“I said to the players at half time that we were shaming the club at the moment and they had to go out and show some pride in the shirt”, the words of Neil Lennon to the BBC after the game on Saturday.
Pride in the shirt is a requirement any manager should ask of his team, and it is notable that the subsequent goal-scorers both have strong connections to the club, but it probably had little to do with the second half performance from Anthony Stokes, Charlie Mulgrew and our the impressive James Forrest. Calls to pride are limited in what they can achieve, genuine talent is far more effective.
At the AGM on Friday and again in his post-match comments on Saturday, Neil alluded to the fragility of his own position. Had the game finished 3-0 to Kilmarnock I think he would have walked away. This would have been a great pity.
Neil is learning on the job. He was not gifted the benefits of experience without actually having to work through difficult times as a manager. Before his thoughts turn to his own position, before our season is too far gone to save, he should recruit an experienced assistant. Someone who knows the challenges of working with a disparate group of players, who can deal with the challenges of a demanding board and supporter base.
The need for a mentor was evident 18 months ago and is screamingly so now. For the sake of Celtic, do the necessary.
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Watched highlights of Rankers draw with St Mirren on BBC webpage
Shocking tackle by the thug Lee McCulloch on Paul Mcgowan not even a foul given? Rob McLean commentates great tackle Lee McCulloch “takes everything”
Kayal/Ledley red card i hope the powers that be PL have not switched off from the referee bias
Cultsbhoy – I’ve fixed it for you below. No need to thank me :0
……………..
Paul67
Your article saddens me. Since when did the remit of a Celtic Manager include taking on a mentor?
This USED TO BE a top job in world football. I’m backing Lenny but he needs to step up.. And soon. The minute he needs a mentor he is not celtic manager material.
Imagine MON, JS, BMcN, DH, TB, even WGS needing a mentor?
If PL appoints a mentor he would be as well offering the guy the manager’ job.
Lenny needs to be supported and he needs to step up not undermined by a mentor!!
ernie lynch says:
17 October, 2011 at 13:53
hen1rik says:
17 October, 2011 at 13:49
If Whyte’s game plan from day one was to put the huns into liquidation then the hun establishment will not stand in the way of anyone wanting to tell the truth about him.
I’m that confident they won’t make him look bad you’s can all buy a hat if I’m wrong…
Too late the mentor ship has sailed.
It would be an admission of another mistake, and I reckon NL would resist any such move.
If it was imposed, he’d walk, sadly his body language at half time on Saturday suggested he was close to the
departure.
Yet another player finds the offer of a Lennoxtown trial too good to accept
googybhoy says:
17 October, 2011 at 13:15
Sorry if already posted.
Internet bigot Stephen Birrell facing prison term
A man is facing a jail term for posting sectarian comments about Catholics and Celtic fans on a Facebook page called “Neil Lennon Should be Banned”.
Stephen Birrell, 28, from Gallowgate, Glasgow, admitted posting the religiously prejudiced abuse between 28 February and 8 March this year.
Glasgow Sheriff Court heard how he was caught after a police crackdown on sectarian internet campaigns.
Sentence on Birrell was deferred and he was told to expect a prison term.
The court heard how Birrell committed the offences just days after being released earlier from a 12-month jail sentence.
Celtic abuseProsecutor Mark Allan told the court that a special team of officers began investigating hate comments on the internet after the so-called Old Firm “shame game” on 3 March this year.
Mr Allan said: “They came across a site called ‘Neil Lennon Should Be Banned’ and noted that the accused had made various comments on the Facebook page.”
On 1 March, two days before the Old Firm match, Birrell posted: “Hope they (Celtic fans) all die. Simple. Catholic scumbags ha ha.”
On 4 March, the day after the game, he wrote: “Proud to hate Fenian tattie farmers. Simple ha ha.”
Four days later Birrell posted: “They’re all ploughing the fields the dirty scumbags.”
He also posted abuse directed at the Pope.
The court was told that the police traced Birrell to his then home in Dalmarnock on 23 April.
Deferring sentence for background reports, Sheriff Bill Totten told Birrell: “What you wrote was vile and hateful there is no place for these kind of remarks in our city or in our country.”
Sheriff Totten told Birrell that his comments could encourage impressionable people to behave in this way and were unacceptable.
He added: “You should be under no doubt very real harm does result from this. A substantial custodial sentence will probably have to be imposed in this case.”
The sheriff will also consider whether to ban Birrell from attending football matches.
