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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A propos of nothing,the company which owns The Herald has just bought a lot of titles in West of Scotland,and elsewhere.
http://www.romanesmediagroup.co.uk/print/
Afternoon bhoys n ghirls
Just over 3 weeks till my next run for NCCA UK and in memory of my wee pal Oscar Knox
Any donations greatly received
https://www.justgiving.com/TommyMelly-Edinburgh-Run/
Thanks again
Anybody heard from Oldtim since our glorious Sunday? H H Hebcelt
weeman67
19:59 on
25 May, 2015
As it is Memorial Day here in th U.S.A. I would like to thank all who have served and who are serving at this time. May your God be with you and guide you home safely.
*I showed your recent posting about the virtual Vietnam Wall to Mrs. TT including the photies of Alex Chisholm, since then she has relayed this info to family home and abroad. They all grew up with Alex and recalled his sad funeral, so a lot of memories were stirred.
Jamesgang, St Stivs, BMCUWP,
I’ll second (fourth?) you about Boca! About 12\13 years ago when I lived in Morpeth and travelled up to games , he posted me a Hoops Abroad t-shirt and then waited for the money the next time I was up! I had given him my details so he could let me know when the T-shirt was back in the right sizes( one for me and my daughter). This was when he selling t-shirts on the London Road.
A great guy!
TAMRABAM
The Ronny experiment was a disaster at the start,everything went wrong.
It started too early for him,and for the players.
We couldn’t play at Celtic Park.
We couldn’t play at Murrayfield either,as it turned out!
We got lucky with Legia,then a great result in Maribor.
So,in front of the vast expectant crowds at Celtic Park for the first time,when we only needed a nil-nil,he went for broke in the last fifteen minutes.
I didn’t get it then,I still don’t. Everything since has shown him to be pragmatic rather than flash,planned rather than instinctive or off-the-cuff. That night? I dunno,rush of blood,mibbe.
But he certainly seems to have the backing and trust of the players now. And for me,that’s enough. That the fans back him is a Brucie Bonus.
But years of experience-known colloquially as a boot in the baws when you least expect it-have taught me to never back Celtic in a bookies. I go into nearly every game expecting us to win,but better managers than him haven’t. And Ronny won’t either.
As you say,I hope he gets it right for those games in particular.
DHARMA BAM
What? He’s got a tick-book?
Emdy got his phone number?
BMCUW @ 14 05 .
Clicked on that London Housing link .
Photo of Trellick Towers ! – mate of mine lived there in the late 70s/ early 80s .. Mental place ——–I visited him once / once was enough. . Heavy / heavy place.
hebcelt
Don’t know if this will work. Davie’s photos which he posted yesterday.
https://www.facebook.com/search/str/david%2bmorrison%2bmovie%2bmaker/keywords_top
BMCUWP,
Naw, it mist have been one of those rare days when I had an honest looking face. He posted it off his own bat, so to speak.
Mist=must
Don’t know about a tick book – tic clothes yes…
4 in a row?
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
13:42 on 26 May, 2015
All Celtic have to do is arrange for a journalist to ask their opinion on the matter and then issue a short statement saying that having taking legal advice and given the matter due consideration so far as Celtic are concerned the old club died and Sevco are a new club. No need to go into detail, or justify the position. Just set down a marker, so it’s out there.
They could even, if they wished, go on to say they look forward to establishing a long and prosperous relationship/rivalry with the new club….new firm blah… blah blah blah.
It’s not going to happen though. We all know that. Even the most obsequious Celtic fan, in their heart, has no illusion about the current custodians.
Bada Bing –
Typically childish.
The guy came on and complained, rightly so, about 4 supporters sharing 2 seats next to him at every home game. He then said “Do your job Celtic ticket office”, so clearly he feels it is the responsibility of ticket office staff to not only distribute tickets, but to go around the stadium at every game and make sure everyone is sitting in their own seat.
You understand my question now?
Of course you don’t.
Understanding would get in the way of your agenda wouldn’t it?
Saint stivis,jamesgang ,richie
Any of these t-shirrs online ?
Need couple of nice celtic related t-shirts.
SOUTHOFTUNIS
When I stayed down there,one of my mates persuaded his Mum to sign their council house over to him prior to her marrying her minted fella-he had a few pubs in The West End,one I remember being The (bunch of)Grapes next to Harrods.
He was about twenty two,his Mum’s fella said don’t be daft,Mark. She’ll put you down as joint tenant.
Bought the place based on her residency for a song. Four bedroom semi in Barnes,between the river and the common.
Heyho,them’s the rules.
He still worked on his granda’s veg stall at Brixton Market on a Saturday though. Help the oul’ fella out. A good guy just taking advantage of an opening someone had been stupid enough to give him. Great guy,not seen him in years but my parents and my lass at the time had a smashing night when they opened The Grapes. And a few after that.
