Minutes from Celtic’s meeting with the Association of Irish Celtic Supporters Clubs have emerged following the club’s recent trip to Ireland, and they offer a familiar picture of the issues surrounding this summer’s transfer business.
Chief executive Michael Nicholson, interim chairman Brian Wilson and manager Martin O’Neill met representatives from the AICSC while Celtic were in Ireland for their pre-season friendly with Shelbourne. A photo from the meeting was shared online at the time, but the discussion itself has now reportedly been detailed.
One of the key topics raised was the slow progress in the transfer market.
According to the reported minutes, released by VideoCelts, Nicholson pointed to the difficulty of negotiating with players’ agents, along with competition from clubs in the English Premier League and Championship, as major factors behind the pace of recruitment.
He also reportedly stated that deals involving players who are out of contract are currently being worked on.
The discussion then turned to what Martin O’Neill wants from the remainder of the window.
According to the minutes, the Celtic manager told those in attendance that he had informed the board the club are “in major need of signings” if they are to compete. He also acknowledged that the players he has identified as targets are difficult to persuade to move to Glasgow.
Supporters also asked about the club’s longer-term direction.
A question from Cork No. 1 CSC prompted Nicholson to outline the recently approved strategy, describing the ambition as being “the best club in Scotland, be financially sound, and compete in Europe.”
O’Neill chimed in to say his own role is “more selfish and short-term”, while stressing that both objectives have to work together. He again underlined the need to strengthen the squad through recruitment if Celtic are to compete at a higher level.
Supporter engagement was another issue raised during the meeting.
Brian Wilson said improving communication with supporters remains an area the club are continuing to work on, a subject that has been discussed repeatedly over recent months.
The reported minutes have not been officially released by Celtic, but little in them will surprise supporters.
The need for fresh faces has been obvious throughout the opening weeks of pre-season, and O’Neill’s reported comments reflect what many fans have been saying since the campaign ended. Nicholson’s explanation around agents and competition from England is also one supporters have heard before.
Whether those difficulties are enough to justify the current pace of business is another matter.
With only one new signing through the door so far, the pressure to add quality before the competitive action begins is only increasing. The club’s leadership appear to recognise the need for reinforcements. Supporters will now judge them on whether those additions arrive in time to make a difference.