Back in January we discussed Mauricio Pochettino, who yesterday left Southampton to become manager of Tottenham Hotspur. He is without question the hottest management property in the most bloated league in football.
He was also an unemployed flop a little over a year ago.
In reality, Pochettino is a good manager but he is also the latest in a long line of faux guru-managers, the aura of divinity around him is illusionary. He was sacked by Espanyol in December 2012 with the club bottom of La Liga after 13 games, after propelling them up the league from a similar position two years earlier. Espanyol’s problems were not Pochettino’s problems. The club strategy had been failing for years, Pochettino was not the first manager to suffer as a consequence, in fact, he was the club’s third manager in a season when he took over.
He joined Southampton, who were on a different trajectory. Southampton have been producing some of the best youth talent in the UK for a decade but a series of self-harming boardroom battles saw the club competing in the third tier of English football. In Nigel Adkins the found a man who won two consecutive promotions and had them comfortable in the Premier League.
Then, in January last year, Southampton made one of the ballsy-est decisions in football history. They sacked the successful Adkins and replaced him with the aforementioned unemployed flop.
Chairman Nicola Cortese, who was an outsider to the football industry, figured that Adkins could only take the club so far and that, with the appointment of a man in-tune with the new strategy, Southampton could make a real breakthrough at the top of the Premiership.
Pochettino did what Cortese wanted, not through obligation, but through instinct. Unfortunately for Southampton, Markus Liebharr, who appointed Cortese, died, and his daughter-and-heir, Katharine, figured the family had spent enough of their fortune on an English football club. With strategy tending towards a breakeven point, Cortese resigned. It was inevitable that Pochettino would follow.
What are the lessons for us?
Forget looking for a guru, it’s all about the strategy. Get the strategy right, only employ people who are instinctively aligned to it, and employ an intelligent, tactical student, even if he can’t speak the language.
CQN Event in London
Lisbon Lion John Hughes is joining Brogan Rogan, Auldheid and Angela Haggerty for a CQN Question and Answer evening at the Manor Club, Wimbledon, on 21 June. The event is ticket only, so let me know if you would like to attend, celticquicknews@gmail.com
Visit the CQN Bookstore to get Tommy Gemmell to sign your personal copy of his tome, All the Best.
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The Battered Bunnet
08:44 on 29 May, 2014
I have no idea if these boys are members of the Green Brigade, and given the secrecy around their membership, have no idea how the papers would know. Perhaps they volunteered the information.
Anyway, that’s an aside. Point is that it’s a good thing that their case will go to full trial. It’s been a while coming, and the case needs to be heard.
The line between what gives rise to criminal offence and what gives rise to personal offence requires the argument to be made and judged.
I’d rather be presenting the defence than the prosecution on this one.
—————————————————————————————
Are they being chagred/prosecuted under the OB legislation? Article doesn’t say. I agree the arguments need to be tested in court. But I wouldn’t want to be the subject of a test case myself. Interesting that the next hearing is after the referendum. This legislation is a key Scottish government policy response to what they seem to see as a football problem but which we all can see is mostly anti-Irish racism. Deciding what is and what is not offensive has been left up to the police. I find this absolutely incredible and the antithesis of an open and free society.
Parkheadcumsalford
08:58 on
29 May, 2014
I watched the U21 game, mainly to watch Holland, they were indeed top class, Scotland’s weaknesses both technically and athletically were exposed cruelly, that was 10 goals conceded home and away, Mark Wotte should be looking at the management of the 21’s, in addition to players not being up to it, our coach was exposed as well
Petrescu new Celtic coach !!!
Source Romanian and Russian press.
Had to laugh at this from a Hibs forum.
Yesterday 11:26 PM #1
Leith Mo
Promising Youngster
Join Date
Jun 2013
Posts
54
Pat Nevin
His pain at half time of tonight’s Scotland game when they showed Sunday and the dignity he showed in his comments I think really demonstrated how much the club means to him. Combined with his knowledge of the game I see him as perfect director of football candidate. Must have common links with LeeAnn from the Motherwell experience?
Zbyszek
09:10 on 29 May, 2014
Petrescu new Celtic coach !!!
Hope so
zbyszek
09:10 on 29 May, 2014
Petrescu new Celtic coach !!!
…………………….
Do you think it’s reliable information?
TOSB I would not say it’s 100 reliabe but … In the past they were talking about negotiations with arab clubs, italian clubs, not with Celtic. What I know he rejected good offer from Spartak Moscow. if the press says true he put Celtic over good offer from Russians.
Dan Petrescu?
Hmmm,not sure.
I remember when his Unirea side took four off the huns at Ibrox,but they were all breakaways.
I know that must be true cos Legned Smith said so,and none of the press challenged it.
Or pished themselves laughing!
Busy. Can say : if true it’s reasonable choice.
Good morning to you Nat,
Petrescu(e) would certainly please a few ghuys on this blog, especially Weefra ;-)
Hail! Hail! PMTYH
Good Morning.
Words.
Words are very important and should never be underestimated.
They are our means of communication, how we tell one another that we love, respect, like, admire, cherish and approve.
