I’m seeing a bit of “Neil Lennon cannot get the job now” comment after our capitulation at Ibrox this afternoon. Brendan Rodgers got things equally wrong at Ibrox in December but no one was calling him the wrong man for the job.
If you think the primary issue Celtic have right now is tactical choice and team selection, you are overlooking what is staring you in the face. Celtic are playing with a squad that has changed little since Ronny Deila days, despite the volume of new faces introduced to the club in the intervening period. Seven of today’s starters and eight of last weeks’ were at the club under Ronny.
Ronny won two of our eight consecutive titles, but his final squad was in need of significant overhaul. Three years on and Odsonne Edouard, Oliver Burke and Jonny Hayes are not going to significantly change things.
Neil could have played Scott Sinclair, but Scott has been dropped by both Neil and Brendan at various times over the last two seasons, there is no guarantee he would have made a difference today. He could have risked Kieran Tierney, or perhaps James Forrest, but for a dead rubber when we have a treble treble to compete for?
Eye on the prize and the prize right now is the Scottish Cup. And if you want a tip on who will be our next manager, it will be whoever we think will successfully improve the squad. Whatever Neil’s chances are, I doubt they were influenced by today’s performance. And if you believe any appointment is risk-free, dream on.
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No answer…hmmm
Too many playing the man and not keeping their eye on the ball.
Too many of our team turned up for a three o’clock kickoff.
Only Brown was willing to match their physical approach.
And why did Clancy only give a yellow? And why no penalty?
Were we so concerned about ensuring no injuries that we refused to contest tackles?
How many times did Eddie find himself surrounded and unsupported?
Burke was ineffective and his miss was typical of his day and our lack of a clinical finish.
I can’t pass judgement on Tom’s contribution, as he didn’t contribute. Too easily marked out of the game and too weak in a tackle.
I could go on but it will only depress me further.
I look forward to the badly needed post season clean out. It will be like me cleaning out my flairs and velvet shirts from the last century.
We all know PL is a fan and he has been carefully garnering the funds to spend big on a new manager and some marquee game winners.
ADI_DASSLER on 12TH MAY 2019 6:51 PM
Based on my perception admittedly . I do know that Lenny gave the team time off to let their hair down after the Aberdeen game and has done similar in the past . Their are many managers who would have waited until after the Cup final to slacken the reins.
If anyone has irrefutable proof that I am wrong , I’m happy to be corrected.
Also….Rangers put much more energy into that game than we did , yet they still seemed fitter and stronger by the end , when we were pretty much out on our feet.
Any journos calling for Defoe to be carpeted for trying to con the ref? Anyone think the compliance officer saw it? Nah, me neither.
It was so blatant it was laughable.
I’ve had better Sundays.
£49 to sit next to a drum,and develop a red face the like of which has not been seen since a famous day at Bellahouston Park,many years ago.
If, at Christmas, I was offered a defeat,having already won everything plus the Cup Final coming up,I would have taken it willingly.
Of course the performance was poor,but perhaps sub-consciously,with a Final on the horizon,the players were not switched on,or was it the Dublin trip.
In effect BR has NOT left us in good shape as around 8 of the players today were there before him,so NL is working with inherited players without any actual additions from him.
That said, Jonny Hayes and SB looked like they were motivated,the rest going through the motions which is not acceptable.
In the interests of fairness I should say NL picked a poor team,but he was not to know his selections would be so gutless.
We should have set out a team not to lose at any cost,thus muting the hysterical scenes at the end,so if criticism is due it is that the Manager was trying to win,which after all is all our preferred position,having done so he is now attracting enormous criticism from the onlookers, who think they are supporters.
The level of abuse NL is getting is a disgrace.
