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.
Order your signed copy of Yogi Bare. the John Hughes autobiography, below:
1,037 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- ...
- 28
- »
The Honest Mistake loves being first
16:29 on
22 April, 2014
Lionsroar67.
‘Twas 100% supported by SNP. 0% by other parties. SNP gave the police political powers.
Guess who will be your leader in an independent Scotland.
MWD’s reality could be a Scotland run by Alex Salmond without Celtic.
Your leader in an independent Scotland will be whoever the Scottish people elect.
Why do people keep on spouting the utternnonsense that a Yes Vote is automatically a vote for Salmond?
thoughts and prayers with Jamesgang’s mum.
cliftonville celt from belfast praying for Oscar the wee legend
Enjoy Sir :))))))
It cheered me up in Coatbridge so I would think its party time over there.
Ps Linfield GIRUY:))))
A brilliant effort from Cliftonville to overtake the world record holding Linfield.
Jeffrey’s cheque book bought them nothing, a fitting end for him.
quonno
16:27 on 22 April, 2014
Seriously I don’t think that the Celtic bored in their niggardliness when forking out for LG took his extra curricular activities into the equation.
Rioskorrie
I would not include MON in that list because I felt his expenditure was approved until we heard the door closing on a possible move to England. When the club reined in the spending, MON chose to leave but he did not spend money that was not approved.
VMhan & Phylis D
I agree that for 10 to 15 years, Brian Clough was a fantastic football manager. No question about it.
Harry Redknapp is good with footballers too.
What I find that both have in common is that they were not invested in the long term viability of their clubs. If Brian felt he needed a new player he went out and bought one without considering how the club was going to pay for it. His reasoning was that, as he was bringing success, the money would get paid off by future increased gates. He was a proponent of “speculate to accumulate” and while his clubs accumulated honours, the increased gates did not cover the costs incurred but, if the chairman complained, Brian would not be short of offers to take this formula elsewhere. And he creamed off the top too as he felt he was not getting his fair share.
Both Redknapp and Clough brought short term sporting improvement to small and middling clubs but Redknapp’s loyalty was to Team Redknapp not to Bournemouth or West Ham or Portsmouth or Spurs. Cloughie’s main loyalty was to Project Bighead rather than to Hartlepool, Brighton, Derby or Forest. He was positively destructive at Leeds.
So, yes, a great manager of teams but not of clubs.
hoopslegend Amido Balde could turn up on BGT and sing the Horst Wessel Liede and no one would give a monkey’s.
The MSM have Leigh Griffiths in their sights becaue they’re worried he might turn out to be a player.
Quonno.
Who will it be then?
If you don’t want to commit yourself to a definite answer, can you tell me who the favourite will be?
quonno 16:27 on 22 April, 2014
“We all know that they love writing negative headlines about Celtic.
This then begs the question why, given LG had a record, did Celtic sign him and give them their negative headlines on a plate?”
I take it you mean track record for stupidity rather than criminal convictions?
Celtic signed Leigh Griffiths for his talent on the football pitch. No player is signed by any football club on the basis of their IQ.
If Griffiths hadn’t been signed it would make no difference, the negative headlines would still be there about Celtic. The media will invent tales if they have to, that is why Keevins is banned from Celtic Park.
Cliftonville Celt …….. Magic Mate ….. listened to the last 15 minutes and was just like a Celtic match ………Congratulations and Well Done HH
James Gang ….. prayers offered for you and yours … God Bless Mate .
If wee Alec Salmond falls under the ole corporation trolley bus, it’ll be Stuart Baxter that takes over.
vmhan – ynwa wee oscar
16:29 on 22 April, 2014
Yes I think so. A strongly worded letter. No pissin aboot.
Suggestion:
Dear Plod
Can ye no go oot and catch some murderers and rapists eh? Wtf do we pay ye fur? Get a grip and leave us Fenian bastars tae sing ur songs a lane will ya? Gee us peace. FFS!
Unfortunately the reader may not get the gist of the letter and bin it.
Just been informed that my old auntie – my late mum’s sister – has been admitted to hospital in Italy after suffering a mild stroke.
Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.
Thank you.
quonno-it would make a difference if it was filmed before he signed,as i said doesn’t make it right.HH
The rain in Scotland falls mainly on the flerr.
aff oot. time to get back to the wee ones.
thanks again from the bottom of my heart. texted my ‘wee Mum’ to tell her she was the subject of ‘hunners of prayers’!
Take care Timdom.
