Sometimes I look at the trajectory of Martin O’Neill’s career and wonder why he didn’t land another top job after leaving Celtic. He was the hottest property in football while he was in Glasgow, almost joined Leeds United (then a top side), while he was short odds for the Liverpool manager’s job at each annual crisis on Merseyside. At the time Ferguson at Manchester was talking about retiring, had he gone, Martin would have moved to Old Trafford.
In 2003 he met Mourinho in the Uefa Cup final. The Portuguese had some of the finest footballers of that generation at his disposal, unquestionably a better collection of players than Celtic, as their Champions League win 12 months later would prove, but Porto were pinned-in for long spells in the second half and required (literally) every trick in the book to prevail.
Despite losing, O’Neill did better with the resources available to him than Mourinho.
After a few meritocratic years at Aston Villa, where he spent more than the club could afford, but delivered a better team than they would otherwise expect, he left a day before the season kicked off, apparently unhappy Villa’s budget was being curtailed.
Without meaning offence to Sunderland, I was disappointed when he pitched up there. Martin O’Neill was surely a manager who should be competing for league titles and in the Champions League. His early form at Sunderland was transformational but it was a transformation built on fragile foundations.
Those founds’ have now disappeared, Sunderland sit two places above relegation. Their play is recognisable from how Celtic played a decade ago, and how Leicester played in the 90s. Opponents know what they get from Martin’s teams, so they know how to prepare for them.
Martin’s former players talk about his inspirational qualities not his tactical incision. It’s hard, if not impossible, for a manager of a major club to master all the attributes required in the job. The successful ones realise this and delegate.
One of the frustrations we had with Martin when he was at Celtic is his reluctance to indulge the scouts. We signed former Leicester players, players who featured on Match of the Day, or players from other SPL clubs. The Wanyama, Izaguirre, Kayal-recruitment model, players signed with greater trust in the scouts and limited supervision from the man at the top, would never have happened under O’Neill.
The technical side of the game is perhaps even more important than recruitment. Great football systems, clubs and countries develop from one coach doing something sensational. Successful tactical changes are then studied and copied, but how do you study and learn from a system that’s not utilised against you, or on TV, when you are manager of a large club? You can’t, on your own.
Instead you have to deploy the systems you already trust and used to get yourself the big job in the first place. Or you can tinker a little, or use what, for the want of a better term, we’ll call a technical research team. People who can say to the manager, “A club in Romania is doing something really clever, we should try it”, without being frog-marched off the premises.
The lesson of evolution is that it is not the biggest, strongest or healthiest who thrive, it’s those who can adapt to a changing environment. The list of great managers who end their career in humiliating relegation is longer than the list of greats who regularly discard their tried and tested formations and become early-adopters of successful new systems.
‘By any means necessary, Journey with Celtic Bampots’ by Paul Larkin, is now available at Lulu and other outlets. Paul charts the remarkable events the Internet Bampots became embroiled in since 2008.
As well as reading for FREE here (don’t try to read through the graphic below), you can subscribe for £10 or £20, and our sponsor, Executive Shaving, who offer an enormous range of grooming products, are offering readers a £20 voucher for all £30 CQN Magazine subscribers.
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Night all
COYBIG
HH
Just read that Cosgrove article, great stuff, got to say this site is the very first site I had the pleasure of reading excellent reviews of the aybrokes financial returns and the first site to question their validity, if there was another site doing it I couldnt find it.
125 years… and still going strong
By: Newsroom Staff on 06 Nov, 2012 00:01
IT was 125 years ago this very day on November 6, 1887 that Celtic Football Club was born. A meeting in the church hall of St Mary’s parish in the Calton established the club, and while those present would have harboured well-intentioned ambitions for the new sporting organisation, none of them could ever have imagined that Celtic would go on to become one of the most famous names in world football.
Now, 125 years later, Celtic remain an important presence in the East End of Glasgow. The club has gone from strength to strength while remaining true to its roots. It is no idle boast to say that it is ‘more than a club’.
And in celebrating the proud and unique history of a club that has, from its inception, always been open to everyone regardless of race, creed or colour, we are reminded of the vision of those men back in 1887 and are proud of everything that has been achieved by the club down through the years.
