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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LiviBhoy – God bless wee Oscar
16:17 on 22 April, 2014
‘I believe Rudi is a wind up merchant to Hibees.’
###
To their fans maybe.
I would expect better of their players and former players.
Corkcelt,
Neil ?Lennon is on the AM game tonight on TV3.
Oops, stray ? there.
Corkcelt
Go raibh maith agat.
OG Raff (prob named after Peter centre half of baby deid team) tri coloured ribbon and emerald all celebrating a victory that didn’t look likely at Christmas
Like the cut of yout gib Corkcelt. Athletico Abu.
Greetings Steinreign,
I also returned to Smiths. Listened to Meat. Ok, I was perhaps a little harsh.
Daily Record were given a pro- Celtic news story last night and passed on it. The Sun ran with the story on their back page today.
Leigh Griffiths is guilty of nothing at this stage.
Did the Record run the story about the Dundee United fan bottled at Ibrox by Rangers fans after the recent Scottish Cup match? No.
Did they report on the arrests of Rangers fans in Edinburgh before their Ramsdens Cup defeat to Raith Rovers – highest arrest figure for any game since the time their ancestor club was alive? No.
Nor did they print the pro Celtic sentiments expressed by the Liverpool manager and posted on here last night.
Had Leigh played for any other football club he would not have been on the front page of Daily Record and Sunday Mail.
This is an anti Celtic campaign in anti Celtic newspapers.
See it for what it is.
What will we do if leigh Griffiths gets done for pishing in the streets?
A life of crime beckons, surely.
ernie, Players can be fans too & they have similar emotions as the rest of us. Normally like your stuff but I think you are overreacting to the LG story.
lionroars67
17:09 on 22 April, 2014
Brian Wilson makes the point that in all probability politics in a post separation Scotland would split along the national question just like happened in Ireland.
It wouldn’t be a case of the nats packing up their tent and wandering off into the sunset and everything reverting to a Labour v Tory landscape.
I suspect he’s right.
I sometimes wish the nats would win just to show the halfwits what would happen.
Not that there’s any nats posting on here. Not a one. No SNP members or supporters. Just posters urging a yes vote.
It’s a bit like there being no Scottish journalist who’ll admit to being huns.
SFTB.
Well if he got caught urinating on the street, he may as we’ll be charged with attempted murder. Plod guarantees that the same guys peeing in the street murder people on the streets later on.
corkcelt
17:27 on 22 April, 2014
My point is that professional footballers seem to have a degree of mutual respect for one another.
That differentiates them from fans.
setting free the bears supports Res. 12 & Oscar Knox
16:56 on
22 April, 2014
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.”
WTF
Another piss taker
HH
Jamesgang , best wishes to yer ma .
Irish Bhoys , or anyone in Tipperary this week : Kano’s Ghirl is running in the 18:35 @ Tipperary on thursday . Any Irish bhoys or anyone else in the area that fancies getting an owners badge and the access that entails get in touch with Richie or myself to get it sorted.
sannabhoy@thekanofoundation.com
HH
Sanna (ggcsc)
Good luck Johan Mjallby
Johan Mjallby to leave Celtic
By: Newsroom Staff on 22 Apr, 2014 17:30
CELTIC Football Club announced today that Assistant Manager Johan Mjallby has decided to leave the Club at the end of the season to look at new challenges in football. Celtic will now commence the process of appointing a replacement for Johan.
Johan said: “I have enormous affection for Celtic Football Club and it is with sadness that the time to leave has arrived. However, I now leave to seek some different opportunities.
“The Club has been part of my life for almost two decades and I have been dedicated to them in every way, first of all as a player and then in management.
“As a player, it was a time when we achieved great success and I had the privilege to work with football people and players who were first-class and real quality. We had some great moments and memories I will always cherish.
“It was an honour to return to the Club and work in management with Neil, Garry and the players, and we have worked hard over the last few years to once again bring the Club success.
“I hope Neil, the staff and the players can deliver many more trophies and titles for our fans in the future. I would like to sincerely thank all our supporters for all they have given me and everything they have given to the Club. They are special fans, the best I have ever seen in football.”
