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.
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Ernie
Whether it’s ‘his’ or ‘the’ coaches he has to work with them it’s called man management ,- I had many people working for me that were not of my choosing – just need to get on with it.
On the subject of our recruitment “strategy”, didn’ t we sign an American who has been on loan to a US team for years and never been seen in Glasgow?
JIMMYNOTPAUL on 8TH DECEMBER 2020 1:52 PM
Big Jimmy.
Call of the dogs, wins.!!!!
I’ve done 2 singles and an ew dble.
So, in profit now, no matter, what.
Thank you.
……..
Well done young man, I am glad that you are showing a Profit no matter what happens with NEIL THE LEGEND ?
Its now at Odds of 11/1 with Bet365…it must have THREE Fecklin legs ….OR Maybe it has Peter Lawwell on its BACK LOL ?
HH Mate.
The fightback starts on Thursday or was it last Thursday or the time before that – anyway it’s definitely this Thursday.
Play defenders in defence – and 2 up front and give Turnbull and soro a chance.
GENE on 8TH DECEMBER 2020 1:56 PM
Ernie
Whether it’s ‘his’ or ‘the’ coaches he has to work with them it’s called man management ,- I had many people working for me that were not of my choosing – just need to get on with it.
###
You’re missing the point.
Appointing a manager on his own, without his back up staff, at a crucial time in the club’s history, is indicative of what?
1. a board that is determined to win 10 league titles in a row, thereby making history, and almost certainly finishing off the huns as a credible challenge for a generation
or
2. something else entirely
I was wondering this morning IF Peter Lawwell or and/or any of his side kicks on the Board…have EVER watched any Politician ( Especially TRUMP ?), on TV and turned and said to their wife….” See that Chump on TV….He is in complete denial that there are many problems with society/Co Vid etc etc…?
Oh, The IRONY !
HH
We signed 2 americans Gutman and Perez neither qualified for a work permit so we cant have them here,another utter shambles, we are probably paying them as well who knows.
They never seem to consider that Lenny is the problem, and if he left today the players would start putting in performances.
It’s obviously not a long term plan but it could give us a short term boost while we weigh up the next appointment.
That statement says
We know the 10 is big but we’re too lazy, arrogant to do anything about it
We’ve got your Season Ticket money, buy more merchandise
We can’t say the players have lost faith because that would require us to do something
We won’t get a new manager because we’ll look incompetent (and have to do something)
Shout all you want on social media but don’t dare come near the stadium or we’ll put up barriers, have police on DefCon 1 and we won’t come out and face you anyway
Utterly spineless from the frauds in the boardroom
Ernie – I’m not missing the point – I’m sure Neil took the job knowing the set up – if he felt so strongly about his backroom staff he should have sorted the issue out after that cup final.
Dessybhoy @ 2.05
That really is an indictment of our recruitment strategy (non-strategy). Together with all the “projects” who have come and gone.
GENE on 8TH DECEMBER 2020 2:11 PM
Ernie – I’m not missing the point – I’m sure Neil took the job knowing the set up – if he felt so strongly about his backroom staff he should have sorted the issue out after that cup final.
##
So was the answer to my question 1 or 2?
Interesting analysis Pablo.
We’ll know reasonably soon if the “ballsy” talk is actually ballsy or just talk.
Agree with you regarding the treatment of Neil Lennon by some of our fans.
We are Celtic. He deserves better.
Hail hail
Keep The Faith
Ernie – it’s neither
Paul 67
“understands the importance of winning the league championship this season..”
This should be automatic and shouldn’t have to be stated, and it should be every season, not just this season. Utterly pathetic.
“operate according to our Club’s values.”
Lawwell lied to the requisitioners for nearly 7 years. Is that part of club values?
“our collective objective is best served by continuing to support Neil”
No reason given why it is best served though as all evidence points to the opposite. More Lawwell lies.
