Celtic supporters and shareholders can expect to get a full house on the AGM bingo card on Friday.
There is unlikely to be many fireworks with the team top of the league, in the Premier Sports Cup Final and doing well in the Champions League – and that’s before they get to the fact they have got plenty of money in the bank. So it’s probably going to be more of the same faces, hitting the same notes. There will be some back-slapping over how well things have gone, there will be some barbs aimed at Rangers and someone will stand up and moan about the pies being cold.
In past years these things have got pretty lively, but this time? Let’s face it, there’s not much for supporters to moan about. Even the pies have been half decent this season. We know what chairman Peter Lawwell and chief executive Michael Nicholson will tell fans.
For me, I wouldn’t bet on it happening, but it would be nice to hear from the new head of operations though. Paul Tisdale is the self-proclaimed football doctor and it will be good to find out his prognosis for the club. I’ve said on these pages before, I think it’s a positive appointment. People in the game speak very highly of Tisdale and he’s someone with a reputation for thinking outside the box.
He’s been in the door officially for a good few weeks now and he was unofficially part of the summer recruitment drive. I’d like to know what the plan is for January and beyond as far as he is concerned.
The Celtic squad is in strong shape but there is always opportunity to build and progress.
You look at the situation at left back with Greg Taylor heading out of contract and Alex Valle on loan until the end of the season. Do Brendan Rodgers and Tisdale step up and recruit a new one in the next window? Are there deals to be done with either – or both?
You also look at the wide areas, James Forrest has been a superb servant but his contract is running down and he’s 34-years-old in the summer. Then you have Luis Palma, who has really struggled to get into the side this season and could well move on.
There will be huge interest in Nicolas Kuhn in January but it was refreshing to hear his agent, Christian Nerlinger, telling Record Sport his man is not going anywhere for a while yet. Perhaps Kuhn took my advice to stay from last week’s column. But either way, that will save Rodgers and the new recruitment chief headaches in the New Year.
Unless a massive bid comes in, of course, because we all know that can move the goalposts no matter what anyone thinks. Tisdale’s role is also overseeing the overall youth development strategy, whether it’s young players coming through the academy or being brought into the part of it. The club says his remit will be to help find and develop Champions League players.
That’s a tough task and it’s something Celtic will need to look at, as it’s been a while since anyone broke into the first team from the academy set up. You look at the likes of Callum McGregor, Forrest and Anthony Ralston, as well as Kieran Tierney before him, all the way back to Aidan McGeady and Shaun Maloney.
It’s been more than a few years since a player has come through the ranks, and too often they’ve left the club before even making a name for themselves at Parkhead. You only have to look at Ben Doak, and also Rocco Vata and Daniel Kelly who both recently jumped ship sharpish. Listen, Celtic can’t just hand starts to kids just for the sake of it. They have to be good enough.
The likes of Maloney and McGeady got in during my time on merit. They were better than the guys they replaced. The same goes for any new signings. That’s the task for Tisdale. He’ll be judged on signings and the ones coming in have to be better than what is currently at the club – and that won’t be easy unless they keep breaking their transfer record.
We know Celtic are a development club and the time will come to sell top assets. It’s about making sure the recruitment process is right to find replacements. Next summer could be crucial. The Scottish Premiership winners are likely to face qualifiers for the Champions League next season.
If that’s Celtic, they can’t afford to hang about until the last week of the transfer window this time around. You can chuck in talk about Old Firm tickets, the ongoing problems with pyro and the prospect of redeveloping Celtic Park’s South Stand.
But in reality, there’s not an awful lot to get Lawwell and Nicholson too flustered.
They shouldn’t get too comfortable though. Celtic have a huge spell coming up in Scotland and in the Champions League. They have made a great start but the wheels can come off quickly in this game.
There’s no time for pats on the back in November and the Celtic board, or football department, can’t afford to rest on their laurels. The message should be there is no room for complacency.
They can’t snigger about what’s gone on at Ibrox, they can’t take Champions League progress for granted or just assume a £25m plus talent will emerge every season. Lawwell and Nicholson might enjoy the AGM but you can never get too comfortable in this game.