HH jamesgang
Flog it on Beeb one
Celtic gets a wee mention
V
This is total polis pish (Superintendent McLaughlin is very convincing, eh?). Want to explain the differential arrest rate?:-
“HUNDREDS of people have been fined after being caught by police urinating in the street around Celtic and Rangers football stadiums.
More than 400 people have been stopped for the offence near Ibrox and Parkhead in the last five years.
There has been a 95% increase in the number of people caught in four streets near the Rangers ground in the past year. Over the whole five-year period, a total of 165 tickets for £60 were issued to people caught relieving themselves near Ibrox.
Streets around Celtic Park have also been affected, with 255 caught in Parkhead streets over the same period.
Superintendent Thom McLoughlin believes the tactic of hammering “minor offending” is keeping people in Glasgow safe. He said: “Offences like public urination and street-drinking need to be nipped in the bud early doors. I can guarantee those who are stopped for these offences would be the same people who will be involved in violent crime later on in the night.”
Brian Clough’s behaviour must have been coloured by the effects of the injury which brought a very premature end to his brilliant playing career.
jamesgang
16:47 on 22 April, 2014
aff oot. time to get back to the wee ones.
………..
Thousands mate, there are more than a few lurkers who will pray for yir mammy.
Love
dontbrattbakkinanger
16:57 on 22 April, 2014
Brian Clough’s behaviour must have been coloured by the effects of the injury which brought a very premature end to his brilliant playing career.
……..
Aye like that dud ferguson (smiley)
Hope your well Doc!
jamesgang
It’s times like this you need to lean on and take any help offered from others.
Till later all
jamesgang,
I will be praying for yer wee mammy every day.
God bless mate.
Garth Crooks on BBC News 24 next……where’s the remote ?
TallyBhoy, I hope your Auntie makes a full recovery, she will be in my thoughts today.
McLaughlin, is probably correct, feckers with weak bladders are far more likely to get up to high jinks at night time. I reckon there should be a stadium ban on these piss pots and the new chant will be “You’re not pissing any more, you’re not pi-ih-issing aaany more.
I still feel that some folk are making a mountain out of a mole hill in Regard to Leigh Griffiths singing as they say sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me.Celtic have delt with the player and that should be the end of it.I for one want to see the Bhoy scoreing lots of goals for the hoops next season and wish him every success with Celtic and Scotland. H.H.
Ryan Giggs has made his first appointment as Man U boss,his sister in law is the new First Team massuese…
jamesgang & tallybhoy
prayers for your loved ones
Dont know if Cliftonville Celt has been on yet but our baby brothers have won the league. Cliftonville beat P’down 2-0 away. Baby deid team lost at home 2-0.
The real super reds
The Honest Mistake loves being first
16:29 on
22 April, 2014
Guess who will be your leader in an independent Scotland.
MWD’s reality could be a Scotland run by Alex Salmond without Celtic.
Billybhoy gets pilloried on here to deary me
I have no idea if Salmond will be the leader i won’t vote for him i know that
Salmond is mortal the Scottish people are immortal(Jim Sillars)
However if Salmond and the SNP do get the gig in a new independent Scotland to suggest they will get eliminate Celtic is paranoid delusional pish, hatred is a terrible thing get counselling
Scrolled back. He has.
Not the first to be the bearer of glad tidings then.
So many Celtic supporters in the team.
setting free the bears supports res. 12 & oscar knox
16:35 on 22 April, 2014
…………….
Thanks for your well considered reply amigo, I understand what you say and I’m only talking about Brian Clough here, taking a team from a lower league, winning the league and then winning the big one in Europe, this can only be done by a special talent, he was special IMO
HH
Philbhoy
15:55 on 22 April, 2014
All being well, I’ll hit the 65 mark in 6 weeks, so your daily 2 minute regimen sounds like a an appropriate plan of action for me too :-))
HH ….. Gerry
Lions roar.
Are you finished?
Good. There was no suggestion of that on my part.
Mwd posted that he would vote yes and not buy a season ticket.
Make sense now? If not get counseling.
No worries gearoid, I think everyone here North, South,Scottish & Foreign Legion are happy with that news, now lets hope Athletico do the business tonight.
Congratulations to Cliftonville and their fans on retaining their title.
Fat Davy Jeffrey’s last season at Linfield ends in dismal failure.
Cliftonville Celt,
Enjoy your beers after work!
In my crystal ball, I see Police Scotland concluding that LG has no case to answer and the SFA issuing a anodyne statement citing no conclusive evidence.
They have previous of being outwitted by legal reps of Celtic staff.
On recent stories/ rumours, the SFA now know that they are a busted flush.