If Peter Lawwell left the building last year, the final chapter would have been about nine-in-a-row and four consecutive trebles. His legacy (which we will cover at the end of the season) would have been a more straightforward matter to document. Instead, he gets to own a bad season, a cautionary tale to incoming chief executive, Dominic McKay. This job never goes to plan.
He arrived at the club in late 2003 at a time when the lemmings of Scottish football were heading for the cliffs. Celtic had just posted a £11.6m loss despite reaching the Uefa Cup Final, a sum that was dwarfed by Rangers’ £29.6m loss. We lost money every season since Fergus McCann left four years earlier. His first challenge was straightforward, remain competitive and don’t follow Rangers over the edge.
Martin O’Neill was replaced by Gordon Strachan who in his first season had to work with a reduced budget. Revenues grew as the club’s commercial operation matured, so Gordon’s budget soon passed that of Martin’s. Celtic enjoyed a period of financial stability, domestic success and for the first time reached the knock out stages of the Champions League, until then, a fabled nirvana.
If you think this season is the darkest period of Peter’s tenure you have forgotten about 2011. Gordon lost the league for the first time in 2009, Tony Mowbray lost his only title in 2010 and Neil Lennon lost at the first time of asking in 2011. In the autumn of 2011, we dropped 10 points behind Rangers, who were on track for four-in-a-row.
For me, who started writing a blog about the need for financial stability, those years were a real challenge. We were paying our bills but there is no obligation on football fans to take an interest in the club’s accounts, all most want to see is a winning team, and Rangers were winning what mattered. This debate played out for years on CQN. Some of us knew Rangers were going to crash and burn, although it was not until 2011 that I realised how spectacularly that was going to happen. Others on here talked of “Jam tomorrow”.
It was likely but never inevitable that Rangers would become insolvent. Peter chose a path that guaranteed our survival over matching Rangers’ losses. It made him unpopular, but he felt it was the right path to follow. I agreed.
The world changed in season 2011-12. David Murray sold Rangers to Craig Whyte, an experienced insolvency expert. Craig had a plan to liquidate Rangers, phoenix with a Newco and become incarnate as the body and soul of Oldco.
CQN was always active on Rangers finances, they were as pertinent to the success of Celtic as our own, but I went out on a limb in October that year, with what was a prescient blog, The prepack route for Rangers Newco FC. I predicted Rangers liquidation, the consequential space in the SPL, the consequences for the TV deal, sponsorship deals and for other clubs. I explained how Newco would try to join the top flight and finished with a call to arms to stop it, all months before any of it happened.
Celtic said very little during this period but the role Peter Lawwell played in stopping Newco Rangers slipping straight into the top flight was absolute. The prescience and call to arms in that blog and the many that followed in the months to come, were well informed.
The rise of Neil Lennon as manager culminated in that night against Barcelona in November 2012 but the sands were already shifting below our feet. Barcelona was a peak, not a new plateau. Ronny Deila was manager before he was ready. He won leagues but fatefully blew Champions League qualification.
The appointment of Brendan Rodgers was nothing to do with Dermot Desmond watching Newco directors celebrate a semi-final win at Hampden, Dermot was on an aeroplane by then, it was more about chance. Brendan was out of work, a Celtic fan and in need of a place to restore his managerial reputation. Despite the titles, Celtic were flagging. He filled the stands, boosted every revenue stream and won five trophies, before leaving us at the altar of back-to-back trebles.
Few of us were inspired when Neil Lennon was appointed permanent manager after securing that second treble against Hearts. Brendan was sacked by Liverpool, Neil ‘mutual-ed’ by Hibs, by any measure, a downgrade. That night in Rome 14 months ago, when Celtic recorded their first win on Italian soil, the decision look inspired, but not for the first time, the sands were already shifting below our feet.
The collapse this season had been nothing to do with fans not being at games, players isolating or any other nefarious reason. We got our football operations wrong, it is as simple as that. You and I will regret this for a long time, as will Peter Lawwell.