“Neil has the support of the players”
This is the biggest part of the statement. Lawwell can only come to this conclusion if he interviewed a squad off nearly 30 players and was give this reassurance. Are we to believe that this is what he done yesterday? Or is it more made up nonsense from Pinocchio Lawwell?
Anyway – grandson’s just woken up – back later
79CAPS on 8TH DECEMBER 2020 1:57 PM
On the subject of our recruitment “strategy”, didn’ t we sign an American who has been on loan to a US team for years and never been seen in Glasgow?
————————————–
Andrew Gutman is an hour away from me at FC Cincinnati, was hoping to see him in the flesh, then, eh 2020.
Manny Perez is a few hours south and plying his trade at North Carolina FC. Think he played for the National team on a few occasions but like Gutman, haven’t seen him in the flesh.
Aipple
Are they ever going to play for Celtic? It doesn’t seem likely. Presumably Celtic are paying part of their salaries.
The board’s first mistake was to appoint Neil Lennon as the permanent replacement for Brendan Rogers.
The second less forgivable mistake, was the failure to realise they’d made the first mistake.
We are where we are.
I agree with Paul67 in that there’s no alternative to Neil Lennon at this juncture, but the silver lining is that everyone’s cards are now on table for the statement effectively says if we don’t win the league the manager and board will fall on their swords.
I personally think winning the league is unlikely from what I’ve seen so far this season, but ultimately you’ll all get what you want.
It’s time to put the pitch forks away.
In some ways the loyalty being shown by the Board is admirable. However, the fact remains our players this season are performing way below their abilities. We know from previous seasons that these players are better than current performances suggest. The new players are not performing either with exception of Laxalt.
however, the lack of application and lack of urgency is in fact the greatest concern. I have not seen a Celtic team in this mind set and starting from a position of strength.
It is clear that something is wrong with these players. The slow passing and players jogging about is akin to a practice match. Why this is the case I don’t know but, I suggest neither does Lenny and his team. If he doesn’t know the problem then he certainly doesn’t know how to sort it.
We can blame the players but if Lenny and his coaches cant sort it then they have to go. If the Club executives fail to act then they should also go.
I can see clearly the malaise that is affecting the football club. I know of COVID and the issues of no fans has seemed to affect us more than other teams.
This is the current reality and we should have adapted but we have not. if we are unlucky or suffering from Mibbery then I would understand but apart from the Penalties Sevco get, this is down to our own efforts.
GENE on 8TH DECEMBER 2020 2:15 PM
‘Ernie – it’s neither’
####
If it isn’t 1 it must be 2.
The support of the players is an interesting one. In my various lines of work, very rarely do staff tell the truth about unrest to their line manager; either out of fear of reprisal (especially is no-one else speaks up), or just through the uncomfortable experience
People tend to swallow it and move jobs which hurts the company potentially
The other route is to go over the head of the direct manager or talk to several of the manager’s peers to build consensus. This route can get you punted
I’ve done confidential interviews with an external party (all my group did the same) and i’ve done 360 appraisal on my boss. Same boss
Both times my boss spat the dummy, made threats and wanted to ‘out’ whoever made certain points. The 360 one went on for months as there was only 3 of us in that layer and it had to be one of us!!
I very nearly stood up and took it on the chin for everyone in the ‘confidential interview’ instance because of the behaviour and my seniority but I just about managed to stay seated as i looked around the room and they were all shoe gazing – no support there wee man.
Lennon, comes across as not very touchy feely in his management so i wouldn’t tell him or grass him. I might tell someone i the press though
79CAPS on 8TH DECEMBER 2020 2:29 PM
Aipple
Are they ever going to play for Celtic? It doesn’t seem likely. Presumably Celtic are paying part of their salaries.
—————————-
I seriously doubt it. Friends over here that follow MLS say they are decent but not stars. Manny is an RB and Gutman is a LB. Word is Gutman has the best chance of making it. He’s 24 now though so……
Turkeybhoy,
Dogs are family.
