Dermot Desmond left Celtic Park before the final whistle blew on the Europa League defeat from Roma.
There is no doubt that Celtic are currently at a crisis point. Only Desmond can alter that.
Celtic have a nominal CEO, a nominal Chairman and a nominal Board of Directors. Everyone knows that.
There is no mystery about how the club is run. It used to be that every major decision was run past the Irish businessman who has 35% of the shares in the club.
DESMOND CALLS THE SHOTS
Recent events have confirmed that Desmond is on the front foot.
When Brendan Rodgers resigned Desmond issued a scathing attack on the Celtic website.
Martin O’Neill revealed that his appointment was triggered by a phone call from Desmond while he was having a coffee with his wife in London. He was given 15 minutes to make a decision.
Having fallen for the PowerPoint charm of Paul Tisdale in the spring of 2024 Desmond has a huge decision to make over the former Exeter City boss.
Now in the most senior non-management position at Celtic Tisdale is directly involved in the recruitment of players and now the manager.
Does Desmond double down and back Tisdale going forward or go with his gut instinct and enforce change at every level.
Last night Desmond Senior made an early exit. Absolutely no-one can guess what is on his mind, what his next move will be.
All good big man but you changed too much too soon, doesn’t take a genius to work that out, the Celtic team is riddled with injuries & a lack of quality due to a bad transfer window or 2, should have stuck with whatever MON was doing till after January & then tried to change it.
— Lomond Crypto (@CryptoLomond) December 11, 2025
WRONG MANAGER, WRONG CLUB, WRONG TIME
This job isn’t going to work out for Wilfried Nancy.
This isn’t a project requiring solutions from a philosopher.
There will be clubs in France and North America crying out for the Nancy treatment. Not Celtic.
His media comments are concerning, his tactics baffling, the results are woeful.
Nancy is the culmination of many huge mistakes.
Never in a million miles is Michael Nicholson a CEO. There is nothing in his profile that spells out leadership or decision making. He has been in the job for four years. A CEO afraid of the club’s in-house TV station.
Peter Lawwell should never have returned as Chairman, he is approaching three years on that salary and perks package. He hasn’t attended an away match all season.
Paul Tisdale should never have got anything more than a junior role in the Academy.
Dr Football has a bang average record in management in the lower reaches of English football. Gary Caldwell is doing a better job of managing Exeter City.
TISDALE TAKEOVER
Tisdale has no experience of being Head of Football. He is now running all things Celtic, from players to management.
Last night Desmond sat among the managed decline.
The Green Brigade has been emptied, so to has the atmosphere. With just 2,500 fans stuck in a corner Roma out sung the docile home support all night.
Desmond has made huge decisions to benefit Celtic. As recently asOctober he decided that O’Neill was the man to take charge.
Twice he has appointed Rodgers as manager when someone of his profile was way above the ambition levels of Lawwell and Nicholson.
Football is a brutal business, decided on small margins.
Desmond has to act very soon to clear out the current executives and management team. They will never be able to fulfil Celtic’s potential. Supporters have given their verdict, the tills are quiet at the busiest time of the year. Adidas projections are falling well short.
Until Desmond takes decisive action Celtic Park is going to vary between hostility and apathy.
Not the sort of place that you’d want to show off to your golfing or rugger chums.
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3 Comments
by Terence Nova
Good article…says it all really…Well done.
by Angiesbhoy09
Just dont turn up!…. EVERYONE!.. stop your protests.. of a match is scheduled & NO FANS turn up, they will switch their thinking!
Sorry to say but Chairman FRITZEL!… This is 100% on you!.. regardless of what your IDIOT Son speaks on your behalf.. 👍
by Jamie D
This disastrous decision to appoint Nancy is about to get worse. 3 managers in 3 months, each with a different system, and the players are supposed keep winning.
Is it any wonder that players are looking confused? This manager has no experience of either Scottish football or European football and is yet another example of our tight fisted chairman opting for the cheapest option.
Why he was asked to take over the team at this point of the season is yet another example of the poor decisions taken by the board.
This season will be a write off and our manager would be better off returning to the USA.