming, soon if possible.”
Verifiable realities coming soon.
One is already upon us and that is the reality that a huge number of Celtic fans have no time for the Sun Newspaper.
Either that is known at Celtic Park or it is not.
If it is not known then the interview is an error of judgement and a poor one at that.
It it was known, then just who did Peter Lawwell, or whoever advised him to give this inetrview, think he was talking to through the Sun?
For me, the true test of the interview is the fact that where and to whom it was given has become the talking point.
I don’t recall much of the substance of what was said at all.
CULTSBHOY CAN NOT RELATE TO CELTIC BOARD AMBITIONS ON OR OFF THE PARK
I think Hearts will be our biggest challengers next year as Neilson seems to have a decent touch with his squad. Aberdeen will have to overcome their disappointing feeling as their season could have been so different.
Warbiola will feel the full force of the Sevconians as their form dips and dives in the big league, I don’t expect them to seriously challenge for the title unless of course Glibby pulls up his 30 mil.
Like you I believe a lot depends on who we appoint, can’t say I’m optimistic on the choice as I can’t see Celtic changing the strategy of a lifetime and Peter L has told us as much today.
Celtic
Hearts
Sheep
Motherwell
Huns:)))
WEEMINGER @ 2:30 PM,
“If we spent £20M would it guarantee CL income to pay back the overspend?”
Yes it would. PL states that we are spending £10M a Season at the moment, we know spending at this level is by and large a waste of money. The last four Seasons have proven that.
Now by improving the first team squad with the extra spend we will qualify for the UCL two Seasons out of three.
The Seasons we don’t qualify we can look to a decent run in the Europa.
We would also achieve European Football after Christmas once in those three Seasons (either UCL or Europa), this will boost prestige and income even further.
Once we are that far up the food chain (i.e. where we should be) £20Million spend will be the norm…
Hail Hail
BROGAN ROGAN TREVINO AND HOGAN SUPPORTS OSCAR KNOX, MACKENZIE FURNISS AND ANYONE ELSE WHO FIGHTS NEUROBLASTOMA on 11TH MAY 2016 2:49 PM
What if the club have demographic info that says the widest print audience of Celtic fans is via the Scottish Sun?
I’d still object to them using it, but it would make the decision slightly more grounded. Still wrong though.
eddieinkirkmichael on 11th May 2016 1:49 pm
The part of the interview that sticks out for me was where PL says even if he left the strategy would remain the same. That’s a clear indication that DD is at the helm and the CEO is only following orders.
……………………………………………………………….
In that case the Board are being fatally undermined by the large minority shareholder and are not properly fulfilling their duties.
HH
Johnbhoy58
There might be Celtic fans on cqn
But its a hun site.
Huns and hun ads all over it.
Its all about money and board lies.
Nothing is sacred….everything for sale.
Poor, pathetic excuse for a site.
No truth….only deflection for money
Canamalar it looks like OCD obsession on 11th May 2016 1:03 pm
When anyone responds to any sign of dissent from the pro-Palestinian narrative with “Zionist,” they immediately lose all credibility on the subject with me. You sound like one of those people who think the Jews rule the world through their control of the world’s media and international banking system.
No one mentioned Jews, that was you, I am strictly talking about zionists who are now all Jews. Just another Zionist ploy to conflate Jews and zionists, no surprise really.
To the best of my knowledge, no one on the blog yesterday called you anti-Semitic. I think you must have imagined that. And no one said Palestinian civilians killed by Israel were terrorists. Try to engage with what has actually been said.
Yesterday the guy who started the discussion by having a pop (wrongly IMO) at Nir Bitton about Occupied Palestine was labelled an anti-semetic straight off, zionists default line in occupied Palestine is to label any civilian casualties as terrorists, you keep up.
You conclude by claiming that “Zionists” always resort to violence when they lose an argument, which is (apparently) why they and jihadists support each other.
It’s not why they support each other, it’s what they have in common.
That’s just bizarre. No one used violence against you yesterday (and certainly no one lost an argument with you either) and the idea that “Zionists” and ihadists support each other is ludicrous.
I did not say any one used violence against me, where did I say that ?
Like the jihadists they do not accept differences of opinion as an end of the debate, there can be only one outcome and as evidenced in Palestine that will be enforced by violence, it is like the jihadists their god given right.
As you well know, Hamas are jihadists and they’re never done attacking “Zionists.” In fact, jihadists are the main obstacle to peace in the region.
And before that it was the PLO that was the main obstacle to peace in the region according to the zionists, who have never been the main obstacle in the region regardless of the slaughter of civilians and the land grabs to resettle foreign immigrants.
When the PLO laid down their arms they received no concessions and the zionists continued to steal land and reduce the civil liberties of the native population to 3rd class citizens, it’s hardly any wonder Hamas became the force they are now.