Genuine question, has anyone any idea what has happened to Tom Rogic, today he was anonymous, much like most of 2019 !
what a shambles, ffs they were quicker stronger and wanted it more than us, I know I said I wasn’t bothered about the result but when the game starts against that mob adrenalin kicks in and you just want to beat the bassas, there was no adrenalin rush from our players, ollie burke could not hit a cows arse with a banjo,, sorry lenny luv ya to bits, but don’t want you as permanent manager, but alas peter calls the shots.hh.
the points gap has closed and after a season of many many challenges , we scraped over the line. Now we need a rebuild , significant investment to increase the gap again and win the next batch of titles. Over to PL and DD – lets see what they have in store! the usually outsmart them.
EXCATHEDRA44:
I’m just curious; what is the “level of abuse” Lennon is getting?
I called him a third rate manager, which is simply stating the obvious since his last two jobs were Bolton (sacked) and Hibs (sacked.) Other than my comments, I don’t even see anything that MIGHT be construed as abusive on here. Just guys sitting he’s not good enough.
That’s not abuse. That’s opinion. And it’s informed opinion based on his performance.
EXCATH
Neil Lennon would be getting panned regardless of what formation, or selection he’d put out.
If we’d parked the bus and lost he’d have been pilloried.
James Forrest for the Cup Final
HH
Stebhoy
Yep, after a season when pretty much everything that could go wrong, did go wrong, we still managed to come out on top again.
It might turn out to be the Huns best chance to stop the ’10’.
In fact, it’s amazing we are also pushing for another treble
The board have gotten away with it this time but surely even they know we wont be as lucky next time
Champions again Ole Ole
B-)
Paul,
You have never criticised our business (or lack thereof) in a transfer window but yet use it an excuse in defence of Lenny today? You are trying to have your cake and eat it too.
I thought the pre-match article that this game was a dead rubber and your advocating for a weakened team a bit peculiar; I think in reality you could see that the outlook for this game was 50/50 at best and were trying to downplay any potential loss (to protect Lenny’s reputation). The fact you have posted a new article jumping to Lenny’s defence so quickly after the game would add credence to that assertion.
As much as we are all fans of Lenny, he isn’t good enough to be the manager following in Brendan’s shoes. He had his time as a replacement to TM and did great things, but times have changed and the bar was raised under Brendan to an extent that Lenny is wholly unsuitable for our ambitions (or at least where our ambitions should be). We cannot have a situation where our club does not have the best manager in the league (Clarke being the best) but has £100m turnover and £50m in the bank- that stinks of incompetence.
Finally, your opening paragraph lumping in Brendan to the equation is laughable. Newco hadn’t laid a glove on Brendan’s Celtic till that point (4 managers along the line) and it took a injury crisis, an inept summer transfer window and some dubious refereeing to get their 1 goal victory (we also had a very tight offside goal; wonder how it would have been called at the other end of the pitch). Today we had a near full strength team (missing Tierney and Forrest; Sevco were missing McGregor and Morelos- so all equal in important players missing from each squad) and our first shot on target came in the 83rd minute.
Your support for Lenny for the full time role must surely stem from a diktat from above.
Objectively, how can anyone think Lenny is the man to take on the job at this time? Since his last stint with us he has had uninspiring times with Hibs and Bolton. Save for his service over the years, which has been considerable, he would not be anywhere near contention.
December and today this team and squad have failed at ibrox, two different managers, serious questions about this team as well as its leaders, they will be confident that they have the measure of this present team, I hope the new coaching team if it’s not to be Neil Lennon has seen today, tiredness is a pathetic excuse, watch them jump on a plane for scotland
Lennon should not get the job imo. He hasn’t done enough – the performances have largely been poor.
Neil will hopefully go after the cup final with his head held high and a couple of winners medals in his pocket.
I genuinely fear for 9 IAR if Lennon is appointed full time. The fact all Sevco supporters want Lennon appointed is telling.
JAMES FORREST on 12TH MAY 2019 8:11 PM
James,you clearly think every comment made is leveled at you,since returning from the Game I have read lots of comments a large number unsavory,but not necessarily on CQN.
You state his last 2 jobs,which is correct but omit to mention he is part of our 8 in a row,surely some credit is due there.
You don’t like him it is plain to see,but you better get used to it.
Nod Nod Wink Wink.
