David Low, Celtic Trust: “The collapse in the performance of the team, who is responsible and what we’re all going to do about it”

Next week will see The Celtic Trust’s first members’ meeting of the current football season as well as its largest. It will also be a virtual meeting delivered by Zoom, another first. Although The Trust’s constitution will require a number of protocols to be followed, we all know the meeting will be dominated by the collapse in the performance of the team, who is responsible and what we’re all going to do about it.

The collapse, and collapse is the correct description, has been evident from the start of the season and is substantiated by results, results that have seen the team knocked out of two European competitions and the League Cup before Christmas and trail Rangers by twenty points in the league. Comparison with last season’s performance at this stage of the season also corroborates the conclusion.

Photo: Andrew Milligan

All of this feels bad to all Celtic fans everywhere, and worse, because expectations were so high, the spectre of an unprecedented world record achievement of ten league championships in a row was within sight and supporters gladly ponied up circa £30 million of hard-earned cash to pay for the dream they were never going to experience in the flesh on account of the coronavirus. All of those hopes and dreams have evaporated and it is no wonder supporters are angry, disillusioned and looking for someone to blame.

So, who is responsible? Football is a results driven business and our results are both self-evident and poor. It is always the manager of the team that carries the can and in Celtic’s case the outcome will be no different. Analysis of Neil Lennon’s track record as Celtic’s manager compares favourably with previous favoured sons but its the here and now that matters and that is why his fate is sealed. It is probable that the timing of his departure and the appointment of a replacement is being choreographed by the board of directors.

It is also certain the board has an eye on season ticket renewal time which is now on the horizon. Given it is likely full capacity arenas will not be possible for the start of next season just how many season tickets will be sold without full access to the stadium, the allure of ten in a row and a change of manager? Passions are running high and some sort of meaningful change in the dynamic is necessary to mitigate all the negative energy that has been created.

It may also be relevant that any sizeable shortfall in season ticket revenues will increase the possibility of a new share issue to repair a balance sheet ravaged by the effects of Covid19. Football clubs across Europe are already going down this road and Celtic has not issued any new shares since 2005. If small shareholders did not subscribe to the extent of the board’s block holding control would be further consolidated in the hands of the board and Lindsell Train. As so many existing shareholders have become detached from their shares it has never been more important to get reunited with those shares and to take up any new entitlement they may be entitled to. Celtic’s six month trading figures are usually announced in the first half of February and this may well be a pivotal date in the affairs of the football club going forward, both financially and from a football perspective.

(Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

When all is said and done The Celtic Trust as a representative body for Celtic shareholders and supporters will correctly adopt a position on these matters but as a democratic organisation it is the members that will determine what that position is when we meet next week.

There have been two previous open forums via Zoom (as distinct from meetings of members) at which strong views were expressed by attendees and these views were articulated to the Celtic board last month.

They were told the board is out of touch, unambitious and stale. Four of the five NEDs have been there for over nine years. Questions were raised about just how effective and independent they were. They were told executive pay for a company of this size and under performance was excessive.

Strong views were expressed about recent football performances and the status of the manager as well as our poor performances in Europe since Seville when compared to other big fish in small ponds. The player acquisition and development record was highlighted; for every gem there’s six duds (sic). It was apparent that football ambition was more focussed on being better than Rangers than competitive in Europe. The board makes a big play about what its done when more focus should be on what it’s achieved.

(Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

The financial references are pertinent because the reality is the directors of Celtic plc are ultimately responsible for the management of the football club. If its not working at the top changing the manager unlikely to be the solution as any good manager will soon discover. It is the responsibility of NEDs to assess the executive directors about performance and questions have to be asked about just how independent the NEDs really are and to what extent they are challenging the executive directors.

Next week the members of The Celtic Trust will express their views and instruct the committee on where we go from there.

As Jock Stein said “Without fans who pay at the turnstile, football is nothing. Sometimes we are inclined to forget that.”

Pax Vobiscum et Serva Fidem

David Low
Chairman
The Celtic Trust

About Author

David Low is Chairman at The Celtic Trust. Email: Chair@CelticTrust.net Web membership https://members.celtictrust.net/register

4 Comments

  1. The manager and coaching staff are primarily responsible. End of. Now at this stage responsibility has passed to those who allowed them to continue in their roles. Our squad has talent and depth. It has been mismanaged and poorly set up. If there is an attempt to blame the biard ,then its for employing these people to begin with. Or indeed for losing a top manager that we had in place.

