Two years ago, current Inverness manager, John Hughes, was guest of honour at the CQN Golf Day. For around two hours during the meal he spoke privately to me about John Collins.
Hughes worked alongside Collins at Livingston and regarded our new assistant manager as the most insightful, tactically aware and innovative person he’d met in the game. According to Hughes, Collins could see things hidden to others, including himself. He could spot weaknesses in opposition teams and make telling observations about his own players and formations.
When recruiting anyone to the management team we want to hear endorsements like this. Most of the CQN demographic are old enough to remember times when managers’ and assistants’ most important attribute was their ability to bang his first on a table and yell “Get stuck right intae them” with a legendary level of authority.
This model of the desirable manager is still valued by British clubs, it’s a superstition which has been fed by famous and successful table bangers like Sir Alex Ferguson, but Ferguson’s Fist was not the source of his magic touch. More than anything else, Ferguson’s successful longevity was his insistence on appointing insightful, tactically aware innovators as assistants, who were often more switched-on than he was.
I wanted a student of the game as manager but I also want another strong tactical head as assistant. The last thing a manager actually needs as his assistant is his pal, or someone who is good at shouting, or even someone to be a buffer between him and the players. Whoever puts the cones out at Lennoxtown, like the Scottish physio at Chelsea, can be the players’ pal, cum-go-between, cum-nag.
One of football’s many inefficiencies is the managerial structure. Unlike other industries, the responsibility and wage gaps between the man with the top job and his assistant are huge. There is no reason for this, in fact, it’s mad. You always need a hierarchy but the no. 2 should have duties, responsibilities and pay only a fraction less than his immediate superior. The huge disparities in authority which are common do not give you a functioning team, at best you have a less efficient autocracy.
As we’ve said for years, guru managers don’t exist, but good, properly constituted, management teams do.
Those in the management team, responsible for spending millions of pounds of our money each year, of making tactical decisions against the best teams in Europe, need to be oracles of the game. Anything less and we’re indulging in one of football’s glaring and costly inefficiencies.
John Collins fits the profile. He also doesn’t suffer fools, with strong ideas on training, fitness, laxity, drinking, diet and off-field behaviour. For Celtic, all of this is necessary. Footballers are elite athletes but there is enormous variation in how dedicated they are to their personal development. This doesn’t exist in elite participants in sports like athletics, where you don’t get near the podium without a puritanical level of commitment to your development, and to your coach’s instructions.
You can also forget any concerns about Scott Brown. The Scott Brown of 2014, who as Neil Lennon’s captain was responsible for imposing misdemeanor fines on players, is more like John Collins than he is like the Scott Brown of 2007.
Over the last seven years we have built the sports science, medical, technical analysis and scouting capacity, all of which are particularly impressive, but the management team has always had a homespun feel about it. In 10 years of CQN I’ve never backed a Celtic management appointment, but with the appointment of Ronny Deila and John Collins we have a new type of management team. There are no guarantees of immediate success in any walk of life, and Champions League qualification this season will still be exposed to the vagaries of sport, but I’m delighted we finally have what looks like a properly constituted team in the dug out.
Visit the CQN Bookstore to get Tommy Gemmell to sign your personal copy of his book, All the Best.
[calameo code=0003901719d82038831a9 lang=en page=126 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
757 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- »
ernie lynch
10:34 on 19 June, 2014
bamboo
10:31 on 19 June, 2014
Is this the kind of thing you mean?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-27883685
::::::::::::
First class response
Gotta agree with Ernie, unless I have the wrong end of the stick.
I can’t see the logic.
https://vine.co/v/MTzDUlh9i0D
ref gets handshake snub..
Beatbhoy –
Avons-nous.
Not Avez nous.
Must do better mon ami.
Sacre bleu quelle matraque
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KEdxhZM_LNI
Certainement aff oot cette fois
My worry is that straight from the off, our manager is defending himself, John Collins, Scott brown.
Ronny will have to accept that it isn’t possible to please the MSM in Scotland, as their pleasure is our downfall.
Tom
Merci, mais j’suis jist messin’ aboot, mon ami!
