When Brendan Rodgers resigned as Celtic manager the news was almost overtaken by a scathing statement from Dermot Desmond.
Celtic’s largest individual shareholder is a Non Executive Director.
He rarely attends matches, it is 18 years since he attended an AGM. Taking part in the Dunhill Cup at St Andrews is an annual family event.
When Rodgers resigned Desmond delivered a scathing personal attack on the departing manager.
THE DISPICABLE ATTACK ON RODGERS
Apparently everything as Celtic, the structure and model, was operating perfectly but the failures of 2025 were down to ‘one individual’s desire for self-preservation at the expense of others‘. Rodgers.
Between the lines Desmond was praising the brilliance of Michael Nicholson whose executive team were covering up for a failing manager.
As events since October 27 have demonstrated nothing could be further from the truth.
That ‘one individual’s desire’ was carrying the whole club. The success of Rodgers covered up the failings in every area as Nicholson and Co congratulated themselves on keeping ahead of the dross across Scottish football.
Until they appointed Wilfried Nancy who almost burnt the house down.
The absolute highlight of the unhinged statement was this classic:
Every member of the Board and executive team is deeply passionate about Celtic and acts at all times with professionalism, integrity, and a shared desire for success.
What has failed recently was not due to our structure or model, but to one individual’s desire for self-preservation at the expense of others.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Desmond was referring to the executive team that spend 37 days to appoint Wilfried Nancy as Rodgers’ replacement. The sacked the Frenchman and his four assistants 33 days later. What a structure. What a model.
NICHOLSON’S NANCY NIGHTMARE
Nicholson’s professionalism and integrity stopped short of sitting alongside Nancy as he was introduced to the Celtic support through the club’s media partners.
It seems that all of the executives and NED’s were on board for Nancy, they were falling over themselves to be associated with the statement for his appointment.
The reality is that Celtic requires a big time manager to cover up a structure that has long passed its sell-by date.
Twenty years ago having a 60,000 capacity stadium delivered a £10m a year advantage that required disguised remuneration to keep apace.
Celtic have had Scottish football to themselves over the last 15 years while being in reverse gear in Europe.
EUROPEAN ALSO RANS
Bodo Glint and Midtjylland beat Celtic by every metric. Look at the current Champions League and Europa League tables for evidence.
Botched recruitment has largely been responsible for Celtic’s Champions League defeats to Maribor, Malmo, AEK Athens, Cluj, Ferencvaros, Midtjylland and Kairat Almaty.
Desmond has allowed a cosy set up on lawyers, accountants and politicians to suppress Celtic’s natural growth.
Despite the fawning praise of media partners Celtic’s don’t operate a brilliant transfer policy. They don’t have a functioning player trading model.
There have been a few valuable transfers over the last 15 years but absolutely no sign of succession planning.
For every Nicolas Kuhn there are plenty of Marian Shved’s Luis Palma’s and Marco Tilio’s.
Matt O’Riley was outstanding business, not so Ismaila Soro, Kwon Hyeok Kyu or Odin Thiago Holm.
CELTIC’S RECRUITMENT FIASCO
During the summer of 2025 Rodgers had Shin Yamada, Hayato Inamura, Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Jahmai Simpson-Pusey imposed on him. Two subsequent managers have had the same opinion of those club signings.
Many expected a response from Rodgers to the personal attack from Desmond.
The events at Celtic since October 27 say more than any statement could.
Peter Lawwell has bailed out. His projects in Nicholson and Chris McKay are failing again in the transfer market while Interim Chairman Brian Wilson carries all the conviction of a Labour politician as that shameless party crashes in Scotland and the UK.
Celtic sit third in the SPFL Premiership, one of the weakest leagues in Europe. Desmond has overseen a structure and model that has failed the minute it is scrutinised.
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1 Comment
by Magua
Every member of the board is passionate. Passionate for the desire to increase their personal wealth. At the expense of Celtic FC.
Hail Hail.
Hail Hail.