Dermot Desmond held his hands up in an interview with club media, acknowledging mistakes that led to the collapse this season “without qualification”. In reality, there is usually a myriad of reasons why any project fails but ownership of mistakes is the first step in putting things right.
He challenged “conjecture coming from some journalists, commentators and pundits that they foresaw the outcome of this season”. In my preview ahead of the new season starting in August, I put our chances of winning the league at 70%, up from my estimate for the previous season of 50%. I doubt anyone expected the abruptness of the collapse, but many of us are not totally surprised to be in second place.
The interview discusses managerial recruitment, “process is underway and is taking place privately” and acknowledges the high turnover in playing squad ahead this summer and a commitment to learn from mistakes made.
I get that Dermot Desmond is reluctant to take a higher profile role at the club, the hostility fired the board’s way, even during the quadruple treble era, was unrelenting. Remoteness is not always a friend, though. Dermot might feel the same frustrations and disappointments as the rest of us, but if he never shares these feelings, a sense of aloofness builds in the vacuum.
The board overwhelmingly present to the fans through the chief executive, with the chairman on his feet one day a year and signing the odd statement, and the major shareholder a largely unknown figure. It is unbalanced; it does not serve the board and therefore the club well.
Dermot, in your statement you said, “football is not an exact science”, which is correct. It is as much an art, theatre for the millions. You need to put on the greasepaint more often.
Hearts, ha! Knocked Newco Rangers out of the Scottish Cup last season, lost to Brora Rangers this season, who have played only one game since Hearts brave but futile attempt to stop our record fourth consecutive triumph. Not that it made me worry about Falkirk…………..
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Has it been confirmed that Broonie is offski?
Hearing suggestions of Harkin, Keane and Butt.
Anyone else heard similar?
SFTB
in his last game fir Hibs the bold Scott played a blinder and scored a cracker against us – I would play him and take him off when we are five up!
Klippety Klopp spotted in Greenock.
Announcement immininent.
https://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/resources/images/12433393.jpg?display=1&htype=0&type=responsive-gallery
GARYGILLESPIESHAMSTRING on 24TH MARCH 2021 5:33 PM
Hearing suggestions of Harkin, Keane and Butt.
a legal firm in finglas ?
LAMBERT14 on 24TH MARCH 2021 12:35 PM ‘..the hostility fired the board’s way, even during the quadruple treble era, was unrelenting.’ Paul67 Appointing a manager in the showers who had been sacked from Bolton and Hibs who admitted that his previous type of management was obsolete, while never even looking at other candidates for the position. Signing players that our highly successful manager didn’t want while messing up other signings in Lawwellesque fashion that he did want. Putting in repeated derisory bids for McGinn for weeks on end while the club was hitting record turnover for 2 consecutive seasons, eventually matching the amount required when the players was at Villa Park, a shambles from the embarrassment that is Lawwell, which led us to signing a guy without a club, Mulumbu. Paying EPL salaries to our CEO, while being told we can’t compete with said EPL salaries. Never getting players in on time for our most important matches of the season, the CL qualifiers. So as regards your dig at dissenters, I see you never gave reasons why, which is telling.
……………………….
Absolutely 100% correct!
please, please stop mentioning Roy’s name………..
I get the same feeling I got when I heard Neil had been given the job permanently…awful.
It’ll be like a circus, and Roy aint as smart as he thinks he is. They will badger him to distraction. The team would suffer and we would suffer.
For the love of God, naw!
Alex Salmond…………………. FFS
RS @ 5.15
“Of course, that wasn’t the thinking but people like to pretend it was so they can say ‘you were bound the be correct eventually’. ”
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Here’s a few CQN quotes from Nov 2018 on a day we went top of the league, under Brendan-
“12 games played and 10 points dropped from a possible 36 , our ball players TR, JF and OE etc. could not get the ball out of their feet today due to that surface , got the impression that SS didn’t fancy it today and why he wasn’t subbed is beyond me.”
“my honest opinion sevco will be awarded the league through penalties and ten in arow will not be allowed” (NB we are still going for 9 at this point)”
“Away to Hamilton on a plastic pitch next game after the break is not ideal at all.
Zombies at home after us makes it a must win game”
“Being top of the leagueis no consolation,for me anyway.I thought BRs decisions on the subs today were baffling.We needed more dig in the middle,big Tom off,Calmac moved furtherup,Mulumbu on to add that dig.Sinky off,and Morgan on,giving us two wingers.We just slogged away with the same result every time.Very dissapointing,especially with thescum gaining two points on us.”
