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.
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Cup draw predictions:
“The Rangers” v another crap team
SPL team v Celtic
jude 2005
Griffiths goals for 5. In how many games?
Tony Watt goals for 4. In a fraction of the games Griffiths has started.
Tony Watt for me every time!
HH!!
Messi
Father descended from Italian immigrants [ from Ancona ]
Mother descended from Italian immigrants..
Cup draw on Sky
Hubs v Hertz
Huns v elgin
Celtic v Inverurie or Abroath
Celtic v Inverurie or Arbroath
Huns v Elgin
HH!!
Tallybhoy
TONY WATT for ME TOOOOOOOO!!! Try and keep up.
.
Scottish Cup Tune ..IF We Draw ‘Thems’..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj53iyFok8g&feature=watch-vrec
Summa of The3RdDegreeCSC
jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/
Agree Paddy has looked happy for ages, he doesn’t look like he enjoys his fitbaw and that a real shame for such a talented player, FFS if Charlie Adam can play in England so could Paddy…
Gordon
It’s Lionel as in Lionel Richie. That is how he got his name, his parents are huge fans. Absolutely straight up. Lionel bloomin’ Richie.
Cue jokes about Lionel Richie’s his African cousins Mbosa and Mfeeta of course.
Did anyone see big Jan’s nice we smirk when he pulled Celtic out for a home tie?!
Pogmathonyahun aka Laird of the Smiles
14:22 on
5 November, 2012
Dont forget your ticket!!!
Sevco v Elgin is a massive Division Three tie.
jude 2005
I will try and keep up as you say!
…cant all be as ‘on the ball’ as you! I’m getting on a bit you know!
That’s me told!
HH!!
Jude,
So who are you suggesting gets dropped to make way for Leah Griffiths?
Celtic will face a home tie against either Inverurie Loco Works or Arbroath in the Scottish Cup. Tie is scheduled for December 1
TV coverage pretty straightforward for the Cup, Hibs – Hearts and Ross County – Inverness CT.
If Sky or BBC covers Rangers-Elgin there needs to be a police enquiry.
.
bunburybhoy
14:28 on
5 November, 2012
Paul
Don’t post as much because of the pseudo intellectuals but…
Much respect as always….
But…
Fergus McCann
..
BB..
Did You just call me a Tuxedo Transsexual..
Summa of DressedForaPartyCSC
With all due respect to arbroath, I can see the msm hoping
to use Locos cause celtic train crash.
Hibs v Hearts , bit of revenge perhaps.
Arbroath ?
Celtic humped Danny McGrain’s Arbroath 1-9 in 1993 .
Nicholas / McGinlay A whaurs ra burdz hatrick / an Andy Paton hatrick and a goal from Mark McNally .
I was there.
sp
I love the guy but its time to move on for the sake of his career. There again where wd he get the money he gets at Celtic? Cant blame him for sitting it out btw.
Inverurie Loco Works——————-is that another European away trip?
i take it since we came out of the hat after them our game will move to sunday 2nd
A home SC tie, was 2009 not the last one, and not a replay?
.
Charles Green Champs League Tune..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__VQX2Xn7tI
Summa of CarpetHuggersCSC
Anyone got a link to Miku’s goal.
Haven’t seen it but all reports have been raving about it..
Cheers.
/Bishop B
Starry….for ages???
For ever. He’s a right dour buggah.
I dont think ive ever seen him smile.
GM
Paddy,, Forrest, Miku etc One goal between the 3 of them.
BlantyreKev,
Lionel Richie? I did not know that.
Was surprised to see Miku on the team sheet yesterday after he deserted last Saturday.
If it’s Inverurie Locos – given recent non season-book home attendances – do you think we might switch the tie to their ground….to boost the crowd?
JOKE!
Sky…………………………………………………..The Old Firm have been kept apart in Cup Draw
Paul67 et al
Martin O’Neil arrived at the end of the only decade Rangers FC, as was, dominated in the post-war era. A decade not being investigated by any authority. Martin helped break Murray, came as close to five consecutive titles as it is possible to be, all at time when Rangers paying top players off the books. That said, timing is all in football. Since Martin took the position at Jarrow United, two top jobs have come and gone, Liverpool and Spurs. Managers leaving the Stadium of Light do not end up at Anfield, or Old Trafford, they end up, like Mick McCarthy at the bottom of the Championship, or like Steve Bruce going to Hull, and back!
Bring on the Inverurie Locomotive Works!
…or Arbroath!
Cannae wait!
HH!!
BlantyreKev 14:52
Aberdeen v. Morderwell
and
Patick Thistle v. Dunfermline
Both of more interest to the TV viewer I would suggest as well.
Celtic Mac
There may be just be a bit of logic in that – we got Martin at his peak. Like players, managers have a career peak. Fergie is the exception but other than him you’d struggle to find longevity beyond that of a decent playing career where a manager is dominant.
Ties to be played 1 and 2 December.-SCOTTISH CUP DRAW
Aberdeen v Motherwell
Partick Thistle v Dunfermline
Kilmarnock v Queen of the South
Hibernian v Hearts
Airdrie United or Raith Rovers v Deveronvale
Turriff Utd v Albion Rovers or Morton
Livingston v Dundee
Rangers v Elgin City
Forfar or Nairn County v Ayr United
Ross County v Inverness
Celtic v Inverurie Locos or Arbroath
Dumbarton v Hamilton
Cowdenbeath v St Johnstone
Stranraer or Queens Park v Dundee Utd
Stenhousemuir or Berwick v Falkirk