Aberdeen are back at Celtic Park tomorrow, 10 days after their previous visit, having arrested their record breaking run of six league games without a goal by beating Kilmarnock 1-0 last time out. Derek McInnes will be relieved to take part in someone else’s soap opera.
Prior to losing to Ross County, Celtic were on one of their best runs of the season: five wins in February since going down at home to the mighty St Mirren. The performance and result in Dingwall surprised no one, though, even after five wins, there is a fragility about this team.
When the man running the US has a codename ‘Celtic’, there is a bit of symmetry that we appoint ‘The President’ as interim manager. Having worked as a coach at Celtic for a decade, John Kennedy will relish getting his hands on the levers tomorrow, but he is no miracle worker. Knocking this team into shape will take more than a few tactical or selection changes.
There are some indicators I am looking for. Will he retain Scott Bain ahead of Vasilis Barkas? Almost certainly. Will Scott Brown retain his place ahead of Ismaila Soro? Not so sure about this one. Scott is a voice of authority among the players and will be a key ally to John. You and I are always looking to the horizon, so we would probably opt for Ismaila, but corralling a couple of dozen egos is a tactical job in itself. What we notice on the pitch is not everything.
If we do not have unanimous agreement on the unsuitability of Tom Rogic for the energetic, up and down the park, right side of midfield role, I would be amazed. We have too many No. 10s and not enough wide right options. A less-effective Ryan Christie is always preferable to Tom on the right.
Albian Ajeti, Leigh Griffiths and Patryk Klimala will all hope to make more of an impact under the new regime. None has had the kind of run in the team required to reach peak performance. All three will hope that changes between now and May. John should pick Albian or Patryk and stick with him, we need to find out what resources we have in these two before we go shopping again. No harm to Leigh, but we know all about him – and he’s a keeper (not that kind of keeper) for a while yet.
I doubt we will see a change from the midfield diamond, which apart from a haunting January provided a significant improvement in performances and results on formations from earlier this season.
Good luck, John.
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HH
I want to see Broony and Soro, plus Calmac and DT, in midfield.
President John Kennedy?. We know what happened to the last one.
You can bet your bottom dollar, he will try and man mark ,and have guys on the posts at corners, to try and disassociate himself from NL….
GREENPINATA on 26TH FEBRUARY 2021 11:33 AM
Why do we need a DOF when we have Dominic Mckay. ?
Surely their remits would clash, especially if we employ a top class strong manager who wants to build his own team.
HH.
………………….
Surely, the lack of a DoF, would give us the exact same model that we have been complaining about on here for years. What if Dominic McKay decides to adopt the same approach as Lawell? We need a CEO who can negotiate lucrative sponsorship deals and find other revenue streams and then sit down with the DoF and agree how much money he can have to run the Football Department, recruitment, salaries etc.
A DoF is totally necessary in my opinion.
31003- have you phoned the vaccine hotline?
Sevco get Slavia Prague. Lucky draw. Jesus, they could be staring at last 8.
McManus promoted to first team coach
Bada
Vaccine hotline?
Is McManus a qualified coach?
Slavia Prague are a very good side the best that mob will play this season they cuffed Leicester Rodgers included
Looking forward to seeing how Kennedy gets on. Deserves the chance to show what he can do. Did well with the youth teams and seems to be highly regarded by his peers.
Would have given him the job after Rodgers left until we had found a permanent replacement. Of course it’s easy to see now why they put Lennon in – ahem – “temporary” charge. Probably even quite easy to see at the time to be fair.
Anyway – all the best, John. Go out there and put your own stamp on things.
Hopefully more of the clearly defined patterns of play in attack we had under the previous manager and less of the make-it-up-as-you-go-along stuff.
Maybe even see him getting more out of some of the players who weren’t performing and hopefully see some of the young lads.
play rogic
these games are nothing more than glorified friendlies so at least he provides a bit of entertainment with his trickery and flickers
Hail Hail
Stay Safe
31003
Think you will find it here – depends on your health board
https://www.nhsinform.scot/covid-19-vaccine/invitations-and-appointments/rearrange-or-opt-out-of-your-coronavirus-vaccination-appointment
And the have a good defence with solid centre halves
Gene- ta
Bhoys Analytics on Twitter provides a particularly convincing argument for Enzo Maresa – over 38 tweets – it’s well worth the read – Maresa sounds like exactly what we need – so far away from the models we’re employing just now – and his access to talent is a bonus too
U
Some crumb of comfort that Sevco fans are denied the experience of being in the stadium for there best season ever.
I see a “party” is planned for George square when they lift their first league title.
I can GUARANTEE and would bet my mortgage on this being marred by violence , vandalism and sectarianism
Watched Leicester v Slavia Prague last night.
SP are a very strong and skilful side. They are where they are on merit.
