Perils of rushing a managerial appointment

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Getting a managerial appointment right is difficult. A number of things went in our favour when we landed Brendan Rodgers, not least the market for managers in England. The days when a club the size of Liverpool would recruit a manager from Swansea, as they did with Brendan in 2012, are gone.

The era when Arsenal would risk a manager from Grampus Eight, as they did with Wenger, or Manchester United would take someone from Aberdeen, as with Ferguson, even now seem bizarre.

It’s relatively easy to get a short-term boost from a managerial appointment which would take the pressure off board and even players, but football has a habit of bringing reality to the fore quickly. A defeat or two can make years of forward planning difficult to achieve.

I like the strategy of appointing a caretaker if you lose a manager midseason. This buys you time to test the market before appointing an available and familiar name. We have had a few caretakers in our time: Kenny Dalglish won the League Cup, while Frank Connor managed to retire undefeated before handing the reigns to Luigi.

Kenny took over a decent, if poorly managed, squad, while Frank steadied the ship after Liam Brady’s ill-fated tenure ended. Their task was straightforward, get the players pulling in the same direction. If you limit the caretaker’s remit to this, he should do OK.

Had we appointed a permanent replacement in the weeks after John Barnes ‘resigned’ we would have missed out on Martin O’Neill and all that followed. Taking your time can pay.

I’m also open to the idea of a director of football. There is no right or wrong policy on this subject. Changing a manager is the biggest upheaval a club will face (a normal club, anyway). Often the coaches and scouts go too, but if you have a director of football controlling recruitment strategy, for example, you recruit a coach to match the existing strategy. You also don’t need to start scouting players for different roles from scratch.

If we were sitting with a youth coach in charge of the first team right now I’d be doing my best ‘Calm down’ routine. A decision rushed, or worse, a decision made because you are terrified to visit Celtic Park in three weeks, would be the worst of all worlds.  Take your medicine at Celtic Park but get it right for June.

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  1. blantyretim is praying for the Knox family on

    Embramike

     

    Notice you where in bad company watching the hoops on Saturday

     

    Did you get a word in with Auldheid and kickinthenakas

  2. NatKnow

     

     

    been too busy

     

    not really for me though

     

    heard positive things

     

    looking forward to their new one

     

    away this time

  3. prestonpans bhoys on

    Wonder if Man City will get fined again for booing the CL anthem?

     

     

    Btw on the journey back to Manchester centre a City fan told me the bit beside was their singing section, “really” was my surprised reply.

  4. oldtim67 on 21st February 2017 7:43 pm

     

     

    I’d go for the Paradise Hotel.

     

     

    …………………………………………………..

     

     

    £67 a night EVERY room.

  5. The Celtic Triangle bound to be a pre cursor to the anti christ

     

     

    Ye heard it here first:(((

     

     

    Celtic Triangle Celtic Triangle Celtic Triangle if ye say it three times ye disappear intae a wee puff of white holy smoke..

  6. Bhoys/Ghirls

     

     

    My Dad left me penny to take care of because it’s dated 1888 and as he said “Bro Walfrid may have touched that”

     

     

    Wanted to make sure its preserved. do you know how/who to contact st Celtic. The curator?

  7. MoonbeamsWD on 21st February 2017 7:46 pm

     

     

    It is Owners of this World Imprinting, Tatooing.

     

     

    Annoyed isn’t the Word.

  8. Hotel. 67. In broad green and white neon lighting. Sure to upset a few -and sure to please many.

  9. embramike supporting Res 12 on

    BLANTYRETIM IS PRAYING FOR THE KNOX FAMILY on 21ST FEBRUARY 2017 7:44 PM

     

    Embramike

     

    Notice you where in bad company watching the hoops on Saturday

     

    Did you get a word in with Auldheid and kickinthenakas

     

     

    Certainly got quiet when I asked if they wanted another drink !!!

     

    Great craic, great company and John Lemon bar was buzzing.

     

    A must visit for any Tims on the Costa !

  10. Corkcelt

     

    I was just about to ask the score ! Thank you.

     

    Hope all is well and regards to the excellent Mick, a fine man.

     

    Cheerio for now,

     

     

    JJ

  11. HOT SMOKED on 21ST FEBRUARY 2017 7:53 PM

     

    Yorkbhoy

     

     

    Was it a Full House when we played them in Manchester ?

     

     

     

    JJ

     

     

    I think so if not it was certainly busier than tonight.

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