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.
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I’ve got nothing against anyone who wears/doesn’t wear a poppy.
What I object to is that the money collected from the sale of the flowers is spent on, and I quote. –
“Providing direct financial assistance to individuals.
Funding an advice service for the veterans community.
Providing grants and research for organisations that deliver specialist support for veterans in Scotland.
Supporting employment of veterans with disabilities.”
Is all this not the responsibilty of the country or government who sent their soldiers to war in the first place?
How much does the poppy appeal raise?
I do not know how much, but I’m sure it will be a drop in the ocean compared to money spent on useless causes like, for example, the royal family and it’s hangers on.
Or policing the Green Brigade every week of the year.
Me. I recycle everything.
Whither the cash strapped scrofulous hillbillies the day?
There is something wrong…….. Its Tuesday and we haven’t yet had the Charle Green lie of the day for a few days now. Has someone or something made him shut up?
Be part of the Journey to distance yourself from £150 million quid of debt
Rangers Then. Sevco Now. Repayments Never.
new article posted.
THE European Cup will be on display in Celtic’s Argyle Street store both today (Tuesday) and Wednesday.
Celtic’s most prized possession will be on show in the window of the store today from 10.30am until 3pm.
Tomorrow is will be on display from 10.30am until 4.30pm.
This is where he keeps the dummy.
http://www.mundodeportivo.com/20121105/mundo-barsa/chupete-messi-dedicatoria-thiago_54354852735.html
ernie lynch
11:23
Not the support; parts of the GB.
Battered Bunnet
I trained as a teacher many moons ago… Long before AAABB entry requirements… Holy moly!
Lebrun SFA scenario..
Cat dnd mouse being played here re continuation of salary. Does that mean Craig would need to serve notice before taking up
New post? Effectively making him
Unemployable ? ( he is already , I hear you shout:-) )
Strachan probably the best of all options. Not looking forward to his style of football much. neither will any Scottish Middlesburgh supporters be either.
I’d like a Malky MacKay / craig Brown combo. Mentoring in a real prospect with a proven old head. Never happen but it would be something to consider?
i’m neil lennon (tamrabam)
Which just proves that success can be bought.
We competed financially with RFC-RIP for about one season in fifteen.
MON front loaded his budget so that after a few years the team was on the wane with no funds to replace the £6m stars.
I loved watching MON’s team. It had an air bordering on arrogance that good teams have. Jock’s teams had it. The fact is that MON bought players other Celtic managers could only dream of.
i’m neil lennon (tamrabam)
Which just proves that success can be bought.
We competed financially with RFC-RIP for about one season in fifteen.
MON front loaded his budget so that after a few years the team was on the wane with no funds to replace the £6m stars.
I loved watching MON’s team. It had an air bordering on arrogance that good teams have. Jock’s teams had it. The fact is that MON bought players other Celtic managers could only dream of.
From the Worker’s Song written by Ed Pickford:
But when the sky darkens
And the prospect is war
Who’s given a gun
And then pushed to the fore?
And expected to die
For the land of his birth
When he’s never owned
One handful of earth.
I am Neil Lennon (Tamrabam) 11.18
Absolutely spot on .
Only Jock Stein has done better than MON in my lifetime.
MON gave me most of the happiest days that I have enjoyed as a 49 year old Celtic supporter .
God Bless MON.
A67
http://www.flickr.com/photos/paddimir/sets/72157631947265176/