On five different occasions I told one of the two men who decide the fate of the Celtic manager that I thought it was time for a change. Memorably, on one occasion, I was told, “Get a grip of yourself”. I did not always get a response as, despite how I feel about Celtic, a manager’s fate is a private matter.
On none of those occasions did I write on CQN that the manager should be sacked. If I was an impartial observer, that would be different, but my objective is always to see Celtic flourish and I considered the effect a campaign to sack the manager would have on results, our league challenge and, in on one occasion, the man himself.
The impact of these campaigns falls disproportionately on that individual, often when they are at their most emotionally vulnerable. It hurts when those once close to you want you out, you look harder for motivation and as for focussing a dressing room!
Those who make the decisions are less emotionally vulnerable. They usually have years of experience shielding themselves from being buffered by adverse sentiment, if they didn’t, they would not be able to do the job. They alone know their options and they are never blind to the consequences of failure. They do not always get it right.
We cannot show our support for the players or the manager at games and they will not be meeting fans in the street; all sentiment is delivered by media, new and old. This is the only communication we have and I know the players consume what is written online this season. This sentiment is not to blame for bad results, but it will not help resolve the situation.
Celtic are low percentage bets to win the league and I want the players, manager and board to take whatever steps necessary to change this, it is not too late. Nothing would give me more pleasure than Neil Lennon bringing us 10-in-a-row, it would be the ultimate way to achieve an historic record. If he gets there, the rest of us will have a role in making it happen.
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JAMES FORREST on 25TH NOVEMBER 2020 1:00 PM
And by the way, CQN wasn’t the ONLY place it was BEING done … where do you think all those stories about China and trying to flog Dembele to Brighton and all that came from around that time?
That stuff came from inside Celtic Park … I remember the night of the AEK Athens game when a “Celtic director” briefed Chris McLaughlin on how pissed off the board were with Rodgers for what he’d said at the press conference the day before.
I had a meeting at Parkhead the following day and I was in the room two minutes before I knew that it was Peter Lawwell himself who spoke to McLaughlin.
It was constant all through that summer, drip drip drip drip drip … just a week or so before that night I wrote a piece on the documentary Sunderland Til I Die, and said as excellent as it was I would NEVER want to know that much about the internal workings of Celtic.
But in point of fact, most of us did know the basic outlines of what was happening behind the scenes, and we all knew there were problems … over the course of those three days – the pre-match conference, the night of the game, the following day – I learned enough to know Rodgers was never going to be around for nine in a row far less ten.
The board knew it for months before that, and yeah, they were preparing the fans for it little by little and painting Rodgers as the villain. He might have been able to spin it as well had he not acted like one.
——-
Hundred percent agree but my thoughts are BR wasn’t interested in spinning it
He clashed with PL, wanted more control of the football budget and decisions but PL wasn’t for letting go the reigns, so BR told him to spin on it
‘The impact of these campaigns falls disproportionately on that individual, often when they are at their most emotionally vulnerable. It hurts when those once close to you want you out, you look harder for motivation and as for focussing a dressing room!’
Paul 67
Ach, the poor wee soul, you will have me greetin’ reading that……….
What a load of utter drivel.
When it gets to writing cynical keech like that to tug on the heartstrings then you know that PL’sCQN is struggling to come up with any reasoned argument for Lennon to stay.
You said that you have lied on you headers on PL’sCQN before of how you genuinely felt about the managerial position.
Would that be the same for our CEO, and your continual backing for him over the years, especially over
your sudden 180 degree turn over RES12?
Did you lie about that too?
ST TAMS on 25TH NOVEMBER 2020 12:28 PM
Could someone decipher what Paul has just written please
———-
There is no other plan. Neil is here to stay for now so get behind him with a bit of the old backs against the wall siege mentality thrown in.
LAMBERT14
Out of order.
You should apologise to our host and go and do one.
DAVID17 on 25TH NOVEMBER 2020 1:08 PM
ST TAMS on 25TH NOVEMBER 2020 12:28 PM
Could someone decipher what Paul has just written please
———-
There is no other plan. Neil is here to stay for now so get behind him with a bit of the old backs against the wall siege mentality thrown in.——
And I suppose it will be ok to lose the league and just soldier on with backs against the wall?
