Celtic Women’s manager Elena Sadiku has called on the club’s hierarchy for greater financial support, claiming that her current budget is on par with Hearts and Hibernian and significantly behind rivals Rangers and Glasgow City.
The Swedish coach, who guided Celtic to their first-ever league title last season—clinched dramatically with virtually the last kick of the campaign—believes that further progress will be difficult without increased investment, especially when it comes to recruiting experienced players.
Despite leading the team to the league title and securing a place in the Champions League group stages, where they faced Twente, Chelsea and Real Madrid, Sadiku was blunt about the financial challenges Celtic face compared to their domestic rivals.
“We need more investment for the squad,” said Sadiku to the Herald.
“We don’t have the biggest budget when it comes to players and that is something we need to increase.
“We need to make it more like Rangers and Glasgow City.
“Michael Nicholson and the board support me and the strategy we have but it will take time. Things are getting better and we are getting better staff and the structure is getting bigger.
“But we need more leaders and experienced players. But to do that we need a higher budget when it comes to recruiting players who have that experience, players that we can’t afford today.
“Our budget is not much bigger than Hearts and Hibs, to be honest, which is part of the reason why it is getting closer.
“As a club we have to look at how we want to invest and how we want to grow.”
Sadiku has sent a clear message to Celtic’s board – if the club wants to build on recent success and establish itself as a dominant force in women’s football, there needs to be a financial commitment that matches those ambitions.
Celtic have the platform, but now it’s about whether the club is ready to invest in taking the next step.
With record attendances, league titles now being won by the Ghirls and European group stage football being played, it’s only right the Celtic board push a little bit extra into the Women’s game.
