"MAYBE I wasn’t clear enough". Ange Postecoglou’s words, dripping with passive aggression towards the Celtic board, following his side’s Champions League exit to FC Midtjylland on Wednesday night.

The fact the Celtic manager felt the need to call out a lack of support from those above him just weeks into the job is alarming enough, but if the lack of signings so far this summer came from a feeling this current squad was up to the task at hand, then a startling lack of football knowledge can be added to the list of charges levelled against this Celtic board. A rap sheet that already includes complacency, arrogance and an almost admirably stubborn refusal to learn from past mistakes.

The message that this Celtic team needs considerable investment was perhaps hammered home by the line-up Postecoglou was forced to send out for these matches, but it was surely crystal clear long before he named a back four so lacking in experience that their concept of a clean sheet not so long ago was maintaining bladder control until the morning.

Wasn’t it clear that an experienced centre-back would be required in January, when Christopher Jullien collided with a post and was put out of action until September at the earliest? Wasn’t it clear that loan signings Shane Duffy, Diego Laxalt and Jonjo Kenny would no longer be at the club? Wasn’t it clear that Kristoffer Ajer would be leaving, along with Jack Hendry?

Or to take it back further, wasn’t it clear from the experiences of the Champions League qualifying defeats to AEK Athens, Cluj and Ferencvaros over the previous three seasons that going into these games short of established players was only going to end one way?

The debate around the lack of support the board provides for the Celtic manager going into these early-season ties has been bubbling since Brendan Rodgers took aim at the high heid-yins between the first and second legs of that AEK meeting in 2018. The then manager said he would leave if Celtic ever got too comfortable, though in his own inimitable style, he memorably explained his time as boss would be ‘terminado’.

“We don’t want to stand still,” said Rodgers then. “How do we improve? We improve in Europe and in order to do that, it’s simple, it’s quality players.” And yet, three years later, here Celtic are yet again.

Dominic McKay, Celtic’s new CEO, prides himself on his clarity. Communicating with supporters is slap-bang in his wheelhouse, and he has promised that this will be an area which will be greatly improved under his leadership.

But where was he yesterday? The only peeps the fans got out of the club were an interview with Carl Starfelt and news of their first home fixture of the season being moved to a Sunday, another hangover from dropping into the Europa League.

Even that may be a competition that proves out of reach for this group of players, but the first issue for McKay to address is how Celtic arrived at a scenario where they weren’t so much taking a knife to a gunfight, but a water pistol. And he should be explaining to the Celtic supporters who bought into his vision by buying season tickets in record numbers just what he is doing to justify that show of faith.

So far, he has sealed the signings of Starfelt and Kyogo Furuhashi, neither of whom were here on time to contribute against FC Midtjylland. The logistical problems posed by the Covid pandemic can hardly be laid at McKay’s door, but dithering over the deals and delaying their arrivals further certainly can. As Postecoglou was candid in doing at a recent press conference.

The new manager and CEO presented a united front when Postecoglou was unveiled, and to prevent a further fissuring in their relationship, McKay must stand squarely with his manager now to deliver the quality and quantity of player he needs to stand a chance of succeeding in Glasgow.

The manager will be given reasonable leeway and time to get it right given the poor hand he has been dealt, but patience with McKay will be thinner on the ground. He can’t expect Postecoglou to go all-in against a Rangers side who currently hold all the aces with the equivalent of a pair of twos.

There will be no bluffing the Celtic supporters with tales of projects and long-term goals if Celtic get off to a stuttering start in the Premiership.

Another pertinent question for McKay to answer is where exactly the club are with their search for a director of football. Perhaps one familiar with the UK and European market, with experience of getting deals done in football, who could aid Postecoglou’s recruitment drive.

For too long, Celtic have operated with a CEO who thought that was all part of his remit. If McKay is to take on that mantle from Peter Lawwell, fans will rightly be concerned that the much ballyhooed restructuring and modernisation of the club has amounted to nothing. Postecoglou is even still working with the same assistant and first-team coach as Neil Lennon was, after all.

What it all boils down to is that since starting his job early in April to learn the ropes from Lawwell, there is very little as yet can be said about McKay's Celtic to differentiate it from his predecessor's time in charge.

Postecoglou isn’t going to be a scapegoat, far less a martyr, as he put it after the game on Wednesday. He needs players, he needs backing, and he needs time.

While the manager will be afforded a level of patience from the support, McKay’s honeymoon period is officially terminado. That much is clear.