SENTINELCELTS

Howdy,folks. Yon LIBERO character is bloody prolific. This is his second article for us on the same day-a rare accolade for a site which only hosts one new article a day,unless there’s a matter of some import.

Admittedly,the matter of import this time was a minor cock-up by your gracious hosts,but no matter. On with the show.

I’d say it’s been worth the wait…

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The compulsive retail event dubbed ‘Black Friday’ – which started in Philadelphia in the ‘50s – sees an irrational shopping frenzy on the day after Thanksgiving Day in the USA. This consumerist concept has been adopted holus-bolus by many other countries across the globe: Basically, shoppers descend on retail outlets to purge their purses in a show of retail gluttony and financial gloating which, unsurprisingly, creates many accidents, spats and even violent skirmishes.

But for many fans of Celtic FC, Black Friday this year is black (and bleak) for other reasons.

It follows a short period of leadership and shareholder cowardice (Yellow Wednesday) when Celtic bigwigs ignored the reasoned and rational request by ‘The Resolutioners’ to have the club act upon and drive ethical business practice historically and currently across the Scottish professional football game. The Board sees ethical operation and accountability as of little interest to its own, specific, goals.

Thereafter, Thurs was a downcast and crappy day where concientious Joe/Jo shareholders and fans’ realised the depressing truth of how they’re being short-changed by a shareholder-obsessed Board (Blue Thursday). In short, despite the compelling case for Celtic to ‘do the right thing’ the Board has positioned the Club as an entity happy to co-exist with those not averse to doing the wrong thing, especially to support management malpractice by another commercial brand in the same market.

There was further depression when one prominent ‘player’ claimed ignorance over sighting the corrupt but binding document (5-way) which guaranteed to rehabilitate the renegade rangers brand.

As a result – regardless of last night’s result v Rennes – a despondent and muted mood will prevail for many, leading to a somewhat Black (or gloomy) Friday for a proportion of righteous and right-minded Celtic fans, who only ever want ‘fair play’ in the beautiful game.

In truth, in many parts of the world right now, we view examples of how organisational leaders are decidedly out of touch with their ‘real people’ publics; corporate, political and religious chiefs clearly have no finger on the pulse of their ‘people’ and, alarmingly, realise they can govern roughshod over those audiences without much impact on their power-base. In truth, what’s happening at Celtic Park is a small reflection of a bigger, global malaise.

So in the case with the brand that is Celtic; we have a massive global support ruled by a small – yet inordinately powerful – group of influential share-owning and revenue-driven corporate types. Evidently, fair play comes second place to filthy lucre.

In my naivety, I used to look at the EPL with its capitalistic American, Arabic, Asian and Russian oligarchs and think ‘thank faak’ my club will never be infected and driven by the same kind of avarice, corruption and opportunism that rules the elite levels of the world game.

This week, the Celtic AGM provided ample evidence that this club is now populated with the same kind of creatures, and that the soul of Celtic has been, if not entirely sold, whored out for cash money.

This ‘Black Friday’, many Celtic fans might even be – with a heavy heart – writing notices of cancellation, letters of resignation and expressions of outrage that the club – founded by a modest Marist monk – primarily exists for commercial gain, not community cohesion. Perhaps this Black Friday, the brand’s corporate cohort will redraft its Corporate Social Mission Statement, summarised thus on the CFC website:

“Celtic is a club for everyone who believes in football as a medium for healthy pleasure, entertainment and social integration. The Club always has been and always will simply aim to be the team of the people.”

Healthy pleasure…Entertainment…Social integration and, of course, the team of the people! So does that mean all of the Celtic family are the people?

Or is that another football brand altogether. Mibby it’s all just one and the same thing?

Head’s confounded, but heart’s bursting withe pride. HH

Libero

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Grateful thanks to LIBERO for another superb article. As you know,we always publish articles presented to us by our members. Sometimes we even do it without screwing up! So if you fancy taking your chances at Russian Roulette,or just want to see how much we can cock up the simplest things,well,you know the addy.

sentinelcelts@gmail.com