This article is resonant of when Bankier to shareholders to pipe down at an AGM.
At least he was succinct in doing so.
HH jg
In ither news……………….
<4
<7
HHH.
THE BATTERED BUNNET on 25TH NOVEMBER 2020 12:16 PM
Hear! Hear!
Neil’s team has played a total of 27 domestic matches in 2020 and have lost just ONE of them… a game against the strongest other Scottish team when Edouard, Christie, Forrest, Jullien, Bitton and Elhamed were unavailable for various reasons. All six of those players took part in the 5-0 win that marked the final game of last season. On top of this there was no Forster in goal, most likely because he was unprepared to accept a £2M+ cut in his annual salary (would you?!) to become our highest paid player.
So, putting Europe aside as it is just the unlikely cherry on top of the real domestic business, one defeat in 27 games, against our strongest opponent with a team shorn of seven first team regulars, is to be regarded as just reason for a witch hunt demanding our manager’s head!
And whilst deprived of the services of these players Celtic have had to play four games against the best three of the rest and European games against the undefeated Italian league leaders, the then undefeated joint French league leaders. The only real shocker was the Sparta Prague result, but even that is surpassed by Brendan Rodgers’ Lincoln Red Imps debacle! But there was no frenzied clamour for his head on a block after that!
Look at the fixture list until the end of December. The difficulty factor is somewhat shifted to the other side of Glasgow, and there is every chance the picture will look decidedly different come New Year.
Phew that’s a relief.
Looking forward to the best team being selected.
You know 4-4-2.
And not defending like the Keystone Cops.
I’ll get a few more tins in.
I don’t know how any long standing celtic supporters could back the board over Brendan.
Our boards have always treated our managers disrespectfuly. From Stein through McNeil and Hay and onto O’Neil, Strachan and Lennon in his first stint as manager.
They have never matched the ambition of our managers.
It’s part of the celtic way.
It is incompetence of Himalayan proportions if we don’t win the league this season.
Lawwell’s job is to make sure we qualify for the group stages of the champions league. Failure to do so should be a sacking offence.
Winning the league should be a gimme. A one inch putt.
If Neil Lennon can “turn it around” why wasn’t it done after Ferencvaros? Why wasn’t it done after the tame effort against Sevco? Why didn’t he turn it around after Prague?
Lots of talk of moments “kick-starting” our season too – Hibs at home, second-half against Milan (?), cup semi-final against Aberdeen yet they all seem to follow a return to type.
I’d just be interested to hear from those who are convinced that Lennon will turn it around what they’re basing that on – and no, last season doesn’t really count in the here and now.
PHILBHOY on 25TH NOVEMBER 2020 1:12 PM
Apologise?
What for?
Paul has told us he has lied to cover up his true feelings..read what he said.
Today’s header from PL’sCQN is going down the emotional route to tug at your emotions.
When it gets to that stage then you know that there are problems.
Read what he said. It’s nonsense.
The last question I asked was about how Paul went from voicing his support many times for RES 12 to then going the opposite way suddenly.
Did he lie about this too, and what he put out about this wasn’t what he thought?
Was he just saying what he was told to on PL’sCQN rather than the truth of how he felt?
So what have I to apologise for?
WESTCRAIGS on 25TH NOVEMBER 2020 1:29 PM
I don’t know how any long standing celtic supporters could back the board over Brendan.
Birds of a feather if you ask me. Both only out for what they can get for themselves.
Not for the first time the Green Brigade’s heart is possibly in the right neighborhood but their brains are in totally the wrong place.
Did they think we’d forgotten all about them?
And we now have posters on here advocating a boycott of club merchandising?
Sad.
If you know it’s history …. ?
Think I’ll ignore both and support my club during a time of (in historical terms) non-crisis.
Hail hail
Keep The Faith
OK….. We change the manager… What happens if results don’t improve?… Or god forbid they get worse (a possibility) do we then call for him to go??… Then the next one… The upheaval constant changing of manager and backroom staff… The cost of player turnover lurching from manager to manager… Turning into Watford!…..
I’ve given my (worthless) opinion on this several times.
