Celtic’s Dire Communications Policy Is Allowing All Sorts Of Rumours To Spread.

Whenever something happens that is likely to cause concern for people, it is important that the facts of it are communicated to them as soon as possible.

As soon as possible.

Because otherwise rumours run riot, disinformation is allowed to rampage and you lose any hope you have of controlling the narrative at some later date.

An information vacuum is just waiting to be filled, and we have entire newsrooms full of people who if they can’t get accurate information they will just make it up.

Dominic McKay’s “resignation” was announced on Friday; the shockwaves of it are still reverberating through Celtic Park.

The club’s statement announcing it was plainly ridiculous.

The “personal reasons” explanation was never going to hold. But there were better ways of making it work than briefing select members of the press.

Celtic has played favourites amongst the hacks for a while.

When you do that you incur the anger of those who aren’t part of the magic circle.

Those who aren’t given little tit-bits of gossip turn elsewhere for their stories and that’s when the conspiracy theorists and the enemies of our club step up to the plate and throw their two-bobs worth in.

This is what’s happening right now, as everyone “in the know” individual puts forward his or her own version of events.

I knew as soon as Celtic announced it that there was more to the announcement than “personal reasons”: that’s the excuse disgraced politicians use when they go so as to avoid real examination by the media and others.

I also knew the reference to Nicholson being “an absolute team player” was not just a throwaway remark.

When the club started briefing against McKay I wasn’t even slightly surprised. This is their effort to regain control of the situation … it will not succeed unless fans are given some concrete information. The rumour mill will continue churning.

This club promised an outline for its strategic vision last December.

In those nine months we’ve replaced a manager and lost two CEO’s and we are still no closer to knowing a damned thing.

Plans have been shredded and whether you believe McKay was a bumbling fool or someone who simply wanted to move faster than the relics on our board did, the one thing that is not in the least doubt is that time, more precious time, has been squandered.

This board cannot, indefinitely, treat us as if we are mugs.

Somebody at Celtic should be doing a full round of media interviews – including with the fans – and talk straight about what the Hell happened here and what the plan for the future is.