I’m delighted for Alex Neil at achieving promotion for Norwich City just a few months after joining and transforming them. Alex was groomed for the Hamilton Accies job by former boss Billy Hamilton for years before being given the position as a 31-year-old two years ago. Billy would talk him through training games, “Reds are being overrun, would you do to change things?” I listened into some of this, but in football it’s never apparent what’s being absorbed and what’s slipping through the cracks.
Lots of credit has to go to our former commercial head, David McNally, who took as Norwich chief exec six years ago, in the wake of departing Neil Doncaster. McNally spent much of season 2013-14 dangling the Sword of Damocles over Chris Hughton, before sacking him with relegation looming, then sacking his replacement, Neil Adams, whose only previous coaching role was as a Norwich youth coach.
Fresh from having to admit a mistake in appointing an inexperienced manager, it was unfathomable that McNally gambled on Alex Neil. Last season Neil got Accies into the play-off final against Hibs, where they lost the first leg 0-2 at home. At that stage his achievements were no better than could be expected, but Terry Butcher was master tactician at opponents Hibs.
Ahead of the second leg Butcher spoke to his players about post-match celebrations. The only thing anyone at Hibs could celebrate after the game was Butcher’s resignation. Six months of spectacular overachieving with Accies this season was enough for McNally to see something special in Alex Neil. It was a breath-taking gamble which worked.
Norwich’s gamble has echoes in our own, in appointing Ronny Deila, but Celtic had a bit more form to judge. When I asked a Norwegian journalist about Ronny last summer he actually compared Stromsgodset wining the league to Hamilton Accies winning the SPFL. Ronny had six years, not six months, of pretty spectacular form to study before Celtic made their offer.
Ronny and Celtic know they are working to a medium-term plan and that short-termism isn’t going to get in the way. Such planning is a luxury in football, and isn’t something Celtic enjoyed when they were caught in an arms race with a liquidation-bound opponent. Norwich might just have learned enough self-awareness to know that next season’s target shouldn’t be survival, it should be medium-term development, even if that means accepting the short-term pain of relegation.
I read yesterday that Real Madrid have sacked a manager every season they failed to win a major trophy since Alfredo Di Stefano’s side finished second in La Liga, and were losing finalists in the Copa’ Liga, Copa del Rey and Cup Winners’ Cup, the latter to Aberdeen. Medium-termism at Real is counted in weeks, not seasons. Being intolerant of short-term failure is incredibly wasteful.
Alfredo was sacked a year later.
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Morrissey the 23rd,
Fair dos,
I liked what the Punk lady was saying for the little I listened, I skipped most of the video though, so won’t say no more. I am the most paranoid Celtic Supporter. A Great Starting Point, IMO.
RWE
I was on the field that night exchanging my scarf with an Arsenal fan.
Liam Brady was not pleased and told us. I went off him in an instant.
KilltheBill
Delaneys Dunky @ 00:01
I will find a way there and back or a place to stay. Count me in.
Morrissey
Nice one. It’s a date! :)
clogher celt
23:10 on 26 May, 2015
Dunno
Depends on ones criteria I guess
Is it
Orifi free zone
Cardinals as hypocrites
Oil corruption
Banking corruption
Paedophilia
Austerity measures
Gay marriage
The gay Gordon’s
Good question
Depends on your criteria
To me anything to do with religion is drivel and despicable.
Margaret McGill,
Do you believe in God?
Petec
Paul Weller has some interesting thoughts on the state the planet is in at this moment in time. Heard him on XFM.
Every where is War.
His new album is uplifting cos he knows we all need uplifted.
Strange Days!
What we are: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a15KgyXBX24
One of the first videos I ever saw on Twitter and probably still my favourite.
DD,
Cern was, is and to come …. the Revelator John and 9:11.
Nimrod fits the profile, being able to clone DNA now is very scarey.
Dinnae Worry
This naked ape is being sent to his bed by a lovely wee cheeky monkey. Night! x
nn – Celts.
Margaret,
Took you a wee while to come back.
Your post describes every country in Europe,
I mean the UK, oil corruption, banking corruption, the parachute regiment, paedophilia,
austerity.
…to continue,The Falklands, Afghanistan,, Iraq, Syria.
If you get a chance, come over here,
HH
BRING BACK MOONHOWLING!!!!
Delaneys Dunky@ 00.07
Bit late with a response…
That night in under the floodlights in North London was special, and not even morons in uniform could spoil it.
HH
Kill the Bill
Robert
Just for you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-oAaElViaU
Literal.
Maggie Maggie Maggie
Figurative
MACJAY
Cheers,bud!
Though some of us could be more vicious than that-especially Thursdays into Fridays.
Ah,happy days…
You keeping well,old bean?
I`m fine,pal.
The moonhowlin` reglars have absconded or drifted off.I`ve backed off a bit too.
Eg.F.F.M…..Like yourself ,an unreconstructed lunar leftie.
The brave Petec still contributes,thankfully.
Keep well,pal.
Americans prosecutors go after FIFA.
FIFA Officials Arrested on Corruption Charges; Face Extradition to U.S.
The charges include wire fraud, racketeering and money laundering.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/27/sports/soccer/fifa-officials-face-corruption-charges-in-us.html?emc=edit_na_20150526&nlid=70507127&_r=0
cv
The arrests in Switzerland are just before the vote to re-instate Kim Yung Sepp?
Grand start to the day.
Good morning CQNs,
My contempt for football administrators, irrespective of their sphere of influence is undiminished by this morning’s news.
Good morning friends from a dry but grey and pretty breezy East Kilbride.
Good updates on the Telegraph website naming FIFA arrests
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/11631966/Swiss-police-arrest-Fifa-executives-as-part-of-US-corruption-investigation.html
Maybe we need the US Justice system to investigate the SFA?
