In the time I’ve been writing CQN, this is the eighth managerial change Celtic have gone through. A feature I have always noticed before is that we try to correct for the previous incumbent’s biggest weakness. Did Ange have a big weakness? The sense I am picking up from most on here is that, if anything, we would like more of the same. Change as little as possible and keep the caravan moving. But what was it about Ange that made him successful and, therefore, what do we need in the new man?
He must control alpha males who have often achieved more than you as players. They are usually from a different generation and are therefore culturally remote. The good ones have options and will leave if they don’t take to you, so a Mastery of Contained Authority is required.
Tactics are incredibly technical. Five or six players need to act on a cue from an opponent in tandem, get it wrong, and you will be shredded. Three years ago, we saw how a straightforward technical task like defending a set-piece is far more difficult than non-players could believe. Until recently, managers could survive on their eye for a player and by being the apex alpha, not anymore.
Celtic are on a good road technically. Recruitment and scouting have been focussed to deliver to Ange’s requirements. I would be very reluctant to throw that out for a new plan. We should choose a manager technically in-tune with our current strategy – or one prepared to learn quickly.
Leadership qualities extend beyond the dressing room. Ange excelled here, leading the entire club: fans, board, players, staff, even the media were under his spell. If you think this is easy, we should talk about Gordon Strachan’s time.
Recruitment can be the most important part of a football club. Gordon grew up a Hibs fan and would often watch them. Consequently, he signed three players from Easter Road. Martin O’Neill was once described to be by someone who worked closely with him as a “Match of the Day manager”. If he saw you play well on TV, he would want to sign you. It was not an efficient strategy.
The problem with recruitment is that the net needs to be cast worldwide. Managers often have two games a week and spare time to travel to watch a player is almost non-existent. Modern recruitment is more of a team effort than it was when many of today’s crop of managers first took charge. They need to be prepared to let go of some controls they had before. The manager is either a cog in the wheel, or he is a spanner. Too many are micro-managing spanners.
If players are not good enough, managers get the sack, so you can understand why they want this control, but changes in the game make them a liability. A manager who excels is one who can curtail his apex instincts and become primus inter pares at recruitment meetings.
Not all environments are the same and none are quite like Glasgow. The next Celtic manager needs to take a team to Ibrox in front of 50,000 hostile fans and fortify them for the task. Success or failure in this task alone could determine the outcome of your job in its entirety. Brendan Rodgers, Neil Lennon and Ange were all up to this job. Would a technically brilliant manager who has never faced anything more than a Scandinavian chill cope? How can we know?
Celtic have a shortlist of names that meet the criteria, one that has been curated since before Ange was appointed. It inspires some confidence, but I sense a lot of trepidation among those with the decision to make. Ultimately, you can do all the checks you want, but we all know it’s a throw of the dice.
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LAMBERT14 on 7TH JUNE 2023 4:10 PM
Saint Stivs
Lennon’s track record at other clubs proved that he wasn’t a talented enough manager to be at Celtic, and so it proved.
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how did the talentless Neil Lennon win 5 consecutive trophies ?
we blamed him , strachan, kennedy, lawwell for the loss of the 10,
how did they win stuff beofre then ?
SAINT STIVS on 7TH JUNE 2023 4:02 PM
Cracker!-)))
Des Buckingham, yep Pistol Pete is back at paradise alright.
DENIABHOY on 7TH JUNE 2023 4:24 PM
Apologies, I did not mean to ridicule anyone. I do think keeping a sense of humour is vital.
I actually think you have something. Body language speaks volumes.
Cheers and HH.
So Buckingham has gone from 66/1 to 7/2 second favourite on the strength of a photo of the back of his head at the airport?
Buckingham? Surely NOT!
SAINT STIVS
I can’t speak for others but I was disappointed when Lennon got the gig because I was convinced there were better coaches out there. He took over a side that was so far ahead of theRangers, it would’ve taken something drastic to not win anything. However, the way the wheels come off could be seen by many – not just hindsight.
Why is it that away from Celtic, the biggest job he’s ever been offered and probably ever will be offered was a financially-stricken Bolton? That’s a serious question by the way. His coaching career since leaving Celtic has hardly been stellar.
DENIABHOY,
I also remember BR making a point when he ditched his trademark suit and tie for a tracksuit.
I think it was at Firhill.
So yes, you are speaking to the converted.
HH.
gentrified ange in london,
looking for digs around earls court.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/Ange_Postecoglou_01.jpg/1280px-Ange_Postecoglou_01.jpg
GREENPINATA – No apology required, as soon as I posted it without a smiley I knew I’d get slaughtered.
Buckingham going to Palace
West Ham v Fiorentina, free for Virgin Media subscribers
mncelt
That should just about cover it for the Big Pete Beat…..
Just one thing though,……..
Don’t see any mention of Dubai there?
SAINT STIVS on 7TH JUNE 2023 4:20 PM
How long shall we give the new manager till there are calls for his head ?
presseason defeat in Japan tour ?
losing any games domestically ?
crashing out the league cup ?
first defeat at ibrox ?
getting pumped in europe again, same as for years and years ?
not playing in an angeball celtic way style ?
for many, neil lennons worst attribute was that he was not brendan rodgers.
ange came in and his best attribute to many was that he was not neil lennon, however that didnt mean universal support , he was getting hounded immediately from touching down at glasgow.
the poor next guy will be written off because he is not ange. or matching howe as he starts winning in europe.
funny lot, fitba supporters, reality doent count, it seems only names and emotions.
oh well.
it is going to be a long summer
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Lennon’s pie and a pint management style isn’t equipped for a club of Celtic’s standing.