De todos modos, prefiero hablar espanyol. (can’t do the ’tilde’).
Beatbhoy –
So was I.
:-)
Tom
! Claro! (can’t do inverted exclamation mark!)
Coolmore Mafia
10:55 on 19 June, 2014
My worry is that straight from the off, our manager is defending himself, John Collins, Scott brown.
Ronny will have to accept that it isn’t possible to please the MSM in Scotland, as their pleasure is our downfall.
EXACTLY.!!!!! people asking these questions should be thrown oot and never let back.
notre PIERRE est un fire guard du chocolat,ne’st ce pas!!!!!
Someone was asking when new kit on sale.
THE stunning new Celtic away kit is now on sale. The green tartan kit is inspired by the club’s proud Irish heritage and Scottish roots and has already proved a huge hit with fans.
Eager fans were able to get their hands on the new kit from as early as 4am this morning. Holidaymakers departing from Glasgow Airport picked up the kit from our store there, whilst the Celtic Superstore has reported a brisk trade since opening at 7:30am.
With the sunnier weather having finally arrived, expect to see lots of Hoops fans donning the new kit in the coming days. You can get yours today at Celtic stores throughout Scotland and Ireland, many of whom have extended opening hours this evening and over the weekend.
Here’s a list of Store opening hours for Thursday, June 19:
Celtic Superstore, Celtic Park: 7:30am – 7:30pm
Glasgow, 154 Argyle St: 7:30am – 7:30pm
Glasgow, 215 Sauchiehall St: 8:00am – 6:30pm
East Kilbride, The Plaza 8:00am – 8:00pm
Glasgow Airport: 4:00am – 8:00pm
Coatbridge, 72 Main St: 7:30am – 7:30pm
Clydebank, Clyde Shopping Centre: 9:00am – 7:00pm
Stirling, The Thistle Centre: 9:00am – 8:00pm
Greenock, 5 West Blackhall St: 8:00am – 6:00pm
Inverness, Eastgate Shopping Centre: 9:00am – 7:00pm
Livingston, The Centre, Almondvale: 9:00am – 8:00pm
Belfast, 30-34 Ann St: 8:00am – 8:00pm
Dublin, 125 Upper Abbey St: 9:00am – 9:00pm
I’m not particularly surprised by Spain’s failure to show up at this World Cup. Most of their players are selected from Athletico Madrid, Barcelona and Real Madrid and each of those teams, and their respective players, endured draining seasons. It’s impossible for elite athletes to remain at peak performance indefinitely and I don’t think football is any different from other sports in that sense.
I can’t see England going anywhere in this competition and it won’t surprise me if they lose this evening despite a good show against the Italians. Of all the European teams, Germany and Italy represent the best chance of European success. Bayern and Juventus scooted their leagues and this undoubtedly gave their players the time to switch focus to the current competition.
Messi’s mid-season injury may turn out to be a blessing in disguise, as could Sami Khedira’s.
kevjungle
08:35 on 19 June, 2014
To be fair, they are both fantastic stadiums ……?
ian_in_budapest
11:12 on 19 June, 2014
Spot on…..
coolmore mafia
10:55 on 19 June, 2014
“Their pleasure is our downfall” …….. How right you are….HH …… BUT…… we shall not be moved …….bless ’em, though, for trying ….hahahahahahaha
John Collins: I’m delighted to be back at the club I support http://celticfc.net/news/6089 (
I like John Collins but he has just made his first mistake in my book.
He spoke of himself in the third person and that is one thing Tim Tanium doesn’t like!:-)
Ian_in _budapest
I was thinking the same as I watched the game, but Alexis Sanchez seemed to be managing ok!
Tim Tanium
Let’s hope it’s only the odd time. Seriously annoying listening to someone doing that! (Unless they’re joking, of course!)
Just opened my emails and a friend had sent this wee gem .
http://tirnaog09.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/the-green-mile.html
Till later all
leftclicktic we are all neil lennon
11:37 on 19 June, 2014
Just opened my emails and a friend had sent this wee gem .
http://tirnaog09.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/the-green-mile.html
Till later all
Brilliant.
