One poetic punter said Michael Nicholson is the Godfather of Scottish football but Rodgers is the driving force of Celtic family
In one of the more bizarre moments of a Celtic love-in disguised as an AGM, a poetic punter referred to Michael Nicholson as the new Godfather of Scottish football.
The fella, who touched on fan favorites like Rangers’ death and refereeing conspiracies, was off the target. The genuine Don of Celtic Park was seated at the top table, one space to the right of the CEO.
Brendan Rodgers might be content with his job title, but on days like this, it’s evident he’s more than simply a manager. Rodgers is the driving force behind all aspects of this football team right now. Even Peter Lawwell, the chairman, had to redirect many of the queries from the floor to Nicholson. However, on more than one occasion, Rodgers provided the correct answers. If you had asked the typical inquiry about the Parkhead pie’s standards, you wouldn’t have been astonished if the Northern Irishman revealed a secret formula for the pastries.
It was that type of encounter. To be fair, with the team soaring on the pitch and the cash building up in the bank, there were never going to be any fireworks at this peacetime AGM. There were the typical issues, such as renovation of the South Stand (unlikely in the current financial situation), a larger standing section behind the goal (possible but not an imminent plan), and some serious discussion about the expense of living and its impact on supporters.
But this was never going to be a hostile meeting. The new Christmas commercial was broadcast at the end, and there was festive cheer for these jovial goodfellas.
Even when there was a burst of hostility, when one fairly, ahem, exuberant blogger went on the offensive against former recruitment chief Mark Lawwell, Rodgers stepped in. Lawwell senior accused a fan of having an unhealthy fixation with him and his son.
Nicholson attempted to clumsily address the talent scout’s departure, but it was Rodgers who shoved everyone out of the way and gave a gentle smack. He stated: “Mark did an excellent job at Celtic. Every player that comes in here will fail. Mark’s impact in bringing Ange Postecoglou to the club was significant. If that was his sole input to this, he’d done an excellent job.
“But it wasn’t; he had an influence on bringing in Ali Johnston and other players. All of the players will not work out. As a manager and coach, I am fully aware of this. Working with Mark was an exceptional experience. He chose to follow a different road, which I admire. But I’m here to defend him since he is a huge Celtic fan.
“Like Peter, he comes from a large Celtic family that wants only the best for the team. When you are in a recruitment role, such as a manager, you may bring in a player that does not fit. But his objective was to do the best for Celtic, which is why I would defend him.
The punter continued to argue the toss until the rest of the room instructed him to sit down and hold his wheesh. What Rodgers says goes in these areas. There were other weird instances that made you smile. One shareholder inquired whether Sir Rod Stewart might put his hand in his pocket to invest.
Lawwell joked that Rod the Mod is tighter than a dead heat, before disclosing that the rocker frequently goes deep for the club’s philanthropic foundation. Celtic are undoubtedly flush with cash. However, it was necessary to explain why they want £70 million in reserve funds.
Lawwell is a much more reserved guy these days, yet he still can’t resist the occasional jab thrown around the city. He stated: “This is an uncertain industry. When you win the league, everything is fine. However, we must plan for the long term in case things do not run as smoothly as they have in the past.
“We can see – looking elsewhere – what happens if you don’t play in the Champions League for a year and instead compete in the Europa League. That is the serious financial situation we face going forward.
It was a relatively low-key AGM. However, Chris McKay, chief financial officer, went into greater detail. He stated, “The distinction between the Champions League and the Europa League has never been more pronounced. Eight games is a decent number for us, and the uncertainty further into the league season adds another aspect.
“It [cash in the bank] allows us to invest when we need to, throughout the transfer windows. Second, it permits us to continue running our business while we are in the Europa League.
“The cash won’t last forever, but it provides us some runway. You can run your business as usual without needing to sell marquee players, allowing you to invest in the squad.
There were other pressing matters, literally. The board was asked how they are dealing with the part of fan support that continues to cost the club money in UEFA fines while also endangering supporter safety with pyros and other hazards. Nicholson said, “It’s a long-standing issue. This is not a Celtic-specific issue. Behaviours across Scotland and Europe.
“Allocation schemes for away tickets have been in effect for a long time. Fines are a source of anxiety for us. What concerns us the most is the safety of the fans and the influence it may have on the game. It’s a big challenge, but what helps is the feeling in the room that we should confront it.”
The CEO should have warned that they are sailing close to the wind with UEFA and risk being banned from away games or having sections of Celtic Park closed. However, this was a squandered opportunity. He should have let the real Godfather make the fans an irresistible offer.
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