What will be, will be and it’s now time to let fate run its course.
Best of luck to Neil Lennon and the bhoys for the remainder of the season.
VINNIETHEDOG on 25TH NOVEMBER 2020 1:53 PM
That’s the calculated risk the board need to consider but in most cases a better manager/backroom team leads inevitably yo better performances and results.
BACK TO BASICS – GLASS HALF FULL on 25TH NOVEMBER 2020 1:49 PM
Not for the first time the Green Brigade’s heart is possibly in the right neighborhood but their brains are in totally the wrong place.
Did they think we’d forgotten all about them?
And we now have posters on here advocating a boycott of club merchandising?
Sad.
If you know it’s history …. ?
Think I’ll ignore both and support my club during a time of (in historical terms) non-crisis.
Hail hail
Keep The Faith
——
BACK TO BASICS
The GB have a right to say whatever they feel
Free speech and all that
Same as posters on here can voice an opinion
You don’t need to agree with it
The banner should have been directed at Desmond and Lawwell.
VINNIETHEDOG on 25TH NOVEMBER 2020 1:53 PM
OK….. We change the manager… What happens if results don’t improve?… Or god forbid they get worse (a possibility) do we then call for him to go??… Then the next one… The upheaval constant changing of manager and backroom staff… The cost of player turnover lurching from manager to manager… Turning into Watford!…..
———
Because every time we recruit A decent manager he hits a brick wall with PL
For a number of different reasons
Is PL better than most managers at running a club, deciding on transfers?
He thinks he is but he’s playing with someone else’s money
Wht would anybody have given more power to any manager who was in a transient position. We all knew Rodgers was going to leave after a few years as he did. We just thought it would be at the end of a season.
Why are Celtic fans defending a rat who jumped ship mid season whilst we were vulnerable to our first real challenge in years. Not only did he leave but he tried to take most of our coaching team with him. These are the actions of an individual who couldn’t give a damn about the future of our club.
But fill your boots. Blame the board
NL sounding calm and measured in his presser. Asked about the GB banner.
If I ever ran a blog, I’d end up banning half the people who post here for their Twitter-like level of entitled rudeness.
P.S. Davie Hay’s trreatment by our Board was totally shocking. Brendan “want-away” Rodger’s treatment wasn’t. No matter how he was treated, he was going. If Castagne and McGinn had been Press-ganged into coming to CP, Brendan would still have left Celtic. For the same reaons MON left and Stuart Armstrong left and fraser Forster left and Moussa Dembele left etc; etc;
Get rid of PL and succesful players and managers with choices wil move on- we seem to be hankering for a Brian Clough type to be fighting with his directors and using their money to aggrandise his reputation. That’s a model that’s 50 years out of date. Now, when a football club plc is threatened by its fans, the head coach/manager is sacked as a sacrificial lamb. Even the GB has recognised that truism.
CLINK\O/ 3X3 on 25TH NOVEMBER 2020 2:09 PM
There is an element of truth there so maybe it’s time we appointed a genuine director of football and we appoint managers that fit the ethos of the club – that way, it wouldn’t matter as much when the coach left as it’d be a fairly smooth transition for the new coach coming it.
Sevilla have worked very successfully like this for a number of years.
Bhoy from the Boyne today 12.12
Hotel de Paris today 12.29
Totally agree re Ian Bankier. Any director who addresses his shareholders in such a manner should be voted off the board – oh, wait a minute. We can’t vote the arrogant, dislikeable sod off as long as DD holds the majority of shares!
On another point.
Correct me if I’m wrong but I was led to believe that the actual Green Brigade was comprised of perhaps 100 supporters. Yet, today, their banner was being discussed on national Talk SPORT as coming from a large powerful section of the Celtic support! Talk about the tail wagging the dog!
While I agree that Neil Lennon has perhaps run his course, surely he deserves to be treated with some respect for the truly great times he has given us!
Hail! Hail!
Terrymac
!!BADA BING!! on 25TH NOVEMBER 2020 2:05 PM
The banner should have been directed at Desmond and Lawwell.
My thoughts exactly.
JAMES FORREST @ 12:52 PM,
Thank you once again, from time to time SFtBs and I cross swords, I can only assume this fit of pique comes from a bygone grudge.