They are how we rebuke, disagree, question, judge, disapprove and refute.
Words– make us laugh, cry, yearn, reflect, remember, hope and dream.
They help us show anger, righteousness, annoyance, virtue and strength yet they all reveal tenderness, gentleness, delicacy, politeness and kindness.
Words — and the people who can really use words to show others their spirit should never be ignored and should always be listened to.
We should always hear the voices of such people — as they stir the heart, the spirit and the soul and they make us stand tall in the face of adversity and disagreement — especially when we face injustice.
So — if you have never heard or read the words of Maya Angelou please take 5 minutes out of your life and watch this:
If you are not moved of soul and spirit then you died long ago.
This is poetry, powerful speech, politics, and humanity at its very best. Taken together with Pearse’s The Rebel it fills the belly with fire.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59xGmHzxtZ4
zbyszek
09:20 on 29 May, 2014
TOSB I would not say it’s 100 reliabe but … In the past they were talking about negotiations with arab clubs, italian clubs, not with Celtic. What I know he rejected good offer from Spartak Moscow. if the press says true he put Celtic over good offer from Russians.
…………………………………………..
I would be pleased with the appointment of Dan Petrescu. He was an excellent player with wide European experience. When he managed Unirea, I remember he watched how Rangers lined up and played during the first 20 minutes. He took off one of his defenders and put on a midfield player and they went on to thrash Rangers 3-0. I like a manager who is not afraid of decisive action.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS 09:20 on 29 May, 2014
“Dan Petrescu?
“Hmmm,not sure.
“I remember when his Unirea side took four off the huns at Ibrox,but they were all breakaways.”
I think a 4-1 victory for Unirea was around 100/1 – much shorter odds than both clubs being dissolved by 2012.
Unirea beat the Huns to that as well, by a year.
TOSB He did very well in Russia. Like for McGeady not the best place for his career.
Press say contract not signed yet.
zbyszek
Even if it turns out to be unfounded thanks anyway for throwing his name back into the mix to freshen up the chat!
HH and Dzień dobry
Jamesgang
I hope Owen Coyle will be appointed as a ball boy.
Owen Coyle would make a good Hibs manager, ‘SPFL Championship, greatest league in the world’
Zbyszek,
Did Petrescu play for Spurs. I seem to remember him being a good player. If he is a good coach, I would welcome him to Celtic Park.
OC could organise the ball boys to ensure that there is only one ball on the pitch at any one time during European nights when we have the multi ball system and invariably end up with two balls on the pitch after the ball has gone out of play.
zbyszek,
Just had a quick scan through the Romanian sports papers and you are on the ball, as you say, no contract signed yet but sounds like Celtic may have been talking to Dan. We might need to send some of them there Scottish churnalists to Romania to learn about churnalism. I wonder if Dan Petrescu will now be odds on in the bookies as well.
If he does get the gig, I hope he goes for a pretty radical change of playing style as well as maybe bringing in a few boys from his own part of the world, if it’s true then I’ll look forward to a new direction for the club.
AR
Morning all.
Dan Petrescu eh?
Liked him as a player.
Would be a bold appointment.
Not sure if the Plc board do bold.
HH!!
http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/archives/42343
Some truth from the political propaganda yesterday
A quick look at Oddschecker shows no bookie even has Dan Petrescu listed for next manager
Does anyone know if Dan Petrescu can speak English. Paul alluded to this yesterday but Petrescu spent a few years in England with Spurs ( or was it Chelsea?) and surely picked up some English during that time.
gary67
09:43 on 29 May, 2014
A quick look at Oddschecker shows no bookie even has Dan Petrescu listed for next manager
…………………………
Do you not remember, “……….beneath the radar”?
Petrescu played with Sheff Wed, Chelsea and Southampton during 8 years in England, I would guess he can speak English
Really need to go. DP speaks excellent English, with foreign accent.
antipodean red
09:41 on 29 May, 2014
zbyszek,
If he does get the gig, I hope he goes for a pretty radical change of playing style as well as maybe bringing in a few boys from his own part of the world, if it’s true then I’ll look forward to a new direction for the club.
AR
…………………………………..
The singing detective and Nigel Farage might have something to say about that.
Petrescu brings it all on himself.
MediaCSC
Pretty sure that after the match at Ibrox he said
GIRUY,Smith!
zbyszek
09:47 on 29 May, 2014
Really need to go. DP speaks excellent English, with foreign accent.
…………………………………………………..
Thanks for the heads up. Paul 67 suggested yesterday that our new manager might not speak English ……………. At least to those who interpret Paul’s blogs and look for subtle hints.
Dan Petrescu played in England from 1994-2002.
I would imagine his command of English is pretty good.
HH!!
tosb,
Not if Scotland gets independence or should I leave that subject alone!
AR
TALLYBHOY
Yours isnae bad either!
..”speaks English with a foreign accent..”
that doesnae rule out Steve McLaren tho’ eh?
*moves back behind the couch*
;)
Surely we have enough Romanians here?
That’s what we are told on a perpetual basis by UKIP cheerleaders in the media.