Michael Nicholson has again embarrassed Martin O’Neill in public.
Exactly two months after winning the Scottish Cup the hoops boss has been given one new player to work with.
On Saturday Celtic play their final pre-season friendly match. The fixture where you put the finishing touches to all of the hard work put in on the training ground.
After being appointed manager on June 11 O’Neill said nothing.
In a club interview on June 27, following the first day of pre-season training O’Neill spoke of his wish to implement changes. Apply tweaks to the way that the team played.
Not only has he been deprived new signings but he has been forced to work with a diminished first team squad.
Nicholson played at games with Kelechi Iheanacho and Marcelo Saracchi. Living up to his reputation inside football the Celtic CEO lost out.
O’Neill has barely had a core of a dozen first team players to work with in pre-season. Celtic have drawn two and lost one of their friendly matches.
Arne Engels, Reo Hatate and Paulo Bernardo are likely to be sold during the current transfer window.
Celtic have withdrawn Callum McGregor from media activities because there is one huge question to be answered.
O’NEILL DISCOVERS THE FAILED NICHOLSON RECRUITMENT MODEL
O’Neill knows how badly Celtic do recruitment. That is why Brendan Rodgers resigned with O’Neill having a coffee on Kings Road disrupted.
In January he saw for himself how badly Nicholson performs.
All along the manager played the role of the obedient employee. Trusting his CEO to deliver.
Nicholson failed. Badly.
Julian Araujo showed promise then mysteriously disappeared. Four other January arrivals contributed next to nothing.
In the final run in O’Neill breathed a sigh of relief as Alistair Johnston, Engels and Iheanacho delivered.
Following the draw with Middlesbrough O’Neill gave an upbeat update on transfer timelines.
Once again Nicholson has failed to deliver.
4 minutes
Since we spoke to you on Tuesday, has there been any progress on any potential newcomers?
There has, there has, absolutely.
Have you got a potential time frame for that?
No, just hold fire, because there’s no point in me telling you they’re coming in on Monday and they don’t come in until Wednesday, you know.
So yeah, we are making some progress.
In terms of numbers as well?
Oh no, it’s no good, honestly. We had a good time in Portugal, don’t spoil it, honestly, a really good time.
I wanted to come and join you for an evening’s drinking, just to remind myself of what it used to be like, you know, and just don’t spoil my numbers please today, all right, okay. Ask me on Monday week, all right.
In times of awkward questions O’Neill loves to wonder off on a tangent. Laddish references to a night or two on the lash in Albufeira are a real favourite. O’Neill loves charming his younger questioners.
His reaction of ‘there has, there has’ to the question of making transfer progress is telling.
Monday has passed, as has Wednesday and now most of Thursday.
Celtic’s media team hasn’t been deflected from selling merch and tickets to welcome a new signing with a social media clip.
MEDIA TIME- ANSWERS OR ANECDOTES?
Tomorrow O’Neill will face the media again.
He won’t admit it but pre-season has virtually been wasted except for a dozen players getting back towards match fitness.
Four World Cup players could be involved against AC Milan, the SPFL opener is nine days later.
Ideally O’Neill needs 22 players fit and primed for the way that he wants them to play.
On the team sheet against Dundee there will almost certainly be players with no future at Celtic. A Champions League Play Off follows in 15 or 16 days time.
Incredibly Celtic are worst prepared this year than last year.
Clearly no lessons have been learned from Kairat Almaty or three successive horrific transfer windows. Each one weakening the first team squad.
Against Dundee on August 3 the left-back options consists of Kieran Tierney, Adam Montgomery and Joe Haney.
Celtic are currently being strongly linked with signing Kasper Hogh and Mika Bauer.
Neither were at the World Cup Finals, they could have been signed a month ago in time for pre-season training. Their fees would have reduced the 25/26 profit and the Corporation Tax bill. Again Celtic put paying HMRC ahead of the team sheet.
Last season there was a novelty element to O’Neill’s return and his quirky management style.
With Nicholson hiding from his responsibilities it will require a super human effort from the manager to cover up for the multiple failings of the £17,000 a week CEO.
Select Celtic365 as a “Preferred Source” on Google News for prompts to the independent news and opinions that you respect.
RELATED READING
CLICK HERE for why Michael Nicholson must be sacked.
CLICK HERE for Martin O’Neill outs the Albufeira Four
1 Comment
by M
MON has done way more than enough to merit his statue @CP that’s indisputable.
IF he manages another miracle this season with this board’s antics, they should be naming a stand after him too…
The MON Seville’03 Jungle Stand FTB… permanent name.
FTB
HH