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celtic Fan groups have vowed to step up their campaign to remove key directors after Brendan Rodgers’ departure after placing the blame squarely on the board for the club’s “crisis”.
Pre-match protests are planned ahead of Wednesday’s match falkirk A fan group was formed by the Celtic Fans Collective, following dissatisfaction over summer transfer business and the failure to qualify for the Champions League.
Rodgers is gone with his assistant john kennedyEight points behind Celtic William Hill Premiership Leaders Hearts. Former managers Martin O’Neill and Sean Maloney will lead the club on an interim basis.
Major shareholder Dermot Desmond blamed recent failures on “one man’s desire for self-preservation at the expense of others”, as he launched a scathing assessment of the departing manager.
The Irish businessman accused Rodgers of “divisive, deceptive and selfish” behavior that “contributed to a toxic environment” and “fomented animosity” toward board members.
The intervention did not contribute to dampening the desire for change from the Celtic Fans Collective, who claimed “the crisis has come as a direct result of the glaring absence of planning and the latest poorly executed transfer window”.
A statement said: “Supporters have varying views on Rodgers, but regardless of how one feels about our former manager, ultimate responsibility for our current situation lies with the board which has assumed responsibility for the appointment, reappointment and management of the manager as well as all other operational matters.”
The group said chief executive Michael Nicholson’s recent claim that there was no “separation” between the board and manager has now been “directly refuted” by Desmond.
Another observation said: “The board refused to investigate leaks to The Sun newspaper which accused the manager of conduct which the major shareholder has now publicly aired.”
The group noted a “complete breakdown” of trust in club communications, and added: “It is also important to note that Dermot Desmond has publicly undermined him by issuing his statement before the Chief Executive made any comments and made it clear that he alone has authority over Celtic Football Club.
“Michael Nicholson, (chief financial officer) Chris Mackay and the rest of the board have shown they lack the strength or independence to stand up to Dermot Desmond.
“They have been unable to develop and execute a strategy that would allow Celtic to reach their potential and they have repeatedly disappointed both the manager and the supporters.
He encouraged Celtic fans to join the pre-match protest “to send a clear message – it’s time for them to go”.
O’Neill called Monday’s events “quite surprising” after returning to Celtic Park 20 years after his five-season reign ended.
“It’s really sad to see,” he said of the breakdown in relations. “I don’t know what’s happening because, despite the fact that Dermot brought me to the football club 25 years ago, I haven’t had that much interaction with him since I left. So there’s very little I can add.
“Naturally, I think it’s the easiest thing in the world to say that when a club is successful, everyone is going in the same direction. It doesn’t feel like that at the moment.
“Whether I’m able to do that or not is in God’s lap. But I think winning football matches has always been the main contribution to the fans and the club being together.”