Celtic are reportedly on the verge of appointing Paul Tisdale to a key footballing operations role at the club, and one of his former bosses, Tottenham Hotspur legend Steve Perryman, has explained why he believes Tisdale is a perfect fit for the position.
Perryman, who previously served as Exeter City’s director of football, worked closely with Tisdale for 12 years after bringing him to the club.
Reflecting on their time together, Perryman has praised Tisdale’s intelligence, judgment, and ability to succeed across various aspects of football management.
In a glowing endorsement, Perryman said [MailSport]: “Paul is in the top three football people I have met for his intelligence.
“In terms of his judgment in situations, such as recruitment, selection, dealing with the board and players, he is excellent.”
This endorsement highlights the breadth of Tisdale’s capabilities, with Perryman suggesting that his former colleague has the qualities to excel not just on the footballing side but also in the boardroom.
Perryman emphasised how Tisdale’s intelligence had been a defining factor throughout his career. “His intelligence saw him through – and his intelligence said to me ‘he could be chief executive chairman of this club’,” he said.
Tisdale’s versatility and ability to cover multiple aspects of football operations made him an invaluable asset at Exeter. This trait will undoubtedly benefit Celtic should the move be finalised.
According to Perryman, one of Tisdale’s key strengths is his knack for recruitment and talent identification, even when working in the challenging environment of lower-league football.
“He signed well, even when we were dealing with the lower-league market,” Perryman recalled, noting how Tisdale demonstrated a “keen eye and good judgment on young players.”
Tisdale’s ability to spot and develop talent was evident during his time at Exeter, where he unearthed future stars such as Ollie Watkins, now a Premier League regular with Aston Villa, Swansea City captain Matt Grimes, and Wales international Ethan Ampadu, whom Tisdale brought into the City first team at the tender age of 15.
Perryman further praised Tisdale’s overall character, describing him as “honest, honourable, likeable” and someone who “just does things right.”
Such traits could be crucial at Celtic, where navigating player recruitment, development, and the relationship between board and squad are essential to maintaining the club’s dominance in Scottish football.
If Tisdale is to join Celtic, it seems the club will be getting an astute football mind and a leader of great character and vision—someone who can help steer the club on and off the pitch.
