You and I know there is still work to so, but ask Newco fans or client journalists and they will tell you, they are out of the league chase this season, the title is going to Celtic. The question is why? At the very least, they have to give some credit to Celtic.
Ange Postecoglou transformed Celtic from the moment he arrived, bringing players from a market few in Europe had proper access to. Despite losing the title in 2021, the infrastructure at Celtic and profile of the squad was sufficient to raise money in order to scout, buy or loan with an option, Kyogo, Hatate, Maeda, Jota, Carter-Vickers, Starfelt, Juranovic, Hart and more.
The rebuild process continued at Celtic Park in the summer, consequentially, Celtic have won all but one of their domestic games this season. They are imperious rivals, far stronger than the side which lost their way in season 2020-21. If you want to compete against them, you need a comparable budget and scouting system; Newco have neither.
Despite taking over midway through a campaign, Giovanni van Bronckhorst won one of the two domestic trophies available to him. His immediate predecessor won one from nine. As we left Hampden in April, out of the Scottish Cup, we knew we had a resourceful rival.
In what seemed an impossibility, he eliminated Sparta Prague, Brondby, Borussia Dortmund, Red Star Belgrade, Braga and Leipzig on his way to the Europa League Final in Seville, losing in the narrowest of margins possible. History will record that this record was one of incredible overachievement.
Then came the summer. He sold his two best players, bringing in over £30m in transfer fees this calendar year, money that would have been enough to challenge Celtic, but he was allowed to spend less than half this figure. After qualifying for the Champions League group stage – something I never thought I would see – Giovanni was given no additional funds. Zilch!
Two weeks ago I explained some of what happened inside Celtic when Neil Lennon’s side came off the rails, why Celtic did not sack him early in the season, how it is easy to sack a manager but immeasurably more difficult to get the next decision right. In particular, that “Proportionality of response is required if you are to be taken seriously by serious candidates.”
Celtic could have recruited those desperate for a job, but right then, they were not attracting a candidate that convinced them to hand them the keys to the kingdom. If you think ANYONE inside Ibrox right now believes they have a plan to flip fortunes with Celtic, you are wildly mistaken.
In that earlier piece I wrote, “[Newco] 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.”
Abusive. Flack. Personally. This is impossibly difficult. I watched it at Celtic, when Peter Lawwell took on the grief because, as he told me at the time, he believed that firing Neil just months after his successes, would make it more difficult for him to attract a great candidate. He wanted to be able to say to a new manager, “I have your back when the going gets tough”. This counts in football.
The experience was painful and in all honestly, I don’t know if I would have gone through the same. It is no surprise those in charge at Newco reached for a scapegoat instead of facing down their more entitled fans at next month’s AGM.
There is another pertinent question, why didn’t Newco sign anyone after disposing of PSV Eindhoven to reach the Champions League group stage? Why were they unable to invest more of the cash they took in, or some of the guaranteed European revenue? Why did they send Gio into battle naked?
For this, I refer you to two news articles published in September.
Firstly, Uefa’s statement on 2 September. Newco were one of 19 clubs mentioned that Uefa said “will be monitored closely in the upcoming period” with regards to the new Financial Fair Play regulations.
Then in his annual report, Celtic chief executive, Michael Nicholson wrote, “Celtic played a significant role at a strategic and technical level in the development of the new regulations.” Having crossed swords with Uefa on FFP for many years, last season, Peter Lawwell spent half a day a week working with Association on their new FFP regulations.
He was hugely influential in drafting their objectives, which were material in inhibiting Newco from splurging cash again – material in what happened today. When I read the new FFP regulations in the summer, I mentioned to ‘sources close to Celtic’, “This is going to get wee Gio the sack.” I wasn’t wrong. From now on, if you want to catch Celtic, live within your means, run a good business, recruit good people and take your chances with the rest of them.
294 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- »
Thought USA,who were very good,Celtic like,in first half,slowed right down second,very ,Hun like,slow build up,let Wales in.Draw correct.Good game.
Good evening all from the Claremont Hotel, Blackpool. All inclusive, so it would be rude not to have another.