As a football club, we celebrate our many triumphs on the field – league championships, Scottish and League Cups, one-off trophy successes and, of course, the 1967 European Cup, which firmly established Celtic as part of Europe’s elite. There have been highs and lows throughout this remarkable story, with the triumphs balanced by disappointment and, on occasion, tragedy.
But every step of the way, the Celtic support have been there, faithful through and through, enjoying the successes that began with the 1892 Scottish Cup win and most recently included last season’s title victory.
There have been many great players who have ‘walked through Parkhead’s gates’, and as supporters we have been blessed to see some of them, or hear of their exploits from our elders. Those players have worn the jersey, which has been the famous green and white Hoops since 1903, with pride.
As the late, great Tommy Burns once famously said: ‘When you pull on that jersey you’re not just playing for a football club, you’re playing for a people and a cause.’
So throughout this season, we have been celebrating 125 years of our unique history, highlighting great triumphs, wonderful players and special moments in the ongoing story of Celtic Football Club and today, we remember the anniversary of the momentous day that our wonderful club was born..
Happy birthday Celtic
Nclhe,
Cosgroves piece is excellent. Not because it sings from my hymn sheet, but because it’s the truth.
SG often tells it like it is and wouldnt shy away from getting tore into us should the shoe be on the other foot.
Don’t know what to make of Stuart Cosgrove’s contribution to tsfm. The fact that one of the MSM, the BBC MSM no less, has now become a champion of the Internet bampots. A case of gamekeeper become poacher.
I think Mr C knows which way the wind is blowing rather than changing his spots.
Was he not joining in with the baying radio shortbread mob during “dougiegate”- blaming Celtic for the referees strike. The whole cabal were enthusiastic in their “Lennon baiting” and I don’t remember one of them vocally supporting Neil during the bombs and bullets terrorism.
Yep, times, they are a changin’
Happy birthday Celtic.
southside,
fair point, I did note his hero choice Law and Baxter too. But I think this article will riffle a few feathers, him and Spence have been [retty much the only radio dissenters in Scotland.
and ruffle
The most pretentious crop of writers in my youth wrote for The NME, here in The UKplc, and Rolling Stone in the United States of Ameriky.
We knew they’d grow into the gaggle of churnalists and presstitutes who pass themselves as the arbiters of reason in today’s wholly discredited msm who have spouted as truth every single cover-up and lie and then revealed themselves as purveyors of breaking news when forced to repeat what has been uncovered elsewhere in due course.
There used to be proper journalists, but they have been virtually sidelined, sidetracked and marginalised.
And the very people who have done the proper and necessary investigative spadework have had to take the derogatory term ‘internet bampots’ and turn it into a badge of honour.
The mainstream news of all varieties has become nothing more than propaganda and watered down ‘infotainment’ apart from a very few writers and/or reporters with integrity, and even they get regularly slapped down.
The world is always in a semi-chaotic state, but these days it seems just that little bit more wonky, a bit more bent towards the darkness.
An old curse : ” May you live in interesting times. ” And we do. When we should be able to rely on a free press to keep us honestly informed all we get is fog.
So, rely on internet bampots we must, because they at least have integrity and conviction of belief.
Times have changed….and they sure are interesting.
Things Ma Granny Taught me…
Chapter 5…
Son.. she done tole me…
Paddy,is an Impact Player..at least, he used tae be..might still be… fur awe Ah know..
So..Hiving said that…
If ye wanna Close oot a Game..
Uncommon Common sense..Aye.. Regular Common Sense, in Nae much good…
Uncommon Sense ,oan the Ither haun.. is…
Tae Continue…
Uncommon Common Sense, dictates that in order tae Close oot a Game, fae a Winning Position..
then..
YOU SHOULD NEVAH BRING OAN..
An IMPACT PLAYER..such as Paddy..as Circumstances would warrant a Defensive Player should be Brought oan…in order tae fortify yer defense.
Noo..
Howevahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh….
In the case when Yer Side is in a LOSING Position.. then..
That is the Time.. TAE ROLL THE DICE..
Desperate Times call fur..well.. Desperate Measures,
as Ah wance
read.