EXCATHEDRA44:
I clearly don’t like who? Neil Lennon? Who I dedicated my first novel to?
Fair enough. You won’t be appearing on Mastermind any time soon.
As for I “better get used to it” … do you know something the rest of us don’t?
If Lennon gets YOU can get comfortable with mediocrity, because that is what he’ll deliver.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 12TH MAY 2019 8:14 PM
EXCATH
Neil Lennon would be getting panned regardless of what formation, or selection he’d put out.
If we’d parked the bus and lost he’d have been pilloried.
James Forrest for the Cup Final
—————————————————————————————————–
Which one,the wee one that goes to games.:)
ADI_DASSLER on 12TH MAY 2019 7:29 PM
No answer…hmmm
That one for me?
As usual, the Lennon fan club offers not one iota of justification for why he should have the job.
Instead, it’s petty shots at people.
And it’s about as effective as he was today.
Imo today summed up the fact that we have to look at the spine of the team and ours is a bit disjointed atm
We need 2 CB in the paul elliot mold
Or van dijk mold they need to have power and pace
In midfield broonie is slowing down so i wouldnt play him week in week out
So he must be replaced and mcgregor is the 1 player that has me thinking how can you have a season like last season then have a not so great one this time round and i think its down to too much expectation being put on his shoulders hes still young and learning so i would have protected him more but he will learn from this season but the one thing that i dont like is bringing in more than 1 loan player because imo it does more harm than good so buy permanent players so they can gel together and the other thing get rid of ronnies players thrre past there sell by date
So change both CB roles new RB and a new CM,SELL ajer,simunovic,toijlan,sinclair and hayes and bring in a great striker to play of edouard and change that slow style we play its boring to watch get back to playing the glasgow celtic way
So bhoys and ghirls its time to push today out the way and get our vocal cords tuned up for the title party at celtic park next weekend and then onto the cup final where we have a chance of making more history
Lets leave sevco to cheer about today because they’ve had nothing else to cheer about this season because of us the celtic fc and wen we win the treble treble think back to wen they won 9iar and the players countered that with t-shirts that said
“WHATS ALL THE FUSS,WE DID IT FIRST”WE WON THE LEAGUE NOT PERFORMING GREAT SO IMAGINE WAT WE WILL BE LIKE WHEN WE PLAY GREAT NEXT SEASON AND WE WILL HH
Surprised to read, continually, that Paul has a direct connection to the board. DD and PL.
It appears that even from 3,500 miles away the boardroom is a tight shop.
In a public company board room leaks could be subject to criminal complaints.
Now my view is that Paul is just another fan with some astute personal insight, which can lead to sometimes accurate sometimes inaccurate articles.
Is he any different from the rest of us?
I would say no.
Well maybe apart from the opinionated omniscient James Forrest.
In an era of 8 year domination , it would be reasonable to expect that an ongoing rebuilding of the team would have seen quite a metamorphosis in personnel over that period . Perhaps if we’d had more of a domestic challenge we would have . I think that’s now coming back to haunt us.
Never understood people ranting and raving on an internet blog to complete strangers
Crazy
Baseless, undignified rotten midden – this is them reinventing themselves – a player sent off most times in europe, can’t follow a timeless sporting gesture of a guard of honour, cutting numbers, reinventing the definition of push/punch and now the lisbon lions won’t see ten in a row!
I’m away to wipe my recording of today’s game and see what else is on telly.
Celtic is not the royal family, you don’t get things handed on a plate because of who you are. Neil has to be judged on merit and on that basis he shouldn’t get the job.
EXCATHEDRA44
Neither James Forrest nor any other Celtic fan ‘better get used to it’ if Neil Lennon is appointed. Celtic fans learned back in the Nineties that we can bring any Board down if we put our mind to it. Under Ronny, the team played to a half filled stadium. We got Brendan as a result. It won’t take us long to get back to that point if the Board think they can take us for granted.
