Celtic fans were one again paid lip service as Wilfried Nancy went through a nine minute media conference on Friday.
The purpose of the conference was to promote the League Cup Final with the sponsors having a big backdrop for their event.
There was a little comment on St Mirren but the reporters present mainly danced around the issues of Nancy’s opening two matches at Celtic. Two home defeats which is only part of the story.
Unfortunately for Nancy he walks into a club deeply divided. The Frenchman is an employee of a Board of Directors detested by a huge portion of the Celtic support.
CELTIC FANS COLLECTIVE
Over 400 fan groups have signed up for the aims of the Celtic Fans Collective. Seven key questions remain unanswered. The Collective Would like to see Michael Nicholson, Peter Lawwell and Chris McKay removed from their jobs.
The Celtic Board has reacted furiously. Chairman Lawwell wouldn’t even let the AGM be completed.
Among the 400 groups in the Collective the Green Brigade is the most vocal and visible. They have had their Season Tickets suspended on the flimsiest of evidence.
Against Hearts dozens of Supporters Clubs brought banners to the match to protest against the Celtic board. Opposition is an Ultras thing. It includes the ultra conservative Celtic Supporters Association, the Irish Association and the Affiliation of Registered clubs.
While Michael Nicholson demonises the Green Brigade and the club cries foul to their friends at the Daily Record the atmosphere at Celtic Park has fallen through the floor.
CELTIC PARK ATMOSPHERE
It was never the greatest due to a largely elderly Season Ticket base, most matchday fans are 40 or over.
With the Green Brigade banned and the overall contempt for fans there was barely a peep out of the Celtic support against Roma.
The teams were roared onto the pitch. The Europa League anthem played then it all went quiet. Except for 2,500 Roma fans. They sang throughout the match. They had cause to do so.
Everyone knows the issues, the causes.
These days Celtic’s favoured partners- Sky Sports, Radio Clyde, STV and BBC Scotland- are the only ones given access to media conferences.
One question was asked about Celtic fans. Nancy gave the most bland answer, there was no follow up.
No one dared to ask about the Green Brigade and the mediocre atmosphere inside Celtic Park these days. Those in the invite list all need to be invited back.
3 minutes 50 seconds:
CELTIC MEDIA CONFERENCE
QUESTION: You say that it’s important for the players but it’s important for the fans as well to show…
NANCY: Yes obviously. You know like I told you I’m going to repeat myself. Fans for me are the players because again the the ways they are behind us. All over the world you know, everybody knows Celtic and the fans, the atmosphere. Like I said, so for me the fans this is a no-brainer. So obviously we want to win the trophy for them, they are so important.
Like I told you I play for my my players but the fans for me the connection and, what they do every day, every game, to come at the game this is this is unbelievable. So that’s why they are part of the of the of the story for sure.
Those type of comments belong on a Mission Statement. It could be said about any club, any group of fans.
Nancy isn’t to blame. He is a football manager, he has barely been in Scotland for a week. English isn’t his first language. He has Nicholson and Paul Tisdale to lean on for information about what is happening around the club. Good luck with that.
Since the Frenchman was appointed Celtic fans have watched a heavily scripted ‘interview’ with Nicholson on Celtic TV. All four minutes of it.
CELTIC CREATE CRISIS
That came after a very awkward video clip of the Celtic CEO meeting Nancy with a hug then showing him around Lennoxtown. With that clip and the four minute interview it is clear why Celtic keep Nicholson on mute. To describe the ‘leading sports lawyer’ as underwhelming would be an understatement. The temperature drops when Nicholson enters a room.
Celtic are putting on a front that it is business as usual around the club. The fact that the CEO or Chairman haven’t sat down alongside Nancy to outline their plans and ambitions is a massive red flag. Nancy will be aware of the situation around the club. He was appointed manager two weeks after the aborted AGM.
Until the club takes a step back the situation is only going to get worse.
The vindictive action against the Green Brigade has earned the Ultras group sympathy and support from supporters that weren’t always supportive of their actions.
Admitting mistakes and failures goes completely against the grain for Lawwell and the empty vessels that he employed in key positions at the club.
Nancy is dealing with the consequences of that. These stand offs never end well. Celtic fans can only hope that Dermot Desmond steps in and imposes a solution. From the speech he got his son to read out at the AGM that seems unlikely.
The situation is no longer a stalemate or stand off. It is bordering on a crisis, one that will only harm Celtic, the players and the manager.
1 Comment
by Kevin lee
There will be no changes at board level until the new season tickets total comes in if they get close to 60 thousand then nothing will change EVER so if you buy a new season ticket then you will be buying into the club’s default platform STAGNATION