Amid the fall-out of the political upheaval going on behind the scenes at Celtic Park there has been a growing narrative that chaos reigns in the boardroom.

Few would argue that Celtic as a business entity could do with moving to a more modern football shape with a director of football and a head of recruitment. It would address some of the issues and many of the questions that have come to the fore this weekend in the aftermath of Dom McKay’s exit from the club less than three months after formally accepting the post.

The impression that has been formed over the last 72 hours is that the winds of change will continue to blow through the PLC with further movement anticipated.

The focal point of the board came into sharp focus in the aftermath of a season in which Celtic crumbled in their bid for a tenth successive title.

READ MORE: Ange Postecoglou raises doubts over narrative that Dom McKay brought him to Celtic

The nature of the collapse put every aspect of the club under the microscope. The bottom line, though, is that winning trophies tends to relegate much of what goes on at boardroom level to little other than background noise.

Michael Nicholson has been named as acting chief executive and it remains to be seen whether that evolves into a permanent appointment or whether he prefers to stay in the shadows.

But for anyone who is going into the business side of the club, it is worth considering some of the factors that have underpinned recent seasons. That there needs to be a modernisation is inarguable but, equally, there are solid financial footings that undermine any argument regarding the perception that it is a ‘mess’ that lies under the bonnet for any potential incomer to shift and sort. 

This is, after all, a business that did not suffer a single financial tremor in the aftermath of Covid and the issues it raised. Celtic were the only top flight club who did not accept the offer of a government grant to offset losses sustained during the height of the pandemic.

A recent league game showcased five Celtic academy graduates on the pitch; current captain Callum McGregor, James Forrest who, with 19 major honours will end his Celtic career as one of the most decorated players to have played for the club, Adam Montgomery, Stephen Welsh and Anthony Ralston. Kieran Tierney left Celtic for Arsenal two summers ago for a Scottish transfer record of £25m after emerging through the ranks. There are few top-flight academies who can boast comparable stats.

Players sales since Jeremie Frimpong left the club to go to Bayern Leverkusen in January sit just shy of £50m. Even those players who were signed and failed to make the grade at Celtic were moved on yet still at profit; only Marian Shved and Olivier Ntcham would present a financial loss. Kris Ajer was signed for £650k and has just left for a fee upwards of £13.5m, Ryan Christie with less than six months until he could sign for other clubs still banked Celtic money when he left at the end of the window.

Of the last 15 domestic trophies on offer, Celtic have claimed 12 of them. The loss of the 10 will echo yet but it’s difficult to envisage a quadruple treble for any team in the country any time soon.

Whatever the inner politics and power struggles that have gone on, there are issues that need to be addressed and there is a fundamental structural direction that the club has to agree on. But, ultimately, at a time when the accusations of getting so much wrong are an accepted truth, a rational observer would conclude that it is not quite so black and white. 

Ultimately, whatever the inheritance is for those who are charged with modernising the current PLC, the foundations remain firmly in place to restore a solid footing.