SFtBs @12:48 PM,
You have recently posted about the standards of debate on CQN and that people should not attack the man and that they should try to give factual examples.
That’s what I did.
You on the other hand built a straw man to chop down. I would say below the high standards you expect.
Hail Hail
CLINK\O/ 3X3 on 25TH NOVEMBER 2020 2:09 PM
Wht would anybody have given more power to any manager who was in a transient position. We all knew Rodgers was going to leave after a few years as he did. We just thought it would be at the end of a season.
Why are Celtic fans defending a rat who jumped ship mid season whilst we were vulnerable to our first real challenge in years. Not only did he leave but he tried to take most of our coaching team with him. These are the actions of an individual who couldn’t give a damn about the future of our club.
But fill your boots. Blame the board
———
Who said he was in a transient position?
PL?
Paul ?
I’m pretty sure at 10 points clear he knew we wouldn’t be caught and already knew the NL had been tapped up to replace him
So he went
I’d have done the same
Guess that makes me a hun rat
BHOY FROM THE BOYNE on 25TH NOVEMBER 2020 2:10 PM
NL sounding calm and measured in his presser. Asked about the GB banner.
—————————
I too would like to see a change in management but NL’s presser responses today was good to see in light of GB banner. I want a change for fear of losing the 10, but same time I acknowledge there is time to turn this around and I wonder sometimes if I am overreacting. Up to management to get it right on the pitch now to find a system which the players can buy into and put the right personnel on the park in the right positions.
Before I’m accused of being a board apologist, I couldn’t care less who is on the board as long as they are doing a God job.
I have never been a fan of any club changing its whole set up with each successive manager.
It is a boards responsibility to manage the whole club from stadium staff to playing staff. It is also their responsibility to oversee continuity and protect and promote the ethos of a club.
Gerber
I would agree with all that
The problem is simple. The manager and his staff have lost confidence in the players and vice versa. You cannot get rid of players until the transfer window. We cannot afford to wait till then. Simple the only option is the manager has to go
CLINK\O/ 3X3 on 25TH NOVEMBER 2020 2:23 PM
Before I’m accused of being a board apologist, I couldn’t care less who is on the board as long as they are doing a God job.
I have never been a fan of any club changing its whole set up with each successive manager.
It is a boards responsibility to manage the whole club from stadium staff to playing staff. It is also their responsibility to oversee continuity and protect and promote the ethos of a club.
——-
CLINK\O/ 3X3
Where’s the continuity in Celtic
Always rip it up and start again
The latest effort from the Green Brigade reminded me of an American band from the 1970s, who unlike Brendan Rodgers really did go to the far east and made it big in Japan.
Cheap Trick
Meanwhile, everyone’s favourite Talksport and Sky man, Jim White, claims PL was golfing in Scotland this week with Eddie Howe.
Scott Brown: “We know the performances haven’t been up to scratch and now is the time to fix this, extremely quickly. The manager and backroom staff are working extremely hard and now for us, when we go on the park we need to do the exact same.”
————–
Good to hear. With respect to Brown though, his role in MF is part of the problem and part of the solution. Should be used only to close games out going forward or when we need a bit of leadership chasing late winners. I will probably do my nut if I see Brown, Frimpong & Duffy on the team sheet tomorrow night :-)
Chairbhoy
“fit of pique” ??
“bygone grudge” ???
You have recently posted about the standards of debate on CQN and that people should not attack the man and that they should try to give factual examples.
That’s what I did.
You on the other hand built a straw man to chop down. I would say below the high standards you expect.” ?????
I could just as readily reverse the pronouns , you and I, in that statement (final sentence excepted) and it would be just as convincing.
If we are crossing swords, it is in debate and because we disagree on the intentions of Brendan Rodgers and his willingness to continue to work for Celtic.
No more and no less.
I don’t know you from Adam so there’s nothing personal and nothing to apologise for.
If you wish to assert that I “played the man” or have built a “straw man” argument, then I’d appreciate you include your workings and your evidence to support the point.
Otherwise, I’d be as well responding
???????????????
Fiver
It wouldn’t make you a hun rat – but a rat nonetheless