Peter Lawell will have been very foolish if he has informed Neil already that the job is his. Today’s blog from Paul might just be kite flying to test the temperature for reaction to Neil being appointed. If Peter Lawell is reading the reaction of the fans on the blog today then he will be evacuating his bowels if his d vision has already been made. Hopefully it hasn’t and he can start the process of appointing someone who will take us forward and carry on with the improvement in the playing squad that Brendan Rodgers started.
* decision
Excath
James Forrest was badly missed today and selecting Mikey Johnston wide right
and Oliver Burke wide left, was just plain wrong especially with hindsight.
I heard a rumour today he’s a doubt for the Cup Final , hope its just that.
GG
Like you I find it amusing that bhoys genuinely think Paul has some umbilical cord to the board
Stebhoy
Totally agree. The Board/ whole club have missed a bullet this year. Been far from vintage. Very far. Treble treble or not.
Wouldn’t be Lenny for me, but whoever it is should in my view build the team around Bain, KT, Simunovic, Ajer (though he’s got some improving to do), Christie, CalMac, Forrest and Eddy. Broony too of course, but at some point soon he will need replaced. Shved looks a good one. Hopefully. Be great if we get Benkovic for a further year.
Hopefully some of the academy boys will come though, including Henderson and Dembele. Mikey J needs to eat his porridge if he’s going to have a chance.
We’ve had a lot of highly paid non-contributors this season who can go. N’tcham and Sinclair (great servant, goals again this season. But long past peak-Celtic) top of the list. I would sell Rogic if an EPL club came calling. Great talent, but sporadic contributor this season. Would keep Mika for a last year as cover.
Get Bayo, Benyu, Kouassi, De Vries, Comperr etc away, Stealing wages. Biton can stay as a squad player.
Bring in 3 or 4 high quality players. Difference makers. Not hit and miss projects Pedro may or may not profit from in 2 years.
Right bhoys we were shite they were better.
Maybe this is a Scottish cup semi moment from a few years ago….I hope so.
But, but 8 in a row. Let’s savour that and let them have their crums…
We need to gut our squad big time.
HH
D :)
Reading Paul 67s lead article, and the notion that 7 or 8 of the players that made up our first 11 in both recent Ibrox defeats, were with us under Ronny Deila’s reign.
If we take that a stage further, what it actually alludes to… and what is actually accurate, is that during this decade period of unbridled success… things have been too easy. The board have had it too easy. We have beat what was put in front of us, but it was always easy. We’ve had spells where big clubs (by Scottish standards) , Hearts, Hibs, Rangers, Dundee Utd have all had large spells playing out with our top flight.
And all due repsect to Ronny Deila, but our board even had the cheek, the audacity to bring in a Norwegian part-timer, unheard of, untested, and yet, because of the ease of the Scottish topflight landscape, we got away with it.
The only symbol of intent, was to appoint Rodgers. But almost immediately after the invincible treble, the board were already putting blockades, barriers in the way, to pave the way towards Brendan’s desire to leave. Treating recruitment with contempt… making countless 1 million / 1.2 million signings that were never going to be any more than squad fillers, and generally adding to the overall wage bill (Compper, Hendry, Hayes… to name a few).
All the time, Rodgers gained us Champs league money on 2 consecutive occasions. Europa league participation beyond that. Dembele, Armstrong, Erik, transfer fee revenue. .. The benefit of Van Dijk sell on clause.
And yet in 2018 / 19 we witness a terrible summer transfer window… followed up by a January window full of loanees.
Well… Mr Desmond and Mr Lawell… the gig is up. Time to show your worth, or time to move on.
Prestonpans Bhoy
Roger Mitchell replies to me on Twitter today to say “I don’t tell P67 anything. He has the ear of Peter Lawwell. I ask him”.
From the ex-CEO of the SPL.
P67 is an invaluable medium between the Board and the fans. He performs an important function and does it extremely well. When he says something we should pay attention, because it reflects where PL is.
So the job is Lenny’s
But he will be given a load of money to build a new team?
THEORIGINALSADIESBHOY on 12TH MAY 2019 8:55 PM
We shall see what develops.
Peterlatch
Very revelling.