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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Mike in Toronto- Chris Sutton talking to Danny Baker [neither of whom is a buffoon] is a completely different mug of bouillabaisse to Chris Sutton ‘writing’ a column for the ole hunguffers.
Bada Bang –
I never once gave anyone £20 to look after my car. You and others ridiculed me when I came on and said I had given the guy £5. I explained that having been away so long, I wondered what the going rate was. Some people said £2. Someone else said £5 was what they paid.
I never at any time mentioned the sum of £20. If you’re going to make it up, at least try and be realistic.
Typically childish of you yet again.
Weefra …
my partner is a cardiac anaesthesiologist ….so, you need sorted, you just let me know. Although she works primarily at the children’s hospital, so you and I might need to sneak in through the back way! Think we would be a bit older than most of her patients! Ha ha!
16 roads… not the old CQN Istanbul/Constantinople debate again?!
videocelts.com/…/calderwood-admits-murray-link-to-get-dunfermline-jo..
Mike in Toronto.
For what it’ s worth – I really like Istanbul.Lots to see and do , great food and friendly people. Some really good Jazz Clubs / some really good Turkish funk clubs.
First went in 68 / last went in 2013.Always had a great time.Highly recommended.!
Calderwood admits Murray link to get Dunfermline job
Date: 16th March 2013 at 7:20 pm
Written by: Joe McHugh | Comments (0)
John Yorkston Rangers newsJimmy Calderwood has revealed that it was former Rangers owner David Murray that recruited him as Dunfermline manager.
Calderwood was a guest on Radio Scotland’s Off the Ball programme hosted by Stuart Cosgrove and Tam Cowan when he explained the unusual circumstances that took him from Holland to East End Park in 1999.
Cowan immediately seized on the comment but so far no one at Radio Scotland has deemed the comments newsworthy.
Calderwood made the revelation when the programme was discussing the financial crisis at Dunfermline which sees the First Division club under threat of liquidation.
In 1999 Dick Advocaat was the manager of Rangers with some speculation that he’d bring in Calderwood to his backroom staff with both men having previously managed in Holland.
Recalling Murray’s phone call Calderwood said: “I’ve got a friend at Dunfermline we want you to go in there.”
Calderwood took Dunfermline to promotion to the SPL and stayed with the club until resigning in 2004 to take over as Aberdeen manager.
At the end of the 2002/03 season Celtic’s Chris Sutton was suspended for comments implying that Dunfermline hadn’t given their all in a 6-1 defeat to Rangers in the final game of the season.
“I think everybody could have virtually predicted the result at Ibrox before kick-off – well, many people did,” Sutton said. “We knew they’d lie down – and they have.”
Bada –
I and several other drivers were stopped at a checkpoint on a Saturday morning, the day after the new law was introduced. How the hell is mentioning that deemed as me causing trouble? The subject was being discussed at the time.
Scraping the barrel there wee man.
Very childish.
mike in toronto
Lol. :-))))))))))
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
South of Tunis … thanks for that. KT has been there before, so I was trying to find places that neither of us had seen before …. but she has travelled the world, so it gets hard to find places neither of us have been. And the more I read and hear about Turkey, the more interested I get. Hadn’t known about good jazz… I love Jazz!!! ….. you may just have sealed the deal!
HH
Tom
‘Range’ is one of the things we work on with our (current) U19s. It’s remarkable how far they think they can kick it, but for most of them at this age, they struggle to carry the ball the width of the penalty box (44 yards).
Most lose control of the strike when they try to put the power through it.
The “Car” challenge at Celtic Park is a 68 yard hit – centre spot to corner flag – beyond the carry of most pros, certainly out of range for Naka, and hence why Stokes and Griff bounced it.
To be fair, with the tail gate up, the only way in is with a bounce, but damned few professional players outside of goalkeepers even train to hit the ball that distance, let alone are able to.
It’ a bit of half time fun, a bit of voluntary humiliation, and a safe bet for the sponsor’s money.
Haven`t seen it mentioned but I thought the rendition of YNWA before the game on Sunday was a thing of beauty. It was sung with a strange softness which somehow made it all the more powerful and poignant. I am not sure what caused all of us to sing it in that fashion but it reflected our emotional attachment to Celtic in a very special way. Possibly, in fact, a once in a lifetime expression of our anthem . Beautiful , mysterious and immensely powerful. What a support we can be.
JJ
mike in toronto
16:28 on 26 May, 2015
Weefra …
my partner is a cardiac anaesthesiologist ….so, you need sorted, you just let me know. Although she works primarily at the children’s hospital, so you and I might need to sneak in through the back way! Think we would be a bit older than most of her patients! Ha ha!
———–
He’s not An Tearmann I’ll grant you, but he’s not that wee!!!
MiT – you post with the wisdom of your claimed age but with a dash of youthful verve!
Weefra – missed you Bud. If you survive a bobbio phone call an aneatheisia would be a doddle!!!
;-))
HH jamesgang
WeefratheTim
16:12 on
26 May, 2015
dena29
I wish it could have been a week earlier, but, fear not, all debts (hugs) shall be paid in full. Lol.
Hope you and the family are well ‘G’. KTF.
Looking forward to it:-))
cyber hugx
HH
JJHS …. I didn’t pick up on that on Celtic TV…. how long was it before kick off? Your description sounds great … hoping it was captured on CTV, so I can go back and give it a listen.
“certainly out of range for Naka”
Tbb,
Heresy ;)
A beautiful, mysterious and powerful post from JJ
TBB
of half time fun, a bit of voluntary humiliation, and a safe bet for the sponsor’s money.
