Neil Lennon ‘got’ Celtic. He was a rookie appointment, and the early weeks were far from comfortable, a Hampden defeat to Ross County looked like an ominous early sign, but from the start of his first preseason he didn’t look back.
He was a hugely successful Celtic manager in Scotland and in Europe. The Barcelona team of the last six years, possibly the greatest team in history, were at their peak when they visited Celtic Park in November 2012. Neil came up with the game plan which brought Celtic victory and raised our profile across Europe.
What he had to endure off-field during his time at Celtic was atrocious and a blight on our society. But he overcame it. He stuck it out when you or I may have left, and now he leaves on his own terms – an undisputed winner.
More at another time on who next, but if we get a man nearly as capable we will be doing well.
Take care, Neil.
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Good morning CQNers
Of all the reports I’ve read this morning I think Tom English captured it best when he ended his piece with more than a nod to WBY….
“Lennon’s departure marks the end of a tumultuous era. Whatever comes next in his managerial career, it’ll do well to match the terrible beauty that was his life in Glasgow.”
Thanks NFL.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27524020
http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/slan-abhaile-bainisteoir/
murdochbhoy –
Sorry, but what does WBY mean?
William Butler Yeats “A Terrible Beauty”
Morning All
I was on local radio last night discussing the career of Neil Lennon with David Low and Phil Green.
Interesting discussion.
http://t.co/R0v616Pxbg
This is the dawning….
….of a ne-eeew era.
Impossible to add to the eloquent posts above – no-one put up with what NFL did.
Thanks and all the best Neil :))
Intrigued to see where he goes next.
I’m really really worried after NLs resignation. CL qualifiers are difficult to begin with but with a new manager (and possibly some new players) it becomes even more difficult. Both NL and GS were both very good managers and largely did well in Europe but both their first seasons were disasters (Artmedia, Braga and Utrecht). Our chances of making the group stages have taken a big hit!!
Also, NL had a very good record with players he brought in. Approximately 2/3 of his signings have been successful at the club. Players like Forster, Matthews, Ambrose, Van Diyk, Izaguirre, Mulgrew, Ledley, Johansen, Biton, Hooper, Kayal, Stokes, Commons, Lustig, Griffiths and Watt. Only Bangura, Juarez, Murphy and maybe Balde and Boerrighter of the players he spent money on have been complete failures. Will a new manager be as successful?? Even with John Park providing a list of names I’m sure NL decided which ones to pursue.
Longshots for next ‘Head Coach’ :)
Basil Brush
Brains from Thunderbirds
Zigg and Zagg
GCT,
Easter 1916 – William Butler Yeats
I have met them at close of day
Coming with vivid faces
From counter or desk among grey
Eighteenth-century houses.
I have passed with a nod of the head
Or polite meaningless words,
Or have lingered awhile and said
Polite meaningless words,
And thought before I had done
Of a mocking tale or a gibe
To please a companion
Around the fire at the club,
Being certain that they and I
But lived where motley is worn:
All changed, changed utterly:
A terrible beauty is born.
II
That woman’s days were spent
In ignorant good will,
Her nights in argument
Until her voice grew shrill.
What voice more sweet than hers
When young and beautiful,
She rode to harriers?
This man had kept a school
And rode our winged horse.
This other his helper and friend
Was coming into his force;
He might have won fame in the end,
So sensitive his nature seemed,
So daring and sweet his thought.
This other man I had dreamed
A drunken, vain-glorious lout.
He had done most bitter wrong
To some who are near my heart,
Yet I number him in the song;
He, too, has resigned his part
In the casual comedy;
He, too, has been changed in his turn,
Transformed utterly:
A terrible beauty is born.
III
Hearts with one purpose alone
Through summer and winter, seem
Enchanted to a stone
To trouble the living stream.
The horse that comes from the road,
The rider, the birds that range
From cloud to tumbling cloud,
Minute by minute change.
A shadow of cloud on the stream
Changes minute by minute;
A horse-hoof slides on the brim;
And a horse plashes within it
Where long-legged moor-hens dive
And hens to moor-cocks call.
Minute by minute they live:
The stone’s in the midst of all.
IV
Too long a sacrifice
Can make a stone of the heart.
O when may it suffice?
That is heaven’s part, our part
To murmur name upon name,
As a mother names her child
When sleep at last has come
On limbs that had run wild.
What is it but nightfall?
No, no, not night but death.
Was it needless death after all?
For England may keep faith
For all that is done and said.