    • William Mcparland on

      What I feel is wrong that our club and football clubs in general. Is that team manager and coaching staff should be the ones who identify players they want to sign,to ceo.who then should discuss and justify costs. Also if manager feels that any player has grievances. Or not happy at club manager should have one to one with player and if he finds that player no committed to the club and fans should be referred to ceo for transfer when suits club.not agent or player.also ceo should be forthright with sfa.spl.referee. committee. And also Scottish media as regards respecting our club and history to the benefit of scottish football. And as of present situation covid 19. We should convert back to 2leagues of 18. 2games Play home and away share gate money.for benefit of young upcoming footballers.not the wealthy media of murdoch and co

  2. William Mcparland on

    What I feel is wrong that our club and football clubs in general. Is that team manager and coaching staff should be the ones who identify players they want to sign,to ceo.who then should discuss and justify costs. Also if manager feels that any player has grievances. Or not happy at club manager should have one to one with player and if he finds that player no committed to the club and fans should be referred to ceo for transfer when suits club.not agent or player.also ceo should be forthright with sfa.spl.referee. committee. And also Scottish media as regards respecting our club and history to the benefit of scottish football. And as of present situation covid 19. We should convert back to 2leagues of 18. 2games Play home and away share gate money.for benefit of young upcoming footballers.not the wealthy media of murdoch and co

  3. Cannot argue with much of what Mr Low has to say in his article . The problems of the club have stemmed from the malaise / complacency at the top .

    Defenders of the Board/manager will cite the quadruple treble and the 9iar . I would argue that these were achieved despite the general lack of ambition/foresight at the top of the club .

    Performances in Europe are a better indicator of progress by the team .

    No supporter needs reminded of the litany of poor results that have , at times , embarrassed us . For a man who prides himself on his business acumen in running Celtic F.C. Peter Lawwell ( and the directors ? ) must surely have winced at the total revenue ”lost” to the club by consistent failures in European competitions . Yet the coach responsible for the most recent dire results in Europe is left in place despite losing to teams who have a mere fraction of our resources . And ii is now ”leaked” that he may remain in situ , regardless of results and supporter ire , until ”the Summer ”.

    If any other business , dependent on the goodwill of its customers , treated them with the contempt that is the lot of Celtic supporters then that business would fail in short order .

    We have the highest paid CEO in UK football ensconced at Celtic Park . Surely it is past time for the supporters to know what the criteria are for his astronomical salary ( and bonuses ) ?

    He has cut costs several times recently with his coaching appointments – Ronnie and Neil . We know the results of that parsimony .

    Empty top tier at Celtic park during Ronnies’ time – not his fault – a genuinely nice guy !

    Collapse of the team’s performances during the most crucial season since the first 9 iar after Neil’s return . A ”return” that was bitterly opposed by a large section of the support – who were ignored by the Board . We are now reaping the consequences of that blind refusal by the directors to listen to their customer base .
    They relied on sentiment when appointing Neil Lennon the second time around ( after he had left us previously ) but sentiment has no place in the cut-throat business of football these days , certainly not when appointing the most important employee of the club – no , not you Peter !

    The one time , recently when the Board showed real ambition was the appointment of Brendan Rodgers – and we all know how that ended . Only now are we beginning to see that his walkout was not just down to HIS ambitions south of the border but that another arrogant figure was equally to blame for leaving our club in a precarious position during a crucial part of the season .

    Unlike Mr Low I have no confidence that The Celtic Trust will have any real impact on the Celtic Board and their future plans – one hopes that they HAVE plans for the future ! Whatever these plans may be I , in common with the vast majority of the support , fervently hope that they will change the club for the better . Sadly , recent history tells us that that may be a pipe-dream .
    The leaking of information to newspaper hacks that we may have to wait until the Summer for movement in the coaching department fills me with despair .
    Another lost opportunity to clear the decks , get a new coach in , get to know the players , work on strategies for next season ‘s CL qualifiers , recruit new faces etc…
    This is NOT change – this is inertia !