At a time when Celtic fans are voicing their frustration louder than ever, protesting, pulling out of the Home Cup Ticket Scheme and demanding accountability for a shambolic summer, majority shareholder Dermot Desmond was spotted where he often is during key moments at the club: on the golf course.
The Irish billionaire teed off alongside Rory McIlroy ahead of this week’s Irish Open, with the Grand Slam winner who is the favourite to lift the trophy. Desmond’s appearance at the pro-am comes just days after Celtic’s transfer window closed in chaos, leaving fans dismayed by missed deals, questionable priorities, and a squad ill-equipped for domestic dominance or a deep Europa League run.
SunSport are running pictures of the pair playing together.
For many supporters, this sums up the deep-rooted issues at the top of the club. Desmond, who owns the largest individual stake in Celtic, rarely attends AGMs, almost never speaks publicly about the club, and has maintained a distant role while crisis after crisis unfolds on the pitch and in the boardroom.
Last year, on transfer deadline day, Desmond was playing golf with McIlroy.
As anger festers over the club’s failure to sign a striker before the deadline and the wider mismanagement of key deals, Desmond’s golfing cameo couldn’t feel more detached. Fans are demanding leadership, answers, and ambition. Instead, the man with the most influence appears unmoved by the noise.
