The answers may lie not just on the pitch, but in the departures of two key figures – Dom McKay and Ange Postecoglou.
Ange Postecoglou and Dominic McKay Unveiling – Celtic Park Celtic new manager Ange Postecoglou poses for a photo at Celtic Park Glasgow. Picture date: Friday June 25, 2021. Photo: Jeff Holmes
Central to all of this is the club’s now seemingly dormant relationship with super-agent Frank Trimboli and his agency CAA Base — a partnership that helped transform Celtic’s fortunes in just 18 months.
Though Dom McKay lasted just a few months as CEO in 2021, his fingerprints are all over Celtic’s most successful transfer period in a generation. He was the man who presented the bold appointment of Ange Postecoglou. Helped build a modern recruitment framework and green-lit moves into new markets — especially Japan — through trusted agent networks like CAA Base.
Kyogo Furuhashi celebrates with Carl Starfelt. Photo Steve Welsh
While he officially stepped down in September 2021, most of the business that defined Ange’s first season had already been lined up under his watch. That includes not only the summer signings (Kyogo, Jota, Abada, Starfelt, Juranović and Hart), but also the deals for Reo Hatate, Daizen Maeda, and Yosuke Ideguchi, which were finalised well before the January window opened.
Dominic McKay in the director’s box at Celtic Park. PhotoJeff Holmes 61642121
McKay didn’t just modernise Celtic’s approach — he brought urgency and alignment to a club that had lost its way after the collapse of the 10-in-a-row season.
A huge part of Postecoglou’s success came from trusting people he knew, and that meant working closely with Frank Trimboli, one of football’s most influential agents. Through his CAA Base network, Celtic were introduced to a raft of players who were talented, undervalued, and hungry.
This model seemingly worked perfectly. Celtic identified targets early. Players trusted the development pathway. The club won trophies, and players secured big-money moves. It was win-win-win. Celtic got quality and profit; players got exposure and career advancement; agents got movement and resale potential.
Celtic v Greenock Morton – Scottish Cup – Fourth Round – Celtic Park Celtic s Aaron Mooy celebrates scoring their side s fifth goal of the game during the Scottish Cup fourth round match at Celtic Park, Glasgow. Saturday January 21, 2023. Photo Jane Barlow
Celtic’s second season under Ange was still successful — a domestic treble and Champions League exposure — but recruitment was less clinical. Alistair Johnston and Aaron Mooy were hits, but other signings struggled for impact or minutes. Some of that may have been natural regression. After all, replicating the quality of that first double-window overhaul was always going to be difficult.
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Celtic needed signings as a few players were transfered and contacts ran down then Rodgers has built up his team yes khun scored a lot of goals but that was before January his form dropped dramatically after bayern game Taylor left Tierney is a big improvement Taylor never hit the bye line and his crossing was not good our forwards well benefit with Tierney hitting the byline his crossing to scales against Newcastle up against Enlish international his crossing was perfect i hope idah heading improves and the two new Japanese its early but promising Trusty had a good pre season with some of our B team showing great promise got rid of a few players that weren’t up to Rodgers liking kyoko moved on he wasn’t the same in his new rule so I dont see us weaker except for Jota who was getting match fit when serious injury will keep him out till next year we will sign new players and remember we have the swede who looks a player Im excited on new season
Celtic’s decision to take a different path is down to one man,,,,,,,,,,Lawwell, the man who cost us 10 in a row, and now it seems he’s determined that we don’t it in the future. This is the same man who told us that “it’s only the fans that hate one another, that the Celtic board and their board were the best of friends, LOL. Makes me think of the old joke,,,,,,,,,” When does a Catholic become a fenian bastard ?, When he leaves the room”. Maybe peters never heard that one.