Chris Sutton has hit out at Celtic’s footballing structure, questioning what Head of Football Operations Paul Tisdale actually does at the club amid the ongoing fallout from Brendan Rodgers’ resignation.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Sutton criticised the lack of clarity surrounding Tisdale’s role and the club’s overall recruitment and football strategy, saying that the current structure appears disjointed and ineffective.
“Just in terms of, you know, I mentioned Paul Tisdale, you know, came to the club — a lot made about him coming to the club. What does he do?” Sutton asked.
“He’s the head of football operations, but what does he actually do? The recruitment strategy itself — there doesn’t seem to be one.
“Dermot Desmond can come out with his statement and what have you, but if there is a strategy, it certainly isn’t joined up. That’s the problem.”
Tisdale, a former Exeter City and MK Dons boss, was appointed in October 2024 to lead football operations at Celtic. His role was designed to help modernise the club’s structure, oversee recruitment and provide long-term direction across football departments.
However, Sutton reflects a feeling among fans who feel Celtic’s hierarchy has failed to demonstrate a coherent plan, particularly in the wake of Rodgers’ abrupt exit.
Reports this week claimed that CEO Michael Nicholson and Chairman Peter Lawwell were “blindsided” by the summer signing of Kelechi Iheanacho, due to limited communication with Rodgers, something that further fuels Sutton’s point about poor alignment between the football department and the boardroom.
With the search for a new permanent manager underway, questions around Tisdale’s role and Celtic’s footballing direction are only likely to intensify.
He is supposed to be helping identify Celtic’s next boss, with it reported that he has Craig Bellamy high up on his list.
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Tinsdell was the man to know he was the man to work with Rodgers so whats this lawell and Nicholsan be blind sided Tinsell the man for football and when Ridgers find out Tinsell still had to get those two ok it thats slows process sounds like Rodgers sorted this out that when it comes to football matters tindstill and lawell and Nicholson have nothing to do with transfers fans are embarresd be told we have a healyhy bank balance and offer half wharmy a players is worth then up by meargre amounts a player has to know hes needed at liked messing about with transfer money has opposit affect we have to do it like any clubs in europe compition not a big club in spl pit your top bid in dont accept move on dont let smaller clubs in bigger leagues sneak in while your hackling like market trader it embarresing lawell years ago got players that Celtic transferred out a sellnon claus myes made millions and still are but if he gets a bonus for keepimg transfer bill down thats the problem to many cooks spoil the pie