My friends in Celtic, you and I have often said that losers get the chance to rip everything up and start again. Winners can be burdened with the belief that sticking with a successful plan is the best bet. As we gather in the afterglow of the most improbable title win of the modern era, it is our responsibility to acknowledge a few truths.
The Celtic team who won the SPFL title last season was the weakest side to take the trophy in the 21st century. I do not say that without appreciating that they found something when it mattered most. But we were eliminated from the Champions League by a side weaker than any of the several weak teams who have done so across the last 20 years. Our Europa League campaign fell short of the previous season’s results in the Champions League. And we were pushed to the last week of the campaign by a Newco side who were nine points behind and out of the race, having sacked their manager in October.
The transfer window of summer 2025 will go down in history as an abysmal wasted opportunity. Brendan Rodgers pursued Kasper Dolberg, then 27, for £10m. The player kept Celtic on the hook before opting for Ajax, where he scored three league goals in 22 league appearances since. Rodgers was unable to solicit a payoff and eventually walked in October. The club then made a remarkably wise decision to bring Martin O’Neill back after a 20-year absence. That wisdom was short-lived, as Martin was replaced by a man destined to be remembered as the worst manager in our history. So far.
I was slower than some to lose faith in Wilfried Nancy. I wanted the outside-the-box appointment to work. But even I could see after four games, the defeat at Dundee United, that he had to go. Celtic held on for another four games before deploying the hook. Martin returned again to produce a miracle, again.
The drama of those final weeks will live long. The 97th-minute Scottish Cup equaliser against Dundee came seven days before the 96th-minute league winner at Kilmarnock. Two goals down at Ibrox and playing truly terrible football, the players got off the canvas to secure a point in the 92nd minute. It felt like a win and proved to be crucial.
Late victories over Dundee and Hibs kept us on the coattails of those ahead. Then the final week of the season produced three unbelievable games. Behind against Newco, Motherwell and Hearts, Celtic rallied to score fantastic goals, win all three, and take the most dramatic title in world football last term. We gathered at Hampden a week later to decompress with some more silverware.
Paul Tisdale was escorted off the premises with his protégé Wilfried. He was not the worst Head of Football Operations Celtic have had, but he has a decent claim to the title. We currently do not have a Head of Football Operations. Recruitment is being done nonetheless, but this is a worrying sign.
Nor do we have a permanent chairman. Brian Wilson acts in an interim capacity, without the authority or knowledge to impose the oversight I would like. At least he stepped forward when no one else wanted the job. We are also short of non-executive directors. I am aware that approaches have been made, but the lack of appointment reflects how unattractive the role has become to anyone suitably qualified to be offered it.
Non-executives should be hands-off. They are there to decide strategy and hold executive directors to account. If the executives fail, or a significant event happens — and this includes the replacement of a manager — they step in. None should be involved in day-to-day operations or contract negotiations with coaching staff. Then there is the toxicity of being a Celtic director in recent years. We are never going to win more than we do. God knows how this sentiment changes, but it needs to, or we will fail to attract top talent.
Martin O’Neill is about to undertake an enormous physical and emotional challenge for a 74-year-old. He is more intelligent, experienced and probably fitter than you or me, but do not underestimate the enormity of what lies ahead. There were points dropped during his time last season, but all had mitigating factors apart from a single defeat at Tannadice. He never faced conflict among coaching staff, squad or supporters. It would be miraculous if that state continued for another 10 months.
He has also never recruited in the modern game. Martin watched players and bought them. The data model is not how he operated. He goes into a new way of working short of people whose job it is to prepare options for him. I hope we have signed well and continue to do so, but to paraphrase the old joke, if you want to have a great transfer window, I would not start from here.
My greatest concern about our board is their last two permanent managerial appointments, both of whom were disastrous. The Nancy appointment was (I believe) an attempt to find another Ange Postecoglou. Ange was a serial winner, Nancy won one Covid-era cup. The re-appointment of Brendan Rodgers defies belief. I know people at every level of the club who had to work with or deal with him during his first stay. It was unfathomable that he talked his way back into the job.
