The extent of Celtic’s pursuit of Ronny Deila can be seen from the fact that Peter Lawwell established a false identity before setting up a Norwegian football blog in early 2012 to allow him to pen this article titled, The Awesomeness of Ronny Deila. There is a chance the blog wasn’t written by our CEO, but the appreciation of Ronny’s talent is clear.
No deal has been concluded, so it would be a mistake to get too worked up yet, but the fact that we have got to this stage clarifies where we are, and are not, looking.
Neil Lennon resigned two weeks ago and a whole series of names, most of whom are freely available and would be delighted to accept the Celtic job, have been hotly tipped by media and bookies alike. Celtic will not be appointing the likes of Owen Coyle. Suggestions, by many who like to knock the club, that they will make a dash for season ticket cash by big name are also wrong.
Roy Keane was a serious contender, wanted by some within the club. He was in pole position a week ago, forcing those who only days earlier had proclaimed with great triumph that Neil resigned due to budget constraints (he didn’t) to re-write their script, but Roy had other plans. As did some at Celtic.
The club have been busy looking for an intelligent, technically gifted, coach. One who has a track record of innovation, improving players and improving teams. Ronny will not sell tickets on the basis of his own identity, become none of us knew him, but it was absurd to suggest Celtic would look for a short term fix with enormous Champions League qualifiers looming a few weeks away.
By any measure Ronny is a student of the game, a “Moneyball” candidate, according to the above ‘Awesomeness’ article. We don’t need the archetypal British shouter-manager, renowned for his inspirational abilities. You can get the guy who puts the cones out to do the shouting. We don’t need a media darling either. Someone already alerted me to the fact that surely ‘Ronny brings it on himself’, whatever the media decide ‘it’ is, and the manager doesn’t need an Irish granny.
I’ve not seen too much of Lennoxtown but what I have seen is a campus with talented coaches, fitness experts, nutritionists, sports scientists, scouts and analysts. We need a manager in tune with this approach to the game. Someone who will dovetail with this infrastructure, who intuitively recognises its value without needing to be told.
These appointments are always a risk, but if we’re looking for someone to fulfil this criteria, we’ll do very well. I’ve yet to back a managerial appointment by our board in 10 years writing this stuff. This could be about to change.
Lladro replica World Cup trophy
My thanks to Liam, from East Kilbride, who donated his prize memento, a Lladro replica World Cup trophy, commissioned by the Spanish FA in 1978, and acquired by Liam in 1982. It will be auctioned on Saturday with proceeds going to our Mary’s Meals school kitchen appeal. You can get involved in the auction, or keep an eye on it as it happens, here. The auction takes place at Great Western Auctions, on Dumbarton Road.
Visit the CQN Bookstore to get Tommy Gemmell to sign your personal copy of his tome, All the Best.
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LIONROARS67
As always,I will approach every match expecting us to win.
You’d think I’d have learned by now….
If we lose FF and VVD,I hope the new manager has a hotline to God,cos he’s gonna need a miracle to get us through the qualifying rounds.
Right…….. Who was it?
@Daily_Record: Man dressed only in his BOXER SHORTS caused chaos on the M8 this morning: http://t.co/tzqsL74eUX http://t.co/PNNvVTIEZC
HH
lymmbhoy
07:43 on 6 June, 2014
may have been 1 of the bhoys on his way to the pool competition ;-))))
jam67
lymnbhoy
Ronny must be showing off his physique already.
Dick Byrne – Sincere condolences and small prayers just sent. God bless.
Kevin.
Frank Ryan’s Whiskey @ 07:34
Noted Lenny’s comments with interest.
Few things…
Are Celtic going to appoint a No 2 without the Manager meeting him?
Wasn’t Lenny s’posed to be in the loop regarding his successor?
Cracks seem to be appearing in the unity facade.
Also without assurances from FF regarding UCL qualifiers CG is a smart move.
Hail Hail
Dick Byrne:
Sorry to hear of your Brother’s passin. May God Bless his Soul.
Keep the Faith!
Hail!
Chairbhoy
08:02 on
6 June, 2014
CG in goals for C/L qualifiers how is that a smart move ?
