Celtic’s statement yesterday had interesting parts to it. First was timing, it was released early evening, after a full working days’ deliberations on what to do next. I suspect the appropriate reaction to the home draw with St Johnstone was under review for much of that time.
The second element that stuck me was the voice, this was “The Board”, not more commonly used “The Club” voice. The Board is more personal, it was a choice to identify with the decision.
Several points stood out:
“understands the importance of winning the league championship this season..
“deliver the tenth championship in a row that is so important to us all.
“operate according to our Club’s values.
“our collective objective is best served by continuing to support Neil
“Neil has the support of the players…
“The Board recognises the range of views expressed by our supporters and the strength of those opinions.
Talk of winning the league this season and delivering the tenth championship in a row is ballsy. I cannot say I’m optimistic.
Some have wondered if the dressing room was behind the manager. It was not necessary to address this, but the statement confirmed it to be the case.
“The strength of those opinions” translates as “we hear you.”
“Our collective objective is best served by continuing to support Neil” alludes to the options that you and I have pondered. Sacking the manager is the easy part, replacing him with someone who will turn things around is the greater challenge.
Operating according to the Club’s values is an opaque statement, you can interpret it as you wish. Neil looks lost in his challenges, but I don’t like the way he has been hounded. He has been through traumas due to his association with Celtic that no one has ever had to tolerate and achieved greatly as player and manager. We do not owe him a living, but he deserves dignity and respect, especially when vulnerable. That’s how I interpreted that part of the statement, anyway.
I suspect if the board were confident any alternative course of action would increase our chances of winning the league, a different statement would have been issued. Pragmatism is greater than sentiment. Instead, they have placed their chips on the man from Lurgan. If he delivers, it will be one of the most remarkable titles in our history.
Celtic: Fifty Flags Plus One, an anthology of how Celtic won each of their league titles, is available now. Starting with our first title in 1893, it details how Willie Maley brought consistent glory, then the sparse successes over four decades before Jock Stein arrived in 1965 and the more contemporary wins since.
It will rekindle memories you had forgotten and give insight into how the leagues were won.
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Hypothetical question to all ….
You can have major change throughout the club (Board, manager, overhaul approach)
OR
10IAR.
You can ONLY have one. Not both.
1. CHANGE
2. 10IAR
What do you choose?
Hail hail
Keep The Faith
1. Change
Back to Basics
The dreamer part of me would choose 10IAR as the huns would go pop and we would then have some clear air in which to make longer term changes.
The realist in me would say new management team as I believe our current 3 year plan, if it exists, is built on unstable foundations. Oh, and i am close to giving up hope on the league this year.
It’s an interesting lead article, the one the day before we had a bit of realism.
The fact is, Cluj, Ferencvaros, Rangers defeats showed us where we were. We are not playing below par, Rangers are not playing above themselves. Their results and our results are consistent.
Lazio and winning the League cup last season were the outliers. Currently Celtic are on a par with Aberdeen, we should not expect to get any results you wouldn’t expect Aberdeen to get.
The Board statement that this lead tries to give creedence too, said absolutely nothing and tells us one thing. We have a Mexican Standoff. Egos are destroying our Club and no ones going to blink.
We used to say no individual is better than Celtic; that applied to Sir Robert Kelly, Jock Stein, Willie Malley, Bro Walfrid, Jimmy Johnstone, Henrik Larsson….
Now we have three people who couldn’t lace their shoes destroying this Club and everything it stands for.
There are a lot of qualities that have made Celtic great; Neil Lennon, Peter Lawwell and Desmond Dermot possess none of those qualities.
The fact remains though that Mr Dermot does, unlike the other two, have certain different qualities that means he is capable of turning this farce around. Let’s hope he does.
Hail Hail
In reality, given the delay since the start of the season on this, our chances of winning the league are close to zero now. We need to be flawless and they need to collapse. Don;t see either happening with the current ‘do nothing’ approach.
A systemic root and branch change to our club would be most welcome as a byproduct of this sad outcome.
HH
BACK TO BASICS – GLASS HALF FULL @ 9:55am,
Great question!
2. 10iar
Why, because it is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Secondly, I think it will limit Sevco’s progress if he win it.
DAVID66 on 9TH DECEMBER 2020 9:54 AM
Count me in!
The N word was not used last night.”The coloured guy”was the term used.We heard Ba complaint.
I still cannot see anything offensive in this,and I am sure the 4th official is horrified to be now branded a racist.
If it turns out the word was used,then that’s totally different,but the conversation I heard,that was not the issue.
DB- el Hamed’s family couldn’t settle, and moved back to Israel a few months ago.
Turkeybhoy,
I’m assuming you are of an entitled white, demographic that has absolutely no skin in this anti-racism debate.