We know their dream; enough
To know they dreamed and are dead.
And what if excess of love
Bewildered them till they died?
I write it out in a verse —
MacDonagh and MacBride
And Connolly and Pearse
Now and in time to be,
Wherever green is worn,
Are changed, changed utterly:
A terrible beauty is born.
Funny hearing roy keane linked.. No from me and aul lawell wouldn’t dare.
To outspoken keano.. Be good to see him stand up to sfa etc thou
Good morning friends and a Big Happy Friday from a sun drenched, blue skied East Kilbride.
Today starts with my club having no manager. I hope that issue is addressed very quickly.
So woke up this morning with this thought:
We need to get players in sharpish for the CL qualifiers, have they been identified?
Will they be NL’s signings? PL’s? JP’s or do we wait for the new man (sorry Helena, just a bit too early for you) to make his own signings?
Woke up still a proud Tim
Hail Hail
murdochbhoy –
Thank you.
So Big Dolph and now Neil leave without a job. Coincidence? No such thing.
Good luck Neil, you served your apprenticeship as a manager very well and you leave before the zombie squad darken the top league with their bile and hatred.
HH
CRC
Reading back the nats seem to view George Galloway the way the huns view Neil Lennon.
They dismiss him as irrelevant but are consumed by hatred of him.
No matter.
Are there any tell everything, full disclosure, interviews today, or is it all just spin and speculation?
celticrollercoaster luvs his luminious lime boots
07:36 on 23 May, 2014
So Big Dolph and now Neil leave without a job. Coincidence? No such thing.
Good luck Neil, you served your apprenticeship as a manager very well and you leave before the zombie squad darken the top league with their bile and hatred.
HH
CRC
—————————————————————————————————————————-
I think you have hit the nail on the head. NFL is getting out before the bile and bigotry of sevco in the top division happens. What he and his family have gone through in this country has been shameful and the thought of more of the same in 12months time would make anyone consider where they wanted to live.
All the best Neil
gold coast tom,
Are you still warming to Tony?
AR
Ernie
“Tell everything, full disclosure”?
Possibly, but it will around the year 2025, when you can log in here to listen to Neil answer questions at the release of his new book, ” the man who started 10 in a row”.
Before I head to work, CRC and Catman I remain extremely optimistic that The Rangers will be not be playing Premiership football any time soon. Of course that in itself might lead to the very problems you were alluding too,.
Our Neil made millions for the club and our Neil and put us back on the map in Europe during which time assets were for sold for huge profits.
He promised to bring back the thunder and he did.
twists n turns
07:47 on 23 May, 2014
I would hope that by 2025 we were no longer concerned with such parochial, petty matters.
David Moyes is in a bar and this lovely little innocent builder politely says to him ” hello, what brings you to these parts”?
David replies ” you f*******what”? And grabs him from behind and leaves him lying on the floor ” fearing for his life”
Oh..aye ok then son, that story sounds very plausible. As yet though, David hadn’t been charged over this vicious assault which had a man fearing for his life and witnessed by a bar full of people…….
John Prescott rules ok……
A little corner of my mind is constantly toying with the idea that Neil Lennon’s decision to walk away from the club and the job he loved was significantly influenced by the imminent introduction of The Rangers to the top flight of Scottish Football the season after next, assuming they gain promotion at the first time of asking.
This is not in any way to question Neil’s courage or conviction. I just cannot rid myself of the suspicion that whenever that mob do reach our level, things will turn decidedly nasty, and Neil Lennon would be a prominent, and probably even the number one target of the sectarian bigots down Govan way and beyond.
I just wonder if Lenny decided he had not the stomach for what is surely to come, and perhaps wisely has chosen to put the safety and welfare of himself and his family first and foremost in order of importance, and who could blame him.
To leave his escape for another year would possibly have left him open to accusations of cowardice from both the media and the bigots themselves, who will by then surely be smelling blood. This way, by the time the knives are sharpened and the ammunition gathered, Lenny will be well-established in another position and another life, away from the hate-fest to come,
Maybe Neil felt he was well out of it before the nastiness begins.
As I say, it’s just something that has been going around in my mind since yesterday’s news.
As I say . . . If I am right, maybe he has done the right thing.
GCT, no doubt IMO that you have it right.
Another season and the baying would have started….
It’s difficult to keep up with the narrative here sometimes.
Last week, the huns were sure to implode, if not now then some time midway through the season.
Now the consensus is they’re on the rise.
Which is it?
