“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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cardiffbhoy says:
17 October, 2011 at 15:13
That for me is an important point. What has changed? It is the same personnell and bar injuries that have not helped, what has changed?
The answer lies in finding that out and dealing with it. Some relationships appear to have soured, get to the bottom of that and sort it out. If it means large doses of humble pie to be eaten, get a big spoon. (a wee wan for Commons til he sheds a pound or two)
Sorting what has changed is a lot less risky than starting again and as professionals, both players and coaches, owe it to those who pay their wages – us – to do so.
As to them winning 4iar so frikking what? It will be their swansong if it happens. We say the team lacks character. Character is formed in times like these on and off the field. I’ve seen the same team everyone is criticising play some great stuff at CP v Motherwell and Dundee Utd not that long ago. Udinese was encouraging.
The team have the ability and for 20 minutes on Sunday the character to do a lot better, all just to be sacrificed on fears of a hun 4iar?
No wonder Rangers win, we lack as much character and courage as the team we say has none.
How can we encourage anyone when we ourselves are afraid?
They can stuff all their titles up their jacksies as far as I’m concerened – we are Glasgow Celtic. We play fair and we win or lose fair.
Che
I think it is us who need the mentors!
RT
Is it this
http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2290614553/
G’day Celts, winter has arrived it’s Baltic outside, off to Manchester to see the Man City v Celts under 19’s MTH!
V
HH
BOBBYCFC 1619
Fair play.
I stand corrected.
You are definitely right about what you can and cannot say nowadays.
Shortly,when I make my trip back home I wil no longer be able to go for a beer with my mates. Two minutes into the conversation and we’ll have committed enough “hate” offences to never see the light of day again!
hen1rik,
even most Celtic supporting children know Jock Stein had links to Celtic before he managed us.
He also has previous, I remember a few times on here when he’s been outed. Cant believe so few remember.
altzheimers is strong with the blog today.
Auldheid – “As to them winning 4iar so frikking what?”
Seriously?
I don’t need a mentor; if I find myself in any kind of quandary/dilemma/crossroad in life I simply ask’ What would ole Johnny Clash do?’ and suddenly the mountain is a molehill.
Auld Heidi
Do you think the Board are playing fair with the fans?
Je Suis Neil Lennon says:
17 October, 2011 at 16:22
It is clear therefore that should CAS find in favour of FC Sion, based solely on the merits of the case of course, UEFA has carried out its duty by examining all options to allow for the full reintegration of the club into the UEFA Europa League, and with full respect for the rules of the competition.
UEFA only showing they have prepared for all options before the CAS case, its game playing before in an attempt to show it is a genuine tribunal hearing
IMO it is a certainty that SION FC will lose the CAS tribunal thereby ending this farce
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire says:
17 October, 2011 at 16:35
altzheimers is strong with the blog today.
LOL, peach m8….
Auld Neil Lennon heid says:
17 October, 2011 at 16:32
cardiffbhoy says:
17 October, 2011 at 15:13
What if the problem is Neil Lennon?
After the Hearts game my knee-jerk reaction was to think maybe its time Lenny did the right thing and resign. My thinking was it would give us time to find a replacement with the International break. I WAS WRONG IN THINKING THAT.
I still have my doubts but we must stand by Lenny. At least til the end of the season. I know there is still a long way to go but I’m on the verge of writing off this season. I think our trophy haul will be similar to last year, 1 cup, maybe 2. And I’m being optimistic at that!
I am not blaming Lenny, the players are just not good enough, as my granny used to say, you cant make a silk purse out of a sows ear. Izzy apart, but we will never know how he would have fared this season, our foreign players just dont have the mental strength or BOTTLE, to get us over the winning line. They proved that at ICT last year.
We played Killie on Saturday A TEAM COMING OFF A 3 GAME LOSING STREAK, and looked like a Sunday pub team. ONLY THE WILL OF STOKES, FORREST, MULGREW, clawed that back. Wanayama at least showed desire to WIN in the 2nd half. Bang Bang looks more like another Fortune with every game.At least Fortune scored.
