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Celtic Diary Thursday April 1: The Purge Gathers Pace

Nick Hammond, the guy in charge of whatever he was in charge of, resigned yesterday..which was a major surprise to me.

 

I thought he’d gone ages ago.

 

He becomes the fourth member of operations to be asked to clear his desk before its thrown onto the street in just a few short months since the internal review.

 

Makes you wonder why someone didn’t think of doing the review a little sooner.

 

 

Next up should be the medical staff.

 

Having cost the club millions by permitting an unfit Keiran Tierney to be played into virtual invalidity, which resulted in a cut price deal to Arsenal, there is a real prospect that their incompetence could be repeated with other players.

 

We have endured a couple of years of somewhat excessive injuries to players, which may be a result of training methods, unlikely given the fact that anyone in a hooped shirt these days is knackered after taking the knee, with some players requiring assistance to get back on their feet.

 

Sports science is just something that happens at other clubs, it seems, and despite offers of help, those in the cocoon of the department have obstinately refused to listen to any other viewpoints rather than their own.

 

Though they did record a major breakthrough the other day when they succeeded in striking a deal for the supply of leeches from a wholesaler that could save the club tens of pounds in the future.

 

 

Fair play to Dominic McKay, who hasn’t been doing much talking since he announced he’d taken on the task of bringing Celtic back to life after it fell asleep a couple of years ago.

 

He’s doing what all good managers should do, and using his eyes and ears in proportion to his mouth. After all, you need to find out whats wrong before you can put it right, and the word is he’s already on the job…so to speak.

 

One thing that has delighted onlookers is that he seems to be ready to listen to supporters, and thats where the old regime not only fell down, but rolled off down the street to meet a cataclysmic end under a milk truck.

 

We hear this guy seems not only to know what he’s doing, but isn’t afraid to do it.

 

Celts for Change, a new group designed to represent the thoughts and wishes of the support, may well have a little more success with this guy, as he will at least listen to their opinion.

 

Their may be something to gain by simplifying their initial thoughts into something a little catchier, as the man will have a lot on his plate for some time yet, but there certainly seems like theres room for manouevre. If i could spell it, that is.

 

 

And another thing, we hear that Desmond is still angry, his bad mood now into it’s fourth month, and he has underestimated the strength of anti Old Firm opinion amongst his customer base, so we can expect a pulling back from any more joint ventures with that lot.

 

With another million or so shares being distributed among their “backers ” yesterday…

 

Image

 

added to those given out a few weeks ago, there are serious issues at Ibrox, which would undoubtedly have been raised on the continent had they not got friends in high places.

 

The somewhat relaxed view of the Ibrox board to financial regulations may yet come back and bite them if they are expelled from Europe next season as a result of the Kamara incident, which they are desperate to keep in the public eye as a race issue, when in fact they face severe repercussions for the events after the game, which as UEFA “own ” Ibrox for the duration of European games, they are more than interested in the claims from the Czech club….

 

Of course, any racial abuse is abhorrent and deserving of severe punishment, but we’ve only one mans word for what was said, and UEFA don’t convict on the balance of probabilities….

 

But they will on video evidence of rules being broken.

 

They could, of course, sell the ground, or the training complex. Or at least borrow money against them.

 

They could if they owned them, that is.  And we hear that someone is inquiring about becoming the new owner, largely because for some reason he’s a little bit pissed off at their antics over the last couple of years, and for what it would cost him to really piss them off is small change to him, and he;s the sort of guy who is gracious in victory, but in defeat seeks revenge….

 

 

More and more I’m starting to feel that as one period, the quadruple treble years, have ended, we are about to see a new Celtic, one with an eye on regaining its seat at the table of great European clubs.

 

Yes, I am aware of the date, but the parochial Peter has been replaced by the dynamic Dominic, and we might just have struck gold with this guy.

 

Note…the author reserves the right to change his mind if McKay invests in a heated driveway.

 

 

 

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Whitearra
2 years ago

‘Celtic Board to challenge SFA/SPFL regarding the inconsistency in applying rules.’

