Chris Sutton reacted to the news that Mark Lawwell has called time on his role at Celtic after resigning to pursue other opportunities. This of course is corporate speak for accepting a settlement to allow Celtic to move in a different direction.
The rumour mill
Rumours have been circulating for a few weeks that Lawwell Jnr was resigning and that has turned out to be correct. As soon as the rumour surfaced numerous folk pointed out that the problem went beyond Mark Lawwell and was further up the food chain at Celtic where the strategy was set and the wheels put in motion to spend a series sum of money on numerous project signings.
Will there be a change in recruitment strategy at the club or will Mark Lawwell’s successor be tasked with pursuing the same plan, with signing cost no more than £3m with players not older than 24 and with a cap in wages being offered.
Sutton’s Take
“There were questions over who was to blame for January – and the window last summer. Now it looks like we have the answer,’ Chris Sutton observed in his Saturday column in Daily Record.
“Celtic might say Mark Lawwell is leaving to pursue other opportunities but it looks like he’s fallen on his sword. There was an inevitability about this after Peter Lawwell’s statement in the interim accounts. The chairman said the clubs shared the frustration about the lack of signings in the window when Brendan Rodgers had said he needed four quality recruits.
“The big question was why – and who was to blame? I think we now know.”
Celtic’s Friday statement announcing Mark Lawwell’s resignation was published on the official club website, reads as follows:
“Celtic Football Club today announced that Mark Lawwell, Head of First Team Scouting and Recruitment, and Joe Dudgeon, Lead First Team Scout, have resigned from their positions and are leaving the Club to pursue fresh challenges.
“Mark was recruited to the Club by then manager, Ange Postecoglou, in May 2022 from his position as Head of CFG Scouting and Recruitment, within City Football Group’s global structure.
“Joe joined from City Football Group in November 2022. Mark and Joe will be on a period of gardening leave.”
Manager Brendan Rodgers said: “As part of the Club’s recruitment team, Mark and Joe have worked tirelessly to bring success to Celtic, and I would like to wish them both the very best for the future.”
And chief executive Michael Nicholson added: “Everyone at Celtic thanks Mark and Joe for their contribution and dedication to the club, and we wish them both every success moving forward.”
