Memories of the “second worst thing to hit Hiroshima” attempt to undermine Wim Jansen on his arrival as Celtic manager from Japanese football in 1997 remain vivid. With no internet, we knew little of Wim. His short stints as assistant with the Saudi national team and as manager of Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the four years since leaving Feyenoord did nothing to enhance his reputation.
Ange Postecoglou is an easier man for the support to make their own minds up about. He has a record of developing talent, improving teams and winning titles. By any reasonable measure, his CV is spotless. None of his success happened in Europe and there is nowhere as acutely intense in the football roster as Glasgow, so there are hurdles to overcome.
I like that he is an established winner and that he has not relied on the chequebook to become so. I also hear great things about his strength of character, he has old school authority, as well as a technocrats brain.
Eddie Howe went to the top of the candidate list around two months ago. The time since has been lost, although Postecoglou was not in serious contention that far back. We are now three weeks from preseason training. If Ange is to be appointed, he faces a two week isolation period before being able to visit Celtic Park or Lennoxtown. He might just make it.
Before any of that, he needs to exit Japan and his contractual arrangements with City Football Group’s Yokohama F Marinos, pack his family and belongings up and fly to the opposite end of the globe. There is a lot of work for him to just sit at the Celtic manager’s desk.
At Howe’s request, we were prepared to recruit his entire football infrastructure. He would have endorsed the appointment of coaches, scouts and director of football. Celtic signed up for this but when you let them bring their encourage with them, the successful ones inevitably take the same faces (and more) back out the door with them when they go.
With Ange it will be different, although he may be familiar with some of the faces from City Football Group. This infrastructure is equally as important as the managerial appointment. Celtic need to rebuild a team ahead of a season that offers automatic Champions League qualification for the Scottish Premiership winners. Much of that burden will fall on the manager’s supporting cast. Lots to do, not a lot of time to do it in……
A quick word on Newco’s £6.75m public share offering, announced this morning. Newco have returned an operating loss every year of their existence and have been unable to trade players to meet the shortfall. The burden has thus far fallen on directors. Turning to the fans may indicate a possibility the directors’ largess has dried up. It could also imply no fresh investor has been found.
Uefa’s Financial Fair Play rules mean any fresh equity investment cannot be spent on most operational costs, like football or support staff. Competing against a team that runs a persistent eight figure annual deficit has its drawbacks, but we have seen this movie before. We are back at the roulette table with all the chips on Champions League money.
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JHB on 1ST JUNE 2021 12:53 PM
Your comments regarding That Shower are not unreasonable.
“We don’t/can’t match that philosophy”
Do you not think we can and should take steps to have it challenged by officialdom (which would mean challenging officialdom)?
Or is that a boat we don’t rock?
Paul67
“We are back at the roulette table with all the chips on Champions League money.”
Aye we are Paul and who gave them an unconditional seat at the table under the 5 Way Agreement?
What effort was made to introduce or demand the following reforms?
https://celticunderground.net/sfa-reform-one-down-three-to-go/
Note the date – almost TEN years ago.
The article was noted by Celtic’s CEO at the time and whilst it may have been a hard road to plough, had we done so then we would not be facing a minefield to plough now.
Perhaps the new CEO will be more up for the task.
This post comes under the category of ” I telt ye” and I still am, without abandoning the 5WA the game is doomed to repeat its past. Everything else is shadow watching from Plato’s cave..
Maybe in the end they just ran out of Strachans? Or maybe Man City’s reserve groundsman didn’t fancy it?
When we said that we lost out on Eddie Howe due to circumstances that were beyond our control and his, did we mean that Eddie got offered the Everton job?
If so, it was outwith our control, but it was not outwith his. He could have said, I am committed to Celtic, just as Ben Davies of Preston could have said that to Liverpool and John McGinn could have said it to Villa.
I don’t think this “It’s not you- it’s me” explanation, for a failed tryst, has ever been convincing.
The new manager will get my support as will celtic. The board have fu$£ed up many things over the years and are far from perfect. lessons need to be learned and change needs to happen. But walking away is not in my makeup.
Our investment in the squad last year did nothing to improve out squad but no one complained at the start of the season. Last season was extraordinary for many reasons and many will not be repeated.
Sevco continually going to their investors/ supporters asking them to pay the Bill’s to cover 8 figure losses should be a real worry to the sevco supporters, sfa, spfl and general football governance alas not a peep. A successful champions league group stage for sevco will allow them to sustain their current squad level without going to the supporters. Failure means going back to said supporters or selling players.
Sometimes I wish our super rich supporters and shareholders would do the same, god knows their pockets are deep enough, but it’s never going to be a long term answer.
