Peter Lawwell’s son has been appointed the Head of First Team Scouting and Recruitment.
Yes, you read that correctly.
Of all the possible candidates out there, the best one we could find just happened to be the son of the non-executive director and former CEO. We have an outstanding man in the dugout.
Everything else at Celtic is third tier.
Where is the process? Where is the system?
When do the shareholders get real and start asking hard questions about how this board does its business?
Is it a coincidence that this news came out today, with the title virtually assured? No, the board relies on us not rocking the boat. They continue to take decisions in this appalling way and we’re meant to play nice.
We now have a head of recruitment and a CEO who are both right out of the old boy’s network.
In case it is not painfully obvious, when things are run like this, with the decision making run by a select few at the top with no outside scrutiny and based on nepotism and a thinning contacts book it is a recipe for disaster.
I will write more on that later.
Is this the best possible candidate?
We’ll never know because we have no idea what the criteria we decided to appoint him on was. But he was no more the choice that a proper, independent search would have turned up than Michael Nicholson was as CEO.
This appointment is a joke, and regardless of the nice words from the manager.
It is something we should all have grave misgivings about.
It is the kind of appointment this board is becoming notorious for.
Serious organisations do not run like this.
Lawwell remains on the periphery and it is hard not to conclude that he still pulls strings. Now his son is in a senior role, in the way that Gordon Strachan, being consulted on God knows what, has two of his sons inside the club.
Our largest shareholder wants to pass his “responsibilities” on the same way.
We have new Kelly’s and Whites in charge here, everything but the names.
Our leadership is a joke.
The people running this club are an abomination.
Their strategies are praised because we didn’t go bankrupt; a minimally talented board could have achieved that simply by not spending more than we earn. Small businesses all over the world manage that as the bare minimum every day.
But there is no vision. There is no long-term over-arching goal.
The past eight months have been characterised by Ange’s nearly perfect selection of players; when there was nobody else involved in the process he got almost every single decision right.
I cannot be alone in worrying that this summer will not be so successful.
Now we know what was behind Desmond’s interview, in which he went out of his way to point out that the club allows the manager total control.
It’s an opening salvo against those who will express concern at this insular appointment, a step back to the nonsense that caused the crisis of the summer.
If the shareholders organisation does not ask hard questions here we have learned nothing.
Read Ange’s comments to this appointment,he clearly trusts the guy.You can’t say in Ange we trust then be up in arms when he himself appoints a guy just because you don’t like his surname
‘This appointment is a joke, and regardless of the nice words from the manager.’
James clearly doesn’t care what Ange wants even when the manager said he was very keen to get him in because he’d worked with him before and he knows what’s needed to play in the system. Strange boy sometimes.
How is it bad that we appoint the man Ange wanted , knows well and worked with over the years at Marino’s, do your homework before spouting shite.
He’s a good acquisition in my eyes, innocent until proven guilty, so let’s wait and see how he does before condemning him. Your criticism James is unjustified.
Agree with the perceived closed shop attitude as far as hiring is concerned at Celtic and does bring back memories of the Kelly/White era, but Ange knows this guy, has worked with him and gave a glowing acceptance of him.
Good enough for me until i does actually go wrong.
As other commenters have pointed out, he has a long working relationship with Ange and knows the type of players that suit his playing system.
Nepotism is one thing, but blind loyalty to players, past and present, based on sentimentality is what bothers me more, as its what cost us the ten, that and going for the cheap option, and i can only hope its not a mistake those running the club will repeat!
We need to clear out more than a teams worth of sub par players during this upcoming transfer window, in every playing position, and replace them with players of a better quality, as well as add to the quantity in quality of squad depth.
Players we need to sell and replace, imo, are:
Bain, Barkas
Welsh, Jullien, Taylor, Ralston, Bolingoli
Bitton, McCarthy, Soro,
Forrest, Johnston,
Ajeti,
…as well as try and sign up Jota, CCV, Solbakken, and players of their quality or better.