It wiz written oan a wee slip o’ paper,which Ah found in a Fortune Cookie…
As Ah matter o’ fact.. Ah get Maist o’ My wise Sayings fae.. those wee slips o’ Paper
which Ah find in Fortune Cookies..But, Ah digress..
Therefore..
By all means..
BRING OAN AN IMPACT PLAYER..such as.. Paddy..
as Paddy, has. and possibly may still have.. fur awe Ah know… the Skill tae Score a Goal..and thereby.. save Us fae an embarrassin’ defeat, and justify his substitution.
Maks sense tae Me .
Kojo
Still, Laughin’
The last announcement was brought to you by the good folk at regularlywrong.com
G’night CQN!
lionroars6700:08 on 6 November, 2012
125 years… and still going strong
>>>>>>>
Hail! Hail! Yes, indeed. An oasis of great good in a turbulent world.
Celtic F.C. gives me identity and an outlook on life I can be proud of.
And it’s no a bad football team, either!
Happy Birthday to The Mighty Glasgow Celtic.
KTF!
‘Riffle’ is good.
: > )
Ah’ll be in Glesga fur ma tea!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEJsSTPqBNA
Thai Tims celebrate 125 years
CelticChuck@CelticChuck67
#happybirthdayceltic A single penny and a full dinner plate. That is the inspiration for Celtic Football Club. Never forget. @celticfc #125
Harper McLeod’s words today as found by john clarke posted on tfsm.
“we have been doing pretty much continuous work for the SPL on all the implications including a big re-write of the SPL’s rules on insolvency events over the summer”
tsfm too :o)
southside, 00:15
Cosgrove isn’t stupid. And don’t underestimated the Channel 4 connection
Just flying a kite here, but while reading an article about Levein not really getting the bullet but effectively being paid to play golf, the question why springs to mind. Why wasn’t he just sacked with a proportionate part of his contract settled.
The SFA seem to have had some difficulty in doing this necessary deed.
What has CL agreed to say or rather not say?
Probably just paranoid.
HH
OG..,
southside makes some relevant points, Cosgrove did jump on the blame Celtic for the ref strike bandwagon.
And very little from him during the bullets and bomb threats.
Also never heard him question the motives of his collegues while they made Lenny public enemy No.1
happy 125th birthday to Celtic and all our wonderfull fans.
125 years of unbroken history.
here’s to the next 125 years of hun free football .
cheerstotimsallovertheglobe.
HH
CANAMALAR 0136
The Good Lord loves a convert…….
.
Wherefore art thou, Muse, that thou forget’st so long
To speak of that which gives thee all thy might?
Talking of SydneyTim.. “Where Art Thou..?”
Hope all is Well Buddi..
See Willo Flood had a Guid games Sunday.. I Ken he is One of Your Favs..
See You for Paddys Day13..
Summa of OleSydneyTimCSC
BMCW,
Aye it’s good, I usually hate evangelical converts but in this case, I’m hoping for a few.
CANAMALAR
They don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.
Unless they are seriously compromised,expect a few more to jump on the bandwagon.
.
Camilla’s Itinery for Melbourne Cup:
*Note to Self* Kiss Winning Jockey Not Horse..
Summa of MonarchOfTheCupEarsCSC
BMCW,
It’s the editors we need to jump ship
CANAMALAR
Jabba and Jack first,to hell with the wimmin and children….
BMCW,
Early retirement for them methinks
.
Melbourne Cup Tip for any Lurking H*nterlopers..
Or Our Hero Fans..
ZaBeellionaire..
Think the Owners Wealth is Off the Radar..
Jockeys Name: Craig..;0)
Summa
Get signing
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/39312
Another thought provoker.
Beware. Poppygate.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/opinion/is-wearing-a-poppy-respect-for-the-fallen-or-corporate-branding.19341253
Why sign ?
Read this
http://www.tom-watson.co.uk/2012/11/letter-to-david-cameron-regarding-child-sex-abuse-investigation
Probably too important for judiciary but its a start
Make it viral bhoys & ghirls biggest opportunity ever don’t let it pass
.
And there Off..
Summa
.
And GREEN Moon Wins the Cup..
Summa
.
And The Casino Owner Wins the Cup..:0(
Summa