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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petec
06:31 on 7 June, 2014
Wow all your financial transactions online are……..
The mega bug is coming to get ya?
Do you have any idea how much you have been Penned? Into making a bad choice.
Gates is an enemy of Humanity, never ever forget that.
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Being skint has it’s benefits then after all?
I’m the type of cant that never tries to hid my pin number when am trying to withdraw money from an atm.
Always be in debt,that’s my philosophy, don’t mean to ordinary people, banks and all that there and all.
Owe them all, always.
HH.
16 roads – Celtic über alles…
06:26 on 7 June, 2014
Petec – Jesus is everywhere, and probably walked the turf of Celtic Park manys a time, but I’m talking about a mere mortal.
Diego Maradona is the answer my humble friend.
A better footballer than even Jinky, George Best or Pele.
HH.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Diego was an easily led rascal, a bampot, howevaah, probably the Greatest player Ever.
This site, sometimes, if ye dinnae ken all, well, it can be difficult.
I went for a a few hours of Snooker with Delaneys D and I realised why OLD TIM, is Revered the way he is, I could never really understand it up until, the Revelation from G.
Moneysupermarket
Petec,
That was a good a good bit of music, who was it?
Angel the Dog loved it, (named by Anthony although I still say it’s a misnomer as she is an evil nightmare, but an adorable one at that :)) .
Love this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPi2r2j70Zc
The old hun club were the ultimate masters of financial deception, when ye think about it.
Generations shall remember them and they shall be called… CROOKS!
HH.
16 Roads,
From crooks to hooks :)) :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxpYN-NK54Y
Reformed devil worshipper Robert Plant :))
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiokMaodFkw
.
Deila about Konradsen sales: – Once again we prove that we produce international players
Ronny Deila is proud to have sold Anders Konradsen to French Rennes.
La Manga (TV 2 Sport): Anders Konradsen leaving last year’s silver medalist Strømsgodset favor of French Rennes.
The transition was completed Friday afternoon, and Konradsen has signed a contract extending over three and a half years with the club which is currently 5th in the French Ligue 1
– We will certainly not using the full amount of signings. We are going to spend the money on upgrading the junior department here, we have been concerned for many years.
Deila: – I’m proud
But estate coach Ron Deila depper not to have lost one of their best players.
Rather the opposite.
– No, this makes me just really proud of the club’s behalf and I am very happy for Anders its behalf. This is a big transition for such a small club Strømsgodset. Again proving that we can produce top international players here, tells a bubbly happy Ronny Deila to TV 2 Sport in the Spanish La Manga, where the estate is currently located at training camp.
Strømsgodset receives approximately 15 million transfer fee for the midfielder. It makes Konradsen the most expensive player Drammen club has sold ever.
Hoping for more sales
Deila hope to sell more promising young players to bigger clubs on the continent in the years ahead.
– We wish first of all to build club here and have a player development profile is important to us. When we’ll get new players to the club, it is important for us that they will come here to get better, and not because of money. For when they come to the wrong club, underscores Deila, before continuing:
– Sales of Konradsen can help young players easily select the estate, because it shows that there can be sold on to a big club. I have always believed that we have to play a little naive and ambitious to cultivate skills that will be in international football, and we will continue to work the same way forward, he says.
– Where to look for a replacement for Konradsen?
– It is clear that the sale of Konradsen causes the width of the strap is diminished. But we have plenty of time and searching for the world for new players. But the best is whether they come from the Drammen area. As for a replacement for Konradsen so may we have the player in the squad already, answer Deila and smiles.
Use the money on juniors
money the club receives from Rennes for Norway Under-21 national team player will not be used to retrieve an expensive signing.
– We will certainly not using the full amount of signings. We are going to spend the money on upgrading the junior department here, we have been concerned for many years. And then we’ll get players who are future items, not players who are coming down and the end of his career. That we can not afford to, say Deila.