BBC news
==========================================================
The wonderful irony of all this is that over the next few months in the Bar-L, Mr.Birrell may find his own field thoroughly ploughed by many dirty scumbags…
A year and a half into his job and Neil needs a ‘mentor’, God help us. I seem to remember Brian Robson getting Terry Venebles as a mentor, didnt work out so well.
i can’t really think of any leadership or management post in any employment area where someone underperforming in their job is given a ‘mentor’ to help them.
gallagher 14.04
Like it.
stillstandingcsc
bankie
Far too sensible, and you know as well as me that ain’t gonna happen.
The media in scotland are by and large huns, objectivity and hun don’t mix.
They only care about themselfs, if the media had done their job, instead of being compliant, I doubt the hun would be in the mess it is today, proper jurnos could have sussed out what was happening, told the peepil giving them a chance to sort things.
Me I’m glad they didn’t.
JoeLedleyCFC says:
17 October, 2011 at 13:28
Yes outrageous – but it might just work. Ooops tin hat on.
Excellent shout Paul, I posted something similar over the weekend. Recruiting help rather than dugout revolution has to be the way to go. A real positive suggestion rather than the greetin’ faced tripe some are giving it.
Today we’ve another headline about off the field criminal activity that targeted Neil. In a few weeks the media circus will be in full swing with the court cases of the bombs. The focus is never, never, never allowed to be entirely about football for Neil. Never.
An old head that can help Neil focus on the job at hand would be a great addition otherwise he will make all his mistakes at Celtic, he’s a sharp enough guy to learn from them and someone else will reap the benefits and we’ll never get to party the way we want to with Neil holding aloft the league trophy.
How about Ottmar Hitzfeld until the end of the season. He’s still the Swiss coach but they’re out of Euro 2012. A large stipend to the Swiss FA to take let him work part time for them for 8 months? How are our relations with the Swiss :-)
Johann Cruyff. Currently the ‘Catalan’ national coach, not affiliated to FIFA or UEFA. Could he continue that very part time?
Arrigo Sacchi.
Took me about 20 minutes to come up with these, how about Celtic put some real thought into it. They have a duty of care to Neil as much as he has a duty as manager to produce results.
curly
Spot on.
If for any reason Ebbe Skovdahl would rather spend time with his world class collection of tropical fish then I suggest Simon Stainrod.
Although Simon sounds like an unfortunate plumbing event he knows the Scottish game upside down.
He’s also a registered football agent, working mainly in France, with a world class contact book.
Another e- Lite..mmmm..don’t mind if I do. Light an e-lite for peace…
http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-premier/celtic/275037-everton-to-announce-james-mcfadden-signing/?
DBBIA
Just listening to “Baby You’re Right” now. That’s my kind of music, thanks.
Couldn’t find the album you mentioned on spotify, but I’ll keep looking.
hen1rik
I wasnt answering you ,but responding to a number of comments over the last couple of days.For the record I wouldnt want Willie McStay on the coaching staff either.Slan
Much as it pains me to say it, at half time on Saturday I was saying to myself, well at least this will mean Lennon is going.
It could be argued that the 3 most successful managers in recent times were Jock, Martin & Gordon – all of whom had no connections to the club beforehand.
I think Lennon is becoming too much of a sideshow and I think we are being hypocritical if on the one hand we say we are the biggest club, and then in the other accept a manager with no previous experience.
If, and when, Lennon leaves, you will see how good he is by the calibre of teams chapping his door to be their manager.
We need someone in and we need someone quick. And someone with no previous Celtic experience, someone who can get a squad of players and make them play like a team. That is not happening now.
Once we get success on the park then the manager can fully appreciate what Celtic is all about, in the meantime lets just get someone who can put a winning team on the park.
Hiro Nakamura says:
17 October, 2011 at 13:53
Tommy Craig
——————-
Tommy – great player – outlived three Celtic managers each of whom was sacked. During Tommy’s tenure we won nothing. Nor did John Collins at Hibs.
Neil has been hit with a coincidence of crises – a highly unusual crop of long term injuries, a defence stricken with panic, a mid-field which refuses to assist in defence and a general loss of confidence. One thing’s for sure – none of the backroom staff has the expertise to deal with this situation.
Someone like David Hay could only be an asset to Neil. There’s the added bonus that he would pose no long term threat to the manager.
We actually need someone on the Board with proper football credentials to appoint managers,not accountants like Lawwell who think they do.
At a time the team needs a spark because players ain’t performing we don’t get McFadden in why am i not suprised by this clown Lawell..
Steven fletcher scenario again I’m afraid.
Buy Baba Diawara at the earliest opportunity.
Ach James McFadden going to Everton!
Hed have made a cracking mentor for Lenny.
Could be wrong here but a few months back (around the Baxter time) Lenny himself said he didnt see any need for a mentor as he had access to managers or ex managers with bags of experience, eg MON WGS Davie Hay Big Billy etc etc etc
Weve got enough cracks being papered over without using this as one too, Lennys either good enough for the job or hes not, hes picked his backroom staff, if theyre not doing the job or cant do the job then he should get rid and replace if need be, sound harsh? maybe but ffs its a football club were running not an old pals reunion
Simples.