Celtic, sevco and all other scottish clubs should be forced to comply with domestic financial fairplay rules to stop reckless spending and gambling. European money should be viewed as a bonus to invest on infrastructure, improve facilities, youth training and development, community projects etc.
HH
Credit to Celtic for trying to recruit the best manager available at the time in Howe but the reality is no decent manager wants the Job.
PS Uefa’s Financial Fair Play rules are a myth !
Before we get to the solution…I’d like a wee bit of timespent on understanding the problems………..
I’d feel a tad better about how we go about addressing them then.
Re the boul’ Ange………..If Celtic are clear that he’s our Bhoy then could we use some of our well rewarded corporate structure to take as much of the domestic pressure of the preferred candidates shoulders, and let a relocation team step in and facilitate……………….???? We don’t want our Bhoy thinking aboout that box bound for the loft when he should be thinking about Goalkeeper’s an’ wantaway strikers etc etc etc………….
C’mon Bhoys…………….
James Forrest,
In your summation of AP,you willfully,or otherwise,miss out a lot of other information.You say he chucked it before the 2018 WC.Yes he did,but not before geeteting them there.Shows you his strength of will,to miss out on a WC,because he refused to go along with the meddling from the AFA.Definitely,no Yes man.
You also miss out all the glowing tributes from,if you will excuse me,people a lot more qualified than you to make judgement.Managers like Pep,Brendan Rodgers,who greatly admire his style of football.Ex players who have played under him,not one having nothing but praise ,a few saying the best coach they have worked with.
The Oz sporting press have a very high regard for him.
Finally,your disregard,a bit Little Englander,for the opponents he has faced,and triumphed over.Forget Japan,and Korea,we know about them,but do you remember,Scotland 1,Iran 1.Scotland 1,S Arabia 1,Scotland 1,Egypt 3,England 1,S. Arabia 0,WCgroup match.Japan,at the moment has a massive,thriving football scene.Hundreds of millions pumped into it.Full of Brazilians,and many more very fine players from all over the world,on huge wages.Like anywhere else,the richest normally win.A very,very competitive league.
He may not succeed,but to write anyone off because of,narrow minded views,does not wash with me.
If Maloney is part of new set up then Kennedy is a shoe in for a job – think they are very good buddies
Do you ever wonder how/why some no mark has been appointed to a senior management position in your work then realise that he/she’s just like the one who appointed them.
That’s exactly what I expect of our new CEO.
SFA!
So many taking it almost for granted that the Huns will qualify for the CL.On what premise?The big problem is,if they don’t,they are out of Europe.Some on here have a lot more faith in the Huns than some Hun fans I know.
Anyway,enough from me.My pool awaits,sun is beautiful,and Mrs TB,is making the Margueritas at the bar.
Enjoy yourselves.
STEPHBHOY67 on 1ST JUNE 2021 1:21 PM
Sometimes I wish our super rich supporters and shareholders would do the same, god knows their pockets are deep enough, but it’s never going to be a long term answer.
Celtic, sevco and all other scottish clubs should be forced to comply with domestic financial fairplay rules to stop reckless spending and gambling.
————
You answer your own point.
We shouldn’t need a sugar daddy to spend millions.
JHB and I mentioned this earlier.
We need proper governance to stop That Shower being bailed out on a monthly basis by their sugar daddies without sanction.
It’s the financial extension of the notion that we beat the cheating referees by wiping the floor with teams and talking them out the equation.
We shouldn’t have to.
Big Judith smoking hot 😎
We tend to keep the faith in our club and we tend to obey the rules of Uefa and SFA etc ………………no evidence exists that this faith is repaid…………..
Huns breaking the law is not news in scoddland but gie thum a Tim and it’s a whole new story…………
Aye.
Tourist season in full swing again, eh!
TURKEYBHOY on 1ST JUNE 2021 1:37 PM
So many taking it almost for granted that the Huns will qualify for the CL.On what premise?The big problem is,if they don’t,they are out of Europe.Some on here have a lot more faith in the Huns than some Hun fans I know.
———
Why would Huns be out of Europe?
Why would they not have the same route to Europa League as we have required to use too frequently over recent years ???
At least big Judith would motivate some of the support
Big Judith can raise the dead…………..;)
i think its worth watching if Howe takes his full backroom
team with him to whichever club he goes to.
If not why not
Big Ange
Burnley 78
They haven’t qualified yet – depends on Sunday’s results.
Just need to match the sevco ladies result.
But we could win the league or not qualify – all is possible
As I mentioned earlier – we are subjected to different rules
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57315647
RTC was on the money when he referred to Lawwell67 as Celticfakenews and this succulent lamb level drivel vindicates that. Somebody stepping in to the wrong movie like Postecoglu will crash and burn as he needs a season he doesn’t have to do anything of note at Celtic and no volume of soft spin from the boards pet blogger is going to alter that perception.
