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The Appointment Of Mark Lawwell Is A Ghastly Indictment Of Celtic’s Decision Making.

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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.

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0 comments

  • Hangerhead says:

    Ange worked with him for 4 years and he, like Ange, is part of the incredibly successful City Football Group.
    There’s already knowledge, skills and existing in working together.
    What else could Ange want from a hd of scouting who knows how he works and the ties of players are required?

    Not sure why you’re upset really.

  • Mick says:

    He was instrumental in brining Ange FFs

  • David says:

    He has a good cv dose he not, part of the city group, which tells us he must have something to offer, also Ange seems very happy with the appointment having worked with him for 4 yrs at his Japanese club,, that’s the main thing for me Ange us, happy and seems to have a good judge of people’s ability

    • Rich says:

      What a load of crap you wrote. Ange is the manager he picks who he want and that’s good enough for me. End of

  • Jim says:

    Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

    How long before Ange walks away now?

    If Barca can have fan ownership, why not us?

  • NOEL SMITH says:

    Chará, he has worked with Ange before in Japan. I believe this was an ‘Ange’ appointment

  • kellybhoy says:

    Get a grip Jimmy bhoy, The big mhan says he wis very keen fur the guy tae get the joab and he is delighted, an appointment highly benifical and a great addition. Whit’s wrang wi you!. If it disnae work oot then mibbes you might be right, mibbes naw the other wey,
    If the the big guy says he happy then so im a.

    • Andy says:

      Ffs Ange wanted him what’s the problem?

      • Jimmy says:

        Ange is already talking up the appointment. We should accept that as he is no Yes man, that is for certain. If his CV is as good as made out it should not matter who is father is.

  • Tim Buffy says:

    Jobs for the Bhoys!

  • James Hassan says:

    To be fair the guy worked witth Ange for 4years in Japan.

  • Smokey says:

    Ange wanted him and is happy with it,
    worked with him for 4 yrs in Japan,
    Good enough for me.
    HH

  • Smokey says:

    Ange is very happy with this appt
    HH

  • Paul Grierson says:

    This article, whether he’s successful or not. Is as bias as the articles you constantly berate. It seems as though it’s only ok when you do it

  • Aodhain says:

    Ange will go we are fecked I cannot believe I’m reading this outcome bring back the bunnett

  • John says:

    Hear you go again! totally dismissing a guys ability before he gets in the door. if Ange wants him in then that’s good enough for me. Id back his judgement against yours any day.You need to stop letting Peter Lawell living in your head.Move on and embrace a successful season.

  • SFTB says:

    There’s a rumour that Ange was PL’s choice for manager but Eddie Howe was DD’s choice. How does this fit in with the world view you are espousing?

    And how is your record on predicting disaster? I thought being a bit circumspect about initial judgements might be advised giving your July 2021 views on Ange.

    After seeing him up close for almost a year now does he strike you as the kind of guy to accept sub-standard and imposition. Maybe he actually likes working with Michael Nicholson and did like working with Lawwell’s boy as he had worked with him before. The manager does not strike me as a soft-soap and flattery kind of guy.

    • Stephen says:

      John McGinn not coming might not be Peter Lawwell’s fault.
      No everything is a negative.

  • Tommy Kelly says:

    James who would you appoint, I think you are way over the top on this one

  • REBELLIOUS says:

    Panic ye not, Ange is good with his appointment having worked 4 years with him previously @Citeeh Grp.
    They’re no novices either, they’re Global, not continental, many possibilities…
    Those Citeeh Group network contacts alone is an added extra to Ange’s own extensive knowledge in the Worldwide transfer market.
    Chill man yir away on yir hols ? James

    • PAUL says:

      Give it a rest with PL all the time. Dig deeper into Murray minty and maybe I’ll log in more often. Celtic is a football club run by fans for us fans, not the serious organisation you imagine should take over the game, lock stock and barrel. Hopefully champions again soon too. Enjoy it man.

  • John says:

    Or Ange could be right. He worked with him for four years. I don’t think Ange is the type of bloke who will be sold a dummy.

  • Lordmac says:

    His dad will keep him right

  • Nick66 says:

    In truth James i sometimes despare at the perceived wanton nepotism that is manifesting within the current board and their Lackies. It is without doubt giving a success, but at what cost. CL ÂŁ’s are ours. Will we kick on?

  • I beleive says:

    1 year out with success yet you decry the way this great club is run and to compare the Kelly and Wright family to this dynasty is unbelievable the success of our great club is down to great ownership from Mr McCann and Mr demote without out we would be in the backwater continuing success starts from the top long may it continue and enjoy everything celtic hh

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