Nah, just an April fool!

dingbat
2 years ago

“Yes, I am aware of the date, but the parochial Peter has been replaced by the dynamic Dominic, and we might just have struck gold with this guy.” I’d be interested to hear more on what that’s based, if you have it. If, as you say, he’s actually listening to the supporters, that can only be a positive, in contrast to Lawwell treating the great unwashed like mucky pariahs to be fleeced at his pleasure. His increasing contempt for the supporters left a very sour taste and added to the pleasure taken at his departure, for the average ST holder. Same goes for Bankier and the other faceless Tory wonders that pollute the boardroom.

If there’s more inside skinny on the new guy, I look forward to reading it.

Cortes
2 years ago

Hammond had to go. It’s the new law on organ removal.

“Try the veal” CSC.

BJF
2 years ago

Seriously don’t care what sort of driveway the new CEO has, not relevant to anything to do with the Football Club.
Ralph in answer to your question why did no one think to do the review before could a quadruple treble explain it? Social media is for opinions not facts, get the cup out of the way and the recruitment process can be finished.

Mike.
2 years ago

The real ‘purge’ should take place within the walls of Hampden. The Houdini like gymnastics to keep the ‘blue pound’ is dragging Scottish football into the gutter. Now we hear of them looking into racism, another deflection, to take UEFAs eyes away from the many disgusting incidents in Govan, including Roofe’s horror challenge and assaults in the tunnel. A stand alone Celtic FC is what we want, we do not want to manacled to them. That’s the road to ‘perdition’.

Mike.
2 years ago

The ‘Purge’ should be carried out at Hampden. The SFA and the SPFL should be purged, along with their lackey’s in the refereeing fraternity. That lot should be on the stage, their Houdini like gymnastic’s to keep the blue pound would be amusing were it not detrimental to the honesty of Scottish football. We might be on the one road, but they are on the road to perdition.

SteveNaive
2 years ago

President “Bobby”:
Mr. Gardner, do you agree with Ben, or do you think that we can stimulate growth through temporary incentives?

Chance the Gardener:
As long as the roots are not severed, all is well. And all will be well in the garden.

President “Bobby”:
In the garden.

Chance the Gardener:
Yes. In the garden, growth has it seasons. First comes spring and summer, but then we have fall and winter. And then we get spring and summer again.

President “Bobby”:
Spring and summer.

Chance the Gardener:
Yes.

President “Bobby”:
Then fall and winter.

Chance the Gardener:
Yes.

Benjamin Rand:
I think what our insightful young friend is saying is that we welcome the inevitable seasons of nature, but we’re upset by the seasons of our economy.

Chance the Gardener:
Yes! There will be growth in the spring!

Benjamin Rand:
Hmm!

Chance the Gardener:
Hmm!

President “Bobby”:
Hm. Well, Mr. Gardner, I must admit that is one of the most refreshing and optimistic statements I’ve heard in a very, very long time.

President “Bobby”:
I admire your good, solid sense. That’s precisely what we lack on Capitol Hill.

Mike.
2 years ago

Scottish football clubs called to the meeting ‘Deflection’. Let’s have a meet to discuss the rise in discriminatory language. My ears are bleeding at the songs of hate-filled Irish racism, but no matter, Govan needs something to deflect from the abhorrent behaviour of the songsters. Places in next years CL Qualifiers must be protected. It used to be called 1980, now the language of 2012 prevails.
Purge the SFA Purge the SPFL.

2 years ago
Reply to  Mike.

Don’t need to be a bully boy to be spewing anti irish rhetoric. There is a Celtic podcast that thinks nothing of slagging anything irish at Celtic, and one of their pundits has gone on record to say that Celtic should break all ties with everything Irish, both physically and emotionally.

Mike.
2 years ago

Then John its not one that I could ever listen to. There is enough hatred in Scotland and the north without listening to one of our so called own. Whoever it is, should only have to look back at our roots, to deny your roots is to deny yourself. He must be supporting the wrong club. I find it ironic that the governing bodies arrange a meeting with the clubs to discuss discriminatory language ( a deflection to support Kamara) when the sounds of 1690 belt out from the Govan hate mob every time they play. I would love it, if the club broke the chains that bind us to the so called ‘OF’. All the other Scottish clubs might need their hate coinage, we do not. Would rather play with much less income than be associated with them.

