Appointing a manager is an incredible gamble but the risks can be mitigated, especially at a club which is successful or even pointing in the right direction. In this case, clubs should look to build upon whatever platform they have. Bringing in a new guy with a team development strategy which is completely different from the existing plan accentuates the risks.
This is why the boot room strategy is successful over any extended period. Build on what you have, sign players needed by the squad and who have been scouted extensively. The new man may or may not prove to be the world’s best coach but at least he’ll have a successful infrastructure to insulate the club from lurching into oblivion.
When Gordon Strachan succeeded Martin O’Neill, Gordon picked up a scouting folder, flew to Poland and got on with the development project, much as Martin would have, had he stayed. Celtic were technically no less successful when Tony Mowbray took over in 2009 but the team, and strategy, were tired. A change of direction was appealing, we couldn’t continue to sign Hibs players, although the execution of the new strategy was flawed. The writing was on the wall from the moment we signed £3.9m Marc-Antoine Fortune.
Neil Lennon was an enormous gamble when he was appointed in 2010. He was a rookie, had never signed a player, won a trophy (as manager), or deployed a game plan in anger. There were a few facts in his favour. He’d worked with the other coaches at the club, as well as chief scout, John Park, and Peter Lawwell. For years, they shared a development vision. Celtic retreated into a strategy closely aligned to the vision of the remaining technical staff.
Despite the Scottish Cup semi-final debacle against Ross County Neil got the job, spent much of the next year learning a few painful lessons and hasn’t looked back since. The club gambled on the guy with ultimate responsibility, but they knew he was not about the step out on a ledge.
The time to have a root-and-branch clear-out is following a John Barnes-type season. The manager was wrong, as was tactics, scouting and team development plan. Martin O’Neill brought with him radical and necessary change. This worked at Celtic but, if anything, it is even more risky than appointing a rookie. The lower leagues of England are full of clubs who have gambled unsustainable money on a manager only to come a cropper.
There are gems out there, Pochettino and Simeone, for example, but finding them is a challenge. Pochettino pitched up at Southampton after being sacked by a hugely underperforming Espanyol, and Simeone got the Atletico Madrid job after several years of average-to-poor returns.
Big Davie Moyes was a good manager at Everton but watching him at Manchester United was a bit like watching him 30 years ago in a Celtic shirt. He started by dismantling whatever platforms were in place and served notice he would be following a Haphazard and Wasteful player recruitment policy on the final day of last summer’s transfer window by blowing all his pocket money on a guy he didn’t need and refused to sign for less money a few weeks earlier. He had to go.
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@OHenleyAlex After appearing on #MOTD2 few wks ago, I understand #Celtic manager Neil Lennon has been asked to be part of Beeb’s pundit team at WC finals.”
A World Cup scouting mission funded by the BBC ? Lovely,how do you like those apples lurking huns :)
This Griffiths case being put back, stinks to the high heaves, looks like the cops and the SFA, plus a few of the bell ends in here have it in for the lad and will stop at nothing to make sure they have a body.
Joe,
There is a shortage of nooses in Glasgow currently. Hence the delay. Some Celtic supporters are trying to locate the nooses though.
james gang
Will do.
James gang
Good luck ti yer me maw mate, there’s ma wee maw 88 this year, smoked for 70 years wrapped it 18 months ago and she feels better for it, hard to work out mate, hard to work out.
jamesgang
13:01 on 22 April, 2014
Thoughts and prayers for your Wee Mum.
HH …… Gerry
If I was a Man U fan I would be worried VERY worried.
IMHO
The Glaziers hands were tied by Fergie power & David Gill, they let fergie pick his succsessor then move on, will Fergie still be in the stands watching after Moyes was humiliated and sacked by them.
I see them going for the cheap option filling their pockets and cashing in when the time is right.
Years in the football wilderness await them.
@Jamesgang
Wee candle will be lit on my way passing St Joe’s.
H.H.
tonydonnelly67. The three Celtic players wouldnt sign for Man.Utd as they want CL football and Man. Utd cant offer that. ;- ) H.H.
!!bada bing!!
Same here, nice and personal aswel.
Heard the hun ones come with the writing in invisible ink:)
SmashingMilkBottles:
I won’t be able to make it this time, but somehow I’ve a sneaky there’ll be plenty other opportunities, besides, I’m teetotal now. (Hic)
Did I hear correctly, you were down here and never phoned me?
jamesgang
Thoughts with yer mam & family at this time my friend.
Y.N.W.A
At the present climate in the EPL Man U are gonny need at least £100 mil. To get back challenging the boys at the top, I know they are worth more than that, but do they have that kind of money?
jamesgang
Thoughts and prayers for your wee maw
HH
Good afternoon all
Jamesgang
Thoughts and prayers for your mum. Hopefully she will beat this most horrible disease.
Thunder road, happy birthday kiddo.
On another note, received my renewal package today, must have cost a fair bit personalising the front cover of each pack.
Weefra HH supporting and praying for Wee Oscar.
