Quantcast
Latest News

Borders on negligence- Provan slams Celtic board over Champions League policy

|
Image for Borders on negligence- Provan slams Celtic board over Champions League policy

Davie Provan believes that Celtic’s approach to the Champions League borders on negligence.

Last year Ian Bankier was fortunate enough to have an empty stadium when Ferencvaros dismissed the half-hearted efforts of Neil Lennon’s side. The day after David Turnbull was signed in a trademark Celtic move.

In December Celtic announced a managerial review, a fortnight after backing Lennon he walked away following his second defeat of the season to Ross County.

With all the warning in the world the Celtic board added Liel Abada to last season’s squad as they drew 1-1 at home to Midtjylland, at best Wednesday’s return leg is a 50-50 chance of success.

In The Sun, Provan writes:

LAST season only two of Celtic’s six summer window signings were in early enough to start the Ferencvaros Champions League qualifier.

A year on, Liel Abada was the only new boy starting against Midtjylland. Good to see Ange Postecoglou point the finger at the Hoops board for the usual lack of urgency.

No harm to Dane Murray and Stephen Welsh, but finishing a crunch game like that with an 18-year-old and a 21-year-old in central defence borders on negligence.

Lennon copped most of the blame from supporters last season after losing to Ferencvaros, typically he deflected that on to players that wanted away. No one was sold last summer.

Defeat to Midtjylland on Wednesday would be a fourth successive failure to reach the group stage of the Champions League. With three different managers in the dug-out it suggests that the lack of preparation comes from the boardroom rather than the dug-out.

Bankier has been Celtic chairman since 2011.

Videocelts Extension Button

Share this article

Online and independent- the only way to be. Enjoying instant news access and reaction, following the trends if not an influencer!