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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Being serious, I would love Ian Holloway to get it. The press conference would be worth the admission money alone.
An Tearmann
Correct…
Sky news now breaking the story – exclusively
GEORDIE MUNRO
The saddest thing is that there are no winners on this issue. Even feeling right feels wrong,based on how I was brought up.
WGS with Mcallister as assistant
The National Library of Scotland’s Main Catalogue search throws up 75 titles with Downfall as the search term but none of them are The Downfall.
To be truthfull I couldnt care less who manages Scotland only three managers ever got me interested in our national team.They were Tommy Docherty,Ally Mc Cleod,and Jock Stein since then we have gone down hill steadily.We have as a national side the Rangers connection which imo is a job for the old chums any decent manager in a reasonable job just isnt interested in Scotland. H.H.
Nice little deflection for Scottish MSM’s meagre CL coverage
Asonofdan, I dont know if you are kidding but I’d be happy if he got it. I was gonna post it earlier but my fear of being shot by some Blackburnian got the better of me.;)
Badda, pmsl
BMCUW
totally agree…. a wee story,
3 years ago, my wee fella was in the cubs and was asked to attend the rememrance sunday parade along with the rest of his group. I told the missus very politely that i wasnt taking him…she then very politely told me i was.
I went along dropped him at the service, then joined him afterwards for the “march” to the memorial. To my disgust, we were joined by the local OO, not playing, just walking. I took a picture, showed it to the good lady when i got home and told her, not so politely, that neither myself or the bhoy were doing that again.
Every year, The local rag shows picture of the various local town’s memorial services and they’re in every other one.
This is north ayrshire, but i bet it could be just about anywere in Scotland.
A SON OF DAN
off to my cot now so won’t be around for the flak for this…..
Was that not what we thought about Gordon Strachan?
Paul67
Good article and interesting comparison. Agree that MON was not the best with scouts and scouting systems.
What we have to remember though is that (certainly at the start) given how far off the pace we were (lost the league by 21 points in 2000) and faced with what the huns were spending (I’m sure they bought Flo for £12m in MON’s first season…good on ye Moonbeams, way to go my man…..), we needed top class solutions – fast.
Towards the end in 2005 however, we were paying the price for lack of scouting investment.
All told though….Martin O’Neill – I will always love ye.
The wee man from County Derry not only put them in their place and us on top, but forced them to embark (or at least accelerate) on a self-destructive policy.
pedrocaravanachio67
Thanks – great reading from Ian Bell. His reflections got me thinking of Eric Bogle’s No Man’s Land.
tully
Strachan for Scotland!
Though you just KNOW the SFA will call Walter or EBT McLeish first.
Bobby, ive attended our village service for as long as I can remember.
Do it or don’t. Wear one or don’t.
But dont force your opinions on anyone.
Thats ma opinion ;)
Techy info-embdae know if any of the new Android Tablets on the market are printer compatible via wi fi? ta.
Mr Levein seems to have gone and rightly so, he was only there due to the politics, ha hadittle experience on the International Stage and a purple patch with DU didn’t qualify him for the position.
Gordon must get it, he Loves Scotland and will put his not inconsiderable heart into it as well as his experience.
Just another quick one on the Lenny vs Martin debate.
The Treble
The Demoliton Derby
Seville
I’ll remember those long after a plucky defeat in the Nou Camp is a wee foot note.
Miku became the first Celtic striking goalscorer from the last four signings that we’ve made
(Bangura) ( Brozek ) and ( Lassad )
via PaddyBrennan7
Scotland’s next two friendlies –
Luxembourg and Estonia!!!
WTF!!!
HH!!
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
We did and he won the the League 3 year on the trot and got us into the last 16 of the CL twice. No bad for a wise cracker.
HH
I despise the Poppy after years of it being hijacked by the hun hordes and it being used as a symbol to attack Celtic.
If we can ever get back to it’s true meaning then I am all for it. Not really into this ‘Help for Heroes’ p1sh, when they walked into an army shop in Queen St and signed up.
The Poppy is for those who had no choice in the First and Second World War.
for the scotland job
kenny dalglish and gordon strachan
the outstanding candidates
david moyes for me lol
James Jefferies for me
Never seen Inverurie Locos, hope they beat Arbroath.
ASoD
Touch contradictory there.
” and got us into the last 16 of the CL twice”
I dont know if it still stands but at the time he was the only manager ever to have done it twice in a row with a team not from the top 5 leagues.
Levein set to concentrate on Darts
Allegedly CSC
no way sevco get a home draw in the cup
i expect this trend to continue even
if the get by the mighty elgin
PEDROCARAVANACCHIO
The Battle of the Somme,first day on 1/7/1916 saw dreadful British casualties.
Chief amongst those were the Ulster Volunteer Force.
The bands and OO walk in remembrance of that.
However,IMO-as a Kilwinnig lad- FEW on parade know the history behind it. They are marching to the beat of the 1970s onwards UVF, If you doubt me,have a beer in your local ludge on a Saturday.
They criticise us for a few misguided PIRA chants,but they are still allowed to parade in honour of another PROSCRIBED organisation.
That’s life.
That’s Scotland.
That’s Ayrshire.
bournesouprecipe
16:39 on
5 November, 2012
Levein set to concentrate on Darts
Allegedly CSC
——————————-
magic lol
Arbroath?
SmOkin…
Inverurie?
Pure mad mental.
GEORDIE MUNRO
Mine too,bud.
When martin o`neill came i didnt expect the journey he took us, all
the way to a european final.
Wee gordon took us to a place, twice, in the CL last 16, where i
think is where we belong as a club.
Neils team fills with excitement , cause this is a start of a new
journey where who knows where it will end
All three great managers for celtic
Bobby Murdoch
Does that mean there will be somebody else there, not watching the Scotland game?
Ever again!
BMCW,
I’d rather hear your opinion than those who glorify war any day of the week
hail hail
Dont know what subject, the middle aged impotent saddos on here are discussing (copyright Mickbhoy1888),
but I know this particular saddo has been listening to various versions of the Gael , from the film last of the mohicans, after i saw it at the weekend.
Like this particular Youttube clip from Albannach and the Brian Boro Pipe Band,
well its a little stirring of the blood, and a rising, em of the moon.
have a listen –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAkSjMrS8lk
A guest post by Stuart Cosgrove on TSFM
Excellent
———–
http://scottishfootballmonitor.wordpress.com/2012/11/05/why-the-beast-of-armageddon-failed-to-show/#comments
A few more huns entering the fray for the Scotland job.
– Gordon Dalziel
– Ian McCall
– John Greig
– Sandy Jardine
– John Brown
Honest! Heard it from an impecable source.
HH!!
Sleekit Ally ..surely.
He doesnt want to leave the teddy bears but “the pull Of Scotland will be just too much.”
He wasnt pushed
He didnt walk away(Scotland dont count)
Everyone ..even all the Celtic supporters love him(NOT this one)
He has all the right credentials i.e is a hvn.