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. Hearing Moussa Dembele is now a free agent…..does he have his coaching badges by any chance? 👀

  2. Chompers will soon have the bit between his teef again………………

     

     

    Aye.

  3. Guid to see wee Nasty failed to be appointed Hertz manager………………

  4. Steven Naismith has been named Heart of Midlothian’s technical director because his lack of a Uefa Pro Licence means he cannot be appointed manager.

     

     

    The 36-year-old cannot begin to obtain the licence until next year, so Frank McAvoy has been named head coach.

  5. Martin O’Neill was once described to be by someone who worked closely with him as a “Match of the Day manager”

     

     

    Eight managers later and we’re still giving it tight to Oor Martin

     

     

    Is it true that big Pedro was a “It will be all right on the night” CEO!?

     

     

    Hail Hail

  6. Naismith is ok: from my toun and in business with Tims I wasn’t very nice to

     

     

    Good guy

  7. YOGIHUGHES on 7TH JUNE 2023 7:46 PM

     

     

    The Glasgow Evening Times reports betting suspended on Rodgers.

     

     

    Take it or leave it.

     

     

    HH

     

     

    Yogi,that booky has the right pause while counting mugs money and think Ferrari Testorossa or Aston Martin….Then snap out of it and go back to counting the mugs money….

     

    It’s back open again

     

     

    HH

  8. !!Bada Bing!! on

    Malachy Duffin on 7th June 2023 10:22 pm

     

     

    Surely Jim McGuinness must be in the running.. . . . .

     

     

    VG

  9. CONEYBHOY on 7TH JUNE 2023 10:00 PM

     

    Naismith is ok: from my toun and in business with Tims I wasn’t very nice to, Good guy

     

     

    *WGS was on the verge of signing him until mcsleekit told him tae hold on as although deidco had no money they would have by the next transfer windae, which they did

  10. DUSHANBE BHILLY BHOY on 7TH JUNE 2023 10:18 PM

     

     

    Congrats to Davie Moyes. He wore the hoops, albeit briefly. Good ghuy.

     

     

    *and always spoke well of us plus managed the PNE, toffees, manure and the hammers, good guys tae

  11. Moyes was in danger of being fired during the season.

     

    I guess his future is secure.

     

    Well at least for a season.

  12. lets all do the huddle on

    Paul67

     

    I’m out sharp tomorrow, so have scheduled an article for noon. So……. hopefully no big news before then.

     

     

     

    there wont be Paul so dont fret.

     

     

    the biggest story will be who has now went to odds-on favourite for the managers job but we will update you on friday when you are back online

  13. MALACHY DUFFIN on 7TH JUNE 2023 10:22 PM

     

     

    Surely Jim McGuinness must be in the running.. . . . .

     

     

    ========

     

    For your next switcheroo Dalachy lol

     

     

    HH

  14. Hi Paul67,

     

     

    Good to see you commenting…

     

     

    I’ve a wee bit of a conundrum, most of Martin O’Neil’s squad was either inherited, foreign, from Scotland or from English clubs he would have faced as Manager of Leicester City

     

     

    Neil Lennon doesn’t count as a Martin signing due to the new CQN rule

     

     

    I am troubled by his [Brendan Rodgers] recruitment…. Sinclair had already played for him

     

     

    So, who could he have possibly have identified through the optic of MoTD!?

     

     

    The only one I can think of is Juninho Paulista and as the world and his wife was aware of what the Brazilian international was doing at Middlesbrough, it’s a bit of a headscratcher.

     

     

    Is it lazy journalism (not checking the facts) or did you just make that up?

     

     

    CurioustoknowCSC

  15. !!Bada Bing!! on

    Chairbhoy- correct, we got Sutton, Thompson,Hartson in when they were discarded by their clubs,Agathe 35 grand…but let’s have another cheap shot at one of our greatest managers….

  16. The longer this goes on, the less likely it will be Rodgers. I’d imagine its not that terribly complicated to gauge his level of interest so if he were willing to take the job, it would be done quick.

  17. Melbourne Mick on

    Hello again all you young rebels.

     

     

    Nae manager yet ?

     

    Neil Frances is still available.

     

    Just thought I’d really waken you all up this morning 🤣

     

    🇮🇪☘️💚

     

    H H. Mick

  18. Morning MM. My meds induce insomnia.

     

    We are currently being covered by a smelly acrid haze atm all over the north east.

     

    Smoke and fumes from Canadian forest fires.

     

    People of a certain vintage are being told to stay indoors.

     

    I’m back to wearing a mask.

     

    Visibility is as poor as the guesses for the new manager. Or if it’s Rodgers the new old manager.

  19. carpe diem 63 on

    Last nights object incident during the West Ham game further highlights the ludicrous decision and penalty ( having to replay match) that Celtic endured in 1985 v Rapid Vienna ..aka CHEATS

  20. Was great to see Davie Moye’s with his old dad on the park.

     

    The last time I saw Davie’s dad was in BJ’s where he was a regular and it must be said a lovely guy.

     

     

    Father son relationships on here are often discussed and cherished, rightly so. I sometimes wonder if I missed out on a father, but the answer is no.

     

     

    My mother and my old granny gave us Celtic in spades. Attended my first game @ Paradise at 5 years old and have never wavered since.

     

     

    It is very true, managers and players are here for various legs of the journey but we are here for the gunpowder plot.

     

     

    HH to our next adventure.

  21. Incidentally it is never OK to throw missiles onto the park, even plastic missiles.

     

     

    It can never be excused or condoned.

  22. Melvin Udall on

    CONEYBHOY on 7TH JUNE 2023 10:00 PM

     

    Naismith is ok: from my toun and in business with Tims I wasn’t very nice to

     

     

    Good guy

     

    ———————

     

    I used to hate him tbh.

     

    1. Supporting and playing for the Huns, which are the worst kind for me.

     

    2. When he stamped on Scott Browns Crown Jewels at Tynecastle and didn’t even get booked.

     

     

    Although, when he played for Everton, he did a load of great charity work, including paying for weekly tickets for homeless and underprivileged people who loved their football but couldn’t afford to go to games.

     

     

    That put him way up in my estimations to be fair to him.

     

     

    Still don’t like him, but suspect he’s not a bad guy after all.

     

     

    👍