Articles

Dominic McKay Is Celtic’s Future. He Must Not Let The Present Drag Him Down.

|
Image for Dominic McKay Is Celtic’s Future. He Must Not Let The Present Drag Him Down.

So the news today that Dominic McKay will be at Celtic Park earlier than expected is welcome for a variety of reasons, not least of which is that we cannot have the new man at the helm waiting another three months to start work.

There is too much to be done.

Although he formally takes over in the middle of this month, there will be no full transition until Lawwell leaves the building at the end of June. There is an opportunity here for McKay to start imposing himself on the operation, but clearly there are dangers here too.

One of them is that Lawwell tries one last wheedle on the way out the door, to leave McKay with certain ideas and operational systems which are better leaving with him when he goes.

McKay should stick to his own ideas, and to doing things in the way he envisions.

The whole point of having a new CEO is to bring fresh perspectives … Lawwell was in post too long and too much was left unsaid and undone on his watch.

McKay gives us all a fresh start, but he has to understand that’s what we want.

He has to understand that this is why we’re looking forward to having him here.

The current way of doing things is what has dragged us down.

Subservience to the old order; giving our enemies in the press too much respect; allowing the SFA to carry on as ever; the CEO interfering in the football operation … these are things we want to see change.

And there has to be – there simply has to be – a better line of communication between the club and the supporters. Nothing less will do. It is the disquieting silence out of Celtic Park which inspires the rumour factory to start churning out its nonsense.

Look, a handover is perfectly valid. I am glad that McKay is starting earlier and that Lawwell will be around for at least part of the time to help him along. But it is hugely important that McKay realises that what most fans want above all is change … a change in our approach, our outlook, the speed at which things get done.

Innovation. New thinking.

From the moment McKay steps into the role he has to be his own man, and to Hell with whether Lawwell is still technically working his notice.

The power will be in McKay’s hands. He will be the man of influence.

He will be the final authority short of the board, and he has to use that power to make sure that it’s his ideas, and not those of his predecessor, which form the basis for our future.

Share this article