As for a Mentor, forget it! Its not going to happen now. No way will Lenny stand for anyone taking anything away from him now after all he’s been through. Nor should he IMHO.
Nope, barring implosion at the shithole, we’re scrapping for 2nd place this year, I hope i’m wrong though, but i can only go on the evidence so far.
Hail Hail.
Being utterly unkind and a little flippant…
Fortuné demonstrated what you get for £3.8m.
Bang Bang seems to be determined to demonstrate what you get if you can’t afford a Fortuné.
poolbhoy
great post. I think the set-up we started with on Saturday contributed, massively, to our performance on Saturday por cierto.
Sorry, Paul, but can you image the embarrassmewnt felt by Lenny if a ‘mentor’ was brought in ? Non-starter.
Lenny looks totally lost in that dug-out, game after game. I don’t believe that it was his half-time talk that did the trick. After all, it was half an hour before anything happened.
One thing we could change right now is that shocking away strip when there is no good reason to wear it. Have we ever had a result wearing that ?
I see them run out in it and I immediately have a punt on the opposition. Seriously.
A wee question.
If the huns go into admin, is there a chance they will come out of admin, or will it be erse oot the winde on a frosty night ?
Reason I ask, could our board be banking on a shot at CL football next season, provided we finish in second place that is.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS says:
17 October, 2011 at 16:34
I remember swearing used to be part of my everyday language but then when I started work I realised you just couldn’t do that in an office environment.
Now, as you say, it has gone to the extremes that before long we will be calling each other sir !
Although I did cause a stooshie at work when I said that if we welcomed everyone and had no discrimination etc, then why did we welcome religions who discriminated against women as part of their religion? Funny enough, I didn’t get an answer to that!
Neil doesn’t need a mentor he just needs his injured players back imo.
He’s had the most rotten luck whilst trying to compete in Europe at the same time as having a horribly front loaded fixture list,its been a perfect storm of a start to the season.
I believe in small mercies contributing to building strength and that’s exactly what getting a point was on Saturday as well as the huns dropping.
He just needs certain players back whether it be from injury,suspension or working to rule as it could be with Kayal.
The board have to bring in what he needs in January,there are plenty of issues to address before we start bringing in mentors.
TET
I think not. No one is that stupid…
If they are, they deserve all the opprobrium ever poured on them.
I don’t think a mentor for lenny will be a good idea. Imo it will only cause division between the two of them (whoever would be appointed).
What he needs are two solid centre halfs, keeper and target man striker that HE wants and should have had before the end of august.
He also needs the support of players who played for him last season to grow up and grow a pair or be shipped out at the first opportunity. I said this morning that if kayals contractual situation is sorted i hope its also sorted his head out as the petulant display on saturday was a disgrace.
One thing which would benefit lenny, again in mho,is a good experienced coach whom the players respect. He was not far away last season. We have two very winnable home games coming up with them having two away. I think by the end of the month things will perhaps sort themselves out. Six home points a must or the mentor may become the manager. I hope not.
hh lbb
The “mentor” thing isn’t going to happen now. It should have happened when Lennon was appointed (should he have been appointed?). The chance has now gone; the media would have a field day and how would it affect the players’ respect for him?
Personally, I think the best bet now is to get a decent coaching team in. Ditch this “jobs for the boys” act with Mjallby and Thompson and get some experience on the training ground who knows how to drill and organise a team -specifically the defence. Robertson and Walford would be nice…..
I’m of the opinion that the team are suffering from reason, they are begining to question the logic in going out and being assaulted week in week out without the proper safeguards referee’s are supposed to provide. People are on here constantly harping on about why we suffer so many injuries, they watch at the games and on tv our players being assaulted constantly, but conclude its the medical staffs fault.
Why would a player knowing his career span is very short, want to risk that career playing in a league were the officials condone common assault ??
This IMO is where we are at and until the club start protecting their employee’s properly I expect players wil do their best to avoid career threatening challenges knowing full well they will not be compensated or thanked for their efforts.