Strømsgodset in addition to the sale of Konradsen 15 million also sold Marcus Pedersen of Vitesse Dutch twelve million last year.
– Dear Arrivals money
Deila mean money from player sales are vital for the estate.
– Yes, this is love perfected money. We previously had a large deficit, and now we have turned this into something positive and it is in line with the profile we want as a club, concludes manor success coach.
Summa
Two comments 1 Well done all at Greenock for the magnificent amount of money raised.
2 I just had to say what a picture when the new manager Ronal “Opus” Deila was greeted at the new Celtic Way, it looked absolutely fantastic in the glorious sun.
Onward and upward the Celts!
FFM – I’m the only conspiracy theorist in the village)
06:40 on 7 June, 2014
Petec,
That was a good a good bit of music, who was it?
Angel the Dog loved it, (named by Anthony although I still say it’s a misnomer as she is an evil nightmare, but an adorable one at that :)) .
Love this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPi2r2j70Zc
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The fight is, IMO, every bit in this country as those going into a lot tougher places.
I mentioned the End of Days movie I watched this week, I was almost sick watching the start of it, putting Satanism on screen is disgusting.
Summa
How’s things in oz ?
And when you gonna change your Monica ;)
petec
06:38 on 7 June, 2014
——————————————–
Would you clip an old man my friend?
I couldn’t do that.
Carte blanche.
Zombies and Brazillians
Time for Bed.
God Bless all the Believers in Christ Resurrected.
.
Jinks..
All is Goed Down-Under..
Change My Moniker..?
When Sammi plays His last Ever game for Celtic FC..
Watch this space..
Summa
Ps..With My Dutch Lisp I’m pronouncing Ronny’s surname Teiler..as in Tyler and Not Steve..and We have been ‘Holding Out for a Hero’..;)
16 roads – Celtic über alles…07:02
I’m sure I listened to a podcast where it said what you are advocating. It gave Scriptures & Verses specific to the Money thing.
Brain is not the best these days because of too many narcotics, when I was younger.
I will try and recall the verses.
HH and NN Great Celtic Warrior.
Fortune Favours the Brave.
Welcome Ronny Delia
Hope you enjoy this incredible journey ahead
Hail hail
Good morning CQN, have just flown through 27 pages this morning in my usual catch up mode.
Very impressed with Ronny’s press conference, intelligent, articulate, streetwise, humour, ambition, class and humility.
Off to work with a spring in my step and an even higher sense of excitement for the season ahead.
Welcome to Celtic Ronny and Hail Hail.
Summa
I’m guessing your pinning your hopes on (Bonnie ) Tyler resigning the big Greek then ;)
I’m now looking forward to the new season … Could be eventful
I guess Stefan johansen will be glad to see his new manager .. Celtic Vikings champions woa woaaaaahaooawoah
Do you reckon the club noticed Bonnie when they scouted SJ
Zombies and Brazillians – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfR9iY5y94s
Classic Petec that :))
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejorQVy3m8E
Summa
Good to see you back, I thought your contract wasn’t being renewed :-)
HT
Don’t mention the contract out on Summa ;)
Good morning friends from a (currently) dry and bright (oh, and breezy) East Kilbride.
Jobo
A fantastic day in EK yesterday … As I drove out of nerston at 9:45 I was amazed at how bright it was
This made me laugh, from the comments section on the Scotsman
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“We sign the Norwegian Mourinho- The Frozen One!”
16 roads – Celtic über alles…
05:02 on
7 June, 2014
macjay1 for neil lennon – It doesn’t really matter my friend, does it?
Listen, I am not blaming you for anything.
We can’t change the world posting our opinions on CQN.
I was just trying to wind ye up a wee bit there, that’s all.
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No worries,ya bassa.
But look at the fallout.
FFM – I’m the only conspiracy theorist in the village)
04:59 on
7 June, 2014
Morning all. Not too bad yet down here. The forecast is pretty grim; we shall see.
Our future is certainly not looking grim this morning to me. The future is definitely green and white.