We’re going to need at least:
1x GK
1x RB
2x LB
3x CB
1x DMF
2x CM(preferably box to box players)
4x Wingers/Forwards
2x CF
…if we can move on the highlighted players, who to be blunt are either not improving, stagnating, their best years are behind them, not suited to Ange’s style, or just not good enough!
This leaves us a solid foundation of players we know can do a job for us in Ange’s system of:
Hart
Juranovic, Starfelt
McGregor, Rogic, Turnbull, Hatate(?), O’Riley, Ideguchi(?),
Maeda, Abada(?)
Giakoumakis, Kyogo
…we need to be ruthless and leave sentiment at the door when chosing our playing staff!
Ralston and Taylor are not improving? Tell me you haven’t watched a match this season without actually telling me you haven’t watched a match this season.
Who says they’d fall under that category?
Taylor, despite having the best season of his life, was outclassed v Bodo/Glimt; we’ve needed and lacked a quality left back ever since Tierney left, and are still waiting!
I’ve talked Taylor up a lot this season, but we still need to find someone better, and I’d like to see us improve in the right back position(every position really)too, as much as i like Ralston, who is another player I’ve talked up; Juranovic is closer to the mark, but it doesn’t mean there isn’t a better player out there we could sign.
This ‘that’ll do’ attitude is what cost us the ten, the club putting savings before proper first team investment in players and management, putting sentimentality before cold logic!
James do you ever think you might be wrong sometimes. If the manager can work with head of recruitment that’s a big plus. As they’ve worked together before for 4 years and Ange says he’s very happy to do so again then I don’t see the problem.
I get you’re point on him being Peter lawells son , and it could be looked upon as he is still pulling the strings. But if you took away his surname and said we are taking Man City’s head of scouting and recruitment away from them , we would all be in shock . There is no doubt they have vast access to good young players , we were all clamouring for Fergal Harkin last summer ,as he had links to young players with potential . I personally don’t see it as a bad appointment .
On the one hand they guy looks like he has the necessary credentials…..on the other it is always worrying when you recruit from a narrow pool. I guess we will know if Ange is really in favour if he is in the dug-out come the new season
Is it possible the guy might be really good at his job ? Yes, smacks of nepotism but Mark is not his father. Would we condemn signing a player simply because his father was useless ? At least give him a chance
Why does anything this board do surprise you total scum res 12 tells you all you need to no
The Board makes yet another tone deaf decision to infuriate the support.
Is this another ‘job given in the showers’ – with all other CV’s not even looked at?
It also makes CEO Nicholson look like a weak patsy.
And agreed: we have the makings of another loathed dynastic leadership in Desmond and Lawwell.
Unbelievable.
Ange has worked with him for four years. Sounds like it was his choice.
It’s not a joke you like thousands of Celtic Supporters are never happy when the board make appointments that don’t suit some ,I’m willing to give Lawell son a chance to see what he can do ,Fit you better to get better facilities for the ordinary fan whom pump millions into the club who simply are treated as paying customers I’m sure you know what is needed inside and outside of the Stadium.
Fair do’s, I didn’t realise Ange had worked with him previously.
Nearly won the league and Ange 2.0 is in progress. Brilliant.
I understand your concerns but to criticise a man who has proven himself in a similar role at the highest level shows a narrow minded outlook. Just remember without the input from Peter Lawell we would not have Ange in the dugout. Your comments only give the SMSM ghouls an opportunity to ridicule the club.
markE and Bob what a load of shite you pair have come up with.
Well done.
Great input, well done ??
Wanting the best for the club is classed a load of ? now ..were you one of Lennons fanboys to the bitter end!? ?
Give the bloke a chance.
Does anybody on here know what other recruits (if any) were looked at? Outside of Celtic Park no one has a scoobie. Just someone bumping thier gums (or thumbs)
Most of us knew that PL’s son worked at City and if he became available why not look at him. Stupid not to use his 10 years experience with one of the biggest teams in the world. If Ange is happy,as reported, let’s give the guy a chance
Do you not think that the only reason we got Man City’s head of scouting is because he’s lawells son? Think I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.