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The Scotsman 09/03/1994
By Hugh Keevins
JUDGING by the number of flowers spread about his new office, Fergus McCann could be one of the convalescent sick instead of the man who has brought the medicine from Canada to make Celtic better. There is a floral welcome from ''Willie and Gerald,'' though, which could be followed up with the offer of an olive branch. Willie and Gerald are the first names of Haughey and Weisfeld respectively. They were the millionaire businessmen interested in buying control of the club before McCann and Brian Dempsey intervened last Friday to save Celtic from receivership.
Yesterday, the club's new chief executive admitted that talks had already taken place with Weisfeld at the weekend over the possibility of Celtic finding some more of what they need most – money.
''I hope he will be able to join in with us in what we are trying to do for Celtic. I have the highest regard for him,'' said McCann.
Rumour had it that on any previous occasion the men had met an egg-timer could have been used to measure how long it took for the air to chill. In the brief timespan allowed an intrusive press corps at his new office at Celtic Park yesterday – ''Liz, when are these people leaving?'' he said to his PR assistant when his tolerance threshold had been exceeded – McCann corrected more than one misconception. The impression has grown, for instance, that Lou Macari's job as manager could be under threat, his offences having been to publicly support the previous regime at Celtic Park while losing the faith and trust of a squad of players unimpressed by either his training methods or tactics.
''I am waiting for the manager and players to return from their tour of Ireland so that I can offer them all the encouragement I can. We didn't get too much time to talk on Saturday at Perth,'' said the man who is effectively the club's owner.
McCann is, of course, being pressed for a variety of answers he cannot yet deliver. It will be two weeks, for instance, before fellow director Dominic Keane completes an analysis of the club's finances and no date for an extraordinary general meeting to announce a new share issue will be set until the job has been done. Neither can McCann comment on whether Celtic will ask the SFA for temporary use of Hampden Park while they attempt to rebuild their own ground in one, continuous construction project. No decisions have yet been taken regarding that matter.
Having an office like a botanic garden does not mean McCann is allowing the grass to grow under his feet, however. Seven business meetings with outside parties took place inside the ground on Monday, McCann's first day at work, and something approaching hysteria among supporters has accompanied the arrival of the man apparently being credited with having the ability to end five years without a trophy while wiping out horrendous debts. Monday also brought a record number of applicants in a single day for season tickets, 130. , and other forms of ancillary earnings for the club have received a similar boost.
Dempsey, who has been closer to the supporters' disappointment in recent years, understands the level to which expectations have risen but is forced to counsel caution. ''This will not be sorted out overnight or even in a season,'' he says of Celtic's myriad problems. ''Patience will never be more necessary among the supporters.''