During the summer of 2010, Gordon had surgery on his broken arm to remove a metal plate. He returned to training days later, but he fractured his arm again during a training session. It was confirmed he would miss the start of the 2010–11 Premier League campaign, with Sunderland’s new goalkeeper Simon Mignolet deputising. When Gordon returned from injury, Mignolet remained the first choice goalkeeper. On 9 November 2010, Gordon made his first appearance of the season away at Tottenham Hotspur. The game ended in a 1–1 draw. Gordon also starred in Sunderland’s 3–0 win over Chelsea. On 18 December 2010, Gordon made a stunning reflex save to deny Zat Knight, which was later voted best save in Premier League history, in a 1–0 win against Bolton Wanderers.[18] However, injury woes struck again for Gordon when he suffered a tendon injury in his knee, resulting in him being replaced by Mignolet.[19] Luckily for Gordon, the knee tendon problem allowed him to be the substitute goalkeeper, despite not being fully fit. On 19 April 2011, it was revealed that Gordon had undergone knee surgery to repair his knee tendon and an anterior cruciate ligament injury he had suffered.[20] However, the summer recruitment of Coventry City goalkeeper Keiren Westwood added further doubt about the Scotsman’s future. Gordon was linked with Arsenal and Celtic amongst other clubs in August 2011.[21]
He made his return on 4 January 2012 for the Sunderland Reserves keeping a clean sheet in their 2–0 victory over Arsenal Reserves. He returned to first team action on 28 April against Bolton Wanderers. This was to be his last game for Sunderland and his last game to date. The following week there were rumours that Gordon could possibly get a new deal.[citation needed] On 11 May Gordon won the Premier League Save of the 20 Seasons award with his save against Bolton. After winning the award Gordon said ‘This is a highlight of my career’.[18] However, he was one of nine players released by Sunderland on 19 May 2012.[22]
Post-Sunderland[edit]
Gordon did not sign with another club for the 2012–13 season, as he continued to be troubled by knee injuries.[23] After meeting Ian Murray while doing television work, Gordon helped Dumbarton with coaching work on a casual basis. Gordon then admitted it was highly unlikely that he would play during 2012–13 and that he was considering becoming a football coach.[23] Gordon trained with Rangers during the 2013-14 pre-season to gain fitness and Rangers’ new signing, Richard Foster, stated that he wanted Rangers to sign the keeper.[24]
proudbhoy
07:20 on 6 June, 2014
Would fully agree with you on Craig Gordon …..
Good morning all, from a very nice / sunny morning in Central Scotland ……. really good to be a Tim, and to be rid of oldco. ….. :) …… Hopefully their tribute act will follow follow them soon….hahaha…!!!
Enjoy your day CQN, off oot to enjoy the weather
Lionroars67, sorry delay getting back, getting baby sorted!
My Lubo comparison was a financial one, not based on ability. My
Point is Gordon represents a low risk move in an inflated market. In any event if Fras moves I believe we’d sign a new goalie, Gordon is envisioned as back up.
Of course, like myokoulo or boerrigter, it might not work out but, unlike derk, it’s not as big a risk in financial terms.
Fras, or Lubo for that matter, were not met with universal approval when they first came either.
Thoughts with Jim and the family today.
I didn’t want Neil Lennon to get the job when he did…..however he did and in the main proved me wrong in some aspects.
Ronny Deila meets the identikit of what I thought we should be looking for in a manager, will have to wait and see how the players and him gel.
Craig Gordon is a no for me, no match play for two years and never recoverd from the broken arms. Not a sensible signing in any way. Who made this decision anyway?
Anyway barbie the night and some red, it’ll all play out anyway!
HH
Lisbon Lions Upper
08:10 on
6 June, 2014
Good man get your priorities right look after your family
Celtic signing CG is not my idea of Celtic getting their priorities right! who knows the way things move now CG could be the assistant manager to Delia, a very low risk financial appointment, even better financially combine G/K back up with being the assistant manger)))) see this moneyball economics its easy
Lionroars67 @ 08:05,
Firstly let me say I was in the Steve M and Derk B are unacceptable risks camp last summer.
Craig Gordon is a different thing.
With FF’s Celtic future uncertain we need to get cover. Signing a quality keeper to replace him is premature.
We managed to get ourselves in a crazy position regarding the UCL qualifiers and Strikers last Season. If we are not smart we could easily see ourselves in that position regarding GKs this summer.
Exciting as the qualifiers turned out to be last Season… Thx but no Ta.
Hail Hail
Can I Have Raspberry On That Champions League Ice Cream
See my post on page 14 from last night if you still and your 2companians still need transport.
Dick Byrne.