We are now in a process not just trying to recruit board members, but bring in new recruitment people to work on a shortlist for a permanent manager, to be appointed by largely the same people who brought you the Brendan and Wilfried Show.
The 21st century has been ours. We have enjoyed enormous privilege, watched our side win more trophies than anyone else in the world. This drove our oldest rivals into liquidation and has reset many facets of Scottish life. As a Celtic fan walking through the streets of Glasgow or Lanarkshire in the 1990s, you felt like you were living in a foreign land, we were so marginalised.
Never underestimate what has been achieved or fail to appreciate this privilege. We now have fans who did not walk those streets in the 90s, or did and no longer remember. The squad, which Martin got over the line in May with, requires a complete rebuild and we do not have a fully constituted recruitment team. I don’t want to bang on forever about the bringing Brendan back in 2023, but it was the most disturbing decision I have known Celtic to make this century. The bitterness of its ending was predicted on these pages and should have been predictable by all inside Celtic Park.
At halftime during the aforementioned draw at Ibrox I thought it was over. I expected Newco to win the league, income to fall, Celtic to respond by splurging ill-considered money on poorly-scouted players, our fans to turn inwards while Newco fans to unify behind the club. Celtic’s privileged position would have ended right there.
We have won five titles in a row, 14 out of 15, but all dominant empires fall for the same reason. A succession of poor decisions, are masked by times of plenty until it’s too late to stop the rot. I can see this happening in real time.
I think we will struggle to appoint the non-execs we need. Our recruitment reputation will take years to rebuild and will only happen through rare and exceptional performance. Fans will absolutely turn inwards at any and every trophy loss; it is counter-productive, but try telling people that! We will spent plenty this window, but the trading model that has supported our success for so long has to be established again.
I am very pleased that Newco took a manager and two players from Hearts. They weakened the side who finished second to us last term, but brought in players with no developmental roadmap and a manager who is no more than a good SPFL boss. This is not the data-first response I expected from US sports investors.
Had Danny Rohl left sooner, they would surely have gone for Jens Berthel Askou, the prospect of which would have concerned me. Why we did not move for him is an inexplicable worry.
So, I expect us to win the league this season and make it six-in-a-row. If we do, I will celebrate as much as any of you. But, I have enjoyed being a Celtic fan this century too much, and disliked aspects of living in Scotland during the 90s enough, to let the big picture slip. I want the next 26 years to look like the last. We have work to do.
Enjoy the season. Paul67.
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League table below..
Who says it never lies .
.
😉
Laxalt
Couldn’t say I’ve liked Robinson as he strikes me as right hun.
However I do admire his ability to set up a team.
If the hun had taken him as manager, it would have concerned me more than the present incumbent or any of the last few.
https://x.com/i/status/2083620963686518837
Enjoy 😍✌️
If Everton go gor the Dundee United full back instead of AJ, Wilbur be a case of Ferry across the Mersey?
I’ll get my coat.
Typing like a ventriloquist.
Will it be
https://x.com/i/status/2083620912247554443
Aye you gotta laugh 😃
Wanted a draw tonight. Still Huns will go to Aberdeen 3rd league game now. So have Hibs home then Dons away.
Well I’ve watched the 3 games so far this season and I can say that the only 3 things to impress me have been…
Will Ferry
St Mirren and
Scott Bain.
Glen Daly….totally agree re Will Ferry….I would prefer him to Sarrachi (?sp) because he seems a bit bigger and even more athletic.
Good tim too which doesn’t do any harm.
B78…why a draw?
Just interested
GG….I hear ye but one of the things I like about him is that his teams were/are up for every single game….it didn’t matter if it was us or the sevs.
To be fair Celtic fan Jim Goodwins teams are the same and that’s obviously the way it should be in professional football.
It’s a hard life being an elderly Tim. Laughing at the hun and their sisters is putting years on me.
