The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
After Neil Lennon resigned we discussed how Celtic have recently appointed managers to address the most glaring deficiency of the previous boss. Gordon Strachan bought in value markets, whereas Martin O’Neill pretty much bought players who appeared on Match of the Day or Sportscene.
Despite his success, Gordon was manager of Celtic, not the leader of the club; there was always some distance between him and a section of the support. As a consequence, we next appointed the guy who ‘invented’ the Celtic huddle.
Tony Mowbray was close to our hearts, but he was also a flop of a Celtic manager. People inside the club knew this from the first week he was there when he asked to spend close to £4m on Marc-Antoine Fortune.
Tony was out of sync with scouts and coaches. How do you fix that? You appoint one of the coaches who saw it all happen.
Neil Lennon didn’t have many obvious deficiencies. If we were to ask what his weakness was, there would be a range of answers.
Perhaps as a consequence, we’ve gone out with a clear remit: our manager should be intelligent, technically capable, insightful, and have a progressive and modern approach to the game. He must dovetail with the infrastructure we have worked so hard to build up, and be in tune with strategy.
All we know today is that the criteria for the job was correct and our man matches that criteria.
Ronny is one of the scientific innovators in the game who has had the ‘Moneyball’ tag applied. Back in 2009 I wrote about the books, Moneyball, and the football spin-off, Why England Lose (now re-launched as Soccernomics). I also put a copy of Why England Lose into the hands of a senior decision maker at the club.
The point about Moneyball and this type of analysis cannot be abbreviated in few short sentences, and it is certainly not as prosaic as ‘buying low and selling high’ – that’s old news now, which makes it a dead topic as far as Moneyball is concerned. The Michael Lewis book which did so much to publicise ‘sports economics’ was actually titled, Moneyball – The Art of Winning an Unfair Game.
The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
The game is unfair because others have more money, or more experience, or more sympathy with officials, or whatever your circumstances dictate. But most sports are also full of enormous inefficiencies.
Football clubs are hostages to ridiculous forces, just listen to the names within the game who urged Celtic to appoint a well-known name in order to put bums on seats. Some clubs do this – put a ‘name’ in, in the hope they sell some tickets, without realising there are enormously difficult football games ahead.
The football industry is top-heavy with fools with big budgets who don’t know what they are doing. Celtic’s job is to build a team who can compete at an ever-higher level in the Champions League. To get there we need a ruthless conviction against the inefficient nonsense which paralyses the rest of the game.
In 10 years I’ve never once agreed with a Celtic managerial appointment. I welcomed Gordon, Tony and Neil while saying the board have made the wrong decision. All of these appointments are risky, there are no guarantees – for short-term or long-term success. Guru managers don’t exist and Ronny has years of work ahead of him to build Celtic ever-higher, but I couldn’t be happier at his appointment. Eye on the prize…. it’s all about winning.
Welcome to Celtic, Ronny, you’re going to love it here, but keep your kilt on.
All of this and 300 Celtic fans at the CQN the Lisbon Lions gig in Greenock tonight! Hold me back!
Lladro replica World Cup trophy
My thanks to Liam, from East Kilbride, who donated his prize memento, a Lladro replica World Cup trophy, commissioned by the Spanish FA in 1978, and acquired by Liam in 1982. It will be auctioned on Saturday with proceeds going to our Mary’s Meals school kitchen appeal. You can get involved in the auction, or keep an eye on it as it happens, here. The auction takes place at Great Western Auctions, on Dumbarton Road.
Visit the CQN Bookstore to get Tommy Gemmell to sign your personal copy of his tome, All the Best.
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IGC
Out of context,really?
It’s what they do,mate.
Having said that,Neil would have been better keeping his own counsel for the moment,IMO.
D Day at Celtc.
I’m delighted that we have made an appointment from outside of the obvious candidates. Ronny comes with a big reputation – let’s hope that has got a few good players’ attention.
While I know little about the man himself I see this as a forward looking appointment. Like all hiring decisions it is a gamble. But I think we have a man who will come to understand the Celtic Way of playing football and get the ethos of the club. it’s going to get interesting.
Geordie Munro
12:16 on
6 June, 2014
Blogs ain`t representative.
But I know what you mean.
Unconventional unveiling of new Cellick away kit
I’m talkin’ about Ronny, Ronny …
WEERON
RONNY strips off according to The Sun,now you say he does singing too?
Have we signed Gipsy Rose Lee or summat?
