Celtic fans know who was largely to blame for the Scottish Cup Final defeat at Hampden.
The smug men watching from the cushioned seats in matching suits and ties have convinced each other of their own brilliance but the reality of their tracker policy does provide some very nasty hiccups for Scotland’s biggest and most successful club.
Staying just ahead of their friends and business partners at Ibrox has come unstuck before but it is a lesson that hasn’t been learned from.
From the video clip below it seems that Dermot Desmond had left Hampden at this point, he was at the match with Brendan Rodgers planning talks over the summer with a year left on his contract.
The Celtic board and CEO are the group that undertook a Managerial Review in December 2020, three months later they concluded that Neil Lennon was the best man for the job.
In May 2022 they approved that appointment of Mark Lawwell, previously the Content Manager on the City Group website to become Head of Scouting and First Team Recruitment. The players he signed in the summer of 2023 remain a massive drain on the club.
On 2 July 2024 the club launched a Fan Survey that would take 25 minutes to complete, the outcome/results have still to be published.
The Celtic Board, ironically pictured under the flag of Palestine, look shell-shocked as they discuss today’s Scottish Cup Final loss against Aberdeen
Hopefully the result will prompt them into taking positive steps to strengthen – with quality, first-team starters the priority. pic.twitter.com/5cu0vQhHtj
— The Fast Lovin’ Sin-Soaked Heathen (@fast_sin) May 24, 2025
Is Michael Nicholson doing a world class job as Celtic CEO?
YES- We are lucky to have such a visionary leader
No- Where is he and what does he actually do?
Sharon Brown appeared to be all smiles after Celtic lost at Hampden, appointed as a non-executive director in December 2016 her contribution to the club remains unknown.
Much like Michael Nicholson, coming up for four years as CEO he has been part of one media conference since ‘stepping up’ in September 2021, beyond a few in-house gags at the AGM his views, ambitions and plans for the club remain a secret..
Over the last few years the Celtic bank balance has varied between £70-100m with generous donations to HMRC in the form of Corporation Tax. Currently, with Season Ticket sales banked it will be at its high point.
The summer transfer window will reveal a lot, whether this season’s progress in the Champions League was a blip as they revert to type or whether they will back the manager with non-project signings ready to make an impact after playing a full part in pre-season training.
If they don’t trust the manager to deliver next season could be as awkward as Hampden yesterday before they jumped in their Parks of Hamilton bus back to the sanctuary of Celtic Park.
Accountants to a man not a forward thinker in that group of old men well past there sell by date.
— ROY (@Airthreycastle3) May 24, 2025
I can 100% assure you that nothing will change . We have a system , we have budgetary guidelines and financial limits , they do not waver from that . ??
— ????????? (@disgracelands9) May 25, 2025
Discussing bonuses for themselves most likely
— EM (@EdBhoy1888) May 24, 2025
Only there to rinse the fans and freebies ????
— gordon malcolmson /malky????????????? (@gordonmalcolms3) May 25, 2025
As long as we are slightly in front at the end of the season that shower of bastards on the board are over the moon Absolutely no ambition other than to make the champions league and rake the cash in They give not one fuck for the fans never have. Never will
— Celtic tillidie (@Johnmcg34917737) May 24, 2025
Gutless at Hampden, clueless in the boardroom.
— Juicy J (@OneClub1888) May 24, 2025
Same bunch of players that provided a double.
There’s been an underlying problem for a while now where they just don’t seem fired up.
Hard to believe that any team would need fired up to go win a treble but there was zero urgency yesterday, u could sense the “ oh we’ll score, it’s only the sheep” attitude.
Personally I would definitely have started JF in his current form and had Danger Mouse thru the middle.
We need the new Broony desperately, Calmac has been a servant but he ain’t a Broony.
And as long as the same defensive coaches remain, we will nvr improve at the back, gd enough in the spl but not when the cream of Europe come calling.
That’s where the real changes are needed, top class coaches instead of showing loyalty that costs us season after season.
Nothing will change till supporters show some balls,I’m in that boat renewed ST again as normal,Board play on loyalty shown to Celtic by fans,we need to find ways to challenge and change board out of complacency and greed,detest them more than the rangers
No board member pulled on a jersey yesterday. Those that did so weren’t up to the job sadly. Say what you like about Lawwell and co but this is on Rodgers, the players and the style of play.
As well as co.ings and goings Rodgers has got to have a plan B…he doesn’t currently.
Much thinking to do over tbe summer.
Couldn’t agree more. Sick of all this ‘elite level manager’ shit. He’s still making the same mistakes as last time with no plan B and, like last time, opposition managers are beginning to suss him out – even Barry Ferguson for fuck’s sake! Added to that, the football is awful to watch and his signings are shit – when did he ever uncover a wee gem like Big Ange did with his Japanese boys?
Editor: He is not an elite level manager, he is good with flaws. He could get a job elsewhere in football, Nicholson and Lawwell wouldn’t get a sniff of a football job outside of Celtic.
Well said Owen,Barry Ferguson twice slapped our manager down,the same guy that managed alloa,Clyde and kelty herts.never learned never changed tactics,it’s like that game when the Huns beat us ,we had NO shots on target,like yesterday 80 percent possession and fuck all to show for it,we can blame the board all we like ,and I do I fucking hate Pete liewell and golf head Desmond but they were not responsible for that yesterday,that was down to the manager and his plan A tactics,which didn’t work but no plan B,I’m sure there are other spl managers who having the spending power that Rodgers has would have won that match easily,2 of HIS signings were subbed,11 million pounds for Engels why take him off , maybe because he was doing nothing,as for Idah I wouldn’t even have known he was playing before he got subbed,and don’t get me started on trusty,why did Rodgers not go with nawrocki,and why did he change goalies,when Sinisalo was the in form keeper,he would have saved that morris effort yesterday,but hey Brendan knows best.
