Done deal- Ange gives his endorsement for critical Celtic appointment

Ange Postecoglou has dropped the strongest hint that Michael Nicholson is in the role of Celtic CEO for the long term.

After 72 days at the club Dom McKay was ousted with Nicholson taken on the job on an acting basis, according to Ian Bankier the club would be working with a real team player.

Nicholson has been in the job for 35 days with Postecoglou speaking confidently about the January transfer plans that he is working on.

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Asked how the relationship with Michael Nicholson was building, the Celtic boss said:

The relationship is working well. Obviously, it helps that Michael has been here and I’ve known Michael, sort of, he was one of the first people that I met through the whole process of being appointed. He was involved in a lot of our transfer dealings anyway so I’ve already established a relationship which makes it easier in terms of the transition.

Yeah, we’re working well. He understands because he’s been here the job that is ahead of us in short, medium and long term. Yeah, we are very much working together to put the pillars in place that we need to.

We have some immediate concerns, obviously, that’s around the football department looking to January but you want to build something, I’m of a similar mould, you want to build something that is not just for medium success but for sustainable success.

Getting towards more strategic thinking I’m working alongside Michael hand in hand with that. As I say, for me it’s been helpful that he’s been already been part of the organisation here and he has a long history with the organisation. He knows what success looks like and that we’re building something sustainable for the future.

Postecoglou’s appointment was made while Peter Lawwell was still in place, on inheriting the deal McKay went out of his way to endorse the new manager.

With Nicholson running through both of those regimes and now ‘acting’ CEO it seems highly unlikely that another change will be made to bring in a fourth CEO in a year following 17 years under Lawwell.

In March Nick Hammond quit as Head of Football Operations with no sign of a replacement or redefined role to take his place.