While Michael Nicholson was hiding in his office Vil Sinisalo did Celtic fans and players a huge favour by highlighting the issues that they face at Ibrox.
The young goalkeeper didn’t try to deflect away attention from the 30- to 40 missiles aimed at him during last Sunday’s Glasgow Derby.
Nicholson should have been in front of the issue, highlighting what Celtic employees face in that fixture but like his four years in charge the club CEO always opts out of showing any sign of leadership.
On Monday afternoon having assessed the evidence and issues Nicholson could have gone on Celtic TV to raise the issues and demand full protection for future fixtures, Celtic will be back at Ibrox in August or September.
Whatever the issue you can be sure that there will be no action taken or comment made by Nicholson who has been CEO since the abrupt departure of Dom Mackay in September 2021, after less than 100 days in the job, masterminding the greatest transfer window in Celtic’s history.
Sunday’s incidents were far from isolated, they are par for the course at Ibrox but with a CEO dedicated to promoting the toxic O** F*** brand it seems that anything goes as long as Celtic get four SPFL matches a season with their 13-year-old business partners.
In February 2022 Nicholson signed Celtic up to the Sydney Super Cup, two months later there were multiple issues at Ibrox followed by Nicholson’s silence, just like the SFA and SPFL.
Just on half time Celtic physio Daniel Friel was struck on the head by glass thrown from a corporate client at Ibrox.
As Joe Hart went out for the second half he discovered shreds of broken glass around the penalty spot in front of the Copland Stand.
At the final whistle the celebrations of the Celtic players was cut short as they were pelted by missiles.
Typical of his leadership Nicholson did nothing, by doing nothing he has encouraged repeat incidents, in January Arne Engels was struck on the head by a missile while taking a corner. As ever Nicholson did nothing.
As further bottle throwing incidents have shown glass bottles don’t smash into tiny pieces when thrown onto a grass football pitch.
The Joe Hart incident was brushed aside, it appears that nothing was done. If a bottle had been thrown into the penalty area there would have been a gasp from the supporters in the Copland Stand, stewards and Police Officers would have noticed it.
During the half-time break members of the Ibrox ground staff were on the pitch, in the penalty area. It seems that they weren’t interviewed over what happened, Nicholson tamely accepted that the CCTV wasn’t working at the time.
Covering the 2022 AGM The Sun reported (12.54)
The next question relates to the broken glass which made its way onto Joe Hart’s goalmouth and delayed the re-start of April’s Old FIrm match at Ibrox.
Nicholson is asked: “How did the glass get into the penalty box?”
He replies: “An investigation was carried out. We received an apology. Not sure how the glass ended up on the pitch.”
The fan responds: “No CCTV ? That’s a poor show”
Nicholson says “I was told there was no CCTV and agree it’s a poor show.”
2 minutes
SINISALO: Somebody mentioned that there was a bottle thrown at me, but it wasn’t just a bottle by the way, first of all I was hit with something, not in my upper body, it’s just somewhere in my lower leg, but it wasn’t just a bottle, there was lighters, vapes, coins, mugs, all sorts flying.
Listen, when you think of it, and you say let’s say that glass bottle that was on the pitch hits me or hits someone else, what happens then? What if it hits you in the eye and you can’t play football after that? What happens then? So that’s the question that we need answers for.
I know it’s not the first time it’s happened, I know I was there when Arne (Engels) was hit with something, Greg’s (Taylor) been hit, Joe Hart’s been hit, staff members have been hit, so it’s not the first time this happened, so what ever action needs to be taken that is up to them.
QUESTION: What was it that hit you?
SINISALO: I don’t actually know, my bottle was right by their fans, I’ve gone to have a drink, I’m not facing them, I don’t know what’s being thrown at me. It wasn’t something big because it wasn’t a big impact or anything like that, I expect it to probably be a vape or something like that. Listen, that’s how it is, it wasn’t just a bottle, quite a few things thrown at us.
QUESTION: Does it affect your concentration, you’re wondering what is going to fly over your head
SINISALO: No, you are very much in the zone, you probably hope that they will stop it eventually and trying to not give them anything back I suppose, it’s one of them, it doesn’t really affect you, it’s not nice but you try and focus on the game.
It’s such an important game, there’s so much at stake every time you play a game like that, so you can’t really let that affect you because that’s what people want at the end of the day, they want that to affect you, which I’m glad to say that it didn’t.
QUESTION: Is it something that hits you more, when you reflect on it and you see the picture of the bottle, what if that had hit me?
SINISALO: Yeah, exactly, you don’t think that when you are on the pitch but when you see the pictures of the bottle and you go back into the changing room and you think, what if? What if it did hit but I’m glad that it didn’t. Like I said earlier it could have been bad, it’s not nice, no-one wants it. I’m just trying to do my job, there’s not many jobs in the world where you get bottles thrown at you. Yes, it’s not nice.
After telling the truth today it is unlikely that Sinisalo will be put on media duties again for a long time.
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