We are now beyond the halfway point of Celtic’s January transfer window.
Every few days, Martin O’Neill is being asked for updates on the club’s striker search, which he is supposedly leading.
A few days into the window, Celtic sacked Wilfried Nancy. Perhaps more crucial, however, was the dismissal of Paul Tisdale.
As Head of Football Operations, Tisdale fronted the club’s recruitment department; his job title replaced that of the Head of Recruitment.
But with that pair gone and O’Neill now fronting the show, Chris Sutton just can’t believe how it’s come to this.
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Chris Sutton on Dermot Desmond, Martin O’Neill and Celtic’s transfer window
The Hoops are in their fourth managerial spell of the season.
The days of Brendan Rodgers, which ended acrimoniously with Dermot Desmond, feel like years ago at this point.
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In his column for the Daily Record, Sutton dug out Desmond’s claim after Rodgers’ resignation, in an existential takedown of the current state of affairs at Celtic Park.
He said: “O’Neill has his work cut out putting things right on the pitch but to hear he’s also having to scramble around for players in the January window, working around the clock, constantly watching videos and talking to agents, it almost defies belief.
“It also throws up a lot of questions. The Celtic board haven’t been great at answering them this season, that’s for sure. Brendan Rodgers quit and no one came out to explain it, apart from that infamous Dermot Desmond statement and a couple of cosy interviews on the club TV.
“There was no one with O’Neill when he was unveiled – twice – and the same when Nancy came in. Similarly, there has still been no official reason why Paul Tisdale was sacked. But it would be handy to get some answers. Like, what the hell has been going on these last six months or so?
“O’Neill is running around, talking to agents, watching scouting reports and so on, but it sounds like he’s starting from scratch.
“I still can’t quite believe we are two weeks into the window and a striker hasn’t already been in the building for a fortnight.
“Everyone knew it was beyond a priority. It was an absolute must. Nancy should have had someone in the door on January 1, and O’Neill should definitely have had at least one on board by now.
“It’s down to the interim manager and sheer luck from the board Celtic have managed to pick up two wins on the bounce since he came back.
“I have nothing but admiration for O’Neill’s sense of duty to the club – but they are taking him for granted. It’s like they have brought him back and asked him to sort out the entire place.
“That’s a tremendous amount of pressure and stress to put on one man – never mind a 73-year-old club legend who is doing them a favour when he could be sitting with his feet up drinking Horlicks and watching Westerns in the afternoons.
“I know Tisdale has gone but where is all the work that has been done in the previous year? Where is the list of players being watched and lined up for January? It could be that the list was absolutely useless and O’Neill lobbed it straight into the bin.
“But if that’s the case then someone should really say so. Having the interim boss facing the media three times a week having to explain this stuff and saying he barely has enough hours in the day to catch up with Rangers and Hearts is embarrassing.
“It makes Celtic look amateurish. Where is the future planning? Where is the structure that Desmond said was working just fine and the previous transfer issues were purely down to Brendan Rodgers? Because from the outside it doesn’t look like there’s ANY structure.”
Would you follow these steps if you were on the Celtic board too?
Dermot Desmond and Celtic behind the scenes this season
Desmond had never been the most popular figure at Parkhead, but this season, he and the board have taken more flak than ever.
The Celtic Fans Collective has mobilised in demand of real change, and Peter Lawwell has resigned as chairman.
A real, significant change would be in ownership and Alan Brazill has suggested that Desmond will sell his shares in the club on multiple occasions.
If the current situation continues, it certainly feels like something has to give.
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