I think this is a fine appointment, exactly the right kind of guy for Celtic as presently positioned. I don’t expect a great European run this season, and maybe not next either. But I do expect to see progress with the recruitment and development of young Scots guys, and hopefully more development than recruitment.
Ronny Delian = Ronny Delia…predictive text…:(
bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers
12:18 on 6 June, 2014
We both had a great time mate thanks a wonderful place in fantastic setting.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
DELIASMITH
If you don’t expect much in Europe this year or next,whose fault is that?
***LUNCHTIME QUIZ***
Hi hi hi all you lovely Ronny Rockets and welcome to today’s new-manager special edition of the Lunchtime Quiz. It’s a rollover with two coconuts up for grabs.
Today’s challenge is to establish the two countries for which Celtic have yet to record a win over any of their teams in a competitive game.
So let’s be clear, Celtic have played teams in european competition from two countries but have failed to win in any games played.
***The rules of the game are always the same.
No search engines please, you’re only cheating yourself***
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spfl/celtic-set-for-gary-hooper-transfer-windfall-1-3435697
The Scottish champions would receive a cut of the £8 miilion transfer fee that the frontman is expected to fetch, due a to 10 per cent sell on fee clause inserted by Celtic as part of the £5.5 million switch from Parkhead to Carrow Road last summer.
Velkommen til Celtic, Ronny!
Lennon knew exactly about the timing of what he was saying…He couldve talked up the the new man instead of setting him up…..Cant wait to read his Daily record column
EAST GERMANY is one
Wee Chic reportin’ sightings of a sinister black helicopter seen above Parkheid shortly after Ronny is unveiled to the waiting 3 or 4 sceptical and ragin’ tims.
More on this later when Chic has finished a long interview over ‘lunch’ with Frank McGarvey……
Welcome to the Hoops Ronny, any links to the press conference bhoys?HH
igc
12:25 on 6 June, 2014
Norway and France…
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Slovakia
New post from Paul is a bit early today what’s happened ?
Seriously welcome to CFC Ronny the most successful club in Scotland !
Willie Mc Stay would be a good choice for the assistant coach imo
Sevconia is one
geordie munro
12:06 on 6 June, 2014
Beg to differ,CFC ticket service have taken payment for both the season tickets I purchased from my bank account on the 13 and 16 May .
My carpentry skills are coming on a treat this last few days. I’m of to read up on Mortis and Tenon infrastructure now.
MWD says AYE
Keep what we have and add three and its Europe here we come
Bring it on CSC.
Ps best i’ve felt in days,will this appointment work
WE’LL SEE but i’m in
Not a season ticket holder but will be there as often as circumstances permit it.
Till later all
LENNYBHOY
France?
Who did we beat on the way to the big one?
DBBIA
Very droll
Ha ha ha!
HH
How many sleeps till the press conference
I hear John Collins will be part of the new set up, Assistant Manager or a Coach.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
IGC
one is Italy
MWD says AYE
Have we no signed any players yet ?? ;)
That’s the boss arrived at CP.
Do i need to put a smiley on that?
MWD says AYE :)))
Welcome aboard Mr Delia…..your destiny awaits you.
Same type of character as Arsene Wenger I believe….who was once mentioned back in the day for a vacant Celtic slot.
reputations are earned and made…..not purchased.
If the PLC board DO NOT sell his team from under him every season then he has the raw material to build upon and possibly do great things both within himself and his squad.
Personally I’m looking forward to watching a leaner….meaner…….faster ……..fitter Celtic.
The first decent offer in the door and FF is gone…….there need be no other departures other than dead wood. A couple of new comers would be good though.
Craig Gordon on his game and injury free can easily perform at CL level and is just hitting a goal keepers peak at 31…………good acquisition if it works out.
bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers
12:29 on 6 June, 2014
Oops, still in holiday mode…:)
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
I haven’t felt so positive about a managerial appointment since Martin O’ Neill joined us. If we can get John Collins on board too then great.
Ronny, welcome to Celtic.
Do us proud.
IGC,
I remember Olympiakos putting us out of Europe many years back. Not sure if we have played another Greek team since>
Miss the dayz when that blog use to blow up and stop working on dayz like this :)
Captain welcomes new boss to Paradise
http://www.celticfc.net/news/6005
I haven’t felt so positive about a Celtic manager since I licked the end of a 4.5 volt battery.
MWD says AYE