Bgbhoy
2 years ago

Eddie Howe with burchill as assistant

Joseph
2 years ago

Monday: It’s Keane. Desmond has got his way.
Today: it’s Howe with Burchill.

i guess if Richie gives a different name every day at some point he will be able to claim he was right.

Puggy
2 years ago

I understand that foreign players seeking their big move to England means sometimes you have to accept cut price offers but KT was half price and our so-called shrewd ex-CEO is now looking a bit stupid. Is there a sell-on agreed with Arsenal?

Devoy45
2 years ago

Howe would be just fine. First thing, he will get a team fit that can go for 90 minutes. I remember how Deila was crucified on this site for suggesting that he inherited a very poor fitness regime from Lenny Mark One. Seems he was right. Griffiths isn’t fit but he can score goals, just like John Hartson. We should keep Griff, get him ‘fit’ and play him every match. Klimala by contrast is very fit but goals? I am hoping Vakoun Bayo can show us what he can do.

That Panorama TV special the other night about Covid testing centres was shocking and might explain Sevco’s perfect Covid record if their lab was anything like the one in Milton Keynes.
The 10 in a row was a monkey on our back and I am looking forward to the future.

Mike.
2 years ago

“The players union, has given advice on the law about transfer of employment (Tupe) from the dead club, to the newco.” From Aluko, McCabe, Naismith, Whittaker, Laugherty- Ness, Davis, Fleck to The ‘Tango’ man, (McGregor). Those were the Super – Tupers.
Super – Tupers, the Tax mans gonny get you,
Left you feeling blue,
Like you always do,
Because of the tax your club was due.

BornCelt!
2 years ago

April Fool’s Day? Was Howe announced afore or after midday? If true, is Keano running round Manchester smashing into anything that moves and did Lawwell have any say in it? Uncertainty is the cause of the stress that kills me. HH!

2 years ago
Reply to  BornCelt!

Ffs it’s football not a cancerous tumour

Monti
2 years ago

Always amuses when a match commentator says ” sorry if you picked up the bad language there ” during a game with no crowd.

Fifty thousand singing about ” up to their knees in fenian blood “?

Match commentator – ” Incredible atmosphere in here today “.

The Cha
2 years ago

Celts for Change 2021 have a website, celtsforchange2021 .com

There’s also another group, Celtic Shared, which doesn’t appear to have a website but is on Twitter and have held a virtual meeting a couple of weeks ago.

For what its worth the latter have 10 times as many Twitter followers as the former but that might just be reflective of the way they are organised.

The aims seem to similar and there’s also, of course, the CT, which seems to suffer from, er, trust issues.

The Cha
2 years ago
Reply to  The Cha
11 fingered fiend
2 years ago

Is that not 11 million shares?
What school did you go to, Larkhall Academy?

2 years ago

A Happy and Holy Easter to you all.
We shall rise again HH

2 years ago

Seems there are plenty of Sevco Billionaires out there ,Then the question is why is there club still in debt.

2 years ago

As for McKay hopefully when the changes are implemented,One off the many things that needs addressed is the Toilet and Catering Facilities and the Disabled Section which for a club that cares for its fans ,the facilities are a disgrace,Maybe if Peter Lawell was to interested in his own greed these things could have been implemented a long time ago,The Main Stand from 1998 till 2019 had to wait for a lick of paint,that says it all about all the board off directors managing Celtic Football Club.

Puggy
2 years ago

It doesn’t get more insightful in comedy
https://youtu.be/qEsFtiruIok

Paul Mc
2 years ago

Unless the club have been watching Poirot and kept the real appointment mega secret, there’s every chance it might be Howe (if he accepts), maybe Harkin as DoF and I wouldn’t mind if Burchill came up, there should be some continuity and he did play in ‘that’ OF game…
If Howe comes in, he has a clean slate, so does Harkin. With McKay, they could form a good structure with long term plans, proper fitness….although no Euro experience, he is used to playing bigger teams regularly. And he would see this as a long term plan, move the family up, 5 or 7 year project before an EPL job again. That’s fine with me. So much rumour and speculation just now but as long as there is some kind of continuity link, that might help ease in the new team. Not sure if Burchill fits that but something like that would help. Ah well, it’s Easter, maybe we’ll see an announcement in the next 2 weeks for a new dream team

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