There is a temptation, particularly in a season as chaotic as this one, to explain everything through circumstance. A missed chance in Kazakhstan, a managerial departure at the wrong time, a failed transfer late in the window. Moments that stitch together, create a narrative of misfortune. But that explanation is too easy. And more importantly, it is wrong.
What Celtic is experiencing right now is not the result of isolated events. It is the consequence of structural problems that have been years in the making but taken until now to expose the depth and severity.
A Club Without a Footballing Structure
Modern football clubs operate with clarity. There is a defined structure, a chain of responsibility, and most importantly, a long-term vision that outlives any one manager. At Celtic, that planning is non-existent. Recruitment, squad planning and long-term strategy are underdeveloped, and decisions are being made by ‘non-football’ people.
Decisions appear reactive rather than planned, dictated by circumstance rather than guided by data or an identity that has lived in the club for decades. Managers come and go, yet the underlying issues persist, because the system itself has not changed. Contrast that with the recruitment model of Jamestown Analytics that has unlocked an unprecedented rate of improvement for Hearts this season under the new partownership of Tony Bloom.
These recruitment models and the use of data combined with a footballing identity is the central reason why clubs like Brentford, Brighton, Manchester City, and others, have been able to sustain performance above their expectation.
Those who regularly follow football predictions today will recognize that analytical rigor is necessary to identify and sustain this kind of consistent overperformance. The manager fits the system, not the other way around.
Recruitment Without Identity
Nothing highlights that structural weakness more clearly than Celtic’s recruitment. There was a time when the club’s model was obvious: identify emerging talent, develop it, and either build a successful team or sell at a profit. It was coherent, sustainable, and aligned with the club’s identity. An exciting young team playing exciting football.
Now, it is difficult to define what Celtic’s recruitment strategy is. Short-term signings have become the norm. Players brought in to plug immediate gaps rather than build a cohesive squad. And to be fair, some, like Iheanacho and Oxlade Chamberlain, have contributed important goals this season. But that is not the same as strategy.
These signings are short-term solutions to long-term problems, and when those short-term fixes accumulate, they create a squad that lacks balance and identity. It raises an uncomfortable question: What is Celtic’s model now? Is it still development-focused? Or is it drifting into something far less defined, a destination for players looking to revive, or finish their careers. Because increasingly, it looks like the latter, which is not a model that sustains success, especially on a European stage.
Disconnect Between Board and Support
Structural issues rarely exist in isolation. They reveal themselves in how a club interacts with its own support. The growing discontent among Celtic fans towards the board has not appeared from nowhere. It is rooted in frustration at perceived stagnation, a lack of ambition and the repeated decision to not invest Champions League prize money in a squad that can be more competitive in European competitions.
The banning of the Green Brigade was not just a disciplinary decision; it became a flashpoint. To many supporters, it symbolised a board more willing to confront its own fans than address the underlying footballing issues that sparked the unrest in the first place. That perception, whether entirely fair or not, matters. Because it reinforces the idea that the club is not aligned with the fans in any way.
The Missing Piece: A Sporting Director
For years, the conversation around Celtic has circled back to the same point – structure. Or more specifically, the lack of it. The absence of a true sporting director, someone with overarching responsibility for recruitment, has left the club in a cycle of short-termism. Managers have effectively been asked to bridge that gap themselves.
Even someone as experienced as Martin O’Neill found himself carrying that burden, shaping recruitment while also managing the team, and ultimately being left to do two jobs at once. That is not sustainable. And in the modern game, it is not necessary. A sporting director would not solve every problem overnight. But it would provide vital things Celtic currently lack; a clear identity and consistent recruitment strategy.
A Moment That Demands Change
This season will ultimately be judged by the trophies won or lost. But focusing solely on that misses the bigger picture. Because even if Celtic salvage success, the underlying issues will remain. And if they are not addressed, this season will not be remembered as an anomaly.
It will be remembered as the warning sign that was ignored. Celtic are at a crossroads. They can continue to operate reactively, or they can modernise, restructure, and build a football operation that is capable of sustaining success rather than chasing after it.
The choice will define not just the end of this season, but the direction of the club for years to come.
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