Peter Lawwell has refused to speak out about Resolution 12 during a Question and Answer session with The Herald and Evening Times.
The content was much the same as covered in his interview with The Sun earlier in the week where he painted a bleak picture of a club trying to hold it’s own against the powerful clubs in cash rich, media friendly nations.
During the interview the Celtic chief executive revealed that he didn’t use social media but gets feedback. With Celtic active on almost all social media platforms, having a club website and online television station it must be a concern for some shareholders that their chief exec prefers to get the feedback of others rather than discover for himself the views of supporters, sponsors and customers.
Whether Lawwell is aware or not the issue of Resolution 12 is of critical concern for many season ticket holders, an area that could impact seriously on turnover for the club.
While Celtic fans have often been accused of being paranoid many would now argue that they weren’t paranoid enough- suspicions about the motivations and background of certain referees barely scratches the surface compared to some of the information that has been uncovered in recent years.
Should anyone that feeds social media and blogger content back to the club chief executive I would suggest that answers on the following matters will boost income and supporter confidence much more than any round of media interviews
a) What action has the club taken against the SFA officials that denied Celtic a place in the 2011/12 Champions League qualifiers, awarding a licence to Rangers (IL) despite overdue tax payables at 30 June 2011?
b) Has the club asked the SPL/SPFL why the Nimmo Smith report into Rangers (IL) only covered the period from November 2000 and not July 1998 as stated on their remit?
c) Has Celtic questioned the SFA and SPFL over transferring honours won by Rangers (IL) to the current club playing from Ibrox?
d)Does the club have any regrets over voting to re-elect Campbell Ogilvie as president of the SFA at the 2013 AGM?
e) Has the club pushed for Financial Fair Play to be introduced to Scottish football to prevent further liquidations following the events at Airdrie, Gretna and Rangers (IL)?
f) Are the club concerned about the findings of the Nimmo Smith report that only fined a club for over a decade of using ineligible players, this week Dundee United suffered a points deduction for the same matter
Answers to those questions would save a lot soul searching for supporters. Those fans are questioning the money that they put into Scottish football over the last 20 years, have they been paying into a ‘sport’ working towards one outcome.
In his Herald/Evening Times Lawwell was given the opportunity to reach out on the above matters, he declined.
Neil Cameron: Much is made on social media about Rangers, the new and old club debate and what happened five years ago. There is also the Resolution 12 issue (Rangers being granted a license for the 2011/12 Champions League). What are your views on these matters?
Peter Lawwell: I respect everyone’s views and their right to have an opinion, but I have nothing more to say about that.
Neil Cameron: Is it then time to look forward and concentrate on Celtic?
Peter Lawwell: I am not going to tell someone what to think and what to say. I wouldn’t do that.
It appears from that response that the chief executive of Celtic has no intention of covering the questions many supporters want answered, with that elephant in the room maintaining the level of season ticket sales for next season is going to require an outstanding PR campaign, perhaps a campaign that engages with social media.
CLICK HERE for the 2013 CELTIC AGM notice including the response to Resolution 12.
