It’s 2023. Social media invades every aspect of our lives. Whether it’s the way we get our news, how we keep in touch with people, or simply a way to waste away the hours until our inevitable demise, it’s almost inescapable. While there are positives to its introduction, as time goes on, people are finally beginning to cotton on to the fact that it is, perhaps, more harmful than it is helpful.
There’s plenty to be concerned about regarding Celtic Football Club right now but one thing I didn’t expect to take my attention was the use of social media by our players. Only a matter of weeks into the season, there have been two notable incidents involving squad members and their use of Instagram.
Be humble
The first concerned new recruit Odin Thiago Holm. Not long after Celtic’s 3-1 victory over Aberdeen on the 13th August, the 20-year-old Norwegian shared a picture of himself dribbling past an unfortunate Aberdeen defender who had been left on the deck. So far, so standard you might think. But it was the caption that accompanied the picture that drew attention.
“B**** be humble, sit down. #3p” was the caption. The reaction was mixed. Some supporters liked Holm’s swagger and his somewhat clever use of the Kendrick Lamar lyric in combination with the image that appeared alongside. Others, me included, were not so enamoured. Not only did I find it highly ironic that he appeared to be telling the opponent to “be humble” whilst being anything but – the former Vålerenga midfielder had only made his appearance on the 70-minute mark, replacing Reo Hatate. His contribution to ‘humbling’ the opponent had been minimal, at best.
It did rile me but, ultimately, it’s an entirely forgivable mistake. It’s the action of a confident, young man trying to make his way in the footballing world. Whilst the way which he’s trying to express that confidence may not be totally palatable, it’s not something to be too worried about moving forward. If anything, I’m encouraged that Holm has the belief in his ability that many lack. Applied correctly, it could be of benefit to my football club.
Haksa frustrations
The second incident involving Instagram and a Celtic player this season is not such a divisive one amongst our support.
Sead Hakšabanović first arrived at Celtic in the summer of 2022, intended to provide an alternative option in the attacking midfield positions across the park. Primarily based on the left-hand side of the park, his adaptability has seen him be used in the centre and on the right, as well as up front over the course of the season. In 27 appearances at the time of writing, he has contributed 5 goals and helped the club secure a domestic treble under former boss Ange Postecoglou.
Whilst his contribution has not been insignificant, the Montenegro international has struggled to nail down a starting berth under both Postecoglu and successor Brendan Rodgers. Despite glimpses of brilliance and some outstanding goals, Hakšabanovič has failed to light the heather, particularly when starting games. He has developed a reputation for not doing very much of anything and flattering to deceive. He has done nothing to suggest he is, in any way, particularly ‘valuable’ to Celtic.
It came as somewhat of a shock, then, when a post appeared on the former Rubin Kazan player’s Instagram on Sunday 27th August. Coming around 24 hours after a lacklustre 0-0 draw at home with St Johnstone, the post depicts a black and white image of the winger, shoulders slumped. The caption reads: “If they don’t see your value, maybe you’re not at the right place”. Unlike Holm’s post, which was deleted soon after it was shared, Hakšabanovič’s post remains live over 24 hours after it was originally posted. More concerningly, it was ‘liked’ by fellow Celtic squad members Alexandro Bernabei and Rocco Vata. The latter two appear to have seen sense and removed those likes but former player Oliver Abildgaard Nielsen and current striker Oh Hyeon-gyu have endorsed the post, so far without repent.
Managing the socials
There are a few basic observations that can be taken from this event. The first, and most obvious, is that there is major discontent within parts of the squad at present. As new manager Rodgers grapples to come to terms with finding his best team, he must do this in an environment where he has to appease both the new signings and the players he inherited. Hakšabanovič’s post suggests this isn’t going well, especially when combined with ‘likes’ that suggest the agreement of other squad members that his talents aren’t being appreciated.
Look a little deeper, however, and there’s a lot more to consider here. Social media presence is an almost compulsory part of the life of a modern-day footballer. Through it, they can connect with fans, sign lucrative sponsorship deals and, in some cases, earn moves to new clubs. Often, the management of these accounts is outsourced to a PR team – either one at the club the player is currently employed by or one who manages the player’s commercial interests individually. Very rarely are the players themselves the ones making the posts.
That’s why ones like the one shared by Hakšabanović stick out. It’s clearly going against the usual milk-toast posts that accompany each victory defeat – insert “Great win – we go again” or “Disappointing day – we go again next week” as appropriate.
As a supporter, though, I do think the Swedish-born winger needs to be careful. As we do with our close friends and family members, supporters reserve the right to criticise and joke about our club and its misgivings. The moment an ‘outsider’ does it, we close ranks and defend the institution we love. Sead may have over 11,000 likes on his post at the time of writing but very few will be from Celtic supporters. The post is likely intended to act as a way to force a hasty exit from the club and, for his own sake, it had better be successful. If it isn’t, he is in for a frosty reception in our next home game against Dundee on 16th September.
Players sometimes forget, I think, that they will never be adored by supporters more than the club they play for. I have little to no sympathy for Hakšabanović and his predicament. The value he claims has been missed by the club has not been widely on display in his 27 appearances for Celtic so far. Even if it had, treating the club and the supporters in this manner will only be met with one kind of response – a negative one.
Two-way street
We have lost numerous players over the years whose contributions have gone down in Celtic folklore. Henrik Larsson, Lubomir Moravčik and Shunsuke Nakamura are just three players for whom the Celtic support have endless love. And it isn’t just because each of them was a phenomenal footballer. Celtic supporters love them because they loved us, loved Celtic and loved what this club means to all of us. Not once did any of them show even a hint of disrespect or disregard for the platform and opportunities our club gave them. What they gave in return was, perhaps, even greater.
In the case of Sead Hakšabanovic, there seems very little gratitude for what Celtic has given him. Not only did we provide him with the platform to make his Champions League debut in 2022 (against the mighty Real Madrid, no less), but we furnished him with the first trophies of his career. Yes, he contributed to those achievements, but I contest he is the changeable variable in that equation, not Celtic.
With all that said, I thank Hakšabanović for his service and wish him well on a move that I hope materialises soon. But I also hope this incident, and the one involving Odin Thiago Holm, make Celtic consider tighter controls on how players use their social media, specifically in relation to their football activities. Whilst it is a necessary evil of the modern age, that doesn’t mean it cannot be managed better. For the players, too, I hope they consider their actions on these platforms more carefully. We are all but one mistyped caption away from derailing our careers and, in some cases, our livelihoods. Footballers are no different.
LAURA BRADBURN
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