Lee Congerton, who left his post as Celtic chief scout, to re-join Brendan Rodgers at Leicester, will not be remembered fondly by Celtic supporters. We can look to Olivier Ntcham, a £4.5m acquisition from Manchester City, whom Celtic had a pre-existing relationship with, and to Odsonne Edouard, a 2018 £9m acquisition from PSG, whom Congerton identified as a loan signing during his first transfer window at the club in 2017, as success, but they were few and far between.
The debit column has Marvin Compper and Jack Hendry, two central defenders who Lee should have discovered were not what Celtic required before putting his name to the players, but the most alarming signing was Charly Musonda.
Charly was one fo the slightest players I have seen in a Celtic jersey. He had something about him, but so do lots of players. What Charly did not possess was the detrmination to success at Celtic, or the physical attributes necessary to work in the professional game. He was an extravagant signing, at the time the best-paid player in the Scottish game, and a complete misfit at Celtic.
Five transfer windows did not produce as many players able to command a regular starting place.
Football loves a scapegoat at Lee is a perfect fit. I have little sympathy for him, but scouting is as nuanced as any other aspect of life. Scouts are repeatedly employed by managers because they do not wipe their bums without the boss telling them to do so.
The fact that Lee left Celtic surprised no one, but the real question is, why did Brendan employ a scout who was so ineffective for him at Celtic? It seems an incredulous appointment, but Lee got the Leicester gig because he did what he was told at Celtic to the satisfaction of Brendan.
Chief scouts who keep their jobs and are repeatedly re-employed by the same manager observe one rule: Let the boss control everything. I have heard this straight from one well-known chief scout, who suffered the odd period of negative publicity, while only privately despairing at his manager’s signing choices.
A chief scout acts as gatekeeper to the countless agents promoting undiscovered never-will-bes, while trying to convince an agent with a talent in demand that his club is the perfect platform for the next stage in the player’s development. It is a job of phone calls, video feeds and airports – so that the manager doesn’t have to. The manager, often inspired by his confident ability to produce Lazarus-type recoveries, will then allow everyone to marvel at his wisdom.
I have no idea if Lee Congerton is a good scout or not. I can tell you his knowledge of obscure European players was impressive and his analysis was consistent with other good analysis I checked, but the data is not complete. Judging him is a big like judging a striker on his goals tally without known his Expected Goals stat.
All we know for sure is that the outcome was not good enough for Celtic, but was good enough for Brendan to give him another job.
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234 Comments- Pages:
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BB @ 1.47
The WC angle needs to be pushed and pushed.
Need to highlight the gap in his TFOD2.1 engagement.
Why was it allowed to happen?
Who allowed it to happen?
People say there arent any easy answers, i say they’re not looking hard enough
Simpsons CSC
If its Moyes, we might as well give up. If and its a big IF he becomes successful he’ll bolt quicker than King Canute Rodgers did. Now the countenance will be, and rightly so, so will anyone who gets it, if thats the case then lets make a better appointment.
Bada Bing – I think you may be right. If you are, it won’t be a popular decision but I think he is a good coach who would be a safe pair of hands for next 2-3 years. He twice won Manager of the Year in the EPL, that’s not something that you achieve without being excellent at your job. His fall from grace is well documented but it resulted from being offered a job he couldn’t turn down. The Man Utd job was going to be a poison chalice for whoever took it on. No one could have taken on that role and succeeded in the short term. Alex Ferguson was Man Utd and they were the world’s biggest club. Fegie didn’t hand pick his replacement without believing Moyes was capable of doing a great job.
He may have been in the wilderness since then but that should also mean he his hungry to prove himself all over again. Maybe he’s too bland for some?
My own choice would be Steve Clarke but I don’t think the board would be able to cope with his brutal honesty on calling out every injustice he sees.
Bada
Celts are here website, does it have anything positive to say about Celtic, ever? Its rhetorical. As for Keith Downie, he works for Sky, which says it all really. Hope your wrong about Moyes
GO TELL THE SPARTIM:
Two schools of thought here on Moyes – and I broadly agree with you that it shouldnt be him.
First is that if he comes in and wows us and everyone else then he’s fully entitled to consider his options if others make themselves available – so long as he does so in a manner that shows the club the proper respect. I.E. not leaving in the middle of a campaign like a thief in the night.
