Michael Nicholson is bursting a gut to sign players for Celtic!
That is the view of Michael Gannon of the Daily Record.
The only guts being burst are through laughter at the claim from the In The Know reporter.
Gannon was typing that incredible claim after watching Celtic get hammered 4-1 by a youthful Sporting Lisbon side tonight.
As special media partners of Celtic the Record has access to players and management alongside The Sun and Herald.
The lack of ability at the Record is acknowledged by sending two reporters compared to one from the Sun and Herald. Ryan McDonald is helping out gushing Gannon as he hammers out his master pieces.
Even with old fools paying £2.10 for a paper copy it is hard to justify sending two reporters out for one friendly match. Unless you are on a cheerleading mission.
Certain questions are naturally out of bounds for the chosen few on the Algarve trip.
O’Neill’s isn’t asked if he is concerned by the slow pace of recruitment. If he was alarmed by the dross identified and signed in January.
After the Scottish Cup Final in May O’Neill mentioned holding talks with the Celtic owner. Celtic doesn’t have an owner. They are a PLC with a Board of Directors, a Chairman and a CEO. Don’t ask about that or the backing that O’Neill is getting from Dermot Desmond.
GUSHING GANNON CAN’T HOLD BACK
The fact that Nicholson is as useful as a chocolate teapot is conveniently overlooked by reporters on this back scratching exercise.
Avoid the real issues and you get access to players and O’Neill. Big spaces in the newspapers have to be filled.
They know the drill. Last night Gannon got carried away with his praise for Nicholson!
O’Neill revealed chief executive Michael Nicholson is busting a gut in the background to bring in new faces.
He said: “We’re trying to come to some sort of agreement with Iheanacho but we are definitely making moves.
“I am in constant touch with Michael (Nicholson). Shin Yamada has gone on loan and Michael is in the background working away.
“I don’t know about numbers but I am definitely optimistic we will get players in.”
O’Neill never mentioned Nicholson bursting a guy. Gannon decided to use that term.
Back in November Gannon got the EXCLUSIVE news that Celtic were in advanced talks to appoint Wilfried Nancy as their manager.
He followed that up with some incredibly positive profiling of the brilliant young coach.
Despite a career in North America that peaked at being bang average. Nancy led Columbus Crew to seventh place in the 2025 MSL Easter Conference.
Apparently that made him the ideal successor to Brendan Rodgers. Not a thought was given to the top six managers in the Eastern Conference.
MICHAEL NICHOLSON- A CATALOGUE OF FAILURE
The classic Jim Monaghan tweet
Two things I know for an absolute fact. No rumour, no guessing, not gossip. 1. Michael Nicholson lives an breathes Celtic and works 24 hrs a day during transfer windows. 2. He is hard as nails and thick skinned and will not panic or be influenced by fans on Twitter or the press.
— Jim Monaghan (@JimMonaghan10) August 6, 2025
Quite clearly Nicholson is hopeless at his job. Anyone that needs to work 24 hours a day clearly isn’t capable of doing the job.
Maybe he thinks that using the whole window is better than panic buying
— Jim Monaghan (@JimMonaghan10) August 6, 2025
SUMMER 2026 IS SHAPING UP AS NICHOLSON’S WORST EVER
A competent CEO would have a functional Director of Football and Recruitment Team with work well advanced for the opening of the transfer window.
Nicholson has the disastrous appointments of Mark Lawwell, Paul Tisdale and Wilfried Nancy on his CV. One of those appointments would have resulted in a new CEO being appointment at any other club.
Nicholson was involved in the sacking of Nancy and Tisdale on January 5. He oversaw the job lot of loan flops that were signed in the January window.
Six months on he has signed Camilo Duran while losing Kelechi Iheanacho and Marcelo Saracchi. Last night OH Leuven signed Shin Yamada on a season long loan.
Maybe he thinks that using the whole window is better than panic buying
— Jim Monaghan (@JimMonaghan10) August 6, 2025
Summer 2025 is beginning to look like a model of forward planning compared to the shambles that is currently unfolding.
A year ago Kieran Tierney had been signed on a pre-contract deal. Ben Nygren signed on June 27, Ross Doohan joined as a free agent on July 1, followed soon after by Hayato Inamura.
After admitting to mistakes and learning lessons, so far this summer Nicholson has completed one signing.
NICHOLSON ESCAPES MEDIA CRITICISM
Without the domineering figures of Ange Postecoglou and Brendan Rodgers as manager the failings of Nicholson are out in the open.
He brings nothing to the job.
He has no personality, no contacts and no knowledge of footballers and their worth. And for that skillset Celtic are paying out £17,000 a week.
Celtic fans and social media has been highlighting the issues for years.
Since Nicholson pushed through the sale of Kyogo Furuhashi in January 2025 Celtic have been on a downward spiral.
Fortunately you won’t read about that in the Daily Record or Celtic’s other media partners.
Celtic fans are fair game for the Record. But not the CEO afraid of his phone ringing or an interview with Gerry McCulloch.
Daily Record circulation is currently believed to be around 27,000.
Celtic fans get their information from trusted, independent sources.
🔥 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁’𝘀 𝗛𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘 🔥
🎙Keith Jackson | Michael Gannon🎙️
‘Fans calling for his head should be embarrassed!’ 😬
Celtic fans have their say on manager Wilfried Nancy following the 3-0 defeat to Roma 🗣️
👇 FULL SHOW 👇https://t.co/fmHkC9kTJq pic.twitter.com/qlPhQdTumd
— Daily Record Sport (@Record_Sport) December 12, 2025
From 8 minutes for the stirring defence of Nancy.