Deepest condolences on the loss of your brother, our prayers are with you and yours..
Starry
Never mind signing Moneyball players, have we just signed a Moneyball manager? We try to snatch players up at a crucial point in their development, just before big money teams think they are worth the risk. Reporting Scotland described Ronny as a manager whose stock is rising. Could we be thinking about what our compensation might be if he becomes a domestically successful manager with European experience?
When it was revealed that Lenny would be assisting the club in the search for a new manager, I don’t think that’s quite what the club had in mind.
Lisbon Lions Upper
07:00 on 6 June, 2014
‘And if indeed Craig Gordon as a boy hated us, he joins the ranks of stein, dalglish and mcgrain.’
####
No idea if Gordon hated us ‘as a boy’.
You’re surely not suggesting though that coming up for that corner was because he hated us ‘as a boy’ and was desperate to stop us winning the league?
Chairbhoy
08:16 on
6 June, 2014
Are there no fit, good playing record, no injuries, good standard G/K’s available in Europe
There must be
But you have to pay)))))))))))))))))))
Def off oot
Bit of light relief
http://babb.telegraph.co.uk/2014/06/66-reasons-england-will-win-the-world-cup/
66 reasons England will win the World Cup
20h
1. The Premier League is the best league in the world. That’s just a scientific fact. The entire England squad plays in the Premier League, apart from the irrelevant third-choice goalkeeper. You do the math(s).
2. Under Roy Hodgson, England have never properly lost a game at a major international tournament because they went out of Euro 2012 on penalties. Even Sir Alf Ramsey didn’t have a record that good.
3. At £90 a pop, England have what must be the most expensive shirts at the tournament. Everyone knows you pay for quality, so this must be the Cristiano Ronaldo of football strips, which basically means England have Cristiano Ronaldo playing for them. This will surely put us a cut above the other teams (unless their kits are also made by Nike).
4. England coach Gary Neville is a football genius for whom the term “man crush” was invented. As long as he’s allowed to stow his SkyPad in an overhead compartment then nothing can go wrong.
5. In 1990, England had a manager people weren’t sure about, lots of talk about technical failings and no pundit giving us a hope. Remember what happened? We didn’t win the World Cup but we weren’t that far off.
6. After England’s struggles at the last World Cup, many observers suggested the country needed to implement wholesale changes at grassroots level. Four years is a long time, so presumably that’s all happened now and we’re ready to dominate for ages, like Spain.
7. Liverpool are brilliant and we’ve got most of their brilliant players. Roy Hodgson has experience managing Liverpool and is surely eager to relive that period of his life.
8. Those Liverpool players know all about group opponents Uruguay’s most dangerous player from playing with him at club level. They’ll know just how to wind him up and Steven Gerrard will be winking at the bench in no time.
9. The same goes for the City players and Mario Balotelli. James Milner loves a bit of aggro.
10. There’s every chance an incident will occur between Suarez and Balotelli when Uruguay face Italy that will see both teams removed from the competition.
11. Assuming Lampard doesn’t start, Gerrard will be free to flourish away from tiresome discussions about whether they can play with each other.
12. Assuming Lampard does start, his partnership with Gerrard is bound to work. It has to eventually.
13. There’s no weight of expectation these days. Finally we can settle into the role of plucky underdogs.
14. We’ve actually got some decent young players. Daniel Sturridge, Raheem Sterling, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Adam Lallana and Ross Barkley have even played Premier League football. Unlike Theo Walcott when he boarded the plane in 2006.
15. Costa Rica aren’t very good.
16. If we win our group it’s not entirely inconceivable that this is our root to the final: Greece, Croatia, Belgium. Easy peasy.
17. Admittedly we’d probably play Brazil in the final, but we’ve beaten and drawn against them the last two times we played. In the immortal words of The Rock, “Just bring it.”
18. Due to global warming and sunnier weather at home, the heat in Brazil will be less of an issue.
19. Roy Hodgson looks a bit like an owl, so he’s probably very wise.
20. England have gone out of six of their last nine international tournaments on penalties. Penalties are basically 50/50. The odds of calling a coin toss incorrectly seven times in a row is 1 in 128.
21. The Britpop revival means Three Lions is going to sound especially stirring this year.
22. People who have genuinely said they think England can win the World Cup include Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Jose Mourinho, David Luiz, Joe Cole, Kasper Schmeichel, Wojciech Szczesny and Stuart Lancaster (actually that last one might have been about a different World Cup, but they all count).
