Celtic appointment Dominic McKay has been bigged up by Queen’s Park Chief Executive Leeann Dempster.
Dempster, well known for her previous roles with Motherwell and Hibernian respectively, has gotten well acquainted with McKay in times. Hibernian had held discussions with the Scottish Rugby chief over potentially playing at Murrayfield in a bid to get fans back into stadiums last summer [BBC].
The current SRU Chief Executive will take over from Peter Lawwell in June, as fans continue to call for change at Parkhead. He comes after hosting successful test events for rugby at the national stadium. In addition to that, he’s also been in charge of commercial activities for Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby respectvely.
And former Hibs chief Dempster believes Celtic have made the “obvious” decision in appointing the Hoops season-ticket holder.
Speaking to Off the Ball yesterday, Dempster said: “I know Dom quite well. To me, he was one of the obvious choices. He’s done a tremendous job at the SRU. Football and rugby are very different and I think the big step change will be that Celtic are in a good position, but if they don’t achieve the league this year a big reset will be required.
“He’s going to have a lot to work to do whether that be behind the scenes in terms of staff and things, but also just kind of getting to know the Celtic supporters. It will be a rude awakening, let’s not pretend.
“There will be a boot on the throat right from the start. That’s just what happens, you’re at one of the biggest clubs in the UK and there’s a massive expectation. But I think Dom can rise to that and I spoke to him on a number of occasions.”
Dominic McKay will arrive at Celtic in June to a total mess
You can’t sugarcoat the work McKay has ahead of him. Regardless of how much autonomy he has on the football side of things, there are plenty of major decisions that need covered.
Neil Lennon’s future looks more and more like being decided in the summer. That’s regardless of how many embarrassing results we’re on the end of. Even after yesterday’s 2-1 loss to St Mirren, the Celtic board hasn’t been quick in publicly dismissing him.
That, even this early, looks like it’s going to be a decision for the new chief executive. And it’s not just Lennon’s future that needs determined. A host of Celtic stars’ futures will need to be decided as a summer rebuild is on the cards. A total overhaul of the playing squad is going to need carried about, with fans needing something to get excited about.
He’ll arrive at a football club that’s as disengaged with its supporters as it ever has been over the last 30 years. McKay’s appointment doesn’t sort that alone. He needs to show that he’ll be a figure of change at this football club. He needs to show that the club’s off-field direction will be just as fan-pleasing as its on-field one.
There is a power of work to get through for the new Hoops chief. Noises in the background of him being the right appointment doesn’t do a lot for us. Only through action will McKay prove himself to the Celtic supporters.
Hopefully, his overhaul of this football club starts in the dugout.
In other news, the Celtic supporters have been clamouring for more opportunities for rarely-used starlet.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