Oscar Garcia is an interesting new name in the frame. Doesn’t sound like a DD appointment. Non British (although has managed in England) and left his first 2 club jobs after one season (left Brighton, allegedly, after having players sold without his consent).
Maybe our friendly ‘relationship’ with Barcelona may bear fruits after all, although I suspect that the story in the Herald is just a journalist taking a flyer or a well placed story to give the impression of thinking out of the box before appointing one of the obvious candidates.
antipodean red –
No way man,
The guy’s a despicable human being.
When I said that, it was a joke that was lost in a plethora of posts and when macjay took me seriously, I hadn’t the heart to disabuse him of his misunderstanding.
I was quite embarrassed though that anyone thaought I was really warming to that apology for a man.
Tom
You may well be close to the truth there. I’ve harboured similar thoughts, particularly with concern to his son.
Who wouldn’t?
In a non bigoted , non sectarian environment, he would sleep in the knowledge that the law would ensure he was afforded the right to lead a normal life. I say normal, I mean normal in the way other football managers and prominent members of society are afforded.
In the respect that an example would be made of those who behaved in a manner that threatened his well being. If for instance some bigoted maniac assaulted him, calling him a Fenian bastard in full view of millions of witnesses, an example would be made of him to deter any other such cowards attempting to do likewise.
He’d expect the MSM to show full support and condemn in print, these types of acts. My goodness, wouldn’t any other scenario, such as the victim being accused of bringing it on himself be too ridiculous for words?
Only in Scotland Tom, only in Scotland.
P.s. Welcome home Tom…..:-))
Morning Timland from a warm hun free mountain valley.
Lenny left for the following reasons,
Personal-Family
Budget, or lack of
There was a poster on here yesterday who posted the reason why Lenny left, it was obviously lost among the multitude of posts, he told you why Lenny was leaving, he told you where he got this info, only one poster commented on his post.
Off oot to sign my life away at the notary.
HH
twists n turns –
Thanks mate.
Whither the prosperous fragrant Tims the day?
Igc, Paul67 made it clear in his article supporting the sacking of David Moyes that the Celtic Manager will not have the final say in who signs for Celtic. We have scouted targets, the club will sign them regardless of whether they fit into the new mans plan or not.
I expect us not to go near Moyes, McKay or Lambert for that reason.
I certainly feel there is enough evidence to suggest that the players Neil managed to influence the board to sign where better than the projects. David Moyes had every right to say who he wanted at Man U and the accepted way if doing business that is successful is to allow the manager the final say in who is signed.
If David Moyes didn’t want a player and thought the ones who he did buy where better then it is Manchester Uniteds board that failed in appointing him and then not supporting him in his endeavours to re shape the team. Paul Scholes has come out and said they need 5 signings. how does that all square with Moyes not being up to it?
The boards choice will be Larsson or someone from left field. I hope Henk has the same back bone to walk before the board force the inevitable with this policy that Paul67 has alluded to.
I am sure Henk will be well versed via conversations with Johan though.
How much have the board saved on the Celtic managers salary? Big pat on the back.
Will the new manager use this season as preparation for the return of Aussie rules fc?
Maybe Dave King is right and we are stock pilling arms for their return. Maybe we can all look forward to a mega spend next summer. I for one will feel that Celtic has been forever soiled if that is the case.
GCT & Twists…..
The same thoughts were posted by someone yesterday, not too long after the news was out. Can’t recall who it was though and I’m sure it did cross NFL’s mind.
Onya Tom, I totally agree with your assessment of both Neil and Tony. In respect of your view of what may happen at the end of next season, the die has already been cast a year in advance with the ridiculous play-off set up which allows the side in third place in the old division one, the opportunity to get into the premier league. It would not surprise me at all if these ‘rules’ were changed mid next season if a certain team were not high enough up the league to ensure that this team made the play-offs.
AR
mullet and co 2
08:22 on 23 May, 2014
Igc, Paul67 made it clear in his article supporting the sacking of David Moyes that the Celtic Manager will not have the final say in who signs for Celtic.
Its for this reason that Stevie Clarke must be high on the wanted list. He didn’t have final say on transfers at WBA, he took the players signed and coached them. He must have had some influence in who was signed but not the final decision.
Morning all. Lovely here at the moment but I am getting angrier by the minute. The reason: how so much of our media and establishment want to brush under the carpet how Neil Lennon has been abused by the bigots. Even our ex_players are acquiescing in the nonsense, like Frank McGarvey on STV last night saying the scum were a few drug addicts. Tripe.
