Peter Lawwell, Celtic’s chief executive, believes that the manner in which the club have operated off the park has enabled them to dominate the landscape on it. Celtic’s success in the Betfred League Cup this week gave the Parkhead side their 100th trophy, while domestically they remain unbeaten since the arrival of Brendan Rodgers in June, a run that currently stretches to 16 games. 

READ MORE: 'We have committed to Brendan Rodgers. He shares our vision for Celtic', says chief executive Peter Lawwell

Celtic are expected to lift their sixth successive title this term and it is difficult to envisage either imminent or genuine challengers on the horizon. Rodgers could conceivably deliver a Treble this season, and the club’s stranglehold of the domestic landscape has given rise to suggestions that their superiority impacts negatively on Scottish football as a whole. 


“It is ridiculous,” said Lawwell. “We are dominant in Scottish football because we deserve to be. This club has been well run – and not just recently. Over a number of years we have run it well, we have always strived for financial stability and we have invested in other technical functions which is why we are ahead of everyone by miles. I think that now, frankly, we are getting no more than what we deserve when you look at other circumstances and situations.”


Meanwhile, the chief executive has also pledged that there will be money invested in the squad in January, assuming the targets on the club’s shortlist are available. American internationalist Darlington Nagbe watched Celtic host Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League last month following an invitation from the club and the ambition is to strengthen the squad when the window re-opens. 


Rodgers and Lawwell share the view that the opportunity in January takes on additional significance given the early but imperative nature of the Champions League qualifiers in July. Celtic are believed to have banked between £25m and £30m for this season’s participation in Europe’s premier tournament and that financial footing will be the cornerstone for the club to flex their muscle in the transfer market. 
Rodgers brought in five players this summer – Moussa Dembele, Scott Sinclair, Kolo Toure, Dorus De Vries and Cristian Gamboa – but there are expected to be more recruits as he looks to the longer term picture.


“There will be money there for Brendan,” said Lawwell. “Within our own financial constraints we will give him as much backing as we possibly can. Everything we generate as a club is invested back in – there are no dividends, nothing, it all goes back to the club; that is our commitment to Brendan. The more time we spend in the Champions League the more we can invest. 


“Within our own levels we will have the chance to invest. If we don’t do anything it won’t be because we didn’t want to invest in the team but purely because we want the right players and the right deals. We will never bring in players for the sake of it. 

READ MORE: 'We have committed to Brendan Rodgers. He shares our vision for Celtic', says chief executive Peter Lawwell


“Ideally we would strengthen in January and there is certainly an argument that the January window is more important than the summer one for us because we can get them in, bed them and have them ready for the qualifiers. But it is such a difficult time to get players. If you are a club who wants to win a Cup or a title or you are fighting relegation then you want your best players in there fighting for you. It is hard – but we are looking. We have our targets and we would like to come out of the window stronger than when we went into it. If we can do it then we will.”