Second is that what we really should be looking for is a long-term thinker who will work on enhancing all the leaps forward we’ve made as a club in data analysis, fitness regimes, sports psychology etc. And that, to my mind, isn’t Moyes, even if Moyes was ten times the manager he’s been lately.
In short, I don’t have a problem with us going out and hiring a mercenery as long as he’s effective for the team he’s here and gives us the titles and trophies we need to put the Ibrox mob back in their box. But I’d rather have the builder. I’d rather have the long-term guy.
Ironically, that was why Ferguson recommended him to Utd in the first place; he seemed like a guy who was going to stick around for ten years and build a legacy.
The question is; was Moyes ever that guy? Sure as Hell the Utd job was much too big for him. He has done nothing in his career since to suggest that he’s got the answers here … but Sociedad? West Ham? Were those really the places to rebuild a reputation?
His career choices after Old Trafford were baffling. Rodgers went from Anfield to Celtic Park … he had offers along the way but waited for the right one. Moyes didn’t do that.
Jamesgang…noooo…oor Lennybhoy would then be under a non-disclosure agreement…and he knows where the leaks are…where would we get our good gossip from…would only leave the Cat ;-))
H.H.
James Forrest – as soon as I saw the articles today about Lenny having other options I breathed a sigh of relief. I personally hope he already knows he is not being offered the job and that it has been done with good grace on both sides. He was happy to take the job on knowing it was for a few months and knowing there were no guarantees. Just hope he has not been misled or lied too about it and that he leaves with a proper farewell.
Moyes’ 6 year contract at Man Utd should be just about up. Perfect timing – no compensation issues…..
Dont say that I didnt “Mark your Cards” yesterday as the untried Fill “DIAMOND VEGA” has just Won the 2.05 at Tramore @ 11/8.
This daughter of the great “Quevaga” won handsomely by several lengths. Quevaga was the Hurdler that won 6 TIMES at Cheltenham !
This Filly, is certainly one to look out for in the future, maybe “Like Mother..like Daughter” ?
ah well, i think I’ll shave and wash and go and spend the Bookies Money !
HH
Denia- I would ask Clarke the question, if we are downsizing, which to me is looking likely,Moyes done well at West Ham when they were in danger of going down. (Trying to build myself up to his appointment…)
BSR…you just couldn’t help yerself…;-)) Wans as bad as the ither lol
BreakitupCSC
H.H.
DENIABHOY:
A good question. I would think Lawwell and the rest are smart enough not to have gone overboard with the promises …. but you do wonder. We were in a desperate position and they might have gone further than they should have in that moment.
If Lennon does have other options I’d be happy to see him go and pursue one of them.
But that said, here’s the thing; I might not want him to get the job, but if it transpired that Lennon was offered it and turned it down … what would that suggest?
Nothing good, I would think.
Or get a room you 2 ;-))
Has John Park worked since he left us? The Laptop Loyal, will paint it that we ‘dithered’…..yawn.
He wouldn’t know a striker, if Henrik Larsson chapped his front door
Balde
Pukki
Scepovic
Brozek
Miku
Bangura
Lassad…….
THELURKINTIM on 14TH MAY 2019 2:29 PM
BSR…you just couldn’t help yerself…;-)) Wans as bad as the ither lol
……………
What do you mean…” Wans as bad as the other” ?…I certainly didnt bad mouth Neil Lennon, I certainly didnt Distort what took place at Ipox ?
ConfusedCFC.
Big Jimmy…it the wans on the way to the glue factory that you should be looking at…they’ll stick ;-)) Well done on taking yer money back from the bookies…they’re not a bank you know ;-))
H.H.
!!BADA BING!!
His most notorious blind-spot. Crucially, though, he could spot a defender and that’s what we need right now.
But you’re correct; he hasn’t worked full time for a club since leaving Parkhead.
It wouldn’t be a disaster if he goes to Sunderland. It wasn’t going to be a game-changer either way. But it was certainly part of the Neil Lennon for Manager sales pitch, that we’d putting this incredibly successful (if you ignore all the failures) unit together again.
I’m quite sanguine about the idea of Park. I can take it or leave it. There are better options just as there are with the manager, and a new manager might have his own ideas there anyway, as Brendan did. Paul has alluded to that in his article.