And just to confirm I hope the wee man is here for the long haul.
bobbycfc says:
17 October, 2011 at 14:15
I think Jock played for the club, captained the club and coached the club reserves before leaving to manange Dunfermline.
Why would James McFadden come to Celtic when he can stay in the EPL, in a football sense it’s a no brainer for him…
fanadpatriot says:
17 October, 2011 at 14:14
hen1rik
I wasnt answering you ,but responding to a number of comments over the last couple of days.For the record I wouldnt want Willie McStay on the coaching staff either.Slan
Sorry m8 i thought he would’ve been good to have with Lennon because he’s worked with all the young boys when they won 8-9 titles in a row..
We have big johan on board and still our defence is a shambles so i don’t thin this guy could’ve done any worse..
Why do we need a mentor for the manager?
So Neil is in the position and isn’t up to the job so lets get soemone else in to help him?
No, sorry, Neil takes the money and if he can’t do the job, then he should go.
And get a manager in who can do all aspects of the job and is not a novice.
starry plough says:
17 October, 2011 at 14:19
Why would James McFadden come to Celtic when he can stay in the EPL, in a football sense it’s a no brainer for him…
Are you Peter Lawell’s mentor that’ll be his next line..
Paul 67
Problem with the Mentor appointment is he might say or suggest things which NL does not like,plus it would be turned into a ” no confidence in the manager ” slant.
I support NL and have repeatedly said so,that said in a one to one with him I would recommend:
He ensures himself and his Mgmt team are above reproach,at all times
Tidy up the perception he has grievances with people with outspoken or contrary views,such as Stokes,Commons,Mark Wilson,Darren O’Dea,McCourt.
Get them onside with him.
State to the fans and to all concerned if he plays a player then wrap up and get behind him and the team and the player.
Tell PL et Al if he is requesting a player which is then missed or replaced with another not of his choice,he reserves the right to call this out,as the only person hurting right now is him.
Scott Brown,there is the Contract sign or declare he is out of NL’s plans.
Kayal,either sign up,buck up or,your in the stiffs for 2.5 years.
Hooper,shape up,or off.
This is Man Management the sort of thing primary Teachers do with Children with learning difficulties and boy do we have a few of these.
Paul named 3 guys fighting for the team,I despair that warts and all O’Dea or McCourt cant get a game,then you see ex Celtic players like Goodwin of St Mirren playing their hearts out,and wouldn’t he stiffen the defence, he probably gets paid less than the tax our worst paid hero is receiving.
In Short if NL cant do this then get a Mentor but if he cant do it whats the point.
Bottom line is who’s in charge,who is causing grief,identify their pinch points and apply,that could be reserves,or bans on non Club activities,it could be Health Regimes,extra training etc.
Only 2 things normally motivate people Fear and Money,and in the case of footballers obscurity.
What about this revolutionary idea – get behind Neil, the board and the players like we did last season. Something inside so strong was the song – looks like we are all as weak the huns balance sheet
McNair – and where did that get us?
All it did was paper over the cracks.
Why is jim jeffries such an outrageous option? He knows the spl inside out and the board would love the fact that hes the cheap option
Those of you who are bandying about names are all missing the most important one…
Freddie Ljungberg!
Think about it. First half of last season, good but not great.
Freddie comes along.
Second half of last season, excellent.
Freddie goes.
Start of this season, awful.
Freddie’s yer man!
Maks sense tae me.
Hey, DBBIA, pass me another one of those E-Lites…
I think with Kayal about to re sign that maybe we have decided to cut our loses on Scott Brown.
bobbycfc says:
17 October, 2011 at 14:26
McNair – and where did that get us?
All it did was paper over the cracks.
You didnt know Jock played/captained/trained us – why wouldnt you know this?
gallagher says:
17 October, 2011 at 13:56
Hiro Nakamura says:
17 October, 2011 at 13:53
Good call
HH
——————————————–
Ref your comments about Tommy Craig,he already works for Lennon!!
Imagine your boss calls you in and tells you he’s going to appoint a mentor to guide you as your work hasn’t been up to scratch even though you’ve been doing the job for some time now. What would your reaction be and how would it affect your confidence?
It’s too late for that in my opinion. Neil and the players just have to get their act together and see how it pans out by the end of the season. Meanwile, the board should be quietly researching a plan B.
Being third in a two horse race just isn’t good enough.
JoeLedleyCFC
Go and lay down in a darkened room!!!
hen1rik says:
17 October, 2011 at 14:22
It’s a sad truth these days…