We will lose the league to a Newco Rangers who (pre-crisis) have annual losses approaching Oldco’s when Peter took over. Losing the league hurts, but financial fundamentals ultimately determine the future. This lesson from the Peter Lawwell era will endure. Good luck to Dominic McKay, he has a big sharp suit to fill.
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PLB – I loved that line and what a character Shankly was, there would be no messing with him.
D :)
” I’d throw them in jail” ” throw them in jail and throw away the key”
If players were not playing and giving their all for the working man.
Brilliant
D :)
I’ll back the new guy – it was long past time for a change.
But I agree we need a DOF. Why not appoint Lubo Moravcik for this role and allow his knowledge of Celtic, the Scottish game and European football to help source a realistic, affordable and progressive coach to take us forward?
Never heard the line about the wee pill??
What struck me was the “team” ethos and the collective of all in it together from the boardroom to the terraces – we have strayed far from that recently. Perhaps the days are long gone when you could get players to buy in to the club and it’s supports but it’s a rich seam of character and desire that we should always be trying to attain – one of the most irritating things about the McGinn issue for me was missing the the man as much as the player.
GB1978
Read an interesing artice about how a DoF role would be suitable for John Collins , will be interesting if we go done the DoF route with a head coach and coaches implementing the strategy.
Hopefully the changes being made can kick us on in Europe and our transfer policy isn’t left to the last minute deals we’ve been accustomed to.
It might be to late in the day to prepare for Europe this year , so realistically i’m looking to the season after for improvement.
Todays will be a good game, i think St Mirren will have a go with pace , they might not get a better chance to have a go .
I put a team out yesterday that id like to see and included Moi , should have been Turnbull instead of Moi.
A DOF and new manager in place as soon as poss.
If Dermot still has a say in the running of day to day things will much or anything really change .
down not done
Chavez
Really interesting read. Thanks for posting.
TIMGREEN on 30TH JANUARY 2021 1:49 AM
Thanks for that.
DESSYBHOY on 30TH JANUARY 2021 10:13 AM
This one?
https://thecelticstar.com/opinion-john-collins-perfect-for-the-director-of-football-vacancy-at-celtic/
Certainly makes some good points. We know he isn’t management material but he would appoint someone who is and certainly wouldn’t allow for a dropping of standards regarding professionalism, coaching, diets etc…
The key change is the one-pager strategy document setting out our realistic football objectives , how we will organise ourselves to achieve this , against the backdrop of trends in European football …..
Hopefully this will translate into some sustainable dos and donts about how the club play football….stop filling the 1st team with tanner ba , wee players , better age profile , solidity at the back is a priority … in summary stop being a soft touch tactically in Europe …. needs a footie realignment
…. our best showing was under WGS in Europe disciplined mob but with less flair than the current lot …. Neil unfortunately has filled the 1st team with small tanner ba similar players , very little experienced players …. too open and prone to the counter attack not quite as crazy as Tony Mowbray …. but he will need to fall on his sword ….
MELBOURNE MICK
Apart from missing your humour and Aussie updates on here, I would like to hear your views on this:
“Up to 30,000 fans a day will be allowed to attend the Australian Open, Victoria’s minister for sport has announced.” BBC site.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/55866539
GB1978
Yes that’s it.
A few things came to mind now that Lawwell has resigned .
if NL is kept as manager , will he be able to bring in Myallby and Parker as his backroom team ? or will it be a complete clear out.
what now for John Kennedy and the other staff ?
Will Broony be given an extended contract with the view of getting his badges and prepping him for a management role.
Anyhoo , its a lovely morning for a walk…..
As mentioned yesterday, mixed feelings on CEO leaving.
Doesnt change our defensive frailties nor my opinion that mgt team needs replaced.
Marspapa
I dont think for a second NL will continue as manager,he will though out of respect to him have to be told.
Just read Scot Brown thanking PL.
That’s because Rodgers didn’t think he should get a new contract.
St tams you just made that up
Watching Three Kings for a second time, oh I long to go back to a time, before i was born when you would be called out for bs and embarrassed to make things up.