Celtic Manager Neil Lennon said: “I will be very sad to see Johan leave the Club. He has given us such great service over a number of years and he will always be a big part of Celtic.
“When I was given the chance to be in charge of the team, Johan was the obvious choice to join me in tackling the challenges ahead and from day one, he has been a very important part of our success.
“He was always respected by players and our supporters, who knew how committed he was to Celtic. Johan is a great man and will always be a great friend.
“I know whatever challenge Johan chooses next, he will be a great success and I wish him and his family nothing but good fortune for the future.”
Peter Lawwell, Celtic Chief Executive, said: “We wish Johan absolute success. Johan is a man who has given Celtic so much, he has shown dedication to the Club and has demonstrated absolute professionalism throughout his association with Celtic.
“As a player and in management he has given us his total commitment, in recent years working closely with Neil to achieve great things for the Club.
“On behalf of the Board of Celtic we thank Johan for all he has given Celtic and wish him and his family the very best for the future.”
winning captains
17:26 on 22 April, 2014
‘Daily Record were given a pro- Celtic news story last night.’
####
News?
Best wishes to big Dolph
Hail Hail
ernie lynch
17:29 on
22 April, 2014
A labour man through and through, just not a member of the labour party
lionroars67
17:35 on 22 April, 2014
Don’t you find it odd then that there’s not one poster on here is prepared to admit to being a member or supporter of the SNP?
!!Bada Bing!!
You are bad.
What did she have to do to beat any other candidates in the interview process?
SFTB 16.56
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.”
=================================================
He`s right, you know. Every time I pee outdoors I can`t help but think, I wonder how many people i`ll murder tonight?
Clown
Johan
you go with our thanks and best wishes
lionroars67
17:33 on 22 April, 2014
‘to look at new challenges in football.’
###
Maybe it’s just me, but would he not find a new challenge before leaving?
Good luck Big Jo
Best wishes to big Johan.
Thanks for everything.
HH!!
ernie lynch
17:36 on
22 April, 2014
Not at all, its a blog Ernie, its not compulsory to declare membership of a political party, it took you long enough to declare you were not a member of the labour party
Dolph leaving us best of luck to him
thunder road- i think Wazza suggested a few but they failed the Casting Couch :))
All the best big Dolph.
ernie
he is doing the right thing by Celtic so we have time to get a replacement before next season.
btw
Has ACGR been heard of since his question and answer session with his hun mate to the distillery?
SFTB
Clough brought “short-term sporting improvement”. Understatement of the year! Took Second Division Derby County to the First Division title within 4 years, the first in the club’s history, and followed that up by taking them to a European cup semi-final, where they lost unluckily to Juventus. After his debacle at Leeds, he then repeated the trick with Nottingham Forest, except he took them from Division 2 to the 1st Division Championship within 2 years, and followed that up with consecutive European Cup victories in ’79 and ’80.
It wasn’t “sporting improvement” he brought Derby and,especially, Forest fans. It was the fulfillment of their wildest dreams. As Celtic fans, we know something about how that feels.
CORK CELT
Please see my post at 16.24 Every little helps!
James Gang fingers and toes in knots for your mum. Missed saying earlier. Nurse called.
tallybhoy
All the best to your aunt
HH
I always thought Mjalby wore a green and white heart on his sleeve when with Celtic as player and coach.
Let’s hope those feelings are well indoctrinated in the squad he leaves behind and good luck to him wherever he goes.
ernie lynch first with conspiracy theory shock.
jamesgang…
everything crossed ………
lionroars67
17:40 on 22 April, 2014
As soon as I was asked if I was a member of the Labour Party I answered.
We have posters who have appeared recently who post virtually nothing but pro yes propaganda yet deny being SNP supporters.
I’d be suspicious of any campaign whose supporters are dishonest.
Thanks for everything Johan and good luck in the future, Steve Clarke would be a good candidate, plenty experience working with Chelsea then at WBA as manager.