FORMER Celtic player Andy Walker has accused the Celtic board of not being interested in building a team that can be competitive in the Champions League.
The outspoken Walker believes the club is satisfied with being strong in Scotland and they don’t see the value in putting up serious cash to do anything worthwhile in Europe.
Speaking on Go Radio, Walker said: “I honestly don’t think Celtic are interested in signing £9-10million players to try and have a go in the Champions League.
“I think the money men at Celtic, they just don’t see the value in that. Celtic want to remain strong in Scotland and when I say Celtic, I mean the board.
“The Celtic board would much rather concentrate on being strong in Scotland and I don’t think they are interested in any sort of, you know, the fans talk about a serious investment to have a serious go in the Champions League – they (the board) don’t see the value in that.”
It’s hard to argue that the Celtic board have settled for domestic success over attempting to make waves in Europe over the years. The way we went about our business with Peter Lawwell as CEO saw Celtic under invest before vital Champions League qualifiers and then pay the price by being knocked out more often than not.
There’s a bit of renewed belief the club really wanted to get behind Ange Postecoglou to see where he can take the team with his vast knowledge of under utilised markets.
However, Walker believes it’s just not the case and took a further swipe at the board saying they can’t lay claim to the success Celtic are currently enjoying because it’s all down to Ange.
He continued: “No one on the Celtic board has made Celtic dominant in Scotland – it has been Ange Postecoglou who has made Celtic dominant.
“He has lifted the spirits of that team and the transformation that we’ve spoken about so often has been remarkable. The high level of success in the transfer market where most clubs hadn’t really shopped before, he’s made them really valuable.
“So it’s him that’s made Celtic really dominant.”
If you were to put this to the Celtic manager he would shoot down those comments almost immediately. The Australian has told CeltsAreHere on many occasions that Michael Nicholson has been an incredible backer of the way he wants to do things.
Celtic have qualified for the Champions League by winning the SPFL. They won’t need to go through any qualifier and will have the knowledge of a European windfall coming in. Will they prove Walker wrong and back the boss?
Andy Walker is an Uncle Tim, an ex-Celt who doesn’t like Celtic any more, but he’s got a point about Europe. Apart from 2003 we’ve not been to a quarter final of the European Cup/Champions League/Europa League since 1980, so it’s not just this board that particular statistic can be aimed at. We put millions into the club every year and we’re being short changed in European competition, of course the domestic is our bread and butter but we want success in Europe and although we can’t compete financially it’s still eleven versus eleven when you cross that white line. If clubs like Ajax can do it why can’t we? You can still make inroads without spending hundreds of millions, you only need to look at Bodo Glimdt to see it can be done. They played us off the park home and away and they never spent a lot in fact they’ve probably got a smaller budget than us, so it can be done and if Ange thinks this board are starting to stonewall him then he might walk and who could blame him.
As you say the lions did it twice. Even during the Stein/Fallon era, there was massive rumblings about the Jungle about failure to invest in top players. And where did the Euro cash disappear to?
Along came the Bunnet, and gave the support what they desired, but again he was a moneymaking machine, that got tired quickly too.
The Mon era brought some success in both competitions. But again lack of foresight/investment (both by season ticket) and Shop sales were not converted into the squads.
Just win a league or or a cup of two, but lucky for Celtic at that time the foe went downhill and burst.
And yes they forgot about investment again, until they felt it in their pocket and pushed out their usual ‘spending like a man without arms’ and produced St Brendan, then sold him to Leicester for a big sum.
Anger is not easily led, and he will kick up a fuss. He has asked them to push out their boat and back him, to build a team for both Home and European exploits
Be that in the Champions or Europa Leagues.
Up to them to stop with the ‘Short arms, long pockets’
‘The holy father knows best’ Biscuit tin mentality.