Mark Lawwell, Head of First Team Scouting and Recruitment, and Joe Dudgeon, Lead First Team Scout, both resigned yesterday to “pursue other opportunities”. Mark joined from City Football Group (CFG) in May 2022, Joe followed from the same source six months later.
While at CFG, Lawwell was Head of Scouting and Recruitment, responsible for Manchester City, Girona, Ange Postecoglou’s Yokohama and others. The pair worked together for three years at CFG, where Ange bought into Mark’s recruitment and development pathway. Mark then recommended Ange to Celtic.
After his successful first season at Celtic, Ange brought Mark up from Manchester to head Celtic’s recruitment. Plans were cut short when Ange left for Tottenham before the pair set to work in the summer of 2023.
It was clear to many that Brendan Rodgers recruitment methodology was different from Ange’s, while Mark Lawwell’s also differed from Lee Congerton’s, who headed recruitment during Brendan’s first term at Celtic. Lee had worked with Brendan early in their backroom careers at Chelsea and followed him to Leicester in 2019.
Both Lawwell and Congerton suffered some reputational damage among the support during their times at Celtic, although Head of Recruitment is only one piece of the jigsaw. Congerton’s reputation in the game got him the top recruitment job at Atalanta in 2022.
After the work he did at CFG and his transformational time at Celtic through Postecoglou, Mark Lawwell also has significant standing in the game. He will end up back in the English Premier League, where there is a bit of flux at the top end.
City and Chelsea are prodigious hoarders of talent, although he may prefer not to return to City and not be further contaminated by Chelsea. Postecoglou moved for him before and could take him to Spurs. I would keep an eye on Manchester United as a possible destination. Their new controlling shareholder is known to respect the work of CFG and will make changes to the football and recruitment operation.
Liverpool are probably too focused on replacing Klopp than making any further senior changes. There are lots of clubs keen to move up the food chain further down the EPL, who may also move for him. Bookmark me if you think any other scenario is likely. What happens next will be a measure of what walked out the door yesterday.
The January transfer window was described as “disappointing” by Mark’s father, chairman, Peter Lawwell, showing his aptitude for understatement. The manager and recruitment department need to work to the same methodology or we end up with £67m in the bank and spending very little. The frustration would have been palpable.
I think everyone had the best intentions when Brendan joined in the summer and committed to work with the existing recruitment system. The manager must always have the final decision in transfers, but if we do not sign who the recruitment department wants us to sign, those at the top will soon move on.
I doubt we will be able to get Lee Congerton back. Whether you want someone like Lee in to work with Brendan they way they did until 2019 doesn’t matter, it is important that we get someone who operates like that. The manager needs a Head of Recruitment who works the way he does, not the way CFG do. It may not be to your taste, but it’s surely better than rejecting everyone. So nothing to worry about.
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From Kenny Misser…
You can’t say Motherwell haven’t had the better chances in the second half. The cross is inch perfect for Dan Casey to head home.
Rangers have got it all to do.
—————
Officials will have to pull them out this hole again! If they get another penalty we should just give up!
NOTTHEBUS @ 4:17 PM,
“Haha ..penalty to Rangers…..who would have thought”
HaHa, goal to Motherwell
Tuff!!
Hail Hail
Sevco have shot their bolt.
6 mins to FT – injury time guesses ?
Two fine saves from Kelly.
Jackie Mac
I’ll bag 7 minutes in the Added Time sweepstake.
What do I win if I get it right ?
Only so much help the officials can give…
😂😂😂
Rangers look a little bit flat. This is a team chasing the title, they should be absolutely hounding Motherwell.
8 mins added
Off the line from McGinn
Well I was close.
Cmon Motherwell – just hang in there.
8 minutes added to the 8 minutes injury time
Goldson, wow. How this fella ever made it as a pro is beyond me.
AN DÚN re: Sands weight
Truly incredible.
—————————
AN TEARMANN
HH
f hell tlwio
This is looking promising…
Majestic
Shut it mate
Too soon
;-)
Shut up
Boos ringing out at the final whistle 🥳🥳🥳🤯
There were 10 subs in r game v dee
Three minutes added!!!
connaire12 – novenas please
HA HA HA
Is that the familiar sound of bottle crashing down ibrox way. .
😂😂😂😂
Nosferatu is going to be gold.
Woohoo
yes. mon the hoops the marra
The SMSM had this title race as already sewn up a couple of weeks ago.
If only we had got rid of Mark Lawell earlier…
🫣
Momentum…..mmmmm…Motherwell 👏 👏 defeated the cheats Well played
The scene is set for Brendan and his bhoys to write their story.
Mon Celtic! 🍀
Did the huns just blink? I believe so!
We welcome the chase 😂
Good result- should give us a boost for Tynie
Magic 😀😂😀😂
Oh you fucking (sorry) beauty
Majestic Hartson
Feel free to post what you like now mate.
;-)
Tension lifted!
Ha Ha Ha
fkin dancer
no excuses tomorrow
hopefully the players are up for it and arent as down about a couple of backrom staff leavibg as a few folk on here are