Big Jimmy…yer not BSR either…paranoid much ;-))
ItsaBSRJFthingCSC
H.H.
!!BADA BING!! on 14TH MAY 2019 2:32 PM
Pukki obviously had it in him.
He also identified Moussa Dembele, Gary Hooper, Leigh Griffiths, Jon Guidetti……
JAMES FORREST – if he was offered it and turned it down . . . . can’t see that happening unless it is because he knows others have already turned it down and that he was never at the top of the list and his pride is taking a hit. He knows PL as well as anyone and is on good terms with DD.
You might be right though regarding the original offer. If it was intimated to hime that the League and Cup double would likely secure him the job then he finds out we are fluttering our eyelids at Jose and Rafa and having dinner-dates with Moyes . . . well one could understand him feeling let down.
DENIABHOY:
Absolutely right.
JAMESGANG on 14TH MAY 2019 1:01 PM
It’s interesting that BR’s forte seemed to be developing players…..while NFL has a strong record associated with spotting some future stars.
An interesting contrast….for me anyway!
GeekCSC
HH JG
——————————-
Good observation JG.
HH. ?
TIMALOY29 on 14TH MAY 2019 2:39 PM
!!BADA BING!! on 14TH MAY 2019 2:32 PM
Pukki obviously had it in him.
He also identified Moussa Dembele, Gary Hooper, Leigh Griffiths, Jon Guidetti……
Pretty sure he’d left the building re Dembele……and NL knew Hooper from England HH
We stayed up all night to get Pukki
Major recruitment required, and all of a sudden, a guy who’s not worked for 3 years is the messiah? Include me out….
BSR- A classic line…
Must be another slow news day if we are actually discussing the merits and demerits of Lee Congerton ?
Reactions to names of possible managers/players coming in are a bit like those customer reviews on Amazon . I usually read them when I’m researching something to buy ,but for every 5 star , there’s a one star.
Cofusing CSC
You could cut the sexual tension in here with a stakeknife……
Who will crack first csc
POGMATHONYAHUN AKA LAIRD OF THE SMILES on 14TH MAY 2019 2:55 PM
Must be another slow news day if we are actually discussing the merits and demerits of Lee Congerton ?
====
Lee, Lee, not so super Lee…
HH
TheLurkinTim
I think Lennybhoy should get the Lee Congerton job……..
As long as I can be his assistant :-)
HH
Sevco win the six game Premiership
Rangers 18
Aberdeen 12
St.Johnstone 11
Celtic 11
Kilmarnock 10
St.Mirren 9
Livingston 6
Hibernian 6
Hamilton 6
Motherwell 5
Dundee 3
Hearts 1
WEEBOBBYCOLLINS:
A consequence of typing on a mobile phone whilst on the move. Their autocorrect isn’t great. You’ll notice that nothing was proofed or checked either; lots of missing words that I could see on a second read :)
Still, you’re right. Standards must be maintained :)
Catman…naw…you’re barred from any Celtic post…cannae be arsed waiting for yer memoirs…;-))
H.H.
I think Lenny’s other offers is to make it look like he wasnt considering it, agents are good at this and to be honest you dont need to ask a scottish hack to put Celtic in a bad light. I sincerely hope he does have options as i think he has a lot to offer the right club.
As for Moyes i dont think he has an inkling on how to successfully manage a team thats expected to win week in week out (he was at Man Utd and struggled). Plus i found his brand of football a bit laboured.
I would like someone who can develop players, as thats our best bet in attracting really good players and prospects, on loan or purchased and someone who can get the best out of players still there.
Not too much to ask
Catman, where have you been?
Are you here to back Lennybhoy up?
GO TELL THE SPARTIM:
Fair assessment on Moyes.
That’s another thing; Brendan Rodgers’ genius – and I have no trouble calling it that – is in how he made players at our club better. The whole cheque book manager thing is a turn-off, and especially when the cheque-book is as light as ours is.
Celtic doesn’t need a wholescale squad overhaul, I think that’s just nonsense. We need five players in key positions and that will do it. That will get it done. Anyone suggesting that the squad whcih went through a domestic campaign without losing a game needs radical, transformative surgery … I don’t buy that.
These players are better than they’ve looked this past month or two. They need help in the squad, yes, but the core of our team is very decent and should be left the Hell alone.
Just popping out to buy the wife a duster ?