23. If tika-taka really is dead then England’s old fashioned way of playing is due a resurgence. These things are cyclical.
24. The last England goalscorer in a World Cup was Matthew Upson. This squad has to be better than that one.
25. Wayne Rooney recently became the highest paid player at one of the biggest clubs in the world. This means he must be one of the globe’s greatest players. Right? Right? Please don’t go. We’re not even halfway there yet.
26. Andros Townsend is out of the tournament with an injury, meaning Roy can devote his half time team talks to tactics rather than cracking gags about monkeys in space.
27. It is the first time England and Uruguay have been in the same group since the 1966 World Cup and we all know how that turned out.
…
(In case we don’t all know, England won it)
28. Austria first won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1966. England first won the World Cup in 1966. Austria won the Eurovision Song Contest for the second time in 2014. It’s basically a done deal.
29. If England do fail then the Three Lions rerelease in 2016 will include the lyric “50 years of hurt”. The players will surely want to do everything in their power to stop us all feeling quite so old.
30. Stranger things have happened. Greece won Euro 2004 and England have got more players you’ve heard of than they did.
31. David Beckham will not be attending in an official cheerleading capacity this time. That can only help.
32. The Manchester United players in the squad are well-rested after not trying very hard this season.
33. England have still never won a knockout match away from Wembley against any of the major footballing nations. Clearly it’s high time that changed.
34. There is such an abundance of riches in the England midfield that five time Premier League winner Michael Carrick didn’t make the final squad. It’s definitely an abundance of riches and not the fact that he’s had a truly wretched season.
35. Denmark won Euro 92 without even qualifying. England not only qualified for this World Cup but did so as group winners. Winning the thing should be simple, having done the hard part.
36. Left back Leighton Baines is renowned for his passion for good music. He’ll know the ideal tunes to play in the dressing room pre-match to ensure the team are in the right mood for action.
37. Portugal are a one man team.
38. Argentina are a one man team.
39. Spain are a many men team but the law of averages suggests they can’t do it every time.
40. Hodgson is a knight in Finland Not many countries have a coach with that kind of accolade.
41. He also took Fulham to a Europa League final, beating Juventus en route. This is a man who thrives on defying expectations.
42. Only up to 42? Come on! Um, how about it’s a cup competition and anything can happen…
43. Sweden didn’t qualify. That means the best player in the world (according to him) Zlatan Ibrahimovic won’t be around to stop us.
44. In 1966, a young English band with shaggy hair dominated the world. In 2014, a young English band with shaggy hair dominate the world. As Harry Styles pointed out earlier in the year, One Direction are now “even bigger” than The Beatles. How’s that for historical precedent?
45. Remember that advert at the last World Cup with the line “Maybe. Just maybe” about England’s chances? Well, they were right. Those friendly advertisers would have no reason to lie to us.
46. No John Terry. No Rio Ferdinand. No factions. No defeats. No fuss.
47. While it is certainly not the easiest group, England did not find themselves in the “group of death” on this occasion. At worst it’s the “group of severe but short-term injury”.
48. No metatarsal injuries in the closing weeks of the season.
49. No Eileen Drewery. What’s she up to these days?
50. Glenn Hoddle says England can’t win the World Cup. But he also said some very peculiar things about reincarnation. He’s clearly not a man to be trusted.
51. Greg Dyke says England can’t win the World Cup. But he also regularly allowed Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps to be recommissioned during his time as director-general of the BBC. He’s clearly not a man to be trusted.
52. Hodgson does not have a face that calls to mind any particular fruit or vegetable. Bad news for tabloid newspapers, good news for England’s hopes.
53. Forty-eight years of inadequacy have lulled the other nations into a false sense of security. Now’s the time to pounce.
54. We’re Ing-er-land: we’re gonna score one more than you.
55. Remember that episode of Only Fools and Horses where they finally became rich after years of Del Boy saying, “This time next year we’ll be millionaires”? This World Cup can be England’s equivalent of the Trotters finding that 18th Century watch.
56. Why shouldn’t we be hopeful? If we want anxiety, pessimism and gloom then we have real life. Football is supposed to be fun.
57. Surely that’s enough? 10 more still? Um, think of quite how improbable your birth is in the grand scheme of things. England winning a tournament is statistically more likely. Maybe?
