Peter Lawwell’s appointment to the main Board of the SFA was always going to make waves.
In Scottish football terms, Celtic have moved to another level in recent years.
They have just qualified for the Group stages of the Champions League for a second year running.
Lucrative ties against Barcelona, AC Milan and Ajax wait just round the corner.
Off the pitch they have enjoyed great success with a transfer policy that has been much admired elsewhere.
Young players are recruited for a comparatively small amount of money, typically from lesser-known football nations.
They are developed as players then sold on for large amounts of profit, typically to England.
As Celtic have forged ahead, so too has their Chief Executive.
Peter Lawwell’s CV looks more impressive by the year.
He has overseen conspicuous success at a time when the game has been struggling.
As such, he would look an ideal person to represent the professional clubs on the SFA Board.
But do they really want to be handing someone who is already operating on a different level from all the others yet more power?
Rangers fans will argue the authorities have contributed to the problems facing Scottish football through their treatment of their club.
Many have even gone as far as to claim those at the top conspired against them in a vindictive manner.
Those feelings will only have been exacerbated by this appointment.
It is a fact of life in this country that supporters of either of Glasgow’s big two will see the hand of the other in any misfortune that comes their way.
Having worked for Rangers in the past, SFA President Campbell Ogilvie has had to deal with accusations he shows bias in favour of the Light Blues since Day One.
It didn’t get much publicity due to a rival event at the same time, but the Green Brigade once held a demonstration against what they claimed was SFA corruption.
With their own man now in such a prominent position, it will be intriguing to see if such protests are no longer aired.
Lawwell himself has been nothing if not upbeat about his new role.
He insists there is a great deal to be positive about in Scottish football, and plenty to build on.
At the same time, he likewise admits there are certain challenges to be faced.
Looking in, it is how those challenges are dealt with that will ultimately determine how his time on the SFA Board will be viewed.
If he can use his experience and political know-how to deliver tangible benefits to the game, then the fact he is Celtic Chief Executive should not be an issue.
If he can’t, however, then the dissenting voices are liable to become increasingly tough to block out.
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