Dermot Desmond was on the phone, Michael Nicholson and Chris McKay even flew out to Mallorca to tell Brendan Rodgers how much everything had changed since he was forced out of Celtic in February 2019.
Reinforcing the message Callum McGregor dropped in for lunch to give the prospective boss the low down from inside the dressing room.
Ominously there was no sign of the Celtic Chairman. A face to face with Peter Lawwell would surely have convinced Rodgers to give a polite no thanks, maybe next time to the offer of managing Celtic again.
Feeling hurt at being sacked by Leicester City just before relegation, the Irishman knew that a top job in England wasn’t on the cards, Leicester level was as good as he could expect.
June 2021 – Lawwell leaves the club & shortly after Ange is appointed & transfers seem to run smoothly, football is free flowing & harmony between club & fans
January 2023 – Lawwell returns & all above goes to shit
Coincidence? pic.twitter.com/QGd53VB4Bn
— 606AlfieConn (@606AlfieConn) February 3, 2024
A job in the managerial graveyard of Saudi Arabia could probably be acquired with the right contacts, La Liga might come along but even with the language it would still be a step into the unknown.
Taking a step back in time to manage Celtic must have appealed. Keep in front of Micky Beale, add to your legacy and repair the bad feeling caused by your abrupt exit four years earlier. It was too much to resist but he ignored the obvious red flags.
Not only was Lawwell still around the club but his son, the talentless former Information and Content Manager on the City Football Group website was now heading up Scouting and Recruitment at Celtic. The summer 2022 and January 2023 transfer windows were a massive downgrade on the previous two driven by Ange Postecoglou assisted briefly by Dom McKay.
When Rodgers returned to Celtic he found himself surrounded by Lawwell appointments, people fiercely loyal to ‘big Peter’ for their job, none more so than Michael Nicholson.
A sports lawyer tasked with driving policy and strategy at Celtic. Like accountants, lawyers are best to stick to the background, earn a living off the ideas of others, people with vision that get things done and make things happen.
After two transfer windows Rodgers is deeply unhappy, that is obvious in every media interview, his frustrations are seen on the park.
The players see him in private almost every day, they know his thoughts on the signings foisted on him, they know that he capitulated at the AGM into saying that he had the last say on all signings.
Kwon Hyeok-kyu and Marco Tilio have already been ditched, Gus Lagerbielke would have been in the same boat if Cameron Carter-Vickers got through 90 minutes against Ross County.
There is no compromise with Lawwell as Chairman, Rodgers now knows that. Ego’s don’t forgive and forget, they carry grudges and wait for their chance to gain full revenge. With interest.
Rodgers thought he had that he had achieved that by returning to Celtic, the last eight months have shown that the former CEO turned Chairman still controls every aspect of the club with only a £3m a year three year contract to console a deeply unhappy manager.
We were getting too far ahead and the managed decline was no longer happening so he had to come back to restore the long term aim of keeping the blue pound relevant and sabotaging ourselves every few seasons.
— Paul (@pauln1984) February 3, 2024
He said it at the AGM – money in the bank in case we don’t qualify for the CL rather than buy quality to make sure we get there. A biscuit tin mentality that has no place in an ambitious business. Unless you’re 1st priority is to protect the investment of the major shareholders.
— Ian Mackay (@IgMackay67) February 3, 2024
The arrogance of him to stroll back into the club is staggering, but we as a support should have had a mass demonstration when it was first mooted the way we did over Higgins
— frank’n’stan ??????? ? (@celticbhoy73) February 3, 2024
There’s a power / political war ongoing in Celtic . It’s clear the Mr Lawwell has heavily involved in this situation. His interference in the footballing situation of the club is detrimental. If he wants to be Chairman fund just stay away from football matters . Your not needed
— Martin (@Martin230854) February 3, 2024
The man needs to be removed from our club if we have any hope of improving and becoming the dominant force in Scotland again.
If not I fear the worst for us all !!!— Mark Adam (@MarkAdam1901) February 3, 2024
Not at all!! He should be noWhere near Celtic.. too vain.. too involved in the “agreement”
— Rory MacLeod (@OnThe4and) February 3, 2024
Arrogant beyond belief. His son was appointed on the sayso of Ange allegedly. Don’t see Ange demanding him at Tottenham. Lawwell has outstayed his welcome ?
— gerry mchugh (@gmch1888) February 3, 2024
Ed Woodward @ManUtd made £3.1m as CEO last year, he is the highest paid in the EPL. Peter Lawwell made £3.5m last year @CelticFC
He started in 2003, on £165k
‘A Football club will be formed for the maintenance of dinner tables, the children and unemployed’ ?? pic.twitter.com/u2t1F5fw1J
— Murphy (@MJ_Murphy89) January 14, 2020
?The comment by Ian Mackay above should have signalled red flags for everyone – “He said it at the AGM – money in the bank in case we don’t qualify for the CL rather than buy quality to make sure we get there.”
When he said that Lawwell knew damn well (or at least he should have done) that the winners of this seasons title WERE GUARANTEED (for this season at least) entry into the following seasons Champions League and with it the bounty of around 60 Million .. so if that was the case was he unconsciously saying that we were going to throw this season ?
After all he is on record at stating that the loss of them hit our bottom line by around 5 million a season – gave us a free run at 30 million for champions league qualification however ?!
There’s another area which the Board chooses to ignore:
having proper PR professional resources and advice.
The supporters are raging… and there will no doubt be a prolonged
communication / information vaccuum maintained by the club.
Our “CEO-in-name” will continue with his Lord Lucan impersonation.
Chairman Lawwell will be salivating over his laptop screen at the bank balance.
The supporters ‘can eat cake’! 🙁
IF results continue to disappoint,
THEN it’s guaranteed that the support will get angrier, more agitated
and step up protests. And the players can’t remain unaffected.
A vicious circle could result…
whilst the club’s handsomely rewarded management stays silent?
Bring in some proper PR professionals to – at least – try and
improve communication with the suport.
Of course, it won’t change everything for the better,
but it might be a start in the right direction..?
an accountant’s first loyalty is to financial affairs , it is well known they will chase a rolling penny and football is a means to an end for said pennies !!! the thing and it’s spawn must go !!!
Exactly. Under Lawwell, Celtic is being run primarily as a business not a football club.
The emphasis is on generating profits and massive bonuses to the board.
It appears possible to do this without winning anything, so the cartel of charlatans are quite happy with this situation.
This will not change until genuine football people are brought in to run things, instead of dodgy accountants and their incompetent offspring.
When Peter Lawwell said he’d never seen the 5 way agreement that was it for me.
We play in a league we don’t even know the rules.
He’s either lying or not doing his job.
Is Big Pete’s bonus still related to the bank balance?
No one could ever have whats best over how much is in it for me…particularly an accountant.
I know if I was as hated and detested by The Celtic Support as much as Lawwell I’d be away the day before tomorrow…
He’s made his money and plenty out of Celtic so why the need to stay for all the abuse that’s about to get worse ten fold –
Ok it’s still more money as chairman but with all the (correctly) attributed abuse towards him is it worth it…
He clearly must think so !
Editor: There are skeletons from 2012 that have to remain hidden #fivewayagreement