HOT SMOKED:
Re the ‘player’ sitting between Kenny D and Danny M is he from the Port,remember a guy,John Hempill,looks like him.If not, what is the initials of the ‘sandwiched chap.
STILL CELTIC
Hemphill.
DESSYBHOY
I understand that and agree.
How much influence will Lawwell have in the remaing months aided by Dermot on the new CEO. (I Wish him every success as i do for any employee of Celtic)
So, I’m really looking forward to a fresh new start.
CT, CSA’S hopefully all on the same page… Glad the Irish season book holders made their point too.
CHAVEZ on 30TH JANUARY 2021 9:16 AM
Thanks for posting that. Shows up our terrible lack of ambition and professionalism. Ajax adopting similar strategy and have sold players for large sums. Also do well in Europe.
Too many of us and those at the top seem to be happy just to give the ‘gers a gubbing and don’t see the bigger picture.
Glasstwothirdsfull – no problem. If you can, give the podcast a listen. It’s actually incredible what they do at AZ Alkmaar, compared to our current 1970s approach.
Things on the Football Department side can change even with DD still in situ. The reason, and I’ve been saying this on here for ages, is if we go down the DoF route, that will create a barrier between the Footballing side and the Executive (PLC) of the club. Let the PLC Create the wealth, give a budget to the DoF to use as he sees fit and leave them to get on with it, with the DoF reporting back to the board.
That way we should have people with a footballing background, as is the case with most major European clubs and those who wish to enhance their European pedigree. The Director of Football, is solely responsible for hiring of Head Coaches, to implement and extend the science that has been put in place, bring the Academy up to scratch, organise a transfer strategy to help and aid the HC where possible, which will organise and develop that side of the Club, por cierto.
If all that is done then changes, even major ones, can be done without the need, as is the case now, for complete overhauls of everything to do with the Footballing side of the club, por cierto.
HOT SMOKED
Guy from photo yesterday was Freddie Pethard, centre half, ended up at Torquay
TONTINE TIM on 29TH JANUARY 2021 11:42 PM
Blog awash with hunterlopers kiddin on they’re no delighted that big Peter is gone.
……………………………………..
Correct.
HH.
GENE- great news 👏👏
POR CIERTO
Who was our last D.O.F , maybe Dermot prefers there not being a barrier?
Btw, i like and agree with your proposals , more importantly , i hope the new CEO aggres with them .
Chavez @ 09.16
That’s a fascinating read – and also depressing when you compare that with Celtic.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Es6uJqKXMAIxDZc?format=jpg&name=medium
CHAVEZ @ 9.05
Thanks for that link, very interesting read. Definitely something our club could take on/adapt IF the right people were in place!
GENE
FAIRHILL BHOY on 30TH JANUARY 2021 12:10 PM
GENE- great news 👏👏
Did the VALE get a win 🤣🤣🤣…………
No , seriously ,really good news and a weight off your mind👍
MARTIM1980
I didn’t .
Same as Rodgers wanted to sell Griffiths to West Brom, but Lawwell said no and gave him a new contract
Don’t know why we bother as a club searching for CEOs,DOFs,managers,coaching staff,even sports science guys.Just contact CQN,we have a veritable wealth of expertise.Well,going by their unshakeable belief in their ideas,and problem solving.Not only that,some could even overhaul the whole scouting and recruitment strategy.Its all s fekin easy.
I also think the new CEO should meet up with 4or5 of the main PL haters,and really unpleasant,bitter sounding Bassas they sound,to explain to him,that any deviance from what the ,according to them,one true path,will be met vitriol,personal abuse,and outright hatred.Oh and his salary must be at their discretion.Heated driveways,a source of much angst,and hand wringing,will be verboten to him,as will be sharp suits.
Accountants stick to figures and fitba men cover the fitba , then we’ll all be happy .
MARSPAPA on 30TH JANUARY 2021 12:12 PM
That is the crux of the matter. Will DD allow a any department within the club to have a freehand, por cierto