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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16 roads – Celtic über alles…
03:31 on
7 June, 2014
The Russians beat the Nazis, nobody else.
—————————————————————————————————————–
Well it certainly wasn`t the Irish.
16 Roads,
:)) I don’t know whether to be angry at you or acknowledge my own smile at this PISH you have me listening to !! :))
I do like the video though – something I found was always missing in the folk scene was a bit of female glamour…
Hmm. It’s growing on me..
FFM – I’m the only conspiracy theorist in the village)
03:42 on 7 June, 2014
Petec,
:)) Steve David is more interesting than me ! :))
I’m commiting to the pool tournament 85% – as I’m no mathematician I can’t account for unseen variables.
But I certainly won’t be bringin my own cue.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is just a drink session masquerading as a Pool tournoi. You would have enjoyed the game of snooker me and Delaneys D had a couple of weeks ago, not a lot of snooker was played, I think the first frame took an hour. :D
And I beg to differ about Stevie D, although he is very interesting, MSM pish as always. The MSM have a lot to answer for, we have a lot to answer for, for continually falling for the propaganda, I don’t mean you and me, just the mainstream manipulators of opinions.
I remember Roy Keane go mental in the Tunnel against Arsenal because a wide guy had attacked one of his team m8s. I thought Wow this is going to get tastey when they get on the pitch. Roy Keane put in one of his best ever performances that night, when most people thought he would be sent off at some point. He was majestical and never even got booked if my memory serves me correctly. He done his talking on the pitch but he played football as well as he could when he was as fired up as possible.
I’m with Kitalba and Neil, I’d have loved to have had Roy at Celtic as he would have pushed our youngsters hard but fair to get into the first team and to stay there.
A bit more interesting mibbes?…
http://youtu.be/HKJAfmt56qg?t=1m46s
Sharon Shannon is a bit of a honey :)
DD,
I like the nightshift, do my work and hey ho ipad time….whereas on dayshift I spend time fixing hun cover ups.
It’s just the Friday I find awkward…still it’s worth the money.
Petec fancies killer pool…luckily my brother that I’ll be staying with that weekend has a full sized pool table to get a wee bit of practice on….I’ll still be crap though.HH
macjay1 for neil lennon
04:04 on 7 June, 2014
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Jaysus, d ye not hink we had enough on our plate ffs?
Ahh. Feel a Sharon Shannon night coming on.
Wonderful woman.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTrsB4t_Avs
MacJay
GG’s faces the bowling green, at the foot of Westland Drive, next to the petrol station and the new Saint Paul’s primary on Primrose St.
sipsini
03:43 on 7 June, 2014
Petec,
Yep, killer is a killer when you give the nod and then you get double crossed. :((
___________________________________________
It will be a giggle, no doubts about it. All proceeds going to charities means I may even bring the olde boxing gloves for a game. It is very difficult to play pool whilst wearing boxing gloves, I will admit I have had a bit of practice playing pool whilst wearing boxing gloves, I was sober though. :P
Let’s just say, it is a leveller.
Burning beds
Petec @ 04:05,
I’m liking this – this is your way of talking down yourself to get better odds….
Love it.
Ah feck, I just blew it :)))
ffm – i’m the only conspiracy theorist in the village)
04:04 on 7 June, 2014
————————————
Lol I’m sorry mate, I really am.
Sipsini, yeh all good here, alas fading.dont think I will make pool as busy weekends.but am sure craic will be mighty :-)
Looking forward to new page in our history.he is positive, not afraid of hard work.wants to and is willing to learn, I hope the restart of training brings a fresh energy which he can hone for all the players from youth to those coming back from loan to benefit Celtic.
Night.
HH
macjay1 for Neil Lennon
04:04 on 7 June, 2014
16 roads – Celtic über alles…
03:31 on
7 June, 2014
The Russians beat the Nazis, nobody else.
—————————————————————————————————————–
Well it certainly wasn`t the Irish.
—-
Macjay,
Don’t know why you would say that.
I suspect your determination to play devil’s advocate has taken over your soul.
You might well say next that African Americans played no part in the breakdown of Apartheid.
Night bhoys, Caesar fed and out hunting the poor wee mice and birds….such is nature.HH
16 roads – Celtic über alles…
04:10 on
7 June, 2014
macjay1 for neil lennon
04:04 on 7 June, 2014
———————————-
Jaysus, d ye not hink we had enough on our plate ffs?
————————————————————————————————————–
Ay,O.K.
Ferr dooz.
:-)
16 Roads,
Don’t be ! I enjoyed the visuals for a short while.
FFS, that’s what the stage shows are all about. Flesh !! Using heavenous witchery to entertain the eyes with debauchery.