King Juan Carlos chucks it
Spanish Fitba team chucks it
A cunning plan ;))
HH
Ian in Budapest
Hmmm..isn’t your thoughts on England perhaps a little bit of wishful thinking? I agree on your point re Spain, but have to disagree on England. I see them winning tonight and think they’ll get through to the last 16, and possibly the last 8. I see nothing in the Uruguay team to concern me that they’ll beat England. I’m backing England minus a goal.
leftclicktic We are all Neil Lennon
11:37 on
19 June, 2014
Just opened my emails and a friend had sent this wee gem .
http://tirnaog09.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/the-green-mile.html
Till later all
————————————————————-
Fantastic, thanks for sharing
Weet3-got your message re Salvage mob last week ta,Jimmie Krankie’s nite oot is on 31st July,but hope to put the band together for a few beers before then.HH
My friends in Celtic,
Yes the BBC has undoubted faults but if you think the internet is the vehicle for unbiased information and propaganda be very careful.
You could be shocked.
HH.
Leftclick,
Superb neebs.
leftclicktic We are all Neil Lennon………………………………….HAW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That should be read in private, and no sitting in a huge office, I’ve a feckin stoic Jock image to rebuild noo.
Brilliant
Greenpinata
11:51 on 19 June, 2014
My friends in Celtic,
Yes the BBC has undoubted faults but if you think the internet is the vehicle for unbiased information and propaganda be very careful.
You could be shocked.
HH.
————————————————————————————-
The internet is full of looneys posting brain dumps of whatever they want without any kind of peer review or critical faculty being applied. For an example, just look at CQN! :-)))
Speaking of yourself in the third person suggests conceit and ego mania verging on self obsession.
These obviously aren’t traits anyone could associate John Collins with so I assume he was having a larf.
He strikes me as the sort who likes a larf and a joke.
Probably why he and Scott Brown hit it off so well.
Leftclicktic,
Nice one.
Hail! Hail! PMTYH
***LUNCHTIME QUIZ***
Well, what do you know, no winners yesterday so it’s a rollover.
Two coconuts on offer.
So again, it is all about quotes.
Who is attributed to have said the following Celtic-related quotes:
1. “Celtic fans, you are great, you are marvellous”
2. “I don’t make anything of anything to do with Rangers.”
3. “Football will survive because of teams like Celtic and its fans.”
4. “This is what we need in Italy, this type of environment. This was the essence of sport. To hear the Celtic fans singing and chanting after the game was incredible.”
5. “We work hard all week, but on a Saturday we get the day off to play football”
***The rules of the game are always the same.
No search engines please, you’re only cheating yourself.***
Ernie
I’m guessing that you’re being facetious again?!
IGC
I know that No 2 wasn’t Dermot Desmond :-)
If you have not read the Secret Footballer I recommend that you do. An incredible insight into the game of football and certainly rubber stamps some of the thoughts I have had around certain players who have engineered there way out of Celtic.
It’s a cynical old business and by the end of their career I would imagine a large percentage of players are happy to never see a football again.
LB
IGC
12:01 on
19 June, 2014
***LUNCHTIME QUIZ***
Well, what do you know, no winners yesterday so it’s a rollover.
Two coconuts on offer.
————-
Thats no much of a bounty – im away fur ma lunch
twists n turns
I’m backing Ingerlund as well. Think they will beat Uruguay (Homer Simpson’s favourite country) and get through to the knock out stages. Like the fact that there new hero is Sturridge….nice to see that the son/granson/great grandson of immigrants can be positive for a nation. Doesn’t seem to balance with the UKIP view though.
Saw the kids from his old primary school this morning and they were so enthusiastic (one displying excellent skills).
I hope Ingerlund go on to do very well and that Lineker and Chiles become ever more annoying. The more annoying the better for me.
C’mon Ingerlund!
ernie lynch,
As someone who has lived overseas for years and so has experience of many other TV/Radio stations, I agree with you that the BBC, for all it’s faults, is far and away the best in the world.