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.
Auction ends tomorrow (Wednesday): Directors’ Box Champaign Reception for 4 v Hearts, 19 May
Celtic sponsor, Intelligent Car Leasing, have offered four tickets to the Directors’ Box on trophy presentation day at Celtic Park against Hearts on 19 May 2019.
Package includes champagne reception on arrival, four-course meal, seats in the Directors’ Box over the halfway line and complimentary bar both pre and post-match.
This is an opportunity for four people to experience a special day in Celtic’s history from the Directors’ Box. Tickets can be collected from Glasgow on Thursday 16th or Friday 17th.
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234 Comments- Pages:
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Pog..ffs…too much attention scare the cat…he’s been a fly in the wall, a wee birdie and a whisper…;-))
transmogrificatCSC
Pog..ffs…too much attention scare the cat…he’s been a fly in the wall, a wee birdie and a whisper…;-))
transmogrificatCSC
H.H.
Have to agree with the body language experts that have surfaced since Sunday. Lennon didnt look his normal chirpy, excitable, emotional self.
Looked like a guy whos just found out he won’t be getting a summer holiday this year, if you ask me :)
HH
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 14TH MAY 2019 3:08 P
That’s not all bad news……….Hearts are relegated!-))
James…no! Standards must be improved not maintained…a bit like Celtic, no?
*scares, on…jist like a horror trailer ;-))
H.H.
WEEBOBBYCOLLINS:
Depends how high the standards are to start with ;)
JF…Yours were high…then plummeted Sevco depths…good to see you’re back on track…Question…whatever happened to that Sun article re tweets?
H.H.
THELURKINTIM:
Remind me?
TheLurkinTim
All quiet here, but I would never doubt Lennybhoy.
Lets get the Treble Treble done and then get the position filled with the best we can get
HH
An article pulled from yer blog re tweets from the Sun…to be honest that’s all am gonna say ’cause it may be actionable
JF
I think we need key signings for the first team. I like Jozo and Ajer but as 4th and 3rd choice (Ajer will eventually become one of the regular 2) if we retain Benko then we need another CB (the ability to break the hard press is crucial in the recruitment of this player). We need a right back, i like Lustig and id keep him for another year until Ralston either proves himself or someone else comes thru. We need to replace SB at some point so we need someone who can govern that part of midfield in front of the defence and to set the tempo, we have Calmac, Rogic, Christie and Ntcham, as well as young Henderson, hopefully Eboue Kouassi (i think there is potential there). We need a CF, Odsonne is better off a lead man, we have enough wingers, including Shved (who i think will light up the team). We need to get rid of a few though. Allan, Commper, Henry,Gambao, Izzy, De Vries to name but a few and of course the loanees will go too, though id keep Benko (as stated) and Timo. We may well move on Sinclair, though i find that quite sad given his contributions.
Its a major recruitment exercise, both at managerial and player level. Time for some to justify their salary
Aaaah gotcha! :)
Yes, I did mean to do a follow up on that. The guy who sent me the info on that one unwittingly broke an embargo on it. There was an agreement in place that until the apology was printed that the info itself was to be kept close-hold. Genuine mistake on his part, and I complied with his wishes to remove the piece as soon as the complaints authority made him aware of his breach.
But I think that’s now up, and I really should bring that article out of the mothballs.
!!BADA BING!! on 14TH MAY 2019 2:32 PM
Pretty sure he’d left the building re Dembele……and NL knew Hooper from England HH
___
Can’t comment on the Hooper thing but Dembele was a target under Ronny Deila and John Park.
John Park left Celtic 19/10/16 and Moussa Dembele signed 28/06/2016
T29- ok,thanks for reply HH.
GO TELL THE SPARTIM:
Agree with every word. Those are the five/six key areas of the team we need to strengthen in. Like yourself, at least two central defenders are needed although in the short term I’d take Benko on loan again. Defintely agree on Ajer eventually becoming a lynchpin of the team.
Simunovic … I have never watched a more frustrating footballer. There are games when I love that guy and others where I wonder why we bother keeping him. I think when he’s playing with his head up and he’s on a roll he’s a superb player. I still think he can grow into that number 5 shirt … but he needs to shake the complacency or be shaken out of it, and new blood does that.
I wonder if we perhaps need someone else on the left wing. I was in favour of keeping Sinclair and giving him a one year extension, in the belief that a new manager could get another top level campaign out of him, and I like Lewis Morgan … but is he ready, and can we rely on Scotty?
A loan signing in that position would do as well.
The questions over a striker is these; will Bayo deliver and will Leigh make it back?
We definitely need a target-man style player … is Bayo that?
It’s a beautiful sunny day, the Catman has spoken to me twice…life is guid ;-))
BetterthananyautographCSC
I may need to get a life lol ;-))
H.H.
TIMALOY29 on 14TH MAY 2019 3:35 PM
!!BADA BING!! on 14TH MAY 2019 2:32 PM
….John Park left Celtic 19/10/16 and Moussa Dembele signed 28/06/2016
——————————–
That’s my recollection too. In fact, was Dembele not signed even earlier – pre-contract or something during the previous January window?