It (Coloured) is an offensive term from an era that denotes white as ‘normal’ and that everything else isn’t.
It really isn’t about how YOU feel here and the ‘my granny used to say it’ defence is now well out of date.
HH
So in January…..
El-Hamed
Ajer
Ntcham
Christie
Edouard
All away?
ONENIGHTINLISBON on 9TH DECEMBER 2020 10:39 AM
You missed out Lennon….
HH
BIG WAVY on 9TH DECEMBER 2020 10:41 AM
I would not bank on that one!
ONIL,
Those are 5 ‘big’ players for us. I know we’d love to boot their hee-haws currently but wouldn;t it be better to get a coach who get them delivering for us again?
The idea that we’d be looking at the same recruitment team to replace them leaves me with palpitations.
HH
ONENIGHTINLISON,
Certainly wouldn’t surprise me to see Ntcham gone.
Elhamed now too giving Sunsport article.
Possibly Duffy too. Harry Brady said he originally heard NL wanted Duffy but has since heard he was a DD signing. Kieran Devlin in the Athletic says something different, both club hierarchy and coaching team wanted Duffy but recruitment team highlighted he would struggle to play in a high defensive line where possession is dominated. Either way, the Philadelphia CEO of this US guy Mckenzie’s said this week that they were in discussions with Celtic to sell McKenzie but Celtic choose Duffy instead. Sky Sports carried the quotes.
I think the rest on list will be gone in the summer for sure.
ONENIGHTINLISBON- anyone who wants away,chase them in the January Window, I don’t care who it is.
Back to Basics
Good question..
Change – I personally think that we need a more structured approach to our set up. We should have a style of play that is taught through the youth and under 21’s so that they are able to enter the first team smoothly. All players bought in should be comfortable in the style we play.
I used to watch Celtic under 21’s many years ago and was always impressed by the skill quality and speed that they played. I was disappointed at the lack of players who came through and cemented a first team place. Whether this was down to step up in quality/pressure or not enough time to settle i don’t know but I think a player who has played though the Celtic system should be able to play for the first team and not look out of place.
CHAIRBHOY on 9TH DECEMBER 2020 10:21 AM
You won’t but you should look up Celticbynumbers article on team performances over the last few years.
It’s an objective study based on performance data, and by his own admission he’s no supporter of either Lenny or the board
It’s shows that there was a steady improvement in performances up to the start of this season. We improved after BR left.
This season had been a disaster but it’s not part of a longer trend.
Wasn’t saying I wanted them gone, was just asking for thoughts.
I forgot to add Duffy to the list….
With regards to punting those who are not happy, I agree but not always that easy especially with the run of poor form the team had had lately.
2. 10iar ☘️
Back-to-Bascs @ 9.55am
Re your excellent mind focusing question:
10 in a row
Or
Change
I am firmly in the former because it would obviously be a fantastic and historical achievement .
It would also damage the the unstoppable Sevco narrative ( although they will now probably win a first major trophy in the League Cup thanks to our Ross County exit ) and prevent them from a shot at CL prize money.
It would also lift the spirits of the Celtic support as we demonstrate a Houdini like event.
Aside from the above I believe our grossly over remunerated CEO will be off to a cushy, all expenses UEFA role having milked Celtic for millions and dabbled in a xx Director of Football role to expand his CV.
Neil will almost certainly not retain his job but he would go with a clean exit.
The big issue then is ownership.
What is not to like in the above?
B2B,
As I have pretty much already accepted we won’t win the league this year (unless we change manager very soon or have a miraculous turnaround) I’ll go for change.
CELTIC40ME @ 11:02 AM,
Yes, would be good to read it, I used to follow CBNs on here and Facebook but can’t find them now.
If you have a link that would be great…
Hail Hail
BIG JIMMY
A return to the jeans discussion , like you I had to go from a 40 to 42 with my jeans and fr my Birthday my wife bought me a pair of jeans from Sainsbury,s . They were described as a 4 way stretch and I had to return because 42 was too big and buy a 40. They are the most comfy jeans I have ever had. I have since bought 3 more pairs in different shades , not too pricey either £20 and in the sale 20% off so got for 16. You can buy online as well. Hope you are feeling better by tomorrow and we’ll done with the horses.HH
B2B,
Though I do love to rub their noses in it so 10 in a row would possibly be our sweetest ever league (for me)
That Board Statement.
It was dross.
I worry for the old men on the plc board – social distancing and self isolation has clearly robbed them of any grip on reality or objectivity. And when that happens, you get a statement like the one just issued.
Like others, I fear for the cup final.
What will it take for this isolated board to bring about the required changes ?
Something odd here, a couple of posts from earlier today have disappeared, one from Ernie Lynch, and a reply to that from me. Very strange.