Both the Zionists and jihadists get their money from the same source, the Saudi rulers, you never came back to me on that, I’d say that was you well and truly gubbed as far as the argument went.
DAMO LENNON on 11TH MAY 2016 2:16 PM
I can’t really disagree with any of that.
Although in terms of strategy, I think there have been moments missed, which would have improved our chances of CPL qualification.
For example – The sale of VVD was an open secret as everyone knew he was being sold last summer for between £10 – 12mil. A proportion of this fee should have been spent before the qualifiers began. I can’t see any reason why speculating to accumulate at that point would have put us in peril. Remember we had also sold Matthews early in the window. Yet we waited until the last moment of the transfer window to bring a player in. Obviously this was far too late & proved a failed strategy.
Personally I have little to gripe about in how Peter Llawwel has run things. Overall I think he’s done a fine job. However & it’s a big however, there are huge questions over his input in regards to the 5 way agreement & Dave King’s fit & proper test. As a fan from afar :) I want the leaders of Celtic to question things that look & smell iffy. Namely LNS, same club myth & the actions of our game’s governing bodies. I understand there might be reasons for not being voiceforous but this shouldn’t stop statements of support. For instance today’s interview in the sun. He could have easily stated that he understands there are concerned shareholders over a number of issues surrounding Scottish Football & rest assured Celtic will act if & when appropriate.
Just my opinion but I think a simple statement acknowledging fans frustrations would have done far more for season ticket sales than yet another budget lesson.
Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan supports Oscar Knox, MacKenzie Furniss and anyone else who fights Neuroblastoma on 11th May 2016 2:49 pm
There was no substance but you’re right, its’about the S*n.
Zionists are not all Jews even
2 years ago we were given the norwegian fantatist. Any who complained were told they didn’t get the big picture, they don’t understand ronny and his revolutionary new theories on football that would make celtic the best blah blah.
Total bull.
Now poor old packie gets shot down for suggesting celtic might spend some money.
Now we have lawwell taking over the blog to pat our heads and tell us we don’t understand the big picture. What a fooking con man
Good luck north Korean quick news
Cultsbhoy, I believe the league next season will finish 1st – Celtic, 2nd – Aberdeen, 3rd – Hearts, 4th – Sevco, though they may just finish above Hearts. Sevco will lose a few games to the likes of ICT (away), St. Johnstone, Ross County (away) as well as home and away to Aberdeen and Hearts. They’re not as good as they think they are and they won’t splash any cash, as they don’t have any to splash. We get in the right kind of manager, offload deadwood, get another decent striker to take the weight off Griff, then we should get back on course. The squad isn’t actually as bad as many think. They just haven’t been well managed. Our major test again will be how well we fare in Europe. For that it would be nice to get some decent quality players, like we had in Ledley, Ki, Hooper etc. which will cost us significant money on wages. That’s the real test of our resolve. Are we willing to make that step, and make prudent purchases. A manager with a keen eye for talent could bring in this type of player and not cost us an arm and a leg. Also would like to see us strengthen our RB position and if possible get another Wanyama-like player. Otherwise improve the players that stay and we should be fine. HH
Ellboy on 11th May 2016 2:56 pm
Some good points there.
For me, everything that’s wrong with Scottish football boils down to the same club myth. If the SFA drop that, things can then start to improve when there is no need to protect “Rangers” anymore.
Emdy catch The Verifiable Realities at the Ole Burns Howff.? ( while consuming the legendary slops )
Lol, all the bloggers, posters, malcontents, CT members, GB members, uni mob, lefties, socialists, Che Guevera combat jacket an beret wearer with a ban the bomb badge are in a snit because PL came right out today and put them in they’r place today with a right good boot in the Dennis Laws, forget the Sun, that’s just the Buzz word or squirrel to kick the eejits aff, you asked for it, you got it, banners on Sat? Get your money on it, predictable level5 little helpers, you are playing a blinder.
Dumbhoy on 11th May 2016 2:35 pm
That is an absolutely excellent assessment of where I think the company is.
It is gripped by Accountantitis and Lawyernervosa.
Hugely conservative in busines outlook ( and any variance from that position does not mean spending beyond our means) and seems to lack innovation and a degree of calculated risk taking that is required to drive forward any business.
Had the Wright brothers listend to their lawyers and accountants they would never have flown as one would have pointed out all the legal negatives concerning potential crahses, damage to property, life and limb while the other would have said they couldn’t afford to build a plane and fly it.
Of course post flight, the same people may well have advised patenting the new invention and ensuring that all future revenue arising from the new mode of transport is legally collectable and is accounted for in the most tax efficient manner.
Both of the Wright Brothers dropped out of school and neither practised law or accountancy.
However, they eventually employed both.