Question 4: How do you intend to modernise the Club’s structure to compete in Europe, and why are we consistently unprepared for qualification stages?
Michael Nicholson stated that the Club did not accept the premise of the question. Further, Michael Nicholson noted that the Club had appointed Paul Tisdale as the Head of Football Operations, a new position for the Club, last year, and had also created a new role of Professional Pathway Manager for Darren O’Dea. After Darren O’Dea left, the Club had appointed Shaun Maloney in this role.
Supporter Groups also reiterated their desire for continued communication and engagement so that the wider supporter base understand the steps the Club is taking to develop its strategy, it being noted that some supporters do not believe that current arrangements (e.g. B Team, no reserve league) are suitable, and highlighting the loss of youth players to English teams at a young age.
Michael Nicholson noted that this was a good example of the transfer factors discussed earlier, and that the increased movement of youth players to England is linked to Brexit, which led to the UK being ‘locked out’ of European markets, and Scotland locked in a market with England.
Michael Nicholson and Chris McKay explained that these changes had been a factor in developing the new roles of Head of Football Operations and Professional Pathway Manager and to undertake the recent development of the Club’s Barrowfield facility. Michael Nicholson highlighted that these developments all tie into the longer-term strategy to develop players going forward.
The Club were asked to confirm who is responsible for conducting football transfers – including if the Chief Executive and CFO were directly involved in the same. Supporter Groups also sought confirmation as to who ‘values’ players and agrees commercial terms. Chris McKay explained that a multi-disciplinary approach is taken.
This approach is led by the football department who identify players, with the executive team concluding transactions. This was noted by Michael Nicholson as not being unusual within football clubs. Joe Gallagher asked if the football manager sanctioned all signings, Michael Nicholson confirmed that he did. Martin Gemmell asked why the Manager referred to some signings as ‘club signings’ – Michael Nicholson shrugged his shoulders.
Discussion turned to the valuation of players. Michael Nicholson and Chris McKay explained how the process operates, and which factors are considered – including the needs of the selling (or buying) Club, the player’s personal desires, time left on the players’ contract etc. When asked about applicable ‘ceiling’ on player costs, Michael Nicholson confirmed that valuations forms part of the overall discussion regarding a player and the evaluation of said player against all relevant factors and relative prices within the wider market.
Supporter Groups questioned the involvement of NEDs within the transfer process. Chris McKay and Michael Nicholson confirmed that player trading above certain financial values require approval from the Celtic plc Board (with such approval thresholds are standard practice amongst businesses). Supporter Groups questioned how this approval was sought and Chris McKay confirmed board members would be emailed for final approval but would be aware of the background in advance.
The meeting discussed the Head of Football Operations role and the recruitment thereof, with confirmation sought as to whether a recruitment process was followed and if other candidates were interviewed, whether there was any pre-existing connection between the Clubs’ current Head of Football Operations and any Celtic plc board members and whether the football manager was involved.
Chris McKay confirmed that the Club spoke with several potential candidates that had been identified but that there was no external recruitment consultancy appointed. Michael Nicholson confirmed that there was no family or business connection between the current Head of Football Operations and Celtic plc board members, but that individuals had crossed paths previously.
Michael Nicholson confirmed that the manager supported the recruitment of Paul Tisdale following a consultancy period last summer. Chris McKay confirmed that Paul Tisdale had worked on a project in which he analysed the Club’s game model with a view to mapping the Club’s playing style and system with a view to using data driven results to identify players who fit the Club’s model.
Continues on the next page…