I hope Salmond and all his crew get drubbed for failing to deal with Scotland’s shame.
Good Morning.
Here is a statement of fact — not a prediction — a statement of fact!
You are being played. I am being played. WE are being played by significant elements of the press and media in this country.
Yesterday, I was in someone’s office when the news broke that Neill Lennon and Celtic had parted company.
Whilst the timing of the announcement was not known there had been speculation about this state of affairs coming to pass for weeks. In fact, there had been some suggestions of Lennon leaving for over a year.
Accordingly the board at Celtic PLC have not been taken by surprise by this development and will have had a potential list of replacements in mind for quite some time. Of course any such list is a changing feast as managers come and go elsewhere– but they will have a list, and that list will have grown as a result of other potential candidates coming forward after yesterdays official announcement.
However, almost immediately yesterday the reports started filing onto the net which contained a slant and a hint as to why Lennon was leaving — yet there was not a single quote to back these slants up.
Further, there was absolutely no suggestion in the early reports that Neil Lennon’s departure had anything to do with the “goldfish” bowl that is Glasgow.
The history of Neil Lennon’s stay in Glasgow was an irrelevance, a nothing, a matter of no consequence whatsoever.
In short, it was a potential reason for leaving which was to be swept under the carpet.
To an extent, that has changed with some reports this morning. However, the BBC are still reporting that Neil’s departure was “abrupt” or “sudden” or even “unexpected” blah blah blah.
Further, they have repeatedly trumped out the manta “It is understood that one of his major concerns was about his playing budget.”
Really? Understood by who exactly?
Don’t get me wrong I think that to an extent Lennon was frustrated by the club’s position in football and the lack of a challenge in the domestic league. I think he realises that Celtic are expected to punch above their true weight in Europe by the fan base.
But that is a different thing to having “concerns about the playing budget”. All managers want a bigger budget if they can get it, as that is only natural. All managers want to manage better players.
The board have to recognise that not being able to hang on to the club’s very best players is always going to cause the manager and the fans a great deal of frustration.
However, as I understand it there has been no change at all to the playing budget and that Neil Lennon has never said he was unhappy with the budget. He would like a bigger budget but what department head wouldn’t?
No, Neil Lennon has been attacked by nearly one person for every year he has been in Glasgow. Those are physical attacks and don’t include the abuse, the vandalism of his car, paint splashed on his front door and so on. Everywhere the guy goes he has to be minded by a professional body guard.
I am told that there are personal reasons for him looking for a change of scene and these, when added to the possibilities elsewhere in football, have resulted in the decision to move on.
It is a decision that is right for him and it is a decision that is right for Celtic.
But, the press will and have already started to give the tale just that wee twist, that we angle, with just one or two wee key words thrown in that seeks to highlight a division and disagreement between Lennon and the club which either doesn’t exist or if it does exist is not the full story.
Last year, I spoke to a BBC journalist about the story which said that Celtic had banned 128 fans after the game at Fir Park. I was asked to put the BBC in touch with someone from the Green Brigade — a request which I could not and would not have assisted with.
In the course of the discussion, I pointed out that the BBC were using language in their report which was not contained within any statement issued by Celtic. In short the reporting was inaccurate, full of spin ordered by someone at the BBC, and contained words and innuendos which made no sense when compared to the words actually used by Celtic.
When I pointed this out to the staff journalist concerned I was met with a polite but plain reply which was designed to leave me in no doubt about the journalists meaning.
” I know Jim, we have discussed all of that at editorial level. The words and angle come from on high……………”
By the way, this was the BBC News team NOT sportsound.
Last week, Tommy Gemmell was left hugely angry at the Daily Record serialisation of his book when that serialisation slanted his book in one direction by completely ignoring the main thrust of the book — it’s title, it’s tone, it’s content and so on.
The press in this country, in certain respects and in certain areas, is pathetic at best and disgraceful by habit.
So when you hear the news today, or pick up a paper, or whatever just remember you are being played, with the truth distorted, omitted, edited and fashioned.
After 4 years of learning his trade with Celtic within the financial and other confines of Scottish Football, Neil Lennon has reached an agreement with Celtic to move on.
So what?
I predict that this will always be the way with Celtic managers while Celtic play within the financial and other confines of Scottish Football.
Of course if Scottish Football changes its status, strengthens its product, is administered properly, gives itself a shake and actually seeks to improve its European standing then things may change.
But don’t expect some in the MSM to tell you any of that or point out the failings of Scottish football and society.