Anthony Joseph Reveals Dom McKay’s Celtic Vision as Board Urged to Embrace Major Change

Former Celtic chief executive Dom McKay was regarded as a significant appointment when he arrived at Parkhead in 2021 to replace Peter Lawwell. His recruitment, which involved a leading headhunting agency, appeared to signal a fresh approach from a club that had faced criticism over its internal structure and decision-making.

However, despite the optimism surrounding his arrival and the work he carried out during his brief spell, McKay lasted only around two months in the role. Celtic cited personal reasons for his departure, leaving supporters with few answers about why his time at the club came to such an abrupt end.

Now, Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph has offered further insight into the ambitions McKay had for Celtic and the changes he wanted to introduce.

One of his priorities was to modernise the club’s football operations by bringing in a sporting director. Fergal Harkin, who is now sporting director at Bolton Wanderers, was reportedly among the candidates being seriously considered for the position.

Joseph believes the ideas McKay was exploring remain relevant and could still be introduced without necessarily requiring a complete change of personnel at board level.

He explained:

“In terms of the board, who knows? I mean, you could have the same board that are there if they were willing to give up the same structure.

“I’m talking about Chris McKay, Michael Nicholson and Brian Wilson in those positions. If they are happy, and Dermot Desmond is happy, to say: ‘Look, we need a modern structure. We need the experts to come in, people who actually do these roles, football people to run the football operations.

“We’ve got to trust them, and we’ll do the business side. They’ll come to us if something is going to be a major dent in our finances for this year’s budget.

“That’s how they could operate. Those people could still be at Celtic and do that role if they give up this structure. It’s the type of thing Dom McKay was wanting to do. He was wanting a sporting director. Fergal Harkin was one of the guys they were looking at quite strongly.

“I guess with Dom McKay, it was probably a case of he was trying to do too much too soon for a board that don’t like much change. But that’s the kind of thing Dom McKay was looking at, because that is how modern football clubs operate.”

While Joseph believes the existing hierarchy could remain in place under a different operating model, there will be plenty of Celtic supporters who question whether those currently running the club are prepared to make such significant changes.

McKay’s departure after such a short period raised questions about the appetite for modernisation within the boardroom. His ambitions appeared to point towards a greater separation between the business and football sides of the club, with specialists being trusted to oversee recruitment and sporting operations.

For many supporters, that is precisely the direction Celtic need to take. The concern is that the people currently in positions of authority have shown little indication that they are prepared to surrender the level of control required to make such a transformation possible.

The appointment of Wilfried Nancy last December could be viewed as an indication that the club recognised the need to keep pace with developments elsewhere in football. However, that decision ultimately failed to deliver the intended results, leaving further questions about the wider direction of the club.

Celtic face important decisions over their football structure

The board now faces an important period, with the opportunity to reconsider how Celtic operate both on and off the pitch.

Modernising the club does not necessarily mean spending recklessly or throwing significant sums at transfer targets. It means establishing a clear football structure, identifying the right people for key positions and giving them the responsibility to build a coherent long-term strategy.

Motherwell demonstrated the impact that a modern coaching approach could have last season, while Celtic have continued with experienced manager Martin O’Neill.

There is nothing inherently wrong with appointing an experienced manager, but the situation becomes more complicated without a clear succession strategy.

O’Neill had previously indicated, following his health scare, that he expected to leave at the end of the season. That would give Celtic an opportunity to identify a successor well in advance, allowing a new manager to assess the squad and begin preparing for the next campaign.

However, reports emerging from Greenock suggested Michael Nicholson had pointed towards the existence of a second-year option in O’Neill’s arrangement. That raises questions about whether the club is already working towards a managerial change or whether the current uncertainty could continue.

If Celtic intend to appoint a new manager in the summer, the groundwork should be taking place now. The next appointment should form part of a wider football strategy rather than being treated as an isolated decision.

Celtic board still have an opportunity to change direction

Joseph’s comments have reopened the debate about what McKay wanted to achieve during his short spell at Parkhead.

His proposed sporting director model offered a potential route towards a more modern structure, with football specialists taking responsibility for football decisions while the board concentrated on the wider business.

The current hierarchy could still have a role in that arrangement, as Joseph suggested, but it would require a genuine willingness to change the existing balance of power.

Celtic supporters have grown increasingly frustrated with the club’s direction and will want to see evidence that lessons are being learned. The opportunity to introduce meaningful reform remains, but it will require more than statements of intent.

The board is at a crossroads. It can embrace a different approach, establish a proper long-term football strategy and attempt to bring supporters back onside.

If it chooses not to, the concerns surrounding Celtic’s direction are unlikely to disappear.