FFS, that is just NOT on ! >:((
Petec
Great track! I have a strange affinity to all mainstream Antipodean bands.
macjay1 for neil lennon
04:17 on 7 June, 2014
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No bother atall. :)
ffm – i’m the only conspiracy theorist in the village)
04:19 on 7 June, 2014
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This pishy fone won’t even let me view the video that I posted myself fs. :(
Macjay – A nation built on genocide :
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ejorQVy3m8E
Fair is fair.
Delaneys Dunky
04:12 on
7 June, 2014
That`s precisely where the Odeon Cinema used to be.
Petec from earlier
That was unusually negative from yourself
The world is on fire wracked with conflict, disease and poverty.
But for every entity intent on violence and disorder, there are soldiers who are addressing disease, poverty and illiteracy.
I believe meant charities and the Church, for all the faults some members have, is a powerful force in righting wrongs.
For instance I give you this article after the death of a priest I was privileged to know, although I did lose touch with him, to my great regret.
With giants like this every day will be one of progress.
http://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=22854
People like this live among us, silent and unacclaimed.
FFM 03:55,
Is there a 2014 equivalent?
Taking home a broken pay packet could create a bit of tension, being attacked like that from a hunny wouldn’t feel so bad. :))
MacJay
The pictures is now the pub! :)
Petec,
Am glad you asked me that.
My favourite Bond girl, who just happens to be the one he married in what is one of the best Bond films imo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJeEwkVoUpk
16 roads – Celtic über alles…
04:26 on
7 June, 2014
Macjay – A nation built on genocide :
—————————————————————————————————
I thought you were referring to Argentina,where there are no aboriginals.
None.
——-
Oh,the irony.
The singer of “Beds are burning” became a politician who oversaw a govt.( labor,of course)
scheme to stimulate the economy by insulating roofs with “pink batts”.
Tragically 4 young installers were killed and a large number of houses burnt down.
An enquiry is currently being undertaken.
———————————————————————–
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgndOK2zuY0
Delaneys Dunky
04:24 on 7 June, 2014
Petec
Great track! I have a strange affinity to all mainstream Antipodean bands.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You have to be the most multicultural person on here. I voted UKIP this Time, because it was Europe. I think I gibbered enough to say that it is the Beast system that I was really voting against, I’m unlikely to ever vote again, in any election. I’m sick of them all being manipulated by, well, as Kojo would say, manipulators. Scottish Independence? When Barrack is getting involved, it is telling me to go vote no but my head has said yes.
It is all a load of Bollocks, we are the boiled frogs. I ain’t playing their game anymore, Truth be told, I got out a long time ago. 2017 is indeed a fine prediction for Celtic to win the most Corrupt Club competition in the World, whilst doing it debt free and cheating free. 2018 will be what it will be.
Oxygene
Listening to this on a flac file at the mo and I must admit it sounds better than any version I have heard before
Feast your ears on this low def version
HH
Simply a musical treat
That Russian assassin looks too much like PL, it’s scarey <:O
http://youtu.be/hgndOK2zuY0?t=32s
FFM – I’m the only conspiracy theorist in the village)
04:16 on
7 June, 2014
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I like fairness.
Do you think the following statement is true?
Or an insult to non-Russians who gave their lives defeating the Nazis?
“The Russians beat the Nazis, nobody else.”
Particularly when we know that the Russians and the Nazis joined forces in the rape of Poland.
Yes=no
and
No =yes
Apologies.
Its a Black and White thing.
Thindimebhoy
HH, what a great call.
I listen to that frequently, and have done since it was released.
Stunning music, from 1982-4??
Absolute genius.
It’s music unlike any other, and takes you to another planet.
Equinox is another belter, but of them all, Oxygene is the best.
FFM,
Just watched the Paddys Revenge video..
ooh er missus, that will upset the Vicar.
MaryWhitehouse was right though.
What Man?
Feet of Clay, nae way
Petec
Thee Man!
GNGB
Macjay @ 04:45,
I don’t think they “joined forces” in the rape of Poland. Poland has a lot of anger towards Russia which well surpasses any anger they have towards Germany – but that may well be temporal. I put this to you – if it hadn’t been the Russians who had discovered Auschwitz, would any of us even know about it now? Bearing in mind Hitler’s inspiration for such camps came from the British Empire.
When people talk about war they generalise, and usually it’s by country.
So it’s a valid point to make against British and American propaganda that it was actually the Russians who finished off Hitler’s Germany, and not, as revisionism will tell us, the rescue campaign of the Americans running to the aid of Churchill’s Britain.
To acknowledge this does not in any way demean the life or death of one single person, which is relevant to the context of earlier.
On the contrary, every single life lost should be respected, by propogating the truth and not propaganda.