Two years ago, it was Neil Lennon under pressure. Celtic were on a course to lose their first league title in a decade. Fans were unable to attend but a few turned up anyway to boo and harass. Confidence was low and the siege that soon surrounded the club didn’t help.
I spoke to ‘sources close to the club’ after the 2-2 draw at Easter Road in November 2020 and suggested, ‘You’re probably going to lose the league, but if you change manager, it might not be too late’. Changing manager sounds easier than it ever is, but once you make that decision, more difficult questions arise.
When Neil eventually left in February, we promoted John Kennedy as caretaker. John could have taken control earlier and generated something of a dead cat bounce, but that change was not going to transform Celtic from losers to winners.
If we sacked Neil after that draw with Hibs, we could have gone to market trying to recruit a replacement for a manager, who at that stage, had won 100% of the domestic competitions the club competed in during his tenure. It is one thing to sack a failed manager, but sack a manager who had never failed because some fans demanded it? Proportionality of response is required if you are to be taken seriously by serious candidates.
Managers all know the script when it comes to the pressure clubs are under to sack someone when results go south, and they always go south at some point. Celtic didn’t sack Neil that autumn, he left by his own hand with the season’s business overwhelmingly settled.
The problems we had that season were far from limited to the manager. The goalkeeping situation was a disaster zone, as was central defence. We had a defender, midfielder and striker all in the final period of their contracts and wanting away. Jock Stein himself would not have been able to parachute into that mess and turn things around.
After a very lengthy and circuitous process, Celtic eventually recruited an outstanding talent who has transformed every aspect of the football operation. The recovery worked out better than any of us could have hoped. Still, we lost THAT league title.
There were a few reasons why Celtic didn’t sack Neil Lennon early that season, when the writing was on the wall. The man responsible knew he had to subsequently attract a replacement who was able to work the kind of magic Ange Postecoglou delivered. That is not easy. We did so with Brendan Rodgers, but when Brendan left, the recruitment job was much harder. We ended up with Neil, more than appointed him.
I think if a Brendan Rodgers-type candidate was there and prepared to come, Celtic would have made the move earlier that season. This was not the case. None of the options convinced anyone at Celtic that they were going to rescue a season that was so badly out of kilter.
Instead, the club looked to the horizon and planned how to put Celtic back on top as quickly as possible. Changing the manager in haste was not material to this, so Neil did the hard work and got on with the job to the best of his ability. For the record, those of you who spent time yesterday reminiscing, 10 years after beating Barcelona in the Champions League, might consider he was a talented manager. Many worse options were available in November 2020.
Looking back on a successful recovery, this makes sense. At the time, most people just wanted a clearly failing manager sacked. When things are going wrong, we want action, often without considering if the most likely actions will only make things worse.
I cannot believe the bloodthirst for Giovanni van Bronckhorst. Less than six months ago he took a team of journeymen to a European final, one they would have won bar a remarkable save two minutes from the end of extra time. He then beat PSV Eindhoven to qualify for the Champions League group stage, again, a remarkable performance.
The problems at Newco are not all his doing. He lost his best players in the summer and was given little of the proceeds to replace them. His team are aging and, like some in the Celtic squad of season 2019-20, have an eye on the door. He is also up against a formidable Celtic. Sacking the manager will not fix any of this. But still, the demands for action could scarcely be stronger.
Having watched how Celtic kept their eye firmly on recovery in November 2020, it is easy to look around at the mistakes of others.
Newco are surrounded by many worse options that sticking with van Bronckhorst, and I doubt they have genuine faith in a way forward that they believe will knock Celtic off the podium. They can sack a manager who achieved spectacularly for them, or face down some entitled fans. It will be a measure of their board if they are prepared to take abusive flack personally when a scapegoat is available.
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Celtic40me
As it happens Stoke are playing Luton tonight and I’m going with my son in law whose dad is on holiday. Vale fan attends Stoke game shocker.
GENE on 8TH NOVEMBER 2022 1:31 PM
……………
Leslie Philips R.I.P.
A fine COMEDY Actor, who had his own style.
I dont think I ever saw Leslie in a ” Serious” Role, certainly not on Film. Maybe he played serious roles on Stage ?
DING DONG….
HH.
Shudder. Just wen you think you’ve parked THAT season in a dark recess of you mind some on one brings it up.
Yes, we had 3 important players who wanted to leave. We also had a long serving CEO on the verge of retirement.