So Paul saying this man can build teams with no money…..given time.. 2 Weeks? No chance of qualifying for CL this season. and next to none winning league.. and this is what they have planned. Getting a top class manager in would struggle to get into Europe this summer. We need a whole new squad. A whole new youth set up.. We don’t have a scouting system,.. So to appoint someone from Australia who wont have my knowledge of players to buy is insane. Only chance of even challenging for league is to put money into club and get a top manager and buy top players. Chances of that happening are zero now that ir seems this is a done deal.
We only have enough first team players for a five aside Soro Taylor mcGregor Turnbull and Forest. Thats it. rest are away or looking to leave or nor good enough.
From Paul Larkin
A man constantly strung along by Lawwell berates a man who strung along Lawwell. https://twitter.com/cqn/status/1398295509123563523
The fact Kennedy was’t dumped months ago tells you he was always staying. I don’t know any footbal person who could stand with arms folded and watch the drivel that was happening with out at least showing some anger. Then he got chance to do something about it and changed nothing. Was happy to draw games
Bada
Smoking what ?
Glasgow to Level 2 from Friday midnight
Everyone ones predictions of further demise is predicated on 2nd Rangers being “as good” again next season.
They wont be, that was their high watermark, they dont start 25 points ahead, It all goes back to zero.
why will they not be better? They have already added players. And we have lost/losing more than half the team
Saint Stivs
I’m pretty sure both glasgow teams started last season at zero also.
They are arguable stronger. We will almost certainly be weaker.
Our rate of regression has been alarming. The farce of a new managerial appointment is not helping.
This story can now be put officially to bed … and yet we can take no comfort from it.
https://thecelticblog.com/2021/06/articles-and-features/official-postecoglou-does-not-hold-a-uefa-pro-license-celtic-is-working-on-the-issue/
SQUIRE DANAHER on 1ST JUNE 2021 1:03 PM
Do you not think we can and should take steps to have it challenged by officialdom (which would mean challenging officialdom)?
Or is that a boat we don’t rock?
——–
You raise the 64,000 dollar question – what can we do ?
First of all let me say that I am totally in favour of ‘rocking the boat’, if we have clear evidence that laws, whether civil, or, football, have been broken, and there is a clear path to justice.
However, we have seen how long the Rangers FC liquidation has dragged on, now almost ten years – we’ve also seen how the supposedly ‘slam-dunk’ cases that Ashley has brought, being stuck in the ‘long-grass’ for such a long time and still dribbling along.
Frankly to challenge everything from Res 12, which would involve the SFA too, to the way they currently run their business, would be a full time job involving teams of lawyers & QCs, with no guarantee of success.
We are a football club, a proud club with a standing in the world, although that is wilting a bit in light of almost zero European success for so long. Do we really want to be seen primarily as a club hell-bent on putting their biggest(only) rival out of business? How would that play with sponsors like Adidas & Dafabet? How would the TV companies react?
I would like all the wrongs righted – e.g. honours won under EBTs stricken from the record-books, but realistically it’s not going to happen.
For a lot of reasons we are now ‘chasing the game’. Ibrox is the “top dog’ and it could easily cement that position if it reaches the CL groups this coming season, and we don’t. I know their financial methodology is mind-boggling, but the way to put them under pressure is to beat the on the pitch.
There is no administration/liquidation on the horizon – we just have get our act together again.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 1ST JUNE 2021 1:55 PM
Big ang(r)y ?
I take it from P67s header that the Kennedy/Strachan remain in place.
That’s Lawwell’s wet dream.
Club is a joke.
Zero ambition.
I wonder how our ‘complete restructuring ‘ of the football department is going ?
In the meantime I’m away to completely restructure my kitchen by putting the dishwasher on .
MARSPAPA on 1ST JUNE 2021 1:02 PM
We will never get the Truth…… Why didn’t we offer the world to BR to stay for the ten.
——–
My views on why EH declined are well known – his backroom team said no, changed their minds(for imo, obvious reasons) – so all bets are then off.
Regarding Brendan – he was always going to go in 2019 – we got £9m for him leaving in February, rather than May – good business with everything almost won and the team on ‘automatic pilot”.
Brendan has a very high opinion of himself, he wants to be at the very top for the next twenty years. Winning everything he touched at Celtic was the ideal springboard to the EPL and the Leicester job…..just as two top-five finishes and the FA Cup will be a bigger springboard to a bigger job.
Brendan outgrew Celtic very quickly, he knew it and so did Celtic – there was no financial inducement that would have stopped his Leicester move.