There are encouraging signs that Celtic finally sees the need to modernise its approach.

Yesterday, I wrote about a story linking Celtic with a potential new Director of Football or, at least, a similar role. I believe this is a good move that will get approval from most of our fans—as long as it’s done for one reason only: to support Brendan Rodgers, the manager.

Celtic, unlike the club across the city, is not in crisis.

We have a functioning executive, and although I may not always agree with its policies, it works. We did lose one excellent executive in Adrian Filby, who was a key figure in our commercial department. His move to England is a loss, as our commercial side operates like a well-oiled machine, and that department deserves credit for its successes.

Replacing him is essential, but I’m confident we will find someone of the highest calibre because we’ve built a strong reputation. Our commercial relationships continue to thrive, as shown by our new Adidas deal, which will see us step up a level—and so will they.

Now, onto the potential new football operations guy, which seems to fit a pattern emerging since Mark Lawwell left the club. We’ve already brought in a North American scouting specialist with European experience, someone Rodgers highly regards. We also hired Adam Ashgar, an exceptional Under-18 coach, a move celebrated by fans. It showed the club was committed to quality appointments and not simply falling back on old connections.

Ashgar is an excellent addition, and I’m excited to see what he brings. Mark Cooper, the scout Brendan brought in, also impresses with his knowledge of the North and South American markets. We’ve added quality again.

Paul Tisdale, though, could be the best of the bunch, depending on his relationship with Rodgers and the specifics of his role. The more I dig into his background, the more I like what I see. My main issue with Mark Lawwell was that he was more of a technocrat than a football man. He never coached, never managed, and lacked the essential understanding of what team building involves.

Tisdale, on the other hand, has managed teams for over 16 years. He’s been on the front lines, planning tactics and squads. He’ll know what Rodgers needs without having to be told, because he’s been there. He won’t second guess or question Brendan’s judgement; instead, he’ll get to work finding the right players and solutions.

I cannot imagine that under someone like this we’d ever have a repeat of the summer window of last year, a spell which was the picture-model of dysfunctionality and scattershot policy. There was no coherence whatsoever to any of it. Mark Lawwell was a box-checker, the sort of guy who saw transfer building as paint-by-numbers.

But it takes a football man to understand, properly, the needs of a football boss and Tisdale has been there, seen it and done it in his own career. He gets it.

A Director of Football needs to know football inside out. They need to understand the needs of a manager and the art of building a team. That’s why Tisdale excites me so much—he’s been in the dugout and knows the job. His managerial career might not have set the world on fire, but this understanding of the game and what a manager needs is vital. That’s something Mark Lawwell never had, which is why his time at the club was cut short.

Tisdale will understand when Rodgers says he needs a player with specific attributes, and he’ll know what to look for without needing everything spelled out. He’ll also know his limits, which is crucial. We don’t want someone overshadowing the manager or thinking they can challenge his judgement. Tisdale will have the knowledge but also the humility to know that Rodgers, with his far more successful career, is the one who ultimately calls the shots.

His work in an advisory capacity is equally impressive. He’s gone into clubs, reviewed their operations, and made recommendations that fix problems. If our board is willing to cede a little control to someone like that, big things can happen—and fast.

We’ve already spent a lot of money upgrading our facilities for the women’s team, the B-squad, and the youth teams. Ashgar’s appointment as Under-18s head coach was a real coup, and these decisions are not about directors calling in or doing others favours—they’re about finding the best people for the job. These are not The Friends of The Man, and if Tisdale joins in a similar capacity, we’re looking at a top-tier appointment.

We’re seeing signs that Celtic is finally getting its act together across the board. Part of that is undoubtedly down to Brendan Rodgers. He’s come in, looked at the setup, and made it clear that changes are needed. He did the same last time he was here, and although we lost some of those assets when he left, the club now recognises the need to keep evolving.

The time has come for Celtic to start thinking big at every level of the football operation. If we have the courage to let the football department run itself—free from interference by the finance guys—then we could be building something incredible.

A football operation led by football people, all working together in harmony, would be the most powerful force we’ve built at Celtic Park in decades, and if this is the direction we’re headed, then watch out Peepul of Sevconia … because if we get this right and put the right structures in place, no one is catching us—not in our lifetimes.