When I saw first saw Johansen playing it was clear he had been very well coached. He was passing and moving and wanting to play at a high tempo . If Diela can get the whole team playing like that then we might have struck gold.
‘GG
05:10 on
7 June, 2014
Exactly my point.
Thank you.
ryecatcher
23:00 on 6 June, 2014
Doc…
McClair wasn’t exactly free scoring apart from one season?
He spent a lot of seasons in the big league….
Great player…..didn’t score too many though overall?
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IIRC,McClair was our top scorer for the four seasons he was with us,then became the first Man Utd player to hit 20 league goals since Best the year they won The European Cup.
He went on to score well over 100 goals for Man Utd,and all while never being a front-line striker.
Methinks yer love for Liverpool blinds you to the facts.
Morning all.
Very impressed with our new man’s quotes.
Not impressed with Andy Walker.
Who did Sutton want? I don’t want to give the Retard a hit.
captain beefheart killed marxist dreams… keane ate my courage… formerly jo’n… just say no to the clique.
21:13 on 6 June, 2014
Likewise Exiled. As I said, he is what we needed.
Evening Rye,
Have you been sucked into the EPl hype? It is overated. VD would do just fine down there. Hooper would have scored goals in a decent team also.
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Kris Boyd scored goals in a crap Kilmarnock team, like good strikers do
Morning Timland from a cool soon to be hot hun free mountain valley.
I wonder how Ronnie will feel when he wakes up as Celtic head coach this morning ?
Proud as punch I’ll wager.
Anyways, reading through the blog, and discovered a post that is up there for the biggest load of pish I have ever read, and I must admit, I have contributed to some of the pish on here, but this imo takes the biscuit.
ryecatcher
23:47 on
6 June, 2014
Gary67….
Bollox mate….and you know it….
I watched Wolves 3 times in last 6 months and they would have challenged Celtic for the SPL last season……Leigh Griffiths couldn’t even get in the team at on point ffs…,,
…………………………………………..
Rye
You really don’t have much of a clue about football do you, you are brainwashed mi amigo, english football good, scottish football bad, say it often enough and it becomes fact, a bit like the huns do with their same club pish……………
BTW, the reason LG didn’t play latterly was cos he wanted to come home to scotland and he was dropped, nothing to do with football, fact, but these facts don’t matter eh.
HH
Macjay @ 08:03,
16 Roads dropped the bait, you jumped out like a glorious big salmon, and then I calmly put you back in the water to watch you swim further upstream :)
I always remember Brian McClair waiting to take a penalty against Rangers in a home match. Some eejit from the Rangers end ran onto the pitch, McClair just stood with the ball in his hand not giving a monkeys if the guy made it to him and looking quite capable of dealing with the clown.
A very good player for Celtic, signed at same time as Jim Melrose I think.
Good morning all from avant le deluge Tooting.
So:
MON
WGS
BTM
NFL
???
R&D maybe…..:)
Morning.
Woke up the same sceptical son of a gun I fell asleep as.
MWD says AYE but not yet dovetailed into infrastructure CSC
ziggydoc1
08:22 on 7 June, 2014
Apparently Chockie was asked after the game what the Hun had said to him. His reply,
“I couldn’t understand a word he said!”
Good answer.
Ps he scored 2 penalties that day.
ziggy, about that penalty he scored in our 3 1 win against the deid horribles.
Choccy was asked by the press what the sticky said to him. His reply was I don’t know, i speak a different language from him.
We got two penalties in that game with Owen Archdeacon getting the third after a mix up between Sash of Tango and Sash infamy and Woods.
Delaney’s, one of my sisters is called Patricia. Patrice is a lovely name. Another Celtic fan I know has a daughter also born on the brethren’s favourite day.
Morning all.
BMCUW
You are correct – again!
Choccy was indeed our leading scorer for all four seasons he was with us.
121 goals in 142 games (23 as a sub).
An average of 30 a season.
Great player.
HH!!