Stephen McGowan has shed light on the behind-the-scenes influence of Dermot Desmond at Celtic, suggesting the club’s majority shareholder plays a far more active role in key footballing matters than many fans and observers might assume.
Speaking on the Press Box podcast with Graham Spiers, McGowan pointed to a recent example involving manager Brendan Rodgers that underlined Desmond’s unusual involvement.
A few weeks back, Brendan Rodgers faced the press before a match on a Friday, as he usually does. He was asked about Daizen Maeda, who has been on fine form this season, and his Celtic future, to which he said,”if there is that possibility to do that. I’ve spoken with Dermot [Desmond] and the club and spoken with the player. Hopefully, in the future, that is something that can be done.”
McGowan recalled being taken aback by Rodgers’ comments, saying, “Look at significance in terms of, when you look at any significant issue that Brendan Rogers tends to address, it’s Dermot Desmond to name checks, isn’t it?
“I mean, I was really struck a few weeks ago when we walked in, the big debate was going on about Daizen Maeda, will he sign, will he go, will he get big bids, and Brendan Rodgers said, well, you’ll be talking to Dermot about a new contract, and that really rang a bell with me thinking, why are you talking to the major shareholder/non-executive director, about a new contract for the main striker?
“Surely that’s the job of the chief executive. Am I wrong about that?
“I mean, am I being naïve? I mean, we talk a lot about Celtic not having the modern structure of a director of football, about not having a sporting director, and you wonder sometimes about an aspect of it.
“People have this image of the absentee landlord who is only kind of semi-attached to the club, who dips in and out when it suits him. I actually think he’s a lot more involved than people realise, probably a bit more involved in some things than he probably should be sometimes.”
Desmond has been Celtic’s dominant figure at boardroom level for three decades, credited for providing financial stability and overseeing the club’s period of domestic dominance.
However, McGowan’s remarks tap into a familiar frustration among sections of the support and media, who believe the club could benefit from a more defined and modern football operations structure, separating ownership from day-to-day footballing decisions.
There was a feeling that when Dom McKay came into Celtic, things might change, and the club would modernise, but he swiftly left, and there has been no sign of modernisation since.