All of what he said!
If Broony had been playing – in his pomp – yesterday – would we have sleepwalked into that defeat?
A bunch of old white men without an original idea between them in decades aren’t going to walk away from their lucrative golden goose any time soon. The support is caught in the classic revolutionary’s dilemma – the only means at your disposal to bring about change is to vote with your wallet and cancel your season ticket, but if you do that you run the risk of not getting it back for years if ever, harming primarily yourself… meanwhile DD, pistol Pete and their ginger stepchild will keep serving up bread, circuses and adidas merch for the proles to lap up. Or as NTV used to lampoon the ‘old’ board, “Let them eat pies”. On the subject of the ‘old’ board, does anyone else get a distinctly similar vibe from the current ‘custodians’ as they did from the Whites and Kellys? Out of touch, condescending, money-obsessed, excessively cosy with the bent governing bodies, mired in nepotism and cronyism….. could describe either, IMHO.
Remember that even if we win the title next year, due to Scotland coefficient, we are certain to start 2026/27 CL qualifiers from the round TWO – so six games will await us to get to the CL money again.
If we don’t strengthen, and/or the manager doesn’t learn from his mistakes, we will not get there, and selling our best players will occur.
Nobody loathes the Board more than me. Be assured that any decision of any importance is made by Liewell, occasionally with input from DD if it’s something really big. Nicholson is not on those Teams calls
Saying that though, if you’re Liewell and you see Engels, Idah and Trusty – would you blame them if they were a bit reluctant to give Rodgers another £30m to spend this summer?
Editor: Perhaps it would have been smarter to sign Idah for £5m in July, Engels for £7m in July and AN Other central defender in July and give them the benefits of pre-season and the chance to bed in. Those signings came from the sale of O’Riley who wasn’t a £28m player when Rodgers arrived.
Perhaps it would have been smarter not to sign Idah at all, nor Trusty when we had a perfectly adequate CB already there in Nawrocki but can’t get a game because, ironically, he ‘kicks wi the wrang fit’ according to Brendan.
I wouldn’t give him credit for O’Riley either, he was Big Ange’s signing because unlike BR, Ange could spot potential.
Oreilly wasn’t ” ang” signing we had scouted him he wanted that fud aussie that chose Middlesbrough, Brendan 19 times the manager the aussie ever will be! Fact!
Oh a d just like few our players today the aussie didn’t give 2 f%%ks about our club living in Australia as I have for years I now fine well his minset like many he was simply an ” epl ” fanboy and was talking to his agent from the January for any job there! Fact and we’ll reported at the time in Australia. So be quiet Brendan Rodgers created this Treble winning culture and the modern Celtic be f##ki g quiet you clown shoe
100 times the manager! I meant
Are you illiterate? Most of that is incomprehensible drivel.
Calling someone a clown after posting a litany of spelling mistakes!???
Lol auld pishy Tenalady Heevins still beagging about sevco now having 49s in charge,there is still not one penny or a nickel&dime changed hands yet.
Forget The Board..
Look at the Manager. This was poor Aberdeen side we were playing not Liverpool in Red.
This singings are awful. He’s spent 40/50 Million in last year.
Not including the duds that came in on his first season.
He Bined our best Striker Kyogo while still in 3 competitions.. I’m the first to admit he was half the player under Rodgers..
Yesterday he subs Idah. When the game started to open up. Did he not recognise 30.mins extra time is a possibility.
Maeda and Kuhn haven’t played near our standards for weeks. Why.
He didn’t react to Aberdeen starting to grim midfield.. I wasn’t shocked by the chances they created.
Up front we lacked pace height and strength..
Rodger’s has a massive job on his hands for next season.. if he’s up for it.?
Editor: And who replaces Rodgers? Lennon, Deila, Lennon, Mowbray or Lennon?
Everybody is moaning about the side and back passing game, including Rodgers I believe, but the guy who dictates that on the field, MacGregor is not allowed to be criticised.
When he was out injured for a while the team were attacking and scoring freely and on his return we were beaten by St Mirren and the old system returned.
When he was substituted last week and McArdle came on and changed the game. Never to be seen again.
Nawrocki looked like a threat at corners, something we didn’t have, so that is him finished. How dare he score from a corner!
What in God’s name goes on in Rodgers head and you would think a good manager could identify the his own and the opposition team’s weaknesses and strengths ?
I give up.
I have been bewildered for a long time as to why no one – or very few – have joined the dots to identify McGregor as the main problem with the way the team plays. Midfield is too lightweight/powder puff – McGregor. Play too slow getting forward – McGregor. Disappears in all the big games when the pressure is on. Rogers obviously can’t or won’t see it, therefore he is part of the problem.
Nobodysfault Nobody’s but Brendan’s. Kuhn hasna kicked a Baw since the new year. Maeda scores for fun when through middle. If you play Idah you have to give him the delivery. Bernardo playing oot on the sides disnae work. Does anyone practice corners. Can nobody hit a Baw outside the box. Ingles looks lost hauf the time. Etc etc etc. Nae fckn plan b. Same old sideways pish. Deserved all they got