I have no doubt this morning’s press reports on Celtic’s plans for the months ahead are correct. We are told the club “is planning an overhaul of their football operations in the summer that would see significant changes to their set-up.” There is a great deal you can surmise from that statement.
“Overhaul… of football operations”, “significant changes”, leaves zero doubt Neil Lennon will be moving on and suggests wider changes are likely. It is also safe to assume Neil is on-board with this and has agreed to remain in charge until the end of the season, or a suitable replacement arrives.
Neil would not go through this torture were it not out of a sense of responsibility towards the players, several of whom he personally convinced to stay for this ‘important season’. Malicious talk of holding out for a payoff is well wide of the mark.
What is also clear is that Celtic are not happy to appoint any manager who is prepared to come to the club right now. This precludes those out of work, or those who are not prepared to ‘Do a Brendan’ and leave their current project with trophies still to be won and lost.
The new industry is not always as helpful. Last night reports that betting was suspended on Eddie Howe getting the job received plenty of clicks. Eddie has his eyes on a different target and will almost certainly pick up an English Premiership job this year. He is as likely to come to Celtic as another fantasy appointment, Mauricio Pochettino, was, before choosing Paris when he could have made his home in Glasgow. If only it was that easy.
If we take the ‘Get real’ suggestions off the table, I know the photo fit you are working with. Someone who has over-performed in a different environment, who is technically razor sharp and can bring knowledge of a value market.
They will have a successful track record, one that is short enough that they have not already moved up the food chain, but one longer than Ronny Deila’s mercurial rise at Stromsgodset. We now know that the skills required to achieve one season of spectacular success is Norway does not automatically equip a manager for what on paper looks an easier task. The Goldilocks candidate, enough of a spectacular record, but not too much that they have already got their move.
The quick fix if Neil leaves is John Kennedy as interim or someone, like Ronny, who cannot believe he’s been offered the Celtic job. Or let Neil complete the season and attempt to add the Scottish Cup and leave his second term trophy report reading 6 out of 8. I am not recommending either option, it’s too complicated to sit on the outside and suggest a fix with any conviction – not matter how convinced this is an easy one, it’s not.
If Neil remains until the end of the season it will not be because he needs the money, or because he deserves the respect of a Celtic hero (although he does), it is because the business of succession has to be settled. My preference would be to spend these months doing reconnaissance; better to do it right than to do it early, but the galleries have loved a blood letting since the Colosseum, we know how it works.
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Paul Lambert is saying in the Record that he has been speaking to our manager and Neil feels he has been abandoned by people he can usually rely on. Would be interesting to know if he is talking about people within the club or ex colleagues in the media.
Aye his age is the only worry, but he is a winner so that will never do
THE EXILED TIM:
Favre is a good shout. I mentioned him in an article last week.
Very unlucky not to get a fairer shake and more time at Dortmund. Brilliant organiser, tactician, lots of experience from around Europe.
And unemployed. One of those guys apparently not worth considering then.
Paul,
I would imagine he is talking about the likes of Hartson, Petrov, Sutton etc.
I feel sad reading that.
Lenny may not be a great Manager in many people’s eyes but he is a Celt through & through & I have no doubt he is hurting more than any of us.
I fully understand that no one is bigger than the Club but Lenny deserves respect from every true Celtic fan.
James
Aye, we could and will do a lot worse
Take one treble treble team add 35 million and voila, a mountain off excuses
Mostly that article was about Philip Cocu.
I still think he’s the outstanding available candidate, except for Ragnick. To be honest, he’s such an outstanding option – way beyond what I think we have the vision for – that I simply put him out of my head, like Allegri and Sarri and guys at the very top. Ragnick is one of those guys.
https://thecelticblog.com/2021/01/articles-and-features/celtics-outstanding-managerial-candidate-is-still-available-but-not-for-long/
Cork,
I know it’s just a dream, but we need to spend big on a manager and the rest will take care of its self.
If we dont we will be in the poor house for years anyway and until we realise that investment in the right people in the right position is what counts.
Not keeping up with the Jones’s, but burning there house down.
N&V
I actually keep a close eye on this page:
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/trainer/verfuegbaretrainer/statistik
To be fair, there is a lot of dross in there, and some managers who were hyped to the max because they got jobs in the EPL … many of them were total failures in every sense of the word.
Some of them have had more jobs than Gavin Williamson and are just as useless.
TET, i would certainly not rule out a guy at that age.
something struck me after last years lockdown and early calling of the league, giving essentially, our highly paid athletes an extended summer.