Looj at what happened to our managers this century done after leaving the club
O’Neill, Ange, Rodgers went to EPL.
Strachan became Scotland manager
Deila went to MLS and now at Club Brugge
Mowbray currently at Sunderland
Lennon had to go to Cyprus for a gig.
What is it that you see in him that football CEO’S (apart from Lawwell) can’t see?
No way Jose for Buckingham
Saint Stivs – beard gone too. Upping his game for sure.
Definitely Lawwell and Lennon to blame.
The same duo I would blame for a big chunk of a generation of domination.
But hey folk have to kick someone when things ain’t all going their way.
LAMBERT14 on 7TH JUNE 2023 4:38
I think it’s the same as what Manchester United fans saw in Ole and Chelsea fans in Lampard – struggling to see past the legendary player when analysing the coach.
Had it not been Neil Lennon but someone else who’d done okay at Hibs and poorly at Bolton brought in to maintain the standards brought in by BR, I’m guessing the view would be different.
If Lyndsey Buckingham is coming as Asst. manager , do we get Stevie Nicks as manager. We’d win the league in a Landslide
BURNLEY78 on 7TH JUNE 2023 4:40 PM
This has been all brought up because P67 still embarrassingly defends the Lennon in the showers appointment
“DENIABHOY on 7TH JUNE 2023 4:40 PM
… beard gone too. Upping his game for sure.”
Do you believe that is a current photo of Ange?
SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 7TH JUNE 2023 4:44 PM
If Lyndsey Buckingham is coming as Asst. manager , do we get Stevie Nicks as manager. We’d win the league in a Landslide
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Would he amend Ange’s we never stop to Don’t Stop or would he be be advised to Go Your Own Way instead.
Geebee – Yep, same deluded, blinkered view as those who thought Shane Duffy would be sensational because he was Irish and said he supported Celtic.
In the immortal words of every bland business meeting I’ve ever been to:
Can we take the Neil Lennon stuff offline please.
:)
HH
Neil Lennon was a very good manager for a while but he had flaws and being in Glasgow worsened them.
He deserved and had earned a better gig than basket-case Bolton but Scottish Press portrayal will have poisoned the well for him. He had success at Hibs and in Cyprus. I hope that he can conquer his demons and gets another chance in football- but not at Celtic first team.
Ronny Deila has more than proved his promise- winning with NYC in the MSL and getting a promoted gig in Belgium this year.
Gordon Strachan was highly successful against a financially doped Rangers and got us 2 last 16 places. And yes, the fit was not easy on the eye.
All 3 were slaughtered by the support. It was instant opposition to Strachan and Deila but Lenny was given time because of his achievements first time around.
Paul 67’s attempts at revisionism re the shower appointment will convince no-one. There is a card that the support use to trump and undermine all of Neil’s achievements and that is the Covid season debacle and the loss of the 10. It is a pretty powerful trump card, mind. You cannot argue that a 25 point gap was a disaster year, you just can’t.
Young Des is only in Glasgow for a swally.
Stand down and apologies if you’ve lost dough in the betting.
Just look what you’ve done to us Ange csc
HH
Hot Smoked – of course, it was taken at lunchtime today when he was checking out new schools. You can see in the background he gave his jumper to the janitor.
GM, aahhh, but Duffy said he was a Celtic man while drinking a pint in the corner of a Celtic pub…..how much more proof do you need???
Ange got out at right time – an impact manager as paul67 calls him – another low number of points CL campaign and his brand would have changed. I love him; I thank him for the amazing 2 years – we can get even better.
Big wavy
Take it off line
That is funny.
We must be the only club in Europe where the job description list has the necessity to handle a rabid snidey hun media very high up on it.
Ange certainly had their number from day one.
This sad wee country has to be unique in that its two main football clubs are afforded an almost absolute disparity in coverage, reporting and respect.
Jackiemac
I agree with you.
On both points.
We got the best of Ange impact and money for him leaving.
We have a chance to improve.
SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 7TH JUNE 2023 4:57 PM
I think he speaks well and articulately about the game and makes a decent pundit.
Maybe that’s where he’ll see himself, I don’t know.
DENIABHOY on 7TH JUNE 2023 4:57 PM
Thanks.
I honestly thought you had taken just a cursory glance and thought it was a current photo !
Cheerio for now.
What I liked about Anges stint as manager….he seemed to rule the transfer nest ……he had last say …Johnson for instance speaks about Ange phoning him obviously getting a feel for it
My gut feeling is we may go back to the dreadful players being foisted upon coaches …..it just doesn’t work for me !!!!
TONTINE TIM on 7TH JUNE 2023 3:24 PM
Gonnae fur fuck sake jist name the guy.
Bevymerchantfraehillobeathcsc.
Absolutely fantastic that a guy out on the lash, is currently 2nd favourite for the Celtic job.
When is BRRB entering the odds?
Bonkers csc
HH
Solskjaer on NcKenna:
OGS told the Athletic in May this year of the Celtic target: “Kieran was a surprise to me when I got to United. He’s the most thorough and analytical, step-by-step, process-driven coach that I’ve worked with. He makes it so easy for the players to see and understand what we wanted from them. He’d do that the day before a game and his memory was also fantastic, his eye for detail too.
“One of his strong points was defensive organisation and I let him be in charge of that in training. I learned from him about defensive shape and how not to concede.
“Kieran would have unit meetings with the players and go through videos. He was more focused on when the team didn’t have possession, whereas Michael (Carrick) was about when the team did have possession. They gave the players the detail I wanted them to have before a game.”