Opinion : Celtic FC needs to change.
The club cannot afford a repeat of last year’s transfer window.
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Celtic stand just days away from the league opener, yet once again the conversation among
supporters isn’t about tactics, momentum, or excitement for the season ahead. It’s about
recruitment, or more accurately, the lack of visible progress in recruitment. The pattern has become so familiar that fans can predict it with uncomfortable accuracy; slow movement early in the window, rumours swirling without resolution, and then a late scramble to get deals over the line. All predictably sad. Yes the arrival of Kasper Hogh is welcome, but it’s not enough. Celtic need more in the door ahead of the season starting.
The club will rightly argue that transfer negotiations are complex, confidential, and often dependent on factors outside of their control. No one expects Celtic to broadcast every detail of ongoing talks. Even with that understanding, the recurring delays raise legitimate questions about the club’s strategy, planning, and internal decision making.The issue isn’t simply that signings arrive late, it’s what those late signings cost you. Players who join in the final days of the window miss the chance to integrate during preseason, build relationships with teammates, and understand the manager’s system. They’re asked to hit the ground running without the preparation that makes success likely. For a club with Celtic’s ambitions, who know the Champions League qualifiers are coming every year, that’s an unnecessary risk they are taking.
Supporters see the consequences clearly. So why can’t the club? The answer is they do but it’s part of the overall strategy that they would argue has been very successful for the club over the years.
Things must change
Fans aren’t demanding perfection, they’re asking for ambition, drive, foresight, and a recruitment strategy that matches the club’s supposed goals. No late panic buys, Celtic should have an idea of who is coming in the door before players are sold. That’s efficiency. That’s what they did with Edouard and Dembele.
Celtic have the resources, the stature, and the pull to act with authority in the market. They
shouldn’t be arriving late to negotiations and hoping circumstances fall in their favour. They should be proactive, decisive, and prepared; qualities that define successful modern football operations. Identify who you want early and go make it happen. Yes it’s easier said than done but Celtic’s current way of working is a choice.
The frustration among supporters isn’t rooted in entitlement; it’s rooted in ambition. Celtic fans
want a club that behaves like the giant it is. They want leaders who recognise that and acts accordingly.
If Celtic are serious about progressing as a club and exciting the fan base then the people at the top need to reflect on their approach. If they are unable or unwilling then the club must find replacements. A new forward thinking strategy is badly needed for the club to move forward. So far, it’s same old Celtic.
All views expressed on Celtic DNA are personal opinions and are for commentary and discussion purposes only
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