Griff. was out of contention as he was unfit. thats unforgivable for a guy who is highly paid, a main pick for the squad. and set us back a bit.
well-paid, keep yourself fit.
NL obviously not playing now, but he came back, not only looking a bit fatter, but now looks unwell
the pints in Dubai can be squared off, in LN head.
a few years ago, some ex players (might be Crosas) apologies if not, said they couldn’t believe the drinking culture at Celtic and Scottish football in general .
So an older guy who looks after himself and his players?
got to be looked at
When Griffiths came back unfit and overweight after lockdown , he should have been put on transfer list.
An absolute disgrace
At the risk of sounding like someone doing an impersonation of me tonight … I’m going to criticise the Ibrox manager instead of my own for a moment. :)
Have you seen his comments from today? Praising the Covid protocols at every other club? Jesus. They are deliberately trying to curry favour and make us look like shit at the same time … and because our inept handling of the last few weeks we’re making them look good.
At least in the eyes of some people … but others can see right through this weasly act, born not out of respect for other clubs but pure anti-Celtic spite.
Our whole club needs a boot in the backside. I do believe we hired Rodgers on the back of their directors trolling Desmond at Hampden, and particularly as one of the hacks who was there that day confirmed that it happened. But this lot are just pissing themselves laughing at us every day right now.
I cannot believe our board is content to sit back and allow this.
JF.
That’s where I seen Lauren blanc months ago and now he is in the land of sand.
When i mentioned him, i was also shot down by people who dont like to make suggestions to fix things,but would rather complain about stuff and put every suggestion down. No alternative
Greetin little bitches.
I dont know how they live their lives, I really dont. Last night I said I dont fancy Eddie Howe no, but I did give an alternative.
N&V I’m neil Lennon
I think the word “Hun” is overused at times … and especially on here where so many of our own are lobbing the word at each other … shocking.
I have seen players and managers at Ibrox who I never believed deserved that withering tag with all its connotations of destructiveness and lack of morals.
Gerrard is a hun. 100%.
James
I read that as I read all your pieces, I agree with much of what you have to say, there are bits of course, but that’s the way of the world so it is :>}
……………………
NOO
Aye age should never be a barrier, it certainly isn’t for me, I was just thinking aloud what others in positions of power may think, I think you may well be correct re Crosas, but many others have said the same thing, over the years I have been astonished at how lax the training in Scotland is, a few hours a day and that’s it, in the rest of the world it’s a full time, 8-10 hours a day job, in shortbread land it’s a few hours in the morning and early afternoon and they can go to the bookies, play golf, or do what the eff they want, the pub even, that is no way to act when you are a supposed top top athlete, it’s mind boggling to me that they act that way, but it’s the culture that’s gonna take a while t break I reckon, Ronny D tried and he players rebelled against him for it, BR came in and told them straight, now Lenny has lapsed back into the old ways and disaster has ensued.
There’s a list of players who have to go next season Griffiths is number one
ST Tams
an unfit main striker. after the lockdown, when we were all allowed, no told to exercise more, he done neither. unforgivable
PITYMEVIN:
Blanc would have been an absolutely outstanding choice. I cannot believe we didn’t roll out the red carpet for him last year. Le President would have eaten Gerrard for breakfast.
Joe Biden is to rebuild America and he’s what 84, 68 is hee haw
The blog (and it is only a blog) has been a tough read today.
Some excellent stuff as usual of course.
But also …..
A sense of entitlement.
Justifiable disappointment at the team’s performance leading to vociferous, unashamed expressions of rage and resentment.
Intolerance of other views.
Personal abuse hurled at those who dare to hold different opinions.
Personal world views rammed down the throats of others as if they were fact.
Does the above remind you of any particular club’s supporters?
Hhmm
Hail hail
Keep The Faith
my first night here.youve all been very nice, il look back tomorrow to see what that nasty Mr Lynch says
Eddie Howe is our obvious answer, looking to improve his profile just like brendan
JF
But the fact that we hired Rodgers because a big boy stuck two fingers up at us when we got beat, shows that they have the will when they choose to and how unprofessional they really are in the first place.
N&V I’m neil Lennon
Cheers Pitymevin! I have absolutely no doubt we won’t even enquire and will end up with Ross, Alex Neil or someone similar though…
Exactly spidey, but I must admit I would take Howe no over that pair.
Good night and god bless everybody
HH
I considered Fabre, but his problems at Dortmund feel familiar: inability to organise a defence, players getting worse under his watch