MICHAEL NICHOLSON is the elusive figure at Celtic. Often silent and hardly ever making headlines, it’s quite remarkable how a chief executive of such a prominent institution manages to remain out of the public eye.
However, if he fails to assemble the squad that manager Brendan Rodgers is clearly requesting by the end of the month, his invisibility is sure to vanish.
Rodgers faced inquiries on Friday regarding the club’s transfer activities — or the glaring lack thereof — at Parkhead, just before today’s Premiership opener against Kilmarnock. He emphasized that he didn’t wish to engage in the ‘negative and toxic energy surrounding signings and other matters’.
That’s understandable. Listening to Rodgers, one cannot help but sense the friction that has characterized many of the pre-seasons during his tenure at the club is simmering just beneath the surface.
Celtic struggled last season. They managed a turnaround in the final weeks as Rangers faltered, ultimately securing a domestic double, but it wasn’t a sight to behold.
Celtic chief executive Michael Nicholson is under pressure to deliver quality signings
Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has arrived but transfer business has otherwise been slow
Manager Brendan Rodgers has admitted the club need to do better in Europe
The club’s transfer market activities were poorly executed. Peter Lawwell’s son, Mark, ultimately stepped down from his position as head of scouting and recruitment in March, as Rodgers hesitated to utilize the array of new players he had acquired the previous summer.
Five months later, Lawwell Jr. has yet to be succeeded. In fact, it’s difficult to ascertain the actual method for identifying, researching, and acquiring new talent at the champions.
Mark Cooper, a seasoned scout in South America and the MLS, joined in a full-time capacity a few months back, yet there seems to be no established recruitment framework. There’s certainly no sporting director or director of football.
This approach seems unusual for a club that positions itself as progressive and modern. And that’s where Nicholson’s role becomes pivotal.
Currently, Celtic’s squad is far from adequate. It does not reflect a club generating substantial revenue through season ticket sales, boasting nearly £70 million in reserves, with £40 million expected from the Champions League and preparing to offload a player worth over £20 million in Matt O’Riley.
At present, the player pool available to Rodgers is weaker than it was in May; Adam Idah is still awaiting the conclusion of his permanent transfer following a fruitful loan, while Kyogo Furuhashi stands as the sole first-team striker.
No matter how it’s framed, this situation is far from ideal as the new season commences. It borders on the absurd. And the responsibility falls squarely on Nicholson.
During the pre-season tour in the United States, Rodgers made it very clear that the chief executive and chief financial officer Chris McKay are his primary contacts for executing deals.
After a friendly victory over Manchester City in North Carolina, he highlighted his lengthy meeting with them regarding transfer strategies.
‘While the club handles that, the coaches and I remain focused on enhancing the team, both physically and tactically,’ he stated. Essentially, the ball is in their court. If progress is not made soon, it’s Nicholson and McKay who will bear the brunt of the criticism.
There’s no room for deflection now. With Lawwell Jr. gone, he’s no longer the target for criticism. Lawwell Sr., although still in place as chairman, should also not be the focal point.
Rodgers has welcomed new signing Paulo Bernardo back after a successful loan spell
Kyogo Furuhashi is currently the only senior striker available to Rodgers
While it may seem absurd that he holds a figurehead position after the failure to achieve 10-In-A-Row three years ago, Nicholson is now involved in other matters.
Rumors suggest that the Celtic board is indeed keen to spend some of the cash they’ve accumulated over the years. They want to make a statement and show their intent.
However, the situation is more complex. Every time Rodgers speaks now, he emphasizes the need for quality over the quantity of new signings, unlike last season. This entails more than just a few million being spent here and there on developmental players.
At the club’s last annual general meeting, it was Rodgers who addressed the necessity to improve their dismal record in European competition, while Nicholson and others made jokes about Rangers.
In recent days, Rodgers’ comments, while not overly controversial, have made it clear that complacency is unacceptable — despite the current state of their Ibrox (or should that be Hampden?) rivals suggesting Celtic could easily retain the title by fielding 81-year-old Lisbon Lion Jim Craig at full-back instead of just unfurling the title flag before today’s match.
The manager is eager to achieve success in Europe. His reputation hinges on it. If there’s no ambition to succeed in that arena, one must question why he has returned to Glasgow.
His expectations are reasonable. The Champions League has introduced a new league phase this season. Celtic will be among 36 teams playing eight matches against two clubs from each of the four pots.
To progress to the play-off stage, they must finish in the top 24. This is a target that a club of their stature should readily meet. However, for an extended period, Celtic has been ridiculed in UEFA competitions, often seen as a punching bag for weaker teams from lesser nations, and an easy target for many of the more powerful teams.
Furthermore, the board has long given the impression of indifference, as long as they can outpace Rangers in the league and share laughs at their expense during shareholder meetings.
Nicholson has been part of that board for nearly three years now. He has been with the club for over a decade, having joined initially as company secretary and head of legal.
Regrettably, the supporters have largely come to terms with the failures in European competitions. But they shouldn’t. They need to heed Rodgers’ statements this week. Amid his reassurance that everything will be alright as long as new players arrive by the end of the month, his remarks about the inability to ‘snooze’ in football felt like a warning to those at the summit of the club.
‘We must improve in Europe. It’s as straightforward as that,’ he asserted. ‘No need to sugarcoat it. Considering our current position, improvement is necessary. To do that, we require quality.’
Majority shareholder Dermot Desmond recently emphasized the importance of European football as ‘a benchmark for football advancement’. If that’s genuinely the case, Celtic appears to be regressing quickly. They must translate those words into actionable results and begin recruiting a higher caliber of player.
Clearly, following Rodgers’ account of that meeting in North Carolina, Nicholson is the individual charged with making this happen. It’s time for him to justify his reported salary exceeding £700,000 a year — or face the consequences.