A change is gonna come…..whither it’s 10 IAR for us or 1 IAR for thems.
I always want Celtic to win. Every tackle, every header (I’ve given up on retaining the ball at throw ins!!!), every match, every league.
10 would be defining. For ever. Or at least for all our lifetimes.
Sadly, only one club has approached this season with that mentality. And it’s not us.
HH jg
What I don’t get, really IS, we sign 3 seasoned Internationals in Laxalt, Barkas and Duffy. Seasoned internationals, OK.
Their first couple of games, they all played well, and now after our coaching staff “coach” them they are nothing like the players we saw in the first few games. Coincidence, no way.
We must must get rid of Neil and his team.
Pelters expected but I’d love to see Peter Grant in some form of coaching roll, don’t tell me hi did not “get Celtic”. Not as manager but a number 2 to provide some much needed backbone.
SCHUMMI
Schummi
I want a top class manager and coaching team.
Unless they’ve got some real moral flaws in their back story, I don’t care who they are or where they’re from (CillaBlackCSC)
Hh jg
Meant to say, there is a slim chance we could still do “the ten”, slim, but possible. We have to play the bigots, not sure if it;s twice or three times but win these, then thats 6 or 9 points and they are sure to drop a few as well. Slim, but if we get our act together as a club we CAN do it
SCHUMMI
PS Dream on big bhoy
Schummi,
The players in question are performing to their pre-Celtic recruitment report. These are openly available.
Barkas is great at 121s with forwards and with ball at feet but has question marks about positioning on shots.
Laxalt is an all-action athlete with little creativity.
Duffy is a slow, backs against the wall warrior with no discernible footballing skills.
There appears to be a disconnect with what Neil is trying on the pitch and the players recruited. Amongst other things.
Coaching won’t change two 28-year olds and maybe Barkas can get some Stevie Woods love.
HH
Schummi – Add Frimpong to that list.
He used to go by people with ease now he runs to them stops, comes back and passes back to centre backs.
A great wee player getting coached wrongly IMO.
D :)
The strained relationship between Neil and JK.
Didn’t Neil say JK picked and ran the team for the first 2 games back after Brendan left?
Maybe Neil has stopped listening and stopped taking on some of JK’s advice and JK is just scunnered with the whole thing now hence the shoulder shrugs and general ambivalence.
Gerrard looked like he was out the door before Covid but plenty folk seem to credit Beale with turning rangers fortunes around. Maybe Gerrard finally realised he needed to listen to someone else and take on their advice.
new article posted.
My theory is that the title was won and lost on the training fields at Lennoxtown and Murray Park during the close-season. That period between the 7th of March and the 2nd of August.
They have gone from a team that struggled, losing to Hamilton at home, to a team that scarcely looks as if its capable of dropping points at all. A team that seems to be completely in control of every game.
This is with the same coaches and pretty much the same squad of players. No significant outs. A couple of new players in but they haven’t been the backbone of this seasons success and have been used sparingly.
On the other hand, we have regressed in every way. With the same squad mostly (albeit a downgrade in goals)
I believe this is down to coaching. The title has been heading to Ibrox from day 1 of the season because Neil Lennon has failed to coach and prepare his squad for the task ahead.
We have countless players who look a shadow of themselves. New signings of international pedigree (Barkas, Duffy etc.) look lost at SPFL level.
Bad results can cause things to get worse. Confidence is clearly on the floor. But I can’t say that Celtic have looked right at all this season. That’s down to coaching.
Maybe Barkas isn’t as good as Forster.
Maybe Scott Brown has markedly declined.
Outside of that I cannot fathom why the regression has been so clear rather than coaching.
We are now in a period of playing every few days. The coaching team don’t have much time to address these issues outside of normal fitness and recovery training.
There isn’t an easy way out now there isn’t a winter break, No time to address this.
My personal suggestion was to throw the final 3 Europa League games. Prepare a second 11 to take to the field in Prague and Milan. Allow the “first team” an extra day of training to address issues as they can skip the recovery.
I’m going to make a bold prediction that we will surprise everyone with a 2-1 win Thurs night , a comfortable 3-0 vs Killie on Sunday and huns drop surprise points in 0-0 vs Covid ravaged Dun Utd. Tavernier misses a penalty too
Expect team for tomorrow to be :
Barkas
Elhamed Julien Ajer Laxalt (if fit, assume he had a knock last weekend)
Brown McGregor
Frimpong Christie Elyounoussi (1)
Edouard (1)
Expected team for Sunday to be:-
Barkas
Bitton Julien (1) Ajer
Frimpong Brown Rogic McGregor Laxalt
Edouard (1) Ajeti (1)
Easy!!!! Wibble, wibble, NURSE!!!