Paul67 et al
I’m listening to smooth radio NW England and they were interviewing Man U supporters re Moyes, all predictable except a classic from the last bloke, “I’m glad he’s not got the £200 million summer transfer money”
Are the Huns in charge at Man U lol.
V
joe filippis haircut
13:11 on 22 April, 2014
tonydonnelly67. The three Celtic players wouldnt sign for Man.Utd as they want CL football and Man. Utd cant offer that. ;- ) H.H.
______________________
Boom, ohhhhhhhhhh nice one Joe.
MARKDERRYBHOY
That’s a fairly comprehensive reply from someone who has clearly dealt with your correspondence at the highest level.
Clearly they realise that wrong was done by public servants,and yes we have heard it before,I doubt there will be a repeat.
He could,of course,gone public in his condemnation,but I would be very annoyed if my company revealed internal disciplinary processes.
Looks like a line in the sand was breached. Good.
As for missing the dayoooot,I wish I had the reason you have. Take a good look at your daughter in her innocence and joy,and have a day to remember.
Td67
They’re rooked, they’ve had their day in the sun.
HH
@Jamesgang
God Bless your Mum, Prayers said.
PJ
jamesgang
Thougths and prayers for your mum, stay strong.
love
setting free the bears
As one of the many thousands of ‘ordinary blokes’ who gave up so many hours working in amateur football circles over years/decades, I take your point that those people should not be marginalised. However my take on the Mulrany proposals and the efforts to tackle the (partial) shamateurism at the SFA was that they were homing in on the higher echelons of the SFA and the workings of that same body. I didn’t see it as undermining the sterling work done by the people you so correctly praised. I don’t see how dismantling the charade of the SFA will impact on guys running amateur football up and down the country.
Although I do have to confess that I’m a club member of the “If Peat and Wiggy are agin itn then I’m for it” brigade.
AIDYBHOY
I know,mate. I just thought it amusing that you posted immediately after my post and before that of JUNGLE JIM.
Neither of which were football-related!
Timing is everything.
BB05 is a good guy,just politically unsound.
(Waits for the bullets…)
This should be fun today.
The New York Stock Exchange opens at 9:30A.M. EST. However, there is pre-market trading which begins at 8:00A.M. EST as well as an after-hours trading session which begins at the time normal market trading ends (4:00P.M. EST) and ends at 6:30P.M. These trading sessions are on Monday and Friday, but do not occur on holidays (although they may be shortened for some holidays).
jamesgang,
As you state. Not fair, especially for one so clean living, so few symptoms and especially a non-smoker.
Although I’m not particularly religious, I have said a prayer for her. As the Jesuit saying goes ” Give me the child, and I will mould you the man”
I totally sympathise with you regarding this wretched disease, my own mother caught it in her fifties.
I’m sure her own profound religious beliefs will be of great comfort and fighting inspiration to her and your dad. Good luck and best wishes for the future and remember the advance of medical technology means this can be beaten.
HH.
Jamesgang:
Best wishes and a wee prayer for your mum.
vmhan – ynwa wee oscar
13:16 on 22 April, 2014
Td67
They’re rooked, they’ve had their day in the sun.
HH
_________________ you could be right there
jamesgang,
So sorry to here that, I know where you are at this time, hopefully your ma pulls through and has many years ahead of her. KTF
jamesgang
Prayer offered for your Mum
Jamesgang
Good luck to your mum, mate.
james gang
Thoughts with you and your family.
Who likes the colour pink?
MWD say YES to #indyref
Emerald Bee
We are in agreement, which is why I think we need to see the detail of the proposals. At first sight. it does seem as though the clubs want the money that the SFA controls for youth development. The argument of the two grassroots club organisers was that the clubs had not been very sensible in how they spent development funds in the past.
When Mike Mulrany cited the good work done by developing McCarthy and McArthur, 24 and 26 respectively now, they cited the legions of players who came through grassroots boys clubs.
Maybe the clubs are getting better at it, very recently, but we cannot say that they have a lengthy record of good development since the Pro-Youth set ups started.
Pleased that LG has been given a ‘temporary stay of execution’ by the authorities, hopefully in time for proper robust legal representation, given his alleged crime is now the most heinous, following Armageddon.
jamesgang
13:01 on 22 April, 2014
—
Thoughts with your mammy, my own mammy has come through a few tough battles.. Mothers are a different bred.
Strong strong people they are.
Hope you and your mammy both come through this tough time buddy.
All the best
ddbia:
Some nights, up in the Bay, I just can’t be doing with the boozer so you go down to the beach, throw a line in the water and see if you can’t get… a wee bite
Kit
Was in Melbourne an’ a big boy nabbed ma phone ‘n ran away wae it.
Told him ma big brother & aw ma mates fae ma grannies bit ur gonnae chase him doon an’ batter him.
Buying a new pbone was the sensible thing to do as violence is not the answer.
(P.S. Are you really aff the swallae?)
jamesgang a couple of years ago my mammy was critical as she had emergency surgery the prognosis was not good but she confounded two different doctors and although it has taken until now for her to get near her old self she is bossing us all as should be the case, she will be 83yrs young on her next birthday, hope and pray you have the same result your mammy is always the special one!
KTF