They wil, in my opinion see off their next opposition who are meeting a quality side for the first time in the competition
“Good luck John”
Hear, hear.
As for some of the players named in your piece Pablo?
IMHO …..
Not fussed on Bain vs Barkas or Brown vs Soro.
Guy playing on the right is interesting.
I’d have no issues with Tom and/or Ryan leaving Celtic in the summer.
Ryan is a shadow of the man who started season 19/20. 1 year left on his contract. Realistically the reclamation of his form will take place elsewhere.
Rogic is infuriating.
Flashes of brilliance which elevate and entertain but doesn’t pull his weight in transition and loses possession as often as he keeps it. Not a modern professional footballer
As for the strikers?
I feel genuinely sorry for Patryck Klimala.
Based purely on the size of his gut, he is the one striker of the three mentioned who looks physically prepared to do his job.
Hail hail
Keep The Faith
I thought Slavia looked very energetic last night and if they play like that in next round will be a tough opponent.
I watched the draw and the 2 teams Molde and Granada,considered as worst 2 ,were in the last 3 balls,so I’m ok with Slavia.
Yup. Good luck John Kennedy. Unfairly and irrationally maligned in my view, especially when he have lots of genuine culprits for this shambles.
NOTTHEBUS
Not on a Manchester scale I would imagine……but then it’s a step up from the petrol thingy cup ‘ they’ held aloft some years ago.
Gene/Bada
Cheers
AULDHEID
Did you hear the UEFA fellow at the draw mention that Rangers had competed in a Final of the competition!!
por cierto.
What’s the chances of the following:
Slavia Prague lose seven players to COVID
They think their next league game is more important so drop a few first team regulars
Their main striker gets injured
They sack their manager
You just KNOW something will happen
79Caps
Dunno, but he’s an old firmist which is always an advantage!
I wish John well, just as I have always wished Neil well – however we have squad which has moved from winners to losers almost seamlessly – I see no improvement.
Let’s be honest, the majority have downed tools – let me ask this: if you didn’t care about winning certain games what would the most efficient way to do this? A goalkeeper throwing the ball in the back of the net is not on….too blatant. However not challenging robustly for cross balls into the box, free kicks into the box and corner kicks, seems a likely candidate – how many critical goals/games have we lost by these methods this season?
J’accuse a number of players not giving a f*** this season.
So what has made them act this way? – MONEY is my best guess.
Were some peeved at being held to their contracts at the start of the season, when perhaps their agent had lined something up.
Was the squad as a whole angry at not being offered a large bonus for Ten in a Row?
Supporters have been kicked in the teeth – I have never experienced a surrender like this in all my many years as part of our Celtic family.
Thanks Spidey,
A good read. I think my biggest take away is how mad football management is!
Sacked after 1 game/hiring Jonathon Woodgate etc…
Watched S Prague v Leicester last night.was waiting on Leicester infact.Prague looked very well organised and have a couple very good forwards who’l trouble Sevpen.Made Leicester look ordinary.
Gettin vaccine tmrw..hate jags..need to take ma mammy wi me😬
The SNP faction, must be glued to the telly…😵
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The Royal Airforce Red Arrows have turned down a request from ‘The Rainjurz’ for a fly past to mark the 55.
A spokesman for the world famous flyers said that “ it wouldn’t be fair to the club to take a deposit for something so highly speculative and 54 years in advance.”
CQN CSC
I’m glad that Rangers Drew Slavia as like a few mentioned already I watched them last night against Leicester and they look a right strong decent outfit.
When it came to the Draw itself there were four teams left Rangers Slavia Molde and Grenada.
Thankfully they got Slavia as the other two are probably beatable.
As far are our rebuild is concerned I just hope that whoever is charge recognises that one of the main reasons we lose so many goals from set plays is that the team is not tall enough .
Yes we have been completely inept at defending
and the personnel we have is nowhere near good enough ( especially defenders) but surely to goodness
a good coach would recognise that our average height
In the team is too small.
Think about Bain , Taylor or Laxalt McGregor Griff ,
Forrest Soro Turnbell and then take into consideration that others in the team like Rogic and Moi are nowhere near physical enough to defend set plays in a efficient manner.
We need to recruit well and recruit more strength
We are so powder puff and that why teams are getting loads of joy playing against us.
Forget man marking or zonal .. just recruit talented players that happen to be above 5 7”!!
Would you be surprised if Sevco got through?
!!BADA BING!! on 25TH FEBRUARY 2021 11:25 PM
I would have Lenny Henry before Thierry Henry….
polis are lookin for you Bada.:-)
poorpattercsc :-)
hh
DANDAN on 26TH FEBRUARY 2021 1:26 PM
I’m glad that Rangers Drew Slavia as like a
Jeezo sent shivers doon ma spine reading that mate.😁