Two men have been arrested in connection with football-related hate crime at a match between Dunfermline and Hearts in Fife at the weekend.
Fife police said the arrests took place at East End Park on Saturday.
An 18-year-old man was arrested in relation to a racially aggravated breach of the peace in the north west stand full of Dunfermline supporters.
A 19-year-old was arrested in relation to a religiously prejudiced breach of the peace in a stand with Hearts fans.
Both men are due to appear at Dunfermline Sheriff Court later.
‘Clear message’
The arrests were made as the result of an intelligence-led anti-racism operation, which has been running at East End Park for the last few Dunfermline home games.
Plain-clothed police officers have been in the crowd to apprehend anyone acting in a racially motivated way.
Sgt Andy Smith, of Fife Constabulary, said: “Fife Constabulary will continue in its commitment to deliver a clear message to those who continue to shout hate-filled comments during football matches.
“These arrests should act as a further warning to supporters attending East End Park who are intent on conducting themselves in a racially or religiously prejudiced manner.”
I think CQN is begining to settle down a little after the hysteria of Saturday we have a rookie managerial team and a rookie playing team and with that we have to expect mistakes.The important thing is to learn from our mistakes we may have to accept the situation that Rangers get four in a row unpalatable as that is.However,at the moment the end of the season is a long way off and we can hope and we can dream but we need to support Lennie and the team and put our doubts aside for the time being only by doing that do we have a chance of stopping Rangers.All the talk of getting a mentor to work with Lennie is nonsense it just aint going to happen the time for that has past and Lennie must be allowed to get on with the job.H.H.
In the 1st half on Saturday, 2 events signalled the imminent collapse.
1st Stokesy missed the easiest sitter Ive seen this year. 2nd Hooper was cynically fouled and DELIBERATELY injured. It looked like he might run it off, but struggled for the rest of the half. HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED STRAIGHT AWAY. We were basically playing with 10 men for the rest of the half.
This allowed Killie, who had 5 in mid-field, to overrun us, Ki was about as effective as a wet lettuce, Kayal was in self destruct mode, how he didnt get sent off for that last tackle was very very lucky for us.
Lenny had no option but to replace him.
So what happened? 2 replacements, not by choice, and 3 guys who at least TRY, saved us.
WE NEED 11 TRIERS!!!!!!!
RogueLeader says:
17 October, 2011 at 16:35
Seriously. History (which begins the nano second after the 4iar occurs (if it indeed happens and it will not if we face the fear) will record everything that Rangers have achieved under SDM’s rule as being done by dubious means.
If the next bit of history is followed by xiar for us because we stuck together now then I’d bite yer hand off.
It is that fear that is driving the emotions. It hands power over to them, it stops us looking at what is best for Celtic. at the moment I would understand the cry for change if there was nothing to suggest Neil Lennon could not do the job. A SC win and 92 points last season has surely to be given some weight or is any Celtic manager only as good as his last game?
I might even go along with changing the manager if I thought we would get someone better but there is no guarantee whatsoever that we would.
So we fix what we have (and their is obviously a relationship issue to be addressed) and hang on in there. Its called support and encouragement.
Encouragement means to give another courage. You cannot give what you do not have and I see few signs of courage in the face of (to some), the terrifying prospect of 4iar, so where is the encorgaement to come from?
Maybe from old hands who have lived through worse….. and the few who stuck with the team when 3-0 on Sunday.
Wheard e all know how neil lennon got the managers job,In the kerrydale suite were there were about 500 fans present ,and i was 1 of them.When peter lawell heard the supporters from the floor of the hall ,saying lennon was the man for celtic ,and that was good enough for him,myself i shook his hand wished him well.but you know that gut feeling is he the right man.and to be honest right now the answer is no.last season i went to all the home games.and i missed about 2 away games.well this season i have not been to 1 away game,there is no fight in that team ok we came back from being 3 -0 down to 3-3 thats fine but you can bet your bottom dollar that wont happen again. And lets get this straight the days of big jock and martin oneil and players like johnny doyle wanting to play for the jersey are long gone.Whats the solution i dont know ,and were is these celtic men like we had coming forward when the kellys had the club on its knees.WERE ARE THEY or are they like myself and thousands of other have had enough.