Neil Lennon should not have been appointed in the first place. The decision was lazy and complacent. There had been no planning.
There was no Plan B when it became clear to everyone that he needed replaced. Again, lazy and complacent. There had been no planning.
I think Peter Lawell did a decent job during his tenure, but his legacy will be tainted by THAT season. I also think Micheal Nicholson will illustrate Peter was overly conservative. Only time will,tell.
As for the 3 want-aways, Ajer tried until the end. I hope the other two never show their faces again at Celtic Park.
Big Jimmy
Hel-lo as Leslie would say
Scottish Premiership clubs will land almost £9,000 per day for EVERY one of their players involved in the World Cup later this month – as well as any star that has played for them in the past two years. It means a host of Premiership clubs are set to bank at least £104,000 in FIFA payments from the tournament.
The SPFL will have plenty of representatives in Qatar with the Australia squad in particular boasting six representatives. A trio of Hearts stars will join Celtic’s Aaron Mooy.
Celtic will also be represented by Juranovic and Cameron Vickers and possibly Matt O’Riley ?
HH
GENE on 8TH NOVEMBER 2022 1:47 PM
Big Jimmy
Hel-lo as Leslie would say
…………
As long as it wasn’t ” Hel-lo….Hel-lo !
HH mate
BIG JIMMY
Matt O’Riley has been overlooked for the Danish World Cup squad.
GENE on 8TH NOVEMBER 2022 1:31 PM
It certainly looks like it didn’t work out there
I know he has a very specific philosophy and style, they’ve not been very easy on the eye when I’ve watched them on telly and they normally make do with less possession.
Southampton gave a pretty good record with picking good coaches, though.
“a manager, who at that stage, had won 100% of the domestic competitions”
———-
38% in his first spell.
———————————-
“We ended up with Neil, more than appointed him.”
———-
Where do you even start with nonsense like that? Dearie me!
“We had approaches from many, many agents, many representatives of managers across the board. How credible it was, you never really know. We put them in the file, just left it and kept our word to Neil, really.”
Wonder what he meant by ‘kept our word’? Maybe to give him a birthday card or something!
We had an opportunity (and £9m compensation) to replace Rodgers with an equivalent level candidate and didn’t take it. That was the failure.
Glad we have Ange in now but it doesn’t mean we should re-write history to excuse those responsible for that failure.
GENE on 8TH NOVEMBER 2022 1:41 PM
Haha! My soft spot for Luton comes from when I was a kid and used to go to Kenilworth road. I still look out for their results and I’ve got a son who’s pestering me to go there now. Too much Dad talk of real football grounds and how it’s better in the lower leagues.
GLASSTWOTHIRDSFULL on 8TH NOVEMBER 2022 2:01 PM
“a manager, who at that stage, had won 100% of the domestic competitions”
38% in his first spell.
They’re not going to sack him because of his record in his first spell are they?
The Dave King Board would have relieved GVB of his duties by now, and he would be singing for his payoff. The other members of his staff, well, could have stayed or left, whatever suited them.
Their board has seen the consequences of DK’s previous encounters with courts and is, rightly so, hesitant to put themselves and the club in that position again.
There are numerous out-of-work managers who would jump at the chance to take the job. None of us on here had Brendan Rodgers pencilled in as a possible manager for us, so, who’s to say that they have not already sounded out replacements? They can show that as with BR they can come up here and open the door to offers for down south if they can at least secure 1 title and maybe an extended run in Europe.
GVB’s agent will also be looking for other opportunities, before the CV is dented, with the EL final still high on it.
Seen a comment earlier as to the amount of money, £1mill apparently, that PL took the year we lost the 10. Yet, no one mentions the amount of money the players picked up that season, it must have been well over £1 million, as was their right as their contracts cannot be amended because of one terrible season, por cierto.
Having hired the wrong coach at the wrong time, I am dumbfounded how Neil Francis Lennon delivered trophies 107 to 111 for the Celtic Football club.
CELTIC40ME
Who was the Luton chairman who was a big mate of Thatcher and introduced the football supporters membership scheme at Kenilworth Road which was a trial run for a UK-wide membership scheme?
Celtic40me
When I first moved down here in 1970 I went to Stoke with a few mates I met at work. Went regularly for a couple of years – probably the best seasons in their history – 1 league cup win and 2 FACup semifinals with Arsenal.
