Soccer Football - Scottish Premiership - Kilmarnock v Celtic - Rugby Park, Kilmarnock, Scotland, Britain - April 16, 2023 Celtic non-executive Chairman Peter Lawwell in the stands before the match REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
Michael Nicholson is standing by his world class ambitions for Celtic.
The club CEO made the claim in June 2023, during the media conference for Brendan Rodgers’ return as manager.
In four years as CEO it was the only time that Nicholson has been put up for a media conference. With Rodgers and Peter Lawwell by his side the CEO wasn’t the focus of attention. Fortunately.
There is nothing about how Celtic operate that is world class. There is nothing that is Club Brugge class.
NICHOLSON’S ROLL OF FAILURE
Recruitment is horrific with Nicholson going out of his way to weaken the squad this year. There is no other conclusion to take from selling Kyogo Furuhashi, Nicolas Kuhn and Adam Idah.
Over two transfer windows Celtic have gained three left wingers and lost one right winger.
Since Nicholson became CEO the supply line from the club academy has dried up.
Only Owen Moffat, Colby Donovan and Dane Murray have started an SPFL match in that time. Each of those players has started one match.
Celtic Park is far from world class, it is badly in need of repair. Three stands built in the nineties are barely maintained, outside of corporate areas there is no hot water in the South Stand.
For UEFA matches the club hires a tent for media needs, the tent was first used in 2001.
Despite all of that Nicholson stands by his world class ambitions, tellingly he offered no examples at Monday’s meeting of areas where that threshold has been met.
Page 3 of the agreed Minutes reports:
Question 1: What is the Club’s long-term footballing strategy, and when and how will this be communicated to supporters? MN confirmed that the Club’s strategy is clear – the Club aims to be a world class football club in everything we do. This includes footballing success through dominating in Scotland and competing in the UEFA Champions League, based on creation of UCL players through the academy, player recruitment, player trading, technical functions and development of training facilities.
The Celtic Fans Collective meets again on October 15, the following day Celtic will be promoting their latest Adidas lifestyle range.
An unofficial boycott is already underway with club merchandise, it is believed that sales nose dived during September.
With Nicholson fuelling the growth of the Collective it is maybe time for Celtic to appoint a world class CEO, there is one along the river at the Glasgow Hydro.
There is no hot water in any of the other stands outside of the corporate areas
Absolutely correct Joe.
There is nothing world class about Celtic.
However, we did have someone who would have taken us in that direction in Dom McKay.
They got rid of him because he was a big threat to their to their comfort zone,
There are several things they are world class at…
1) – Robbing the support that are still dafties enough to still be robbed –
2) – Treating the support with utter contempt…
3) – No doubt giving themselves an absurd above inflation remuneration rise !