Celtic fans have launched a blistering attack on majority shareholder Dermot Desmond as the club remains the only Scottish Premiership side yet to make a new signing this summer. The re-signing of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has done little to quell growing frustration among supporters, who fear a repeat of previous transfer failures.
Fan Anger Boils Over
With just four weeks until the Premiership season kicks off, Celtic are still without a single new addition. While talks for Qarabag forward Camilo Duran are advancing and striker Tobias Lauritsen is reportedly a target after leaving Sparta Rotterdam, fans are losing patience.
David Beattie from Rothesay said: “Another year and another abysmal transfer window from Dermot Desmond and his board. Celtic will never get anywhere in Europe with this owner and his puppets. How was this guy successful in business when he took a blowtorch to a manager who brought trophy after trophy to the club, yet allows his board to be so dysfunctional to the point of being embarrassing to not only himself but to the most important people at the club, the fans? Time to shape up or ship out Mr Desmond and your puppets if you are going to drag our club to the depths of dysfunction and embarrassment on a now regular basis.”
Board Accused of Dragging Heels
Paul McCormack from Coatbridge added: “Not happy with lowballing current staff members, now lowballing on possible signings. It’s in the DNA of this board to drag their heels with every signing. But they're not so slow with releasing shirts, advertising tickets for friendlies and upping the cost of season tickets. They have been emptying the fans’ pockets down to a tee, as they sit on a huge pile of cash, soon to be swollen even more with players leaving. Playing Russian roulette with fans’ loyalty will not extend to another diabolical window.”
George Wilson from West Sussex wrote: “We haven’t heard from Rangers obsessed Celtic fan Gordon Ashley for weeks but that’s probably because Rangers haven’t been playing. Mind you all the activity recently has been at Ibrox with a new manager and several new players signing. Celtic on the other hand are the only club in SPFL who at time of writing have made no signings at all although they eventually have managed to sign up the management team they already had.”
World Cup Fallout
Away from Celtic, the World Cup quarter-finals are approaching. Scotland’s early exit has drawn criticism, but Neil Lennon believes the backlash against Steve Clarke has been over the top. John Scott from Grassmoor disagreed: “Neil Lennon's not being serious, surely? The man who had a raging hissy-fit at Tynecastle because Hibs lost against Hearts and blew a second placed finish in the 2018 Premiership. He found that unacceptable but wants us to believe that Steve Clarke and his players have been overly criticised for a truly abysmal performance at the World Cup? If Steve Clarke criticism is hysterical then what was Ally MacLeod's in comparison? At least in Argentina we beat one of the finalists. Too little, too late perhaps but at least in the Netherlands game we showed the world what we were capable of.”
Issy Currie from Castletown said: “Scotland’s effort in reaching the World Cup was superb, but very sadly the wheels were soon to come off. One goal in three matches, numerous back passes to the keeper, poor refereeing decisions. To become much more streetwise springs to mind, but the powers that be must retain the proper skills of the game and ensure that bullish behaviour is totally unacceptable.”
Finally, Alan Lough from Dunbar said: “Argentina made hard work of it to go through to the last 16 against a Cape Verde side who were brilliant and gave us a classic to remember—end-to-end entertainment from kick-off till the final whistle.”