——-
And the smallest car in the showroom.
Just in case!
HH jamesgang
Mike in Toronto .
For jazz – go to Nardis or the place next door – Atolye.
JJ
I must be your student. I posted that it was almost hymn-like.
HH jamesgang
If Sevco come up ,we will not get into another spending war with them.
They will outspend us and we will just have to look to the medium to long term.
That’s the message folks.
TT
MiT
If I remember correctly ( no guarantees there!) , it was just before KO. Of course, beauty being in the eye of the beholder, it might have been my perception of the event and not a shared one.
TBB
0:-))
EnigmaticceltsCSC
JJ
I’ve never heard it sung like that before. It was right at the start of the match. And I agree completely.
HH jamesgang
Jamesgang,
I was going to say hymn-like but I think it is considered a hymn now so `like` would not have been accurate. Pedantry Rules OK !
JJ
Geordie
Not at all. Naka was the epitome of practice makes perfect, in his case, perfect was inside 35 yards, a corner kick being the limit of his range. He’d struggle to carry the half way line with a bye kick (50 yards).
Jamesgang
If every little helps, every littler helps more I suppose…
Tiny Tim. Where will the Rangers get the money to outspend Celtic ? H.H.
The golfer who got a BMW for his hole in one the other day, much easier job than winning yon wee Honda.
TBB
I think you are spot on. After watching series after series of the cross bar challenge on Soccer AM it amazes me how many fail to hit the target at all never mind the bar. Trying to pop a ball into a car boot from that sort of distance is as tough as it gets.
I reckon any kid told not to do it, would fire the baw in no problem. I broke two windows at school firing a ball right through them and through the whole time I was at primary school I was the only kid ever to break a window with a football.
The janny called me the milk tray man for my ability to go through windows.
LB
MiT
There you go then ! Jamesgang and Jungle Jim both felt it was special. Virtually unanimous.
JJ
Jungle Jim Hot Smoked
16:44 on
26 May, 2015
MiT
If I remember correctly ( no guarantees there!) , it was just before KO. Of course, beauty being in the eye of the beholder, it might have been my perception of the event and not a shared one.
TBB
0:-))
EnigmaticceltsCSC
It was right before kick-off just as the bhoys got into the huddle and continued for just a little after kick-off seemed surreal as the tannoy had to stop but as usual we kept singing until 1:25 seconds into game ………………………glorious to be a Tim
HH
jamesgang
I thought I wiz that wee. Lol. Yip, missed you all on Sunday, but no way could I have attended, and it had nothing to do with ma phone call fae Bobbio. :-)))) Will see you all soon enough. (Hate the friggin closed season) :-((((
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
Tinytim
Of course they will.
George Washington says they are in great financial shape, and virtually debt free!
It’s marvellous!
And, to cap it all, they’re the same club as the one that went into liquidation owing 276 creditors 10s of millions of pounds, which, get this, they don’t have to pay!
Did I say it was marvellous?
No matter what contestants on Pointless tell the nation!
MiT
The PA only just got YNWA started when the game kicked off so it was taken up by the crowd at a much earlier stage than normal, which meant a quieter more soulful rendition.
It was a special part of a great day
NV
dena29
Thanks for that. It is, indeed, how I remember it. We kind of ignored the game until we had finished our opening contribution to the day.
Cheerio for now ( off to play Rodgers & Hammerstein at low volume) .
JJ
Jungle Jim Hot Smoked
16:36 on
26 May, 2015
Haven`t seen it mentioned but I thought the rendition of YNWA before the game on Sunday was a thing of beauty. It was sung with a strange softness which somehow made it all the more powerful and poignant. I am not sure what caused all of us to sing it in that fashion but it reflected our emotional attachment to Celtic in a very special way. Possibly, in fact, a once in a lifetime expression of our anthem . Beautiful , mysterious and immensely powerful. What a support we can be.
JJ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbVs7ydljMY
Morrissey the 23rd
Thanks,
JJ
I haven’t seen a second of the last 3 or 4 games, so I’ve got no idea what you are all on about, and nothing of value to add.
I assure that when I next see a game I shall continue to have nothing of value to add…
Milk Tray Man
Nice work this morning. Appreciated.
TBB
Antipodean Red
Your comment about things being different had Rangers defeated Malmo/Maribor in terms of not knowing RFC had kept their licence in spite of having overdue payables to HMRC is not necessarily true.
Put yourself in the position of Malmo and you have just lost to Rangers on 3 August 2011 then 7 days later you read a report from Scotland that Sherrif Officers have called to collect unpaid tax on 10 August.
What are the chances Malmo would not have smelled a rat?
Had they asked questions then and there they might have found that one of the players who had played in the team to put them out had been bought with money owed to HMRC.
The SFA are bloody lucky Malmo and Maribor won because had they lost, the SFA would have faced questions from the Swedish and Slovenian FA that would have been impossible to swerve. RFC would have been deeper in the mire.
UEFA themselves wondered and asked for a report in Sept 2011 after the event and got one that kept the lid on because it’s contents were not questioned.
Some interesting reading there in terms of tone and response and that is after the June 2011 checkpoint when tax had become overdue.
The UEFA licencing process is one of self certification with a degree of SFA oversight. It relies very much on honesty, not a quality CW is noted for. Some degree of diligence would also be expected of SFA given the wtc liability was know from April and confirmed early June by CW.
DK was also a Director at the time but will claim he was in the dark.
All murky stuff.