Journalist Stephen McGowan has warned that Celtic are still dealing with serious recruitment problems left behind from the Paul Tisdale era, as pressure continues to build during the January window.
Celtic are operating in a period of transition both on and off the pitch. Martin O’Neill has returned to steady results, but the wider structure at the club remains under scrutiny. Recruitment has become the main focus for supporters as the window moves past its halfway point.
Only one senior signing has arrived so far, and that has heightened frustration among fans. With injuries, form issues, and a tight title race, the demand for reinforcements feels urgent rather than optional. Every passing day without progress adds tension.
There is also a sense that Celtic are reacting rather than acting. Plans appear to have shifted quickly following changes in management and structure. That backdrop has shaped how this window is being judged.
McGowan’s comments reflect concerns that extend beyond this month alone. The problems, in his view, are rooted in decisions made well before January. He suggested the club are now paying the price for a system that failed to deliver.
He said: (BBC Scottish Football Podcast), “I’m going to be in a bit of a minority and I feel a bit for the recruitment team at Celtic.
“Those words you won’t hear very often because I think Paul Tisdale, the head of football operations, who was sacrificed along with Wilfried Nancy, left a mess behind. That’s what you hear from people, that the recruitment system was not fit for purpose.
“Whereas the sides of Celtic have had to pretty much go back to the drawing board. So they’ve ripped up this Paul Tisdale list of targets and gone back to starting again, and it looks as if they are going to try to apply a number of sticking plasters via loan deals, which is probably sensible in the current circumstance because they’re probably going to have a new manager coming in in the summer.
“I think Paul Tisdale left a mess. I think they have had to go back to square one, but there is real pressure on them now, isn’t there?
“There’s a real pressure on them to go and fix this mess, which is entirely of their own creation, and it will be fascinating to see where they finish up at the end of this month because halfway through, fans are deeply dissatisfied.”
Celtic are now trying to rebuild a recruitment plan while the season is still live. That is never an easy task, especially with key games still to come. The margin for error feels very small.
Loan deals appear to be part of the current thinking. That approach offers flexibility, but it also underlines how short-term the strategy has become. It suggests the club are trying to stabilise rather than fully reset.
Supporters are watching closely for signs of movement. Confidence in the process has been shaken, and trust will only return through action. Silence from the club only fuels speculation.
The pressure McGowan speaks about is already visible. Results are being judged alongside transfer activity, not separately. That is the reality Celtic now face.
How Celtic finish this window may shape the rest of the season. It could also define how the summer rebuild is viewed before it even begins. The next few weeks carry weight far beyond January.
For now, Celtic remain in a holding pattern. The expectation is clear, and patience is thin. What happens next will say a lot about where the club believes it is heading.