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Those examples were taken from a 5 minute reading of half a blog from a date chosen to be near to the end of BR’s reign with us. I could have chosen earlier in the season when we were not top to get other examples but the truth is ….
These predictions were always made.
It is an inconvenien fact but there you go- the doomsayers were always with us.
P.S. – I have removed the names of the posters who had these opinions as I don’t think it is helpful to personalise this
Who would win in a fight between Roy Keane and Fergal Harkin?
I will make my own Nostradamus type prediction
The moon will be rising in the east,
The sun will set in the west
A bhoy will be Kean
A dixie will be Dean
A handsome hun will not be seen.
Make of that what you will, we are doomed ah tell ye
St stivs
😂😂😂
Who would win in a fight between Koki Mizuno and Olivier Kapo?
GARYGILLESPIESHAMSTRING on 24TH MARCH 2021 5:33 PM
Hearing suggestions of Harkin, Keane and Butt.
Anyone else heard similar?
====================
What – Nicky Butt – ex-of Man U?
Now linked with every job on planet fitba just because he’s left Man U today, or is there actual substance?
Can’t see it myself (probably a better option the Keane, right enough – has current player development / coaching experience).
He’ll probably end up a Derby with his pal Rooney.
HH
BGFC
GaryGillespie
It’s been mentioned in the huddle board for a few days now, itk posters (I know I know) hardly inspiring
Many many people over the broad church of Celtic Timternet posted their severe misgivings in NL appointment in the shower, I don’t think they claimed to be soothsayers but saw enough to have serious doubts
Steven Molokoyo?
Robbie Neilson’s *available
*probably
BB- Eastern Star Budgie wasn’t trilled……
#hatandcoat
Hearin’………Fergal Sharkey,…………..
“When Celtic called and said they wanted me, I just ran over. Being at Celtic is not about the money, it’s about wearing the shirt with pride.”
Carlton Cole
Tam Sellics son
@TamsellicsonIII
·
19h
We
Are
The
Polis
https://twitter.com/i/status/1374496887219179520
It doesn’t really matter whether some posters were predicting failure when it wasn’t happening and we were still winning. Many of the criticisms were nevertheless accurate and the problems they pointed to developed further. It took time for our collapse to be generated and the signs were there. As Hemingway wrote about going broke – it happened slowly and then all of a sudden. Those in charge, those closest to what was going on, should have seen it, and are paid big bucks to do so. After all, we’re told by Desmond that we can’t see what’s gong on and they can!
It wasn’t a matter of predicting the future – and by the way Karl Marx didn’t do predictions, he analysed what society’s process of development was and the direction it was heading. This is what our great leaders failed to do. They not only failed to see it and do anything about it but waited until the collapse was all over – in terms of winning the league and long after we had failed in Europe, again. It’s a bit like watching the twin towers as the planes fly towards them and deciding there’s a problem after they have fallen down.
What is really galling about the Desmond interview is the assumption that he is in charge. He owns pieces of paper, shares, and not even the majority. How many other shareholders could waltz in and out of Celtic Park as if they owned it? Owning shares gives him certain rights but it does not mean he owns the company. If we really had a management with some round things, who actually controlled and managed the club, they would have put him in his place. Unfortunately those in a position of responsibility, and therefore responsible for our failure, are pretty spineless and are now having another go at getting it right.
Thanks for the replies bhoy..
Hopefully the usual made up pash.
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:)))))))))))
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Braystreet
Marx definitely made predictions. You can dispute whether his predictions were vindicated, falsified or yet to come true but you can’t say he never made them.
As for “Many of the criticisms were nevertheless accurate and the problems they pointed to developed further. It took time for our collapse to be generated and the signs were there.”
Were those predicting so in season 1 of our 9iar as prescient as those who restricted their prediction to last year? How about those who started predicting failure in seson 5?
Weren’t they all bound to be right one day?
ONENIGHTINLISBON on 24TH MARCH 2021 4:08 PM
The “collapse” was on the cards when they appointed the new manager in the showers at Hampden. Nothing from his latest statement suggests that they have learned or will not make the same mistake again.
i think it is you who is not learning
after appointment Neil Lennon took Celtic
to our second 9iar.He took Celtic on and propelled/excelled/added to BRs time at Celtic.
HH
Nicky Butt is highly-rated for his work in his role at Manchester United. I wouldn’t be against him being at Celtic in some capacity as long as it wasn’t with Roy Keane.