HOT SMOKED on 21ST NOVEMBER 2022 10:32 PM
I think the defendeer was Walker Zimmerman. If so, he still plays in the US. Hmm…
———–
Heir to the zimmerman walking frame dynasty
😂😂
you fair get about BRRB
St Stivs
A retired gentleman needs a hobby. 👍
enjoy, blackool loomanations
Congratulations to GVB.
Genuinely.
Comes across as a decent bloke.
Better off out of that hate pit.
No one who walks into that place and stays two years or more walks out a better person.
There was a condescending troll who posted prolifically on here last season.
Can’t remember his moniker but I do seem to recall him heaping praise on the Sevco leadership for their efficiency in managing a seamless transition from SG to PVG.
He’s probably not a bappy hunny tonight.
Calling Melbourne Mick
Have you heard of James Curtis?
A teacher involved in St Marys
Involved himself in the club from the start
Reserve team winner 1890/91 as match secretary.
He emigrated Canada,then Melbourne
Where he passed away in 1933.buried in your town.
Have you ever heard of him?
HH
Disappointed that USA ran out of steam second half. I thought the Welsh physically overcame them 2nd half, and that Bale played for the penalty.
I hope CCV gets a place on Friday.
I have some sympathy for Gio, but not a lot.
He knew the state of play before he took the position and surely realized that only beating us would be the only guarantee of job security. And happily he failed completely in that KPI.
Happily enjoying the pain down Paisley Road West.
‘GG
GG.
I didn’t see the U.S game,
do you think how and when the subs are used-
Will have an impact on the game,re heat.taxctics etc?
The Iran keeper should have been subbed straightaway.
Length of injury time.
Ah well so it’s England’s to loose :-)
HH
AT
US dominated first half and Wales just didn’t compete. Wales made a change at the half and brought on a target man who was very effective at holding the ball up allowing Wales to get forward and retain more possession.
Pulisic and Weah combined for a cracking goal and a deserved half time lead, which should have been more.
I’m not sure what the conditions were in Doha, but it was late when the game finished so probably it had cooled down a bit. The later games should have a wee bit of an advantage as the temps and humidity fall.
Good morning all from a dark, damp, chilly Garngad.
I also wondered why most games are having 7,8,9,10 mins injury time but I suppose that’s what happens when referees impart the rules fairly.
D :)
The US CB Ream,should have had a 2nd yellow card for the penalty challenge, big Cammy would have had a chance to start v Engerland…..
McCOIST….
Folk on here have their own opinions on McCoist, and I have mine…..
After a Celtic v Huns game at Celtic Park which the Huns WON………McCoist ( Assistant Hun Manager) was interviewed LIVE after the Final whistle…
McCoist was obviously praising the Hun players blah blah, but HE ALSO PRAISED the Hun SUPPORTERS….Telling the TV Audience and the Interviewer….” How FANTASTIC the Hun support were, as they NEVER STOPPED SINGING for the whole 90 Minutes”.
The Interviewer then asked McCoist…” What about the SECTARIAN SINGING from your supporters, Ally” ?
McCoist then replied …” I NEVER HEARD ANY SECTARIAN Singing” !
NOT only a Blatant LIAR……but a CHUMP who had just contradicted himself in front of a TV Audience ! One minute hes PRAISING the Hun supporters singing….the next minute…He’s claiming that he NEVER heard them ?
As for his so called Co Commentaries…..McCoist is a complete JOKE IMHO.
HH
I wish I could remember WHO the TV Interviewer was that Day…..when McCoist LIED on LIVE TV ?
Hats off to the Interviewer for asking McCoist about the SECTARIAN Singing ?
Just a pity that he never got an HONEST ANSWER !
HH
Goid morning Celts…
AULDHEID @ 7:58 PM,
Excellent, synopsis of where we’re at regarding FSR.
The Res12 ghuys deserve our thanks for the dogged way they pursued this issue, making it impossible for UEFA to ignore the the non compliance involved.
The SFA as the licensor had no “appetite” to ensure Rangers were compliant and there was far too much at stake for Rangers for them ever to hold their hands up in this regard.
The WTC was overdue for a long time and their “dispute” was erroneous as advice from their QC makes clear – it was the pretense that had to stop 21-March-2011.
