Celtic D-Day named as pressure piles on Nicholson and Wilson

The Celtic Fans Collective has renewed their backing for The Green Brigade ahead of Monday’s meeting with Celtic.

Communication from the club has been minimal. Whether Michael Nicholson turns up remains unclear.

At a meeting with the Collective on February 18, instigated by Brian Wilson the interim Chairman confirmed that he had no decision making authority.

If Nicholson turns up at Monday’s meeting with the Green Brigade the obvious first question is over whether he can decide to lift the suspension of 250 Season Ticket holders.

If the CEO can’t make a decision the meeting is just another one of many wasting everyone’s time.

Wilson carried out the fact finding/ box ticking meetings last month.

The opportunity to have the Green Brigade back for the matches against Stuttgart and Hibs was missed. Celtic lost both games.

Obviously those results weren’t solely down to the flat atmosphere inside Celtic Park but it was a factor.

Celtic have been handicapping themselves since they suspended the Green Brigade. Add that to appointing Wilfried Nancy and you have created the ‘exciting and competitive’ SPFL race loved by legacy media outlets.

CELTIC FACE MONDAY D-DAY

Solely down to Martin O’Neill Celtic remain in the SPFL title race.

Twice due to boardroom failings he has been called in as interim manager. His domestic record is outstanding.

Over two stints O’Neill has dropped seven points in 14 matches. Taking 35 points from 42 available.

Nancy took six points from six matches over 33 horrific days. Six points out of 18, 12 points lost. If Celtic had drawn the four matches lost under Nancy they would currently be sitting one point ahead of Hearts.

After trips to Ibrox and Pittodrie, Celtic remain in title contention.

WIN OR BUST AT HOME TO MOTHERWELL?

A home win over Motherwell will take Celtic to two points behind Hearts before they play at Kilmarnock later on April 14.

The level of self sabotage/incompetence this season from Celtic has been incredible.

From Nicholson’s mission to sell off goal scorers to the recurring horrors of recruitment this season requires a lot of explaining. Which was denied to shareholders at the November AGM manipulated by outgoing Chairman Lawwell.

Monday’s meeting is probably the last chance to salvage something from this season.

Many players have no experience of the full home support at Celtic Park.

Fans of Braga, Sturm Graz, Roma, Utrecht and Stuttgart have laughed at the myth of the fabled Celtic Park atmosphere. They out-sung the home support throughout their Europa League nights.

Whether it is Nicholson or Wilson representing Celtic on Monday only one acceptable outcome.

Anything short of the Green Brigade being in place for the home match with Motherwell is yet another corporate failing among a season littered with them.

At some stage on Monday the North Curve will publish a tweet.

Wilson and Nicholson know what to deliver. No matter how uncomfortable it feels.

Meanwhile, this week Wilson managed to complete his column in The Scotsman without referencing the SNP.

Instead he chose to justify his support for Tony Blair’s illegal war on Iraq

Three tests for regime change

Parallels with Iraq are tempting but imperfect. Personally, I did not think regime change was an ignoble objective given the suffering which Saddam Hussein was inflicting on his people. It proved easier than anticipated because the cruel regime, as it turned out, carried so little popular support.

Helping oppressed people get rid of their regimes should be based on three criteria – overwhelming demand within the population, international approval and, critically, confidence that the outcome can lead to a peaceful transition. These are high bars to set.

Where things really went wrong in Iraq was down to the abject absence of planning for what would follow the fall of the dictatorship – a vacuum quickly filled by other malign forces. That lesson seems to have been entirely missed by the Trump gang of loudmouths and shysters.

Regime change Brian? We can but wish.