How Celtic’s transfer business provoked fans’ ‘Sack the board’ calls

The sound of Celtic Park on European nights is so notable that the club has a page on its website that collects the quotes of famous players praising the atmosphere.

Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paolo Maldini are among those talking about the racket before a big game, with Wayne Rooney enthusing about the “inspiring and intimidating” noise that rolls down from the stands.

On Wednesday night, Celtic toiled to a 0-0 draw with Kazakh side Kairat Almaty. It was the sound of discontent that rang out as a furious support drew a clear link between the struggle on the pitch and the strategy pursued by the board in the transfer market.

Chants of “sack the board” began in the 66th minute and echoed through Celtic Park at the final whistle, so it was inevitable manager Brendan Rodgers would be asked about them as he faced the media to discuss a result that leaves the team’s hopes of progress to the Champions League group stage, and a £40m prize, in the balance.

“What I do know is over many years is that ‘sack the board’ normally means ‘sack the manager’,” Rodgers told the media.

“It’s normally the manager who goes when that starts to be sung.”

Now in his second spell at Celtic, and in the last year of his contract, the hugely experienced manager will know that on this occasion, the vitriol was not directed at him. Instead, it was the culmination of a long spell of frustration that a club with dreams of playing alongside Europe’s elite on a regular basis has not made the signings to match that ambition.

What transfer activity have Celtic done this summer?

Celtic haven’t been completely inactive in the transfer market this summer, with Kieran Tierney returning to his boyhood club after a spell at Arsenal, and Benjamin Nygren recruited from Nordsjaelland for a reported £2m.

Both started against Kairat Almaty and Shin Yamada, brought in for approximately £1.5m from Kawasaki Frontale, came off the bench.

The other summer arrivals: Hayato Inamura, Callum Osmand and third-choice goalkeeper Ross Doohan aren’t intended to be first-team players yet.

That recruitment is offset against the departures of left-backs Greg Taylor and Jeffrey Schlupp in the summer, the sale of winger Nicholas Kuhn to Como for £15m and fringe players leaving after failing to make a mark.

Add in the sale of striker Kyogo Furuhashi in January without being fully replaced, as well as Jota’s long-term injury, and there’s anger that not only has the club failed to build on a position of strength after making progress in the Champions League last year, but it’s seen as significantly weaker.

There isn’t a support anywhere in the country that wouldn’t like to see their club bring in more quality in the remaining days of the transfer window, but the reality is that most can’t.

Celtic fans’ exasperation comes from two reasons: the fact that the club is sitting on cash reserves of more than £70m after years of success on the park and player sales; and the perception that the club has been reluctant to match others in their transfer ambition over the years and not just this summer.

Seven years ago, during his first trophy-laden spell in charge, Rodgers said that when he felt his own ambition wasn’t matched by the board, he would no longer want to be leading the team.

And the manager’s patience appears to have been tested to the limit this summer.

‘It’s really about the players that are here’

“There’s a lot of work going on and there’s lots that we need to do, but for now it’s really about the players that are here.”

That was Rodgers speaking in August 2024 as the club prepared to sell Matt O’Riley for a vast profit. Arne Engels was brought in as a replacement a day before the window closed, with £11m invested in the promising Belgian midfielder.

Ange Postecoglou had a little more luck in getting signings done early in the window, and current stars Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate’s signings were announced the day before the January 2022 window opened, but he felt similar frustration at times.

At one point he made it clear he was having to be vocal about the need to be more active.

“I’ve been trying to be as forceful as I can about what we need to bring in, and the challenges we’ve had are well chronicled,” the Australian said in 2021.

The board hasn’t always been silent amid the repeated complaints that they have been sluggish. The club’s interim report at the start of last year very clearly addressed the criticism but failed to convince many fans.

There was no shortage of funds, the club said at the time, and money was better spent on the park than kept in the bank but it was difficult to make signings.

This summer, there has been no shortage of names linked with the club, but little of the reported interest has materialised into signing a player. Of further concern for fans is that much of the reporting has centred on “lowball” opening bids where Celtic’s offer has fallen far short of the asking price set by clubs.

Celtic’s transfer activity follows different pattern from domestic rivals

Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack noted in an interview with STV Sport this week that the actual figures involved in deals aren’t always the same as those reported in the media.

But reports about Celtic’s transfer activity have followed a pattern that is different from many others and has painted a picture of a club hunting for bargains rather than going all out to land their preferred targets.

Cormack’s backing has seen nine new faces arrive at Scottish Cup winners Aberdeen, with more to come. Hearts have used Tony Bloom’s investment and analytical expertise to bring in nine new players for Derek McInnes.

Rangers have had a summer of change with new ownership and Russell Martin coming in as head coach. Ten players have since arrived at Ibrox.

Champions League failure would ramp up the pressure

Celtic have been the dominant force in Scottish football in recent years, and have brought in a string of players who have helped them earn trophy after trophy and bank millions of pounds, but Rodgers and the supporters know that standing still is the same as going backwards in modern football.

There is less than two weeks for Celtic to strengthen for the challenges ahead and UEFA rules mean that Rodgers will have to plan to face Kairat Almaty in next week’s decisive qualifier with the squad he has right now.

Failure to reach the Champions League would mean a year without the famous anthem at Celtic Park, and that raucous atmosphere that greats of the game have talked about.

Failure to add significantly to the squad would see the noise in the stadium turned up for very different reasons, with the board under fire for months to come.