Back to your point,I never thought I’d see the day Notting Hill was worth squillions,nor Brixton,Streatham,etc. Wandsworth was bad enough.
TOM McLAUGHLIN
Perhaps he expects the ticket office,having been notified time and again,to warn the holders of those seats about such behaviour. Or to advise the stewards to be on the lookout.
I might drink a lot of Guinness,but I’m not the broadest in the beam,and even I struggle wi the allocated space per seat. I understand the fella’s angst.
Proudbhoy= t-shirts
Saint Stivs
The only problem with RONNIES ROCKET is they have it running on cheap kerosene.
My favourite is the Bob Dylan /Subterranean Homesick Grand old Team t-shirt.
Did some interviews a couple of weeks ago and gave the job to a nice young lady. Today we were having a chat to see how she is settling in and we got round to the subject of football.
Here is the good bit, it turns out she is the great great granddaughter of the one and only Jimmy Quinn.
I knew she had something
HH
PROUDBHOY
This MIGHT be it,not sure.
http://forgeshopping.com/shops/sportswear/boca-football
DONTBRATTBAKKINANGER
I gave that to someone,he liked it that much!
Jimbo67 was wearing one the first time I met him.
I knew we’d get on…
What is the Stars
good start KD at 9/2…
BMCUW .
Things must have changed . . I visited Trellick Towers in daylight ( as advised to ) — dead dogs , burnt out cars , herb sellers in the foyer , bloody syringes in the lifts , the pervasive smell of piss etc . A bijou West End pied a terre it wasn’t.. Buying something there would have been unthinkable.
BMCUW
Bunch of Grapes, Brompton Rd? First time ever I saw her face.
30 years later.
True story.
Personally, I just can’t square the cheating with our club’s silence.
It sticks in my craw paying to participate in our own cheating. So I won’t.
Not a wonderfully penned post, no depth, but It hurts me not being a Celtic supporter.
Celtic should note the withdrawal of support, but they won’t, the return of thousands next year will more than compensate in terms of finance.
Bmcuwp
12 00
Knowing Alex Neil I every confidence in him achieving forty points or more.HH
What if
Big peter had decided to replace Neil Lennon with the potential of Alex Neil ..
Imagine the drama
LB
Great post about your day on Sunday! Loved reading it.
Heard about the attack on St Andrews on Sunday morning, hopefully the culprits will be caught and not by the Police and the appropriate action taken.
Ri5chie that link did,nt work but I got on to his FB page but no sign of Sunday’s photos. No worries just wanted to be sure he got home safely. See you again when the show gets on the road in July. Hail Hail Hebcelt
TBJ…
At least we wouldn’t have been beaten by Hamilton in October.
Or maybe Accies new, unheard of Norwegian manager would have got the result anyway.
Hmmmm
El Mad
slidingdoorsCSC
The 29th annual James Connolly commemoration will be held on Saturday 6th June at 1pm. Gather at Connolly’s birthplace at 107 Cowgate.
Non-party political speakers and live music.
This event is organised by the James Connolly Society and the 1916 Societies.
https://www.facebook.com/jamesconnollysociety/photos/a.153400491395491.39156.153242934744580/839952609406939/?type=1&fref=nf
Anyone else at the game on Sunday think that was an impossible task they gave the handful of supporters at half-time. Asking non-professionals to kick a ball from the centre spot into the boot of a car parked at the corner flag without it bouncing even once was just ridiculous and only served to embarrass the poor participants.
I felt sorry for the guys.
Even the professionals found it to be very tricky and when Anthony Stokes found the target, the ball bounced once.
That was really a job for Nakamura.
BIG-CUP-WINNERS
Personally, I just can’t square the cheating with our club’s silence.
It sticks in my craw paying to participate in our own cheating. So I won’t.
Not a wonderfully penned post, no depth, but It hurts me not being a Celtic supporter.
Celtic should note the withdrawal of support, but they won’t, the return of thousands next year will more than compensate in terms of finance.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Many are like you and cant ignore the silence
others think if the board got involved they would be damned if they did and damned if they didnt
I will still travel to see the Bhoys (except when they play “thems”)
but you will always SUPPORT Celtic as will I
HH
Big-cup-winners.
The thousands that return may not be the resilient type, though.
You know, like some of us who went to see the likes of Carl Muggleton, WayneBiggins, Stuart Slater, while watching as Rangers (1872-2012) lifted title after title.
Then we paid to watch cheats steal league titles when MO’N took charge, though even then they only managed to win them on the last day.
But we had ignorance for an excuse in those days.
Now that I know what was going on, and is still going on, I’m not getting involved in a competition based on The Big Lie when we are face to face in the same division with the scam merchants.
Unlike you, and you’re probably being more honest about the situation than I am, I can hold my nose just now and put up with it, while there is a bit of distance.
But that may only be 180 minutes from changing.
Hail Hail!
Collum on the BBC wants the chance to explain decisions……