AR
BREAKING NEWS: FIFA officials held on suspicion of corruption
Wait, more news coming in
A bear has been arrested for defecating in a forrest
Auldheid
18:46 on 26 May, 2015
TBB
They can survive ok but it will not be RFC as we knew them.
_________________________________________________
Sorry for butting in….but, what will be different…?
They play in blue – check
They play at ibrokes – check
They’ve still got the same animal-fans – check
The cops still turn a deaf ear to all their singing – check
The Celtic board are still feart fae them – check
The SMSM are still in their pockets – check
The coffin lid will ‘never’ close on them – check
Only a ‘statement’ in the Herald has challenged the same club myth….to what avail…?
Know what else…I know that you, and yer fawning clique will baseball-bat the tin-foil hat that I’m wearing but…whats new….?….so, I’ll say this….Hugh Keevins said on the SSB the other night that, he kept hearing folk in Rangers-circles talking about…Sam Allerdyce coming into the huns as manager….?
Is there a chance here that….big Mike will throw some loose change at the huns and…catch Celtic’s board….sleeping…?
My theory is that, the Celtic board will ‘conveniently’ sleep to allow the huns to catch up.
I don’t trust the Celtic board…..not one bit.
What I fail to understand is….how any group of Celtic supporters can seriously think that they can engage in some sort of dialogue with a Celtic board of directors who…looked the other way when the huns were stealing the CL-money to survive…and then think that, some form of justice will be brought to bear on…whoever was guilty from ‘that’ same period in the clubs history….?
It’s like the crusade from the vigilantes who want to petition fans to get legislation changed that criminalises Celtic supporters in particular….do these same folk not know that, Celtic’s directors ‘fingerprints’ are all over this legislation…?….FMM.
To many detours for my liking….the jugular-vein approach would bear fruit…quicker…imho
For example….how long would this legislation have lasted if these same ‘avengers’ had trained their guns on the ‘proper’ targets….Celtic’s directors….?
The petitioners should have informed Celtic’s board that – Celtic fans will not be paying into the club until ‘YOU’ sort it out…Celtic’s cutomers are being criminalised and….’YOU’…ya shower complicit-snakes have yer ‘fingerprints’ all over it!!!!
Far too many well meaning Celtic supporters being suckered….imho
Don’t shoot the messenger – CSC
……laters.
Nags
Hamilton today. Wish I was in Scotland, though I am more interested in a Cartmel runner.
(Hamilton 4.50pm. I put 2 up on here last Friday. One of them, Last Supper, withdrew. It runs today and I have backed it at 3/1)
Cartmel 3.20pm.
Micky Hammond runs Amir Pasha. Already been beaten by 2 of the rivals it faces again today but I know it is expected to run better. Track is fine, going will suit. The opportunity to claim 10lb has been bypassed in favour of Jamie Bargary who claims 7lb and can hopefully offset the 3lb they are sacrificing.
8/1. Shame only 7 runners as I would have hammered it each way. Instead I shall have a win only bet and hope it runs as the stable feel it could.
Take em or leave em.
So FIFA getting their collar felt, good. Can we send an FBI snooper team to Hampden?
Morning all.
Interesting developments in Switzerland. Maybe the UEFA lot might be next. Then our lot…. Nah. Takes the Americans to force action.
jmc
the paper shredder operator will be on overtime as we speak:-)
The FIFA arrests have been on the cards since the US lost out to Qatar for the WC.
Hopefully this will start a house of cards effect but I have a feeling that Blatter will weasel his way out as he always does.
HH
/Bishop B
jmccormick
08:10 on
27 May, 2015
So FIFA getting their collar felt, good. Can we send an FBI snooper team to Hampden?
should that not be SNIPER TEAM.
RWE
I remember the Arsenal stewards being very friendly that night at Highbury.
The London polis were scared of us, fearing a riot and tried to start one with heavy handed tactics. How we laughed at them. :)
” The arrests appear to relate to minor tournaments but let’ s remember that Al Capone went down for tax evasion ”
Sicilian Radio 29 5 15.
Blue sky / big sun and a cold wind – way down south.The cold wind is very unusual for this time of year.
My friends in Celtic,
The only surprise coming out of Switzerland is why has it taken so long.
Kev J . Sorry to interrupt when your in full swing rant mode, but the OB act is a Scottish government legislation, or more specifically an SNP legislation. It is obscene but given the democratic mandate they have just received any change will be very difficult if not virtually impossible.
Possibly a glimmer of hope lies that given that some police officers are facing perjury charges, pressure for change will come from within. It will not do if the legislation is causing collateral damage by hitting the wrong targets.
HH.
KevJungle
07:37 on
27 May, 2015
To your certain knowledge…..
Why don`t you tell us what the Celtic Board have done about the issues you raise.
Tell us what the Celtic Board are doing about the issues you raise.
Finally. Tell us what the Celtic Board should have done about the issues you raise.
To your certain knowledge.
No assumptions,no rumours,no talk of the steamie.
If you have information which , to your certain knowledge, shames the Celtic Board,then I`m 100 % with you.
Sources would be good.
Please share.
“LATERS” you say.
Aye,O.K.
I`m happy to wait.
Wee radio preview of tonight’s Europa League Final.-
Pundit – ” Be interesting to see if Dnipro wear their – Sponsored by Platini – shirt.”
The Swiss Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) said in a statement today that US authorities suspected the officials of receiving $100m worth of bribes since the early 1990s.
The crimes were agreed to and prepared in the US via US bank accounts.
SoT
Warsaw should be packed with Ukranians today.
The Seville fans will be hoping it will be similar to our exodus to their city in 2003.