Did Luton have the first plastic pitch?
Kevin Muscat just won the J league with Ange’s old team Yokohama F Marinos.
Would they be tempted to follow our lead?
Gene 2.15
Banks, Greenhof, Eastham. Think ole George was about 85 when he scored the winner. 😂
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 8TH NOVEMBER 2022 1:59 PM
BIG JIMMY
Matt O’Riley has been overlooked for the Danish World Cup squad.
……………….
i read a couple of days ago that Denmark had picked 21 players so far for their squad, but every Country needs to name 26 players for the World Cup, so Matt MAY figure in the final 26, which is to announced this Sunday ?
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 8TH NOVEMBER 2022 2:14 PM
Arch-Thatcherite David Evans. Fenced in the fans, then banned away fans using a membership scheme as a front for it, and then added a plastic pitch to really make it an awful day out and somehow make Kenilworth Road even more of a dump.
I stopped going because of his schemes. You could understand why he’d want to do something – The ground was regularly trashed by away fans who saw it as part of the experience of coming there. The Milwall game where they broke up a stand and fought the police on the pitch was a bit of a tipping point I think. But he ruined the club and the “improvements” were all about making more money and protecting his investment rather than improving the club which fir all its faults was an important part of the community
CONEYBHOY on 8TH NOVEMBER 2022 2:21 PM
Did Luton have the first plastic pitch?
If not the first then certainly one of them, and I think it was when they were in the old first division as well
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 8TH NOVEMBER 2022 2:14 PM
CELTIC40ME
Who was the Luton chairman who was a big mate of Thatcher and introduced the football supporters membership scheme at Kenilworth Road which was a trial run for a UK-wide membership scheme?
………………
Please NOT Eric Morecambe surely ?
I dont think he was ever Chairman of Luton Town FC….was he ?
One of my Comedy heroes.
HH
it wasnt Evans I was sure it was Eric Morecambe
Ooops, Ive just seen the Post about David Evans.
I would hate to think that Big Eric liked Thatcher…?
HH
lol,
daft minds think alike
holds hand up to throat and says “get out of that, you cant can you”
BRRB
A couple of mistakes by Banks in the first semi against arsenal at Hillsborough threw away a 2 goal lead – they lost the replay.
My first game was a 5-1 win at the Victoria ground against arsenal
Eric Morecambe mad as an average Hatter
I’m playing all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order……😂. Classic.
Morecambe was a Thatcher supporter.
The plastic pitches at Luton and QPR were a prequel to 1G pitches. Ball bounced higher than a house
Ernie
Surely you mean fellow traveller 🤭
CELTIC40ME on 8TH NOVEMBER 2022 2:04 PM
GENE on 8TH NOVEMBER 2022 1:41 PM
Haha! My soft spot for Luton comes from when I was a kid and used to go to Kenilworth road.
………………
ive got a soft spot for Sevco…
Its the Feckin SWAMP roon the back !
LOL
HH
So Big ERIC maybe liked Thatcher, He also liked ERNIE WISE……..
So, Big Eric had his faults, just like the rest of us, I suppose.
A Comedy Genius…and he was ONE of the very few Comedians who just had to walk on to the stage, and get a laugh…Just like Tommy Cooper etc.
IMHO.
HH
My team for tonight
Hart
JJ
Ccv
Starman
Greg
Hatate
Matt
Turnbull
Abada
Jota
Kyogo
GENE on 8TH NOVEMBER 2022 2:15 PM
More simple happier football times then weren’t they, although the politics on the terraces didnt stand up to much closer scrutiny than some of the chancers in the boardrooms
BIG JIMMY
:)))
BIGRAILROADBLUES on 8TH NOVEMBER 2022 2:44 PM
I’m playing all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order……😂. Classic.
…………….
I remember the show when Morecambe and Wise had the Actress ” GLENDA JACKSON”, playing Cleopatra in one of their so called ” Plays” .
The poor Lassie could hardly keep a straight face and read her lines, because of the antics of Big Eric.
Eric was dressed as a Roman Soldier and he carried a Roman Standard during the sketch and when he turned the Roman Standard around in view of the Audience and TV Cameras…….it read ” LUTON TOWN FC” !
Magic from the Big man.
HH
GENE on 8TH NOVEMBER 2022 2:56 PM
…………
The CELTIC games Tomorrow night GENE Mate..its on Wednesday.
LOL
HH