Ole Gary Parker was a painter and decorator, before he got the call from Lenny. But what a painter – he could paint a whole apartment in one afternoon ( two coats )
RogueLeader says:
17 October, 2011 at 16:35
I’nm sorry I’ll type that again/
Seriously. History (which begins the nano second after the 4iar occurs (if it indeed happens and it will not if we face the fear) will record everything that Rangers have achieved under SDM’s rule as being done by dubious means.
If the next bit of history is followed by xiar for us because we stuck together now then I’d bite yer hand off.
It is that fear that is driving the emotions. It hands power over to them, it stops us looking at what is best for Celtic at the moment.
I would understand the cry for change if there was nothing to suggest Neil Lennon could do the job. A SC win and 92 points last season has surely to be given some weight or is any Celtic manager only as good as his last game?
I might even go along with changing the manager if I thought we would get someone better but there is no guarantee whatsoever that we would.
So we fix what we have (and there is obviously a relationship issue to be addressed) and hang on in there. Its called support and encouragement.
Encouragement means to give another courage. You cannot give what you do not have and I see few signs of courage in the face of (to some), the terrifying prospect of 4iar, so where is the encourgement to come from?
Maybe from old hands who have lived through worse….. and the few who stuck with the team when 3-0 down on Sunday.
Joe Filippis Haircut says:
17 October, 2011 at 16:59
That is probably the reality – that we have given up a 4th title in a row. But I don’t believe we should carry on with the present managerial team unless there is a huge improvement.
Last year we came within one point ( and possibly within a few refereeing decisions / penalty conversions) of winning the league. This year we are sitting in third position after a third of the season. Doesn’t look like we are going in the right direction.
When Mowbray was sacked, we had no plan b and therefore resorted to having Neil take over the team.
We should have a plan b in place now if Neil goes – he said himself on Saturday he thought he might be away if the score had stayed like that.
Therefore, we were possibly very close at the weekend of needing a new manager – any decent CEO should have succession planning in place, have feelers constantly out and not be lefty scratching their head.
What concerns me is much as I want Neil to go and bring in a new manager
a. I am not sure who out there is available and would take it and
b. I worry who PL would bring in.
Remember we got Mowbray because the board were unable to attract anyone else to the job.
McFadden having medical at Everton,another red herring Peter.Never mind the Robbie Keane one will be back soon when the MLS season finishes soon.
Whoever they get in as mentor, they better keep them away from the ole diet coke….that would be explosive
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64cMzjO1AvI&feature=related
hh
bjmac
Lennon n Mc….Mjallby says:
17 October, 2011 at 16:53
The great golfer Jack Nicklas was once asked if he thought he was LUCKY.
His answer. The more I practice, the luckier I get! ;-)
@poolbhoy -Gary Player, not Jack Nicklaus.
This site is in danger of becoming like another arm of the “Scottish Media”. They can’t wait to bury our Manager! Listening to the ‘commentary’ on Saturday, they could not not hide their glee as we went 3-0 down at half-time, however, they failed to recognise the resolve of our beleaguered young Manager! ‘ A Man’s – Man!’ in every way they are not! I confess that it pains me, that some on here have so little faith in this remarkable young man. Posters come on here with a remarkable knowledge of football science,
Play a settled side! – ignore injuries,
ignore match bans
Bring in a Mentor!
Change the back room staff
Change formations
Etc.
Etc.
Etc.
Ad Infinitum.
This is a Forum for Celtic fans, nothing more, nothing less, everyone is entitled post what they like, within reason of course, I accept that!
Ex Management personnel have been quoted on here, and i find that extremely disloyal, and it will end in tears!
@poolbhoy says:
17 October, 2011 at 17:08
Gary Player
poolbhoy
That was Gary Player referring to his remarkable talent for playing ‘lucky’ bunker shots which landed stone dead.
Auldheid
The game was on Saturday. Well the Celtic one was! :-)
Hail Hail