58. Carlos Albert Parreira says we can do it. And he won the World Cup as Brazil coach in 1994. Not exactly a lightweight. They did it on penalties too so let’s hope he’s seeing something in this England team that would surprise us all.
59. Roy isn’t keen on WAGs joining the players in Brazil. Everybody knows their presence was the sole reason England struggled at the 2006 World Cup. The fact that they were banned in 2010 and the team was still rubbish is just a strange anomaly.
60. “This time – more than any other time – this time we are going to find a way to get away. This time, getting it all together, to win them all.” So sang England’s 1982 World Cup squad in their official song. Maybe they were just off by 32 years. As well as slightly incoherent.
61. “It’s coming home, it’s coming home, it’s coming – football’s coming home.” So sang Baddiel, Skinner and The Lightning Seeds in 1996. Perhaps they were just off by 18 years?
62. “It’s coming home, it’s coming home, it’s coming – football’s coming home.” So sang Baddiel, Skinner and The Lightning Seeds in 1998. Maybe they were just off by 16 years? Please stay, we’re nearly there now.
63. Joe Hart is head and shoulders above other keepers. Head and shoulders. Be fair, 66 is a lot to have to come up with.
64. It’s been an unbelievable three World Cups since a team with an animal on their emblem lifted the trophy. (France, rooster, 1998) A whopping 11 teams at this World Cup have an animal on their emblems. England have three of the things, more than any other team. This is so on.
65. Good things come to those who wait. Although given that phrase is the work of Irish marketing men, it necessarily follows that England will go on to win the World Cup.
66. It’s a funny old game.
…you try coming up with 66 and see how easy it is.
Craig Gordon hasn’t been signed yet and Fraser Forster isn’t away to anywhere but Brazil.
If Craig’s coming for free and a small wage let him come and see if he can get back to his best.
If he doesn’t get back to his best I presume we will sign another goalkeeper before Fraser goes.
Neil Lennons support for Roy Keane makes me question his judgement. I would ask Neil the same question the rogue elements of our club got – Roy Keane has done nothing to be considered as a candidate. Why?
The salary of £300k for Ronny indicates a drop from the Lennon days. I would still be banking on an other coming on as well.
Presumably the club would still have needed to negotiate a release with Stromso even if Ronny was coming as no 2. Interesting but doesn’t allow you to conclude very much other than reduction in salaries. How much was Mjallby on £150 to £200k?
The club need to focus on an agreed strategy rather than having two in place and having rogue elements courting candidates that fit their agenda. Wether you disagree with he strategy that is now in play or not the actual problem is the rogue element creating that doubt.
Strange that Ronny would have been seen as a number 2 as a league winner with his pedigree in Norway when previous league winning coaches in Uwe Rossler and Ole Gunnar Soljskaer are seen as the top men by Wigan and Cardiff.
I would look for a director of football but the club need to get everyone on message.
Sincere condolences to Dick Byrne and his family at their sad loss.
TBB-If NL quote is accurate, RD was being imposed on him as AM.
Ernie by that logic you must have loathed wgs for signing Scott McDonald’
Just heard Gerry on radio Snyde reporting on K Miller’s “third spell at Ibrox”.
If that was meant, well done Gezza!
Others take note, this wee line may just get you out of a hole.
Whither the cash strapped scrofulous hillbillies the day?
LISBON LIONS UPPER
Canny speak for anyone else,but I was far from happy when he signed.
And stayed that way for most of his time with us too.
Condolences to Dick Byrne and family.
HH
Dick Byrne condolences HH
SKYISALANDFILL
As the article is so tongue in cheek,I reckon they honestly couldn’t think of even one genuine reason.
Nor can I.
Anyone?
Sincere condolences and prayers to Jim and his family for their great loss.
Mullet- agree
Has the ole Rider on the Stromgodset arrived yet?
GCT
Just ignore my posts, don’t even bother reading them, you really don’t have a clue what I mean.
Have a nice day.
HH
Keane with Ronny No 2 might well have worked. Ronny as No. 1 might indeed work as well if we go for the right number 2. However no matter what way I look at it, it strikes me that its a diet Management set up. The overriding philosophy seems to be cost driven. If you have a Management team on relatively modest salaries, they won’t be too eager to be signing footballers at salaries higher than their own. I expect the emphasis will be even more on the development of young talent. In theory I am all for giving youth a chance but there is a delicate balance between doing this and having a squad capable of being competitive at European level. I am this morning a most unhappy happy clapper.