I feel your pain.
Turkeybhoy
Sorry to hear about your pupper. Condolences.
Just logged on:
“… 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…”
Are the Board confident the current course of action is the right one? Surely not (and I don’t just mean in relation to results on the park)!!
Are we to really believe that our Board cannot envisage any alternative course of action that would increase our chances of winning the league?
Really????
As many have said – clutching at straws mainly, but nevertheless factually correct – we have the potential to win the games in hand, win at Ibrox in the next ‘top-of-the-table clash’, then find ourselves only 4 point behind, with a half season to go.
Yet we are told the Board can think of no other option or action that would improve the chances of that happening – of turning the season around when we are only 1/3 of the way through it?!?!?
They are effectively saying that there are no better managers out there than Neil – does that give him a job for life. If there are no alternatives now, what alternatives will suddenly surface once Neil does leave?
It is a truly shocking admission from the Board that they can envisage no alternative courses of action they could take that might improve the Celtic team’s chances of turning the season around.
Unbelievable incompetence, lack of imagination, lack of a courage, lack of foresight, lack of humility, lack of the slightest clue about how to extract themselves from the hole they have dug themselves into.
HH
BGFC
Boom.
Big Jimmy, get in there.
Yes. Neil The Legend.
Get In big Jimmy, thanks
That’s quite a few beers, I owe you, Jimmy.
Great tipping.
Nig Jimmy legend got 12/1 woo hoo
Big Jimmy,
Didn’t catch your first tip but had a few bob on the second at 12/1.
Thank you and HH.
ConeyBhoy,
Good post. Players unlikely to publicly say anything other than they are behind the manager.
But is NL getting that bit extra out of them that 10-15% extra that makes up the fine margins to get us out of this mess?
It doesn’t seem like it. It rather looks like they are lacking belief in the formations/systems and their role and the team identify as a collective.
* team identity
The Blogger
I’m not sure the Board were saying they would fall on their swords. I’d imagine it would be Lennon and the coaches, followed by a good few players under the new person
Possibly, Lawwell retiring from the board as well. Would be a big ‘well done ‘ celebration on the surface. Bit like when an old CEO of mine did a trop round the world to our offices and had several parties. i fell for it – ‘he’d been booted by the shareholders but still got a sack of money’
Continuing on from something Squire Danaher said on the first page of the article, where he appears convinced that we threw the league in 2011, I have have been harbouring similar thoughts about this year. Looking at the players’s demeanours on the pitch, and as far fetched as this sounds, if you were to say to me that they, and the management team, are playing to instructions, bar a few who didn’t get the memo, it sort of explains the lack of fight, effort or emotion out there. Hey are playing like they don’t want to be part of it, from the top down.
File this away with the other conspiracy theories, but the catalogue of sitters missed, penalties conceded, free kicks and corners – (!), team formations and substitutes, I watch the matches and this is what’s keeping me awake at night (and during some of the games).
Or else we’re just shite for no reason!
Hail Hail.
AIPPLE on 8TH DECEMBER 2020 2:22 PM
79CAPS on 8TH DECEMBER 2020 2:29 PM
Ref Andrew Gutman
My grandson & I watched him play for Charlotte Independence about a year ago. League 1 standard of football.
Natural left footer playing at left back with all the usual attacking attributes, he scored the first goal in a comfortable win.
We spoke to him briefly after the game & he wouldn’t comment on his Celtic “career”.
Shortly afterwards he moved to FC Cincinnati & Charlotte (not the Independence) got awarded the next MLS franchise which will start next season. David Tepper, who owns the Carolina Panthers NFL team is behind the MLS team.
Aipple.
I loved your post from last night about Coup’s
Fascinating reading.
Thank you.
The Neil Lennon fightback starts at Fontwell and Uttoxeter.
Oh! and Happy Birthday to crc- can’t believe you’ve got even older this quickly :-)