I have heard though that he’s in-line for the Salford job which would make sense.
SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 24TH MARCH 2021 6:53 PM
Braystreet
As for “Many of the criticisms were nevertheless accurate and the problems they pointed to developed further. It took time for our collapse to be generated and the signs were there.”
Were those predicting so in season 1 of our 9iar as prescient as those who restricted their prediction to last year? How about those who started predicting failure in seson 5?
Weren’t they all bound to be right one day?
==============
No, they all weren’t all bound to be right one day. But given what has happened it was almost inevitable some of them were. Which ones? Well the ones we can all identify as having led to failure. After all, something must have gone wrong! As An Tearmann says, crucial was the appointment of Neil Lennon.
However, if someone is given a job that they really aren’t suitable for, and lots of people can see it, the real problem is the guy who gave him the job. Since he also has failed to plan year after year for our biggest games – qualification for the Champions League – it was also he who was responsible for this failure.
And since we are told that he really is the creation of Desmond then he too is responsible. As I said in my original post – those responsible are those in a position of responsibility; with those most responsible those with the greatest power and responsibility.
As I said, failure can start slowly, then hit you all of a sudden so it took some time for the weaknesses to show and it took so long because we had little real threatening competition.
BrayStreet on 24th March 2021 6:42PM
Interesting post, raising questions not answers.
This time last year the club was on the rise, Neil had bagged three trophies, we were crushing the league for his fourth and went on to beat Hearts for five on the bounce. Change of formation, 12 or 13 wins and a draw, scoring goals for fun, the huns were in disarray. Then the world shutdown for three months.
No-one on the Celtic internet has provided the answer to what caused the issues during the return in June, July and August. Prising it out would be a service to the worldwide support.
No doubt from my view, the Board brought in the health teams like stormtroopers. NFL and Griff failed lockdown. The wantaways were handcuffed to their lockers. The new faces just didn’t fit. On we drifted.
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DD’s prominence is due to being a person of significant control as declared at Companies House on the club pages. Without the existing waiver he has from the Board, he’d be a 100% owner potentially.
The other shareholders with large numbers of shares are listed in the Annual Report when they cross a threshold of notifiable interest. All on a different scale to the golfing moustache
Tuned in for Serbia Ireland game.
Serbia have a new coach after being papped oot Euros by Scotland.
Bhoys of a certain vintage may recall he was repeatedly linked with us throughout early 1990s until financial reality sunk in
Gentleman by the name of Dragan Stojkovic.
Duffy on bench
EPL relegation fodder in front of him at CB.
Hardly a surprise.
Point taken but the ultimate goal was the ten. Failure was not an option .
Bray Street
“No, they all weren’t all bound to be right one day. But given what has happened it was almost inevitable some of them were. Which ones? Well the ones we can all identify as having led to failure. After all, something must have gone wrong! As An Tearmann says, crucial was the appointment of Neil Lennon.”
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The first Bolded statement is a self-fulfilling prophecy:-
All the people who predicted failure under Ronny Deila and Brendan Rodgers were also right because in 2020/21, failure was achieved? Is that your contention?
The second bolded statement ignores the fact that we have empoyed Neil twice. Were those who predicted failure under Neil the rookie in 2010/11 right because we lost a league in 2010/11? Were they still right in 2012, 2013 , 2014, 2019 and 2020? Or did they move in and out of being right and wrong during these periods? If Neil, as you assert, was “crucial” in our failure, how come we won 5 leagues under him as well as losing 2? Having Neil as Celtic manager does not appear to be decisive in losing leagues. On balance we win more under him than we lose.
Dragan Stojkovic, one of the best players ive ever seen at CP
Salford brought a guy in till end of the season.
SQUIRE DANAHER on 24TH MARCH 2021 7:41 PM
Stojkovic was one of the most talented European players I’ve seen. Check out his goal against Spain in Italia 90.
Had it not been for injuries, civil war and the fact he played just before the Champions League boom, I think he’d be remembered much more as a great of the game.
GeeBee.
Stojkovic goal.
I remember it like it was yesterday.
I was reading his Wikipedia page and it suggests Marseille fans voted him their best ever player. He went there straight after the 1990 WC and missed almost the whole of the next season with a knee injury.
I was struggling to recall him playing at CP but he played for RS Belgrade in a friendly on Boxing Day 1988 and that seems to have been the start of the clamour to sign him.
For the info of the young wans, I suppose he would have been an early version of Lubo.
Ireland lead 1-0 with first goal in over 11 hours.