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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Not sure about the club being so heavily involved with city group , it seems everyone we get in is through this group or have been involved with it , will CG pick our new manager , will he be associated with them , will he be with a CG team at the moment . Or will it be down to DD or PL god forbid . Btw is michael Nicholson still in the building .
Per the 1985 “ruling “….interesting point ..can Fiorentona not appeal and demand a replay as there is a UEAFA precedent 🤔?
Since MON left .
Every time the managers job has come up I wanted MON back or this guy .
The vast majority of posters on here say .
Football has moved on .He’’s too old .
Utter bullshit in my eyes.
He would smite the Hun and knows how to defend against more talented European teams .
Yes he would want a change in style from ( 2 points in Europe Ange ) and he would not accept fellow TinyTims in defence.
But that would strengthen us .
Well done to Davy Moyes.
A David Pleatesque celebration.
https://twitter.com/grahamspiers/status/1666557942475243525?s=61
JIMTIM
Btw is michael Nicholson still in the building
Yes he is, and doing his job. It’s only in the obsessed minds of you and a few others where PL lives rent free.
TINYTIM on 8TH JUNE 2023 9:41 AM.
Hi A . I like your thinking regards MON . One thing he would do is toughen up this side , and get rid of the wee defenders , not knocking Ange he gave us two fabulous seasons but in the 2003 squad imho we were a great team a team who could hold there own when the going got tough , ange’s teams were bullied on a few occasions we had no steel in the middle of the park . Now I’m not saying MON would be the answer long term but he would be a safe bet short term . Only my
Thoughts .HH
CARPE DIEM 63 on 8TH JUNE 2023 8:14 AM
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
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Yep. We should have refused to pay. CARPE DIEM 63 on 8TH JUNE 2023 8:14 AM
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
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Yep. I was almost in line where the bottle landed. Sucker punched in Manchester also.
History
https://twitter.com/tirnaog_09/status/1666689159342202880?t=JgHZLorsNwkRejiFS0KJ-Q&s=19
HH
Tiny&Jimtim
MoN is about,is a great envoy/@ambassador for us and is an articulate and influential figure for the club say in times like now when we have to approach managers/other clubs as our plc board seek to make an appointment.kinda relaxed unofficial d.o.f sort of thing til appt is made
I think Martin enjoys the bask of glory of being a wise sage at all his prev clubs,a genuine football elder statesman.i don’t think he will be back in charge again at the Celtic helm not due to him being unable but those pressures at this time I am sure he would politely veer from as he will be enjoying life in his way.
Hope you bhoys are good.
Hail Hail
💚
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 8TH JUNE 2023 10:42 AM
JIMTIM
Btw is michael Nicholson still in the building
Yes he is, and doing his job. It’s only in the obsessed minds of you and a few others where PL lives rent free.
Now did I not tell you to scroll past my posts you obnoxious individual. I put MY thought on here many agree , many don’t that’s what the blogs for , if you don’t agree with my thinking that’s your entitlement , but to do it with your usual cheeky nasty reply is not the way . I have no faith in PL , I think PL was good for PL , when he left the club ( or did he ) I said he would be back it’s hard to leave a dripping roast . The absent landlord is the same for me , Speaking on a golf course waxing lyrical about our rivals and there great history , a club that shafted ours and many others to boot , not one supporter who parks there bum on a seat in Celtic park would have came away with that . Never bother yourself coming back In retaliation I will be scrolling past your posts from now on .
,
I really want to stop reading all the Media crap,but not easy.Alan Brazil today !!!!!!!!.Anyone read that?
Mc Kenna,for me,but like the guy on The Fat Show,I will change as soon as someone mentions another name.
Jimtim
So you didn’t enjoy Brendan Rogers or WGS getting last 16 in Europe CL twice and winning 3 leagues v a cheating rangers. You didn’t enjoy 15 leagues in past 20 seasons. You haven’t enjoyed this past 2 years ?
All above were appointed or influenced strongly by our current chairman but hey it seems everyone needs a bogeyman.
Maybe you have hated the past 25 years or so of domination of our game.
Heaven forbid our fans feel entitled.
AZ manager latest to be linked. I said at the time of the Ange speculation that we’ll-run clubs always have contingency plans and a list of names. Brighton had De Zerbi’s name on a list before potter left and already have suggestions for if/when De Zerbi leaves.
Do we have anything resembling this?
JIMTIM ‘I put MY thoughts on here many agree’…
But therein lies the problem…you didn’t. For some spurious reason, you hint that Michael Nicholson is in some way absent or failing to deliver in his role as CEO. If you were to ‘give your thoughts’ and these ‘thoughts’ were in any way convincing enough to support your baseless innuendo, then some may well believe you and support your views. So far, you have given nothing…..so go on, convince me. Give me facts, evidence, anything that would back your aspersions…I am open to being convinced, but I prefer fact to cut’n’paste speculation
Guys,
Mon is 71 years old. He looks and sounds great.
But it’s a fact that the aging process cannot be stopped. Energy levels are lower when you are a pensioner. Rising to a challenge is less appealing.
For the average person :-
Voice ages after 65.
Gut ages after 55.
Eyes start aging after 40
Liver starts aging at 70.
Taste and smell start aging at 60.
It’s 20 years since Seville, MON deserves his retirement. I’m sure he’s more than happy as a guest speaker and occasional pundit.
HH.
I hope there’s no lurking Tories on here.
Working well into your 70’s will be music to their ears 😒😒😒
BURNLEY78 on 8TH JUNE 2023 11:47 AM
Jimtim
So you didn’t enjoy Brendan Rogers or WGS getting last 16 in Europe CL twice and winning 3 leagues v a cheating rangers. You didn’t enjoy 15 leagues in past 20 seasons. You haven’t enjoyed this past 2 years ?
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Burnley I have enjoyed the past 65 years following the celts , just like yourself they are a huge part of our lives . No doubt PL was in charge over the period you speak ,but I had the great pleasure of watching our first 9 in a row and he wasn’t there . I got quite uptight with his interference in football matter , imagine two top executives appointing a fellow to a managers job while in the changing rooms , that to me was an affront , and this is a huge bugbear to me us missing out on John mc’ginn PL let us down there . With regards my asking if michael Nicholson was still in position it was that he doesn’t seem to be involved as much , I asked the same question when viewing that picture of DD and PL at the cup final both looking glum there was no sign of michael Nicholson there was nothing sinister in my question . Anyway here’s to a successful hunt for our new manager . HH
Hairlikespagettie.
I asked the question of michael Nicholson still being in position as he seems to be a bit quiet at the moment , and as others pointed out he seems to be out the picture at the moment going by the one where DD and PL were snapped at Hamden looking rather glum michael was nowhere to be seen , there was nothing sinister in my question . With regards to my dislike for PL I didn’t like his interference in football matters as many others on here have also voiced , his missing out on John mcginn was another fault for me anyway . With regards under PL watch the 5 way agreement and the club not going full throttle on the EBTs and stripping titles gained by cheating although I have read plenty on it I am not smart enough to fully understand it so I will not go there
HH