CELTIC BOARD INCOMPETENCE LAID BARE YET AGAIN
- By LIAM McBRIDE
- Jul 20
- 4 min read
“I’m writing this to say goodbye. We had an intense, beautiful year together where we achieved so many of our goals. My agent and I did absolutely everything within our power to make a return to Glasgow happen.
"I’m truly gutted that I won’t be able to continue at the club at this stage of my career. However, I know our paths will cross again in the future. I wish you all nothing but the best for what’s ahead. Thank you for everything.”
These were the words of Marcelo Saracchi as he addressed his future to the Celtic faithful via his official Instagram account. It says a lot about the current state of affairs at the Scottish Champions; this is how the news is broken to us.
Martin O’Neill clearly had a great affection with the player, hailing him a “special character” after last season’s title heroics, during which he played a major role in the creation of Daizen Maeda’s late goal. As did the fanbase, eager to see him return.
Celtic Board Pass Up "Easy Wins" as Saracchi and Iheanacho Slip Away
And the frustrating thing is just how simple the deal was. The Uruguayan had fallen out of favour at Boca Juniors, with manager Rodolfo Arruebarrena banishing him from first-team training from the very first day of pre-season.
To take Saracchi at his word (and we have no reason not to), he was then pressing for a deal to re-join the Bhoys in Lennoxtown. According to the Daily Record, Boca were looking for a fee of just £1.5 million. It seemed the easiest deal in the world.
Yet, somehow the Celtic hierarchy has messed this deal up, or chose simply to not pursue it. Which would still be a case of messing things up.
The energy and speed that he brought to the team were a major asset throughout last season. With Greg Taylor moving on and Kieran Tierney joining, the latter very rarely lasted 90 minutes and was frequently substituted between the hour mark and minute 75. Saracchi, when called upon, proved a seamless transition and, in many elements of the game, was an upgrade on his Scottish counterpart.
At no point was this demonstrated more than on the last day of the season. His marauding run from deep into his own half was the catalyst for Maeda’s winning goal. His versatility to play both as a traditional left back and a very apt wingback allowed MON to make the necessary tactical tweak to go all out attack at the end of the match.
Without Saracchi’s presence (as can be said for so many individuals), Celtic would likely be heading into this season with a runner-up medal. Five in a row would have been over . The Hoops would be four days away from their first Champions League qualifier (a scary thought).
Another season-defining player, for that matter, was Kelechi Iheanacho. He joined in August, after the Bhoys missed out on a typically unorganised deadline-day approach for Kasper Dolberg. With fitness issues plaguing him until the New Year, it was all a bit stop-start for the Nigerian.
However, come the end, his touch, hold up play and reliable finishing were proving crucial. Again, without his late goals at Dundee, Hibernian and Motherwell, the Champions could have kissed any title prospects goodbye.
Re-signing him was an even easier job than Saracchi. With a one-year deal, plus the option to extend, all that was needed was to dot the t’s and cross the i’s. Predictably, Celtic moved like a team in no rush and saw the forward slip through their fingers to join Turkey’s second-tier side Bursapor.
Another player MON wanted, another player Celtic weren’t willing to chase. It’s simply disrespectful to the man who saved the club from embarrassment last season, but once again, it’s not surprising.
An article from the Daily Record this morning stated that Iheanacho demanded a wage of £50,000 per week in Glasgow. Now, of course, that would be silly money and not what you’d expect the club to pay him. Yet, at the same time, isn’t it just such a coincidence for an article to come out like that, a day after the club sees one of its latest humiliating episodes?
Moreover, Michael Nicholson admitted in the Association of Irish Celtic Supporters Club AGM that the “easy signings” are “out of contract” players. Well, even that’s been blown out of the water. The Celtic Board must carry the can for this rank incompetence.
The reality, of course, is that this speaks to a bigger issue. At any other club, these events would simply be a frustration. Players don’t re-join clubs at times; you move on to the identified replacement targets and pursue their signature. Yet, you just know that behind the scenes in Lennoxtown will be a completely different picture.
They will likely be either scrambling together to try and find options, struggling to do so without a head of scouting, or will be kidding themselves on that it’s nothing to worry about. Just the difficult agents again. Whatever the case, it’s not looking promising.