Celtic must build a modern football structure in place of what we’ve got.

When I look at Celtic, really look at us, I don’t just see a team struggling on the pitch. I see a club that’s behind. Not just a step behind, but stuck in a way of thinking that belongs to a different era of football.

And that’s very frustrating to see.

Modern football has moved on. It’s no longer about one man on the touchline trying to control everything. That version of the game is gone. As a result, the clubs that haven’t accepted that reality are the ones drifting, repeating the same mistakes, and wondering why nothing ever really changes.

So I keep coming back to this idea, this necessity, that Celtic doesn’t just need a better manager or a few better players. Instead, we need something deeper. We need a proper, modern football department. In other words, a structure where everything connects, where every detail matters, and where nothing is left to chance. Right now, however, it feels like we rely on instinct and hope, while others operate with precision.

And I hate that.

The gaps aren’t hard to see.

To begin with, start with the assistant coach role.

Not just someone standing beside the manager, but a genuine tactical specialist. Someone analysing opponents in detail, shaping how we press, how we move, and how we adapt when things break down. After all, the modern game is too complex for one voice to control everything. When that depth isn’t there, you feel it. You see it in our shape, in our hesitation, and in the moments where we look unsure of what we’re trying to be.

Then there are set-pieces. I’ve lost count of how often we look disorganised, both attacking and defending. In modern football, set-pieces are not an afterthought. Instead, they are studied, drilled, and refined. Consequently, games are decided by them. Seasons can turn on them. Yet when I watch us, I don’t see that level of detail. Instead, I see wasted opportunities, again and again.

Goalkeeping has changed too. It’s no longer just about saving shots. It’s about starting attacks, controlling possession, being calm under pressure. A modern goalkeeper shapes how a team plays. Without proper coaching and structure around that role, you don’t just lose moments. You lose points.

Fitness and conditioning matter just as much. Football is relentless now. It demands intensity, recovery, repetition. The best teams don’t just play well, they overwhelm you physically. If that side of the game isn’t elite, you fall behind, no matter how talented the squad is.

And then there’s data.

The game has moved into an era where decisions are informed, tracked, measured. Every movement tells a story. Every drop in intensity reveals something. Clubs that understand that, that act on it, gain a real advantage.

So I keep asking myself—are we really doing that? Or are we still leaning on instinct and tradition? Because that isn’t enough anymore.

Opposition analysis is another piece of it. Knowing how your opponent plays, where they’re vulnerable, what triggers their mistakes. That’s how you control matches before they even start. Without that, you react instead of dictate.

And I’m tired of watching us react.

The technical side matters too. First touch, decision-making under pressure, movement in tight spaces. These are no longer basics. They are the difference between winning and losing. Those details need specialist coaching, repetition, attention.

And then there’s the mental side.

Confidence. Resilience. Belief.

I’ve seen Celtic teams that refused to lose, that carried something powerful through every game. I’ve also seen teams that fold when things go wrong. That isn’t just tactics. That’s mentality. In the modern game, that too is developed, supported, trained.

It has to be.

All of it connects back to recruitment. Because you can build the best structure in the world, but if the players don’t fit it, everything falls apart. You end up patching problems instead of solving them. And that’s exactly where it feels like we’ve been for too long.

That’s what this comes down to for me.

It’s not about fixing one thing. It’s about building something complete. Something modern. Something that reflects what football has become.

The clubs that get this right don’t just win once. They keep winning because they evolve. They stay ahead.

The ones that don’t drift. And I don’t want Celtic to drift.

I don’t want us clinging to what we used to be while the game moves on. I want more than that.

All fans do. We want a structure that gives us control again. A system that makes sense. A club that doesn’t rely on moments or luck, but on something consistent, something repeatable.

Because this isn’t just about tactics. It’s about identity. It’s about ambition and whether we are serious about being a modern football club.

Right now, I’m not sure we are.

And I’m done pretending otherwise.

It’s time Celtic caught up. No—more than that. It’s time we led again.

This club doesn’t need small changes; it needs a complete rethink. It needs a modern football department for a new age. A new Celtic for a new generation of fans. Why shouldn’t we have that? Why don’t this board want it for us?

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