Nope, taking years aff me.🤣🤣
Laxalt on 1st August 2026 8:06 pm
Yep , and a home based player who would most likely get game time rather than just a token to add to the quota
Paul, I have to disagree with your statement “The re-appointment of Brendan Rodgers defies belief. I know people at every level of the club who had to work with or deal with him during his first stay. It was unfathomable that he talked his way back into the job”.
Firstly, the evidence from the players is completely contrary to what you say. Kris Commons ( during Brendan’s first spell ) said that his intention was to go into management after he stopped playing and he did achieve his licence whilst playing for Celtic. However, whilst observing Brendan he stated that Brendan was in a different league to any other manager he had played under. He then acknowledged that he could never attain that level of professionalism and decided against pursuing a career in management.
Calum has also said that Brendan was brilliant to play for and was extremely professional. Another member of the backroom staff that I spoke with said he was a brilliant guy to work for.
Additionally, the facts are, he will go down as one of the most successful managers in Celtic’s history.
I believe Dermot Desmond’s statement about Brendan was unbecoming of a Celtic official.
Personally I also think your piece confirms everything that Brendan was saying about the lack of support that was provided to him by an incompetent Board.
GG….is he defo home based?
GLASSTWOTHIRDSFULL
Neither Brendan or Paul Tisdale had anything to do with bringing in Shin Yamada. That signing was 100% a Desmond signing.
Step for a hint…..Brendan just refused to play him.
McKenna knocks back huns
Laxalt on 1st August 2026 8:34 pm
GG….is he defo home based?
Born in England and an Eire under 21 , so not entirely sure
Laxalt
Agree 100% with your comments about the attitude of the teams managed by Robinson and Jim Goodwin.
I would hope for nothing else from teams managed by Celtic folk. That is how it should be.
I reckon the Hibs v Motherwell game tomorrow will be worth a watch.
At the risk of seeming blaze, from what I’ve seen so far second and third place are up for grabs.
On a matchday at CP we would sell around 80k pints at £7 per pint.
Our profit on that after expenses and staff etc would be around £200k.
£200k x 25 games is £5m per year.
I honestly DO NOT think that CFC will see any value in that.
GG….totally
GD….im not sure either
HH
Oh no….when did Hurts actually last win a match ?
£7 😮💨
That’s about the same as they charge for a warm can of Tennents at Murrayfield.
Needless to say I’ve given up drinking when I go to the rugby😂
Chairbhoy on 1st August 2026 5:24 pm
Auldheid…
Just to clarify my position further.
===========
It is because of the current nature of Celtic I sent a proposal for a Membership Service to Dublin last Sept that would end the current sick relationship.
It took me a while to think it through, print and post, the kind of thing opposite of what a placeman who is told what to do, does.
Having read through the Fan Engagement proposals I see some elements of the Membership Service in it. Might be a coincidence but DD was quite impressed with the proposal so I will never know.
Separately I put a question re Celtic’s Purpose and Strategy etc to the previous Celtic Company Sec using a facility set up in 2022 after chatting to him about the logistics of donating Res12 legal expenses to the Foundation.
The Purpose question did not get an answer at the abandoned AGM but I followed up with then head of media and got an assurance the statement of Celtic’s purpose in AGM papers (which is not one according to my experience ) will be reviewed.
I only recount this as an example of how to get Celtic to engage with the support and all of it with my intent to remove the causes of disunity.
With respect to Fan Engagement I worked with the SLO just after his appointment on improving communications, and I said at the time I doubted the Fans Forum which was one way communication would work and will do my best to help set up something that does work this time.
It looks like we want the same thing it is just that I go about in a way that gets Celtic’s attention and all of it was on behalf of the support which is why I get pissed off about anything that does not align in with my purpose and the BR v DD subject is one of them.
I have no chance of changing minds at Celtic as long as antagonism, which resulted from BR giving DD reason to “empty” him is the default approach of some of the support.