The impact the FSR has had on Rangers makes it clear how well this new set up works.
Two weeks ago I explained some of what happened inside Celtic when Neil Lennon’s side came off the rails, why Celtic did not sack him early in the season, how it is easy to sack a manager but immeasurably more difficult to get the next decision right.
It is a bit disingenuous to suggest that Lenny’s team suddenly came off the rails, sure it seemed clear he had “lost the dressing room”, as his press conferences were testament too but this was a process.
When he was installed as caretaker manager Lenny was told not to interfere with the set up and stated openly he didn’t understand it anyway – a curious state of affairs no doubt.
Still Lenny piloting the ship into port was all that was necessary, so under the circumstances not a bonkers decision.
The same can’t be said of giving Lenny the job fulltime in the showers of Hampden Park.
From that moment on the writing was on the wall and it wasn’t “up the Celts”.
In every area of the football club we went backwards and Lenny having an “eye for a player” was shown to be a bogus claim.
We should have had a clear and vetted list of candidates when Brendan Rodgers left, it was clear the relationship with the Footballing staff and the Board had long since broken down.
If not then during Lenny’s caretaking period this should have been done as a top priority, four months to find and employ the necessary Manager, coaches and backroom staff was more than enough time – we had the money to do so burning a hole in our pocket.
Then when the results and performances of our new recruits began to ring alarm bells we should have had a vetted list of replacements should have been in place, managers sounded out.
It was very clear that, as many expected, the selection of Lenny as manager was a case of hope over experience as any chance of the ten evaporated – their is absolutely no excuse for not having a vetted list of candidates in place – in fact there was absolutely no excuse for not having a suitable manager and staff in place ready to take over when Lenny went.
After that we still went on to the Eddie Howe debacle.
Dropping the ball once when BR went is understandable to an extent but here are a series of unforgivable oversights on the part of the Celtic Board. They lost us the ten and regular participation in the UCL.
Hail Hail
So yesterday there were 1-2 stories of some English fans being told they could not enter the stadium because they had rainbow t-shirts on.
Meanwhile you have guys in full crusader outfits, in the Middle East, getting in.
Strange world.
Although the huns are out of the league race, a new permanent manager will not be given a six month free hit.
Should their new boss lose the league by say a 15 point margin, go out of both cups and possibly ship a tanking to us, they could be looking for another boss come May.
I gather the Record are pushing for Beale to be the manager of the deid team. Hope that doesn’t happen.
My highlights of the world cup so far are in particular order
The qatari national anthem
The Senegal military band drifters tribute act
PARKHEADCUMSALFORD @ 8:55 AM,
Interesting how QPR’s results have fallen off a cliff since the Gio must go campaign started and Beale took a trip to Glasgow!?
Hail Hail
Majority of them on their blogs don’t want Beale.Dyche they prefer.I know,I know,but God help them,they do.
Unless I’m mistaken,Beale has been a manager for about 16 weeks?
The fact that the huns are making it cleat that GVB was sacked rather than mutually consented might make finding a replacement slightly trickier.
Deniabhoy,
Yep,noticed that.The other thing,the England flag at the Anthems,looks like a huge Crusader shield.
:-))))
The Huns are not all” Bealing”
Well they are,but you know what I mean.
Argentina,here I come.
I think Dick Campbell should be on the list; well qualified I heard
Definite penalty.
The Saudi keeper was a yard off his line when Messi kicked the ball.
If the Saudis finish this game with 11 men I’ll be amazed. There tackling first 10 minutes has been brutal.
4-0 Argentina.
Well done referee, hopefully stops the nonsense from corners
Giving penalties for defender manhandling is a fair application of the rules; wid likely benefit us in SPFL too.
I feel the Argie playacting has been at least on a par with the robust physicality of the Saudi team.
And Argentina are no stranger to cynical football brutality either.
Monna Falcons!!
VAR strikes again
PS; liking the Saudi hunger. Hard to keep that up for 90 tho.
Tap dale dive, that.
If that’s offside the game’s a bogey
Nice equaliser fae the greenyins!!
Saudi equalise