A “Risky” Level Of Engagement With The Fans
At times like these, it helps to think like the people you are analysing.
I believe that there are members of the Celtic board who would have found the decision to let fan media interview the CEO and the manager in a separate forum from the mainstream press to be quite dangerous.
If they wanted vindication as to how potentially risky that level of engagement is they don’t have to look any further than the club across the city.
Now, it goes without saying that this would be short-sighted and downright stupid. I would personally find such a comparison grossly offensive.
In spite of Sevco social media’s witch-hunt of the past few weeks, much of it directed at us, they found only a handful of tweets which could be considered naughty, and nothing on the level of bile which flowed from their own fan reps.
The Celtic fan media is almost wholly responsible and level headed.
But our directors have a long history of demonising our own fans.
Our chairman disgracefully called a section of the fan-base anti-Semites.
Lawwell was forever decrying Republicanism.
Our largest shareholder was instrumental in the press calling us “entitled.”
Our former manager is on the record as having condemned knee jerk reactions and believing the Parkhead demonstrations to have been the act of thugs.
Our board put up steel fences around the ground.
It is perfectly, and painfully, obvious that there are people at Celtic Park who didn’t need the media to criticise this move before they started to worry that it was a mistake; some of them would have believed it was a reckless, even dangerous, stratagem to start with.
The events involving the fan media across the city would only have enhanced their view that the whole idea was barmy to begin with and proves that McKay was hopelessly out of his depth in the job.
The one thing we found most agreeable about the guy is probably one of the things that led the directors to conclude he wasn’t right for the position.
James, as I have said in a previous article on this subject it is dangerous to assume that the problem is all on one side.These situations are rarely black and white. Sure the board made some catastrophic decisions last season. Dubai and not removing Lennon after Champions League fiasco but we have now moved on with an absolute first class manager in Ange.I would urge all the malcontents who have Peter Lawell and the board living in their heads to get behind Ange and the team. I am old enough to have lived through the pre Lisbon Lions days of the early sixties and Lou Macari days of the ninetiesBeleive me this is nothing in comparison.10 in a row is gone now so we need to get over it and move. HH
The Board cannot be allowed to get away with this.
Why are they appointing a man who has ” no idea about all this football stuff ” ??
What kind of Due Diligence and discussion took place, for goodness sake ? The same due diligence as when Lennon was appointed, and all other C.V’s from around the world weren’t even looked at ???
For such a vitally important Appointment to fail after 72 days, the blame lies squarely with those who chose him and the process they undertook to do so.
Wonder if the people who lambasted the board for leaving Lennon in his post way too long are the same people lambasting the board for removing McKay quickly if, indeed it is true that he wasn’t up to the job? Just a thought. Damned if you do. Damned if you don’t. HH
I don’t believe this at all.
I believe that Dominic McKay was trying to involve the fans more and this would be a frightening prospect for the board members and for Dermot Desmond.
McKay was a Celtic fan and would NOT have been clueless about matters football.
He is certainly well respected in Rugby circles and turned Scottish Rugby around.
Could it be that the board may have realised what a talent they had and perhaps.some began to feel threatened?
It is just another possibility in the context of an alarmingly lack of information from the club.
So best case scenario for the board is that after the shit show of last season they managed to appoint a CEO who was so catastrophically bad that he had to go after 2 months. Lawwell was crap and got 17 years, Lennon was disastrous and got appointed twice, doesn’t stack up for me unless McKay shat in Dermot’s pocket and then tried to burn the stadium down.
I used to sign in with my name Thai Tommy, now when I post, message displayed “You are signed out”
A great article James. I had never seen the Desmond and Strachan interventions for what they were, or at least seem to be now in hindsight. Lots of interesting points made, thanks.
Thanks for the analysis James and for challenging yourself and us – that’s the reason why this is the best blog around. Your points were well put and have made me more open to reconsidering my previous position. It all sounds reasonable and plausible and doesn’t entirely let the board off the hook. Time will tell no doubt.
This celtic board and Desmond i would not belive a word they say as for mckay not up to the job give us a break new manager in new players in surplus money in the kitty after selling and buying progressing total bull$hit from the board football business not the hardest business to run when you have massive fan support like celtic maybe mackay to clever for some.