Simon Jordan has changed his tune.
Often critical of ‘activist’ Celtic fans such as the Green Brigade, he now feels that good communication is the only way forward for the Parkhead hierarchy.
And if even someone as contrarian as Jordan is telling them to act, they should probably be doing some self-reflection.
Asked by Jim White on talkSPORT about managing the dynamics of fan groups, Jordan said: “It’s probably pragmatic and sensible.
“Especially with such a passionate, powerful fan base, as you have in these sort of clubs.
“You’ve got to find a way to keep them reasonably on-side, as much as you possibly can. You don’t have to sit there and be dictated to, but you do need to find a communication mechanism.”
Would you follow these steps if you were on the Celtic board too?
Simon Jordan on ‘silly’ Ross Desmond at Celtic AGM
Celtic’s upper management have done some daft things this season, but Ross Desmond’s tirade at the AGM may be single most reckless of them all…
…closely followed by Dermot Desmond’s attack on Brendan Rodgers, of which Jordan was much more supportive.
READ MORE: Stephen McGowan names clear Celtic manager favourite from O’Neill, Askou and Martinez
Jordan continued: “I think some of the things that Celtic have done are silly. I think that going in that board meeting and wagging their finger at the behaviour of certain people in the shareholder probably wasn’t the most wise thing.
“You can’t be bullied. I agree with Dermot for coming out and filling in Brendan Rodgers, and not allowing Brendan Rodgers to control the narrative and have his little say so that all that’s left is the marks that he leaves behind, rather than the challenges that he, actually, was part and parcel of creating.
“So I think there’s rights to that. But to answer your general question: should you communicate with your fans? Yes.
“Because when it comes to it, most of them, when they get in front of you, are a very different animal than the ones issuing ultimatums and shouting through loudhailers.”
The AGM speech saw a militant Desmond Jr. call some fans ‘bullies’ and vow not to be ‘railroaded’ by members of the support.
He also defiantly defended the club’s model, saying that the club’s lack of European success was inevitable due to the financial direction of football in general.
Four promises the Celtic board made to fans in 2019. Let us know what you think of these in the comments below.
FOUR KEY THEMES FROM CELTIC'S SUPPORTERS CHARTER
Celtic’s current situation with the Green Brigade
The Green Brigade have been banned from all Celtic matches since November, with an initial three-game lockout being extended indefinitely.
As the ban has drawn on, fans have waited patiently for a resolution, but a Celtic fan boycott against Dundee was called in solidarity with the group.
The Celtic Fans Collective organised the boycott, also demanding the resignation of Michael Nicholson and that fan media organisations are allowed back into club press conferences.
Martin O’Neill confirmed a meeting between the club and fans on Wednesday, but this has not resulted in any meaningful progress.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
