Criteria for the new manager

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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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283 Comments

  1. !!Bada Bing!! on

    Skybet suspend betting on Rodgers,can happen if someone sticks a ton on a manager bet….

  2. Hope Des insey going for a swally on Buchanan St.

     

     

    It’s f@ cking bogging.. streets filthy and litter bins overflowing.

     

     

    Who are they going to blame today. ?

  3. Different day, different preferred appointment….

     

     

    Like all of us, I have no inside track and would just prefer it if we named the new boss now, cos I seem to be changing my mind by the hour….

     

     

    Today, my choice would be either McKenna or Iraola. Both show a bit of defensive nous that we need if we’re serious about pushing on in Europe…

  4. Not happy about what has happened.

     

     

    Anyway, onwards and upwards.

     

     

    Noone is bigger than the Club.

     

     

    It is horrendous being next door to the most over hyped League in the World.

     

     

    So Close but so Far away.

     

     

    I hope we get a dude in who continues with the very exciting fitba Ange had us playing.

  5. If I were a football manager heading to a new club, I’d prefer to go in when that team has underperformed or needs a bit of a rebuild. In that scenario, there’s room for improvement and even a modest success will keep you in a job and be appreciated. However, going to a team that has been sparkling and winning everything (not in Europe obviously) then you will be under tremendous pressure as the likely movement is downwards if you have a few minor slips. I’m glad I’m not a manager.

  6. McKenna or Rodgers would be my preferences today.

     

    No to Maresca. Absolutely nothing to suggest he has what it takes to manage us.

     

    Knutsen, mibbe aye mibbe naw.

     

    Buckingham for social convenor.

     

     

    Director of Football not on the agenda? Or is that what young Lawell’s role is growing into?

  7. bigrailroadblues on

    Good evening all from the International Bar. I knew Ange was a bad yin when he gave me line ups for games in McKinnons and Alfredos and they were all lies. Well, he looked like Ange. Won’t get fooled again.

  8. bigrailroadblues on

    Although it has to be said that Celtic don’t play many games in McKinnons or Alfredos

  9. bigrailroadblues on

    WEEFRA

     

    I’ve sent our kerry oot to your place. Me, Big Jimmy, David66, Leggy, BelmontBrian, Brian M and Thelurkintim are following the trucks.😂😂

  10. WeefratheTim on

    Sorry I spoke lol. 😇

     

     

    BRRB

     

     

    If it manages to park at the ferm, you are all more that welcome. 👍👍👍 HH.

  11. WeefratheTim on 7th June 2023 6:03 pm

     

     

    Good evening all

     

     

     

    This looks like turning into another saga. 😀HH

     

     

    ……………………………………………………………………………..

     

     

    As long as we get things right.

     

     

    The first Newco game is @ hate factory and we have given up the initiative.

     

     

    I hope you are keeping well WeeFra.

     

     

    God Bless.

  12. Rock Tree Bhoy on

    How do we avoid hiring a manager who will simply use us as a stepping stone, like Big Ange did? Of course to do that he would have to be successful with us first – so obviously there is an upside.

     

     

    Tough call to make – 1 year rolling contract and we can get rid of them quite easily if they turn out to be a dud, not so much with say a 4 year contract.

     

     

    You can see why DD / PL looked so unhappy on Saturday -they have to go thru all of this rigmarole again, get it wrong we suffer and there are right back in the firing line.

  13. Tom McLaughlin on

    ROCK TREE BHOY

     

     

    Maybe DD & PL looked glum because they knew the club was losing a great manager.

  14. Ska

     

     

    Ska

     

     

    Let’s let it

     

     

    Rolle

     

     

    Swisse

     

     

    Amazing Grace

     

     

    Next Celtic Manager?

     

     

    Shirley moi?

     

     

    Feed that Dani Bher

     

     

    Celtic are Curtley Ambrose, so…..

     

     

    Ange wisnae a Celtic Supporter,

     

     

    It’s OK.

  15. WeefratheTim on

    PETEC

     

     

    Yes you’re correct, we must get it right. I’m as well as can be expected under the current conditions. I hope are keeping great and, hopefully, but highly unlikely, we’ll meet again at CP. HH

  16. WeefratheTim on

    BRRB

     

     

    Ffs it’s a wee cottage I live in not a in the middle of a National Car Parl. lol. HH

  17. Moderator suggests that 99.8% of those posting on here are Celtic Supporters.

     

     

    The newco are destroyed, and I think yer Right.

     

     

    I didnae like being in the London Road Polis Sation, even worse when My Eledest Sister was summoned. I wanted to get a Taxi.

     

     

    The Cop/s were right in Shaming me.

  18. BURNLEY78 on 7TH JUNE 2023 12:19 PM

     

     

    I was thinking similar earlier today Paul. No matter how much research and how good a short list we have it is hard to be certain and to pick the perfect option. The great thing is we are in a decent position to be choosing and have options to consider.

     

     

    The entitled supporter base we have is another obstacle as well as an advantage for any incomer.

     

    ——————————————————–

     

     

    Are you out of the shower yet B78? !!!

     

    Or are you just about to go into the shower? !!!

     

     

    Got to disagree,B78.

     

     

    Do one with the corporate pishery/speak that you imply.Your a smart guy B78 let those powers who appoint managers explain themselves instead of shtooming it out!!

     

     

    Bit like blaming a production worker filling a lorry wi gin at a gin bottling plant,as to why the latest Gordon’s gin tastes wrong,is honking and is withdrawn.

     

     

    what did those entitled fans as you describe do when an unknown manager was ridiculed publicly by radio ?

     

     

    What did those fans do when Paul67s invited Unionist scum like George Galloways friend poster JHB and his coterie of multi monikered huns jibed about a top 6 finish?

     

     

    Oh the fun they had.

     

     

    The invited guests ripped the pish more than Brazil etc

     

    did of our newly appointed manager ON THESE VERY PAGES.

     

     

    To use Tommy Burns phrase ‘we are always there’

     

     

    So if you don’t mind lets stop excusery and amateur

     

    excusery and redaction of history by p67

     

     

    Let’s stop diverting attention to that entitled support

     

     

    And keep the flamethrower fixed on the feet of those who make the managerial appointment

     

     

    DD,yourlad,Peter,Michael,Chris et al

     

    Earn the corn you harvest of those entitled fans.

     

    Those fans will back your manager

     

     

    I believe we are well run but by f we can always be better.That is Celtic way

     

    Every focus and eye is watching those that decide.

     

     

    entitled fans ffs,less of the faux snobbery.You and I both know where the heat is at the moment and it aint the fans.Get the job done.and get it done right.

     

    Let us embrace and put our collective arms around

     

    But Get the job done and let’s get on

     

     

    🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

     

    :-))

     

    Hail Hail

  19. An Tearmann

     

     

    Great Celt,

     

     

    Who will take us Forward?

     

     

    And I am very right wing now.

     

     

    Older.

     

     

    You are Honest.

  20. Hiring a manager for Celtic is very much like making love to a beautiful woman

     

     

    You offer her a relationship with few strings attached, hey if it stops being sexy, we can both walk away

     

     

    If we get each other’s groove then yeah, put a ring on that sweet chic’s finger

     

     

    A pre nup of course, any dude muscles in , he has to pay

     

     

    #swisstony