HH
BGFC
Trad88 @3.19
Maybe he’s been reading CQN?
Glendalys @ 3.20
?
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 14TH MAY 2019 3:46 PM
Trad88 @3.19
Maybe he’s been reading CQN?
=====
Hope not!
HH
Welcome to Celtic Maryan Shved.
Catman…new/next/current manager…yer thoughts please ;-))
JF
Maybe Arzani can fill that left sided void, id still keep Sinclair, though i think we’ll sell him. im not yet convinced by Morgan at all, for me he is in the Mikey Johnston grouping, obviously got talent but doesnt work hard enough or is strong enough to play for us at this time.
Bayo may well be Eddie’s foil and the Griff if he returns too, but id like another striker too.
Basically a trimming of the squad but first team players acquired to push on
GO TELL THE SPARTIM:
I’ve very pleased to see Shved in the building today. Excited about this bhoy … he plays wide right which might give Forrest a headache or two, but that keeps my namesake on his toes. James can also move inside and play either as a false nine or an attacking midfielder.
Definitely agree on trimming the squad. Lots of deadwood in there … crucially, I see you’d hang onto Kouassi Eboue. I like him as well, and Rodgers thought he was a natural fit to replace Brown. He needs games a wee bit of luck, which he certainly hasn’t had.
Nobody wants to know…who I think the Catman is….guid ;-))
Actually….who is Catman…should b a quiz question
This is the second time that Celtic have fallen on their feet when a legendary manager has moved on. Let´s not forget that Strachan just happened to bump into DD at the gee gees and this time round Neil Lennon had been ostracised by Hibs ( sad edinburghers) and has been able to fall in for Brendan. This is part of the fairy tale too. Personally I would like Lenny to get the job but if that is too sentimental a choice then I would like a Jozef Venglas type to europeanise us a bit!! The great man from Slovakia is now 83 years old.
JF..you use “mothballs” as if it was a long time ago…that is disingenuous…
THELURKINTIM:
I used it because it was the first word that came to mind. The article is sitting on my hard drive. I simply forgot that it was there, and the story has moved on, and it was a relatively simple story at that.
I’ll break it down for you; Celtic fans issued a complaint over a tweet that the Sun sent out promoting an article about one of the abuse cases. The tweet – but not the article – maintained that Celtic and the Boys Club were one in the same. The complaints agency supported the view that this claim was manifestly untrue but the guy who was most responsible for pushing that complaint told me to publish it without realising that it was still under seal from the complaints body.
Nothing sinister about it at all, so whatever you’re getting at you can quit it. There’s nothing to see. The blog didn’t get a demand to remove anything, the guy who made the complaint asked me to remove it after they expressed their displeasure to him … and that’s all there is to it.
BIG GEORGES FAN CLUB – HAIL, HAIL, WEE OSCAR on 14TH MAY 2019 3:41 PM
That’s my recollection too. In fact, was Dembele not signed even earlier – pre-contract or something during the previous January window?
__
Celtic had spoken to Dembele from January but he wasn’t convinced to sign until he spoke to Brendan Rodgers. Credit where its due, BR convinced him to come and allegedly promised he could leave after two seasons.
I also heard a rumour that BR wanted Moussa Dembele to come with him to his next club. BR was already being courted by Leicester and China in the background. Hence Dembele’s comments on Rodgers being untrustworthy.
Cocu has been mentioned by a few on here over the last few days. His profile makes some reading and what he did at PSV was top drawer. Would be an ambitious move. He wouldn’t be the first foreign manager to flop in Turkey.
If you have a few moments, check him out. What a pedigree at national and international level. “Forming a midfield with Luís Figo and Pep Guardiola . . .”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillip_Cocu
DENIABHOY:
An absolute A-List candidate, and very gettable.
Right out of the top drawer, progressive, talented, successful in Holland.
I did a piece on the guy a few week ago.
https://thecelticblog.com/2019/05/blogs/is-this-the-next-celtic-manager-if-hes-not-on-the-shortlist-he-should-be/?fbclid=IwAR0BBGkVffTWY0UDsyURfVgsoyJT7DX8ow_Rg39Rl7WYuTecXrAixJfOoA4
http://www.celticfc.net/news/16173
Flannagan banned for 2 matches, Clancy should get longer,$#!tebag
!!BADA BING!! :
Absolutely right. A piece of utter thuggery and neddishness, spotted by the ref.
The yellow was a joke, and if the balls in play it’s a penalty to boot.
Scandalous decision, one of the worst I can ever remember.
JF…the truth and nothing but…my behoveness if you like
JAMES FORREST on 14TH MAY 2019 4:29 PM
On what basis would you say he’s gettable? Do we know if he has good english? Has he expressed interest?
TIMALOY29′:
He speaks perfect English. The last club linked with him was Anderlecht, and he was interested, but the negotiations broke down. If we can’t top Anderlecht we’re in bother.