No way am I blind to Celtic’s failings that I have tried to address in my own way over the years and the fact is a worry from inside Celtic is the treatment social media will apply to Celtic’s attempts to improve communications.
It has started already as feared, mainly from those who see an improvement as bad for their own business that is based on continuing division. Perhaps that is why SC emptied me.
With respect to the ongoing DD/BR tango perhaps it is time to forgive and move on?
Forgiveness of the past is not forgetting, far from it, it is about remembering past wrongs with understanding so that they can be made right.
( I might put that in my book).
Sorry, I cant go along with the BR shit served up here,
Good luck nad lkets hope there is no mutiny. Ive better sourced debate now,
Good luck everyone.
I managed to watch good chunks of the 3 SPFL games broadcast.
I wish I hadn’t, I already feel the tendrils of complacency creeping in.
Lets hope no Board members were watching.
Every day every day I write the book…..
To be cont.
glasgowbhoy1888 on 1st August 2026 8:34 pm
I believe Dermot Desmond’s statement about Brendan was unbecoming of a Celtic official.
==============
So do I and more – it totally screwed any chance of unity and was right out of tune with the tone of the Sept conversation I had.
I wonder what triggered it? Was DD just nursing his wrath to keep it warm or had something else turned up in the intervening weeks before BR left?
If what I have seen written about the meeting that saw BR leave is true (so it is not a proven fact) it was not just BR’s attempts to get Celtic to increase wage limits.
Greenpinata on 1st August 2026 3:56 pm
Auldheid,
I’m fine thanks apart from a painful bunion I’ve called Chairbhoy
(I’m kidding about the name but humour is great pain killer)
—–
PS : A Celtic supporter who runs a well known bus told me Celtic own some of the ground at the Emirates. Do you know if this is correct ?
===============
I have seen it written but the man from AI says no.
Celtic PLC owns Celtic Park itself and some immediate plots (such as the traditional training grounds like Barrowfield or recent local community project land applications), but neither Celtic nor Dermot Desmond owns the majority of the surrounding commercial land, which has historically been held by external entities and local developers.
Who’s to say the achohol facilities would only be used for football games.
Celtic Mac on 1st August 2026 9:41 pm
Every day every day I write the book…..
To be cont.
===========
We all do but have you read it?
wojak on 1st August 2026 2:29 pm
An Tearmann on 31st July 2026 4:48 pm
wojak on 31st July 2026 4:03 pm
I wonder how Martin feels about how Brendan resigned and was then trashed by Martin’s close comrade Dermot, especially after the campaign run by Martin to get Brendan to return to Celtic?
“Why?
A grand bit of loaded’windae hingin’ speculation there,:-)) as a question??”
==========
Thanks for the welcome.
It’ll be interesting to see if you smear Auldheid for his Rodgers comments, questions, etc.
Or will you go on to prove how inconsistent you are?.
====================================
Many a differing opinions I have had with Auldheid on r12 for eg
If your wanting answers from Auldheid on his opinion on BR ask him.he usually answers.he doesnt bite.
Same to you.Why? How will it improve your Celtic experience.
You should try answering your own questions,to much speculation and assumptions as I said above…comrade etc!
In my opinion BR revolutionised Celtic at all levels,his record stands alone 3×trebles(well).
Br2 4 outa 6,but he is gone.long live the king etc, he is gone.
Sorry for being inconsistent:-))
Is Wojak a change of moniker?
HH
Dermot knew far more about Brendan than any poster on any website ever did.
So because Dermot said things that showed Brendan up in a bad light, Dermot is smeared as an out of touch liar by tens of thousands of people who were not in the same room as Dermot and Brendan when whatever had to be said, was said, by Dermot.
An Tearmann on 1st August 2026 10:12 pm
____
wojak is a new poster.
What is a moniker?
wojak on 1st August 2026 10:15 pm
She used to work for Bill Clinton, although he denied knowing her!
WOJAK on 1ST AUGUST 2026 10:13 PM
“Dermot knew far more about Brendan than any poster on any website ever did”.
(A) agree:
In modern sports management, executive communication is often reduced to sanitized, corporate press releases designed to minimize friction and legal liability. However, when Brendan Rodgers resigned from Celtic Football Club, majority shareholder Dermot Desmond took a radically different path. Releasing an extraordinary, detailed, and unvarnished public statement, Desmond addressed the fallout head-on. Far from being an impulsive emotional reaction, Desmond’s public declaration represented a masterclass in crisis management, corporate transparency, and leadership accountability. By refusing to allow a departing manager to rewrite history, Desmond protected the club’s leadership, defended institutional integrity, and re-established the fundamental principle that no individual is bigger than the institution.
1. Reclaiming the Narrative Through Radical Transparency:
High-profile modern managers frequently utilize media savvy to craft public narratives that insulate their personal reputations, often casting club boards as ambitious roadblocks or financial constraints. During his tenure, Rodgers engaged in public commentary regarding recruitment and contract negotiations that subtly positioned the board as the impediment to progress.
Desmond’s statement disrupted this dynamic by deploying facts over vague platitudes. Rather than issuing a standard “we thank him for his services” blurb, Desmond laid out a timeline:
The board explicitly offered Rodgers a contract extension in June, which he deferred.
Every player signed or sold during his tenure was executed with Rodgers’ full approval and endorsement.
Desmond personally engaged in a three-hour face-to-face meeting with Rodgers at his home, where Rodgers was unable to substantiate his public complaints.
By presenting verified, granular details directly to supporters, Desmond reclaimed the truth. In crisis communications, allowing false narratives to fester damages stakeholder trust; Desmond’s radical transparency exposed the disparity between public rhetoric and private reality.
2. Shielding Personnel and Demonstrating Duty of Care:
Great leaders absorb pressure to protect their people. The public narrative driven by Rodgers’ comments had generated severe fan hostility toward key executives, including CEO Michael Nicholson and the board, leading to unwarranted personal abuse directed at staff and their families.
Desmond recognized that silent diplomacy in this instance would be a failure of leadership. By stepping out of his typical media-shy persona to release a direct statement under his own name, Desmond effectively stepped into the line of fire. He publicly affirmed the integrity, dedication, and professionalism of the executive board, making it clear that the fault lay not in organizational failure, but in individual self-preservation. In doing so, Desmond demonstrated true executive stewardship—protecting the mental well-being and safety of his leadership team while holding the departing party accountable.
3. Re-Establishing Institutional Primacy:
The bedrock of any durable sports organization is the principle that the institution transcends any single individual, regardless of their past accolades or trophies. When a manager’s public behavior creates division and toxicity, accommodating them to avoid short-term noise undermines long-term culture.
By concluding with the resolute message that “Celtic is greater than any one person,” Desmond set a standard for all future employees, players, and stakeholders. He communicated that while success on the pitch is paramount, it cannot come at the expense of honesty, internal alignment, and mutual respect.
4. Setting the Standard for Future Governance:
Desmond’s swift and firm response prevented prolonged speculation and stabilized the club’s governance structure. Instead of entering a prolonged period of internal recrimination or passive defense, the statement drew a clear boundary between the past and the future. It sent a signal to prospective managerial candidates that Celtic provides complete backing and record investment to its managers, but in exchange expects transparency, internal debate behind closed doors, and shared accountability.
Conclusion:
Dermot Desmond’s statement on Brendan Rodgers’ resignation was a masterclass in modern sports governance. In an era where executive leaders frequently hide behind boilerplate corporate language, Desmond chose clarity, accountability, and courage. By dismantling false narratives with documented facts, defending his staff against unfair hostility, and re-establishing the primacy of the club over individual ego, Desmond provided a playbook for how sports executives should handle high-stakes corporate communication.
Night, night Gedi.
Be careful what you wish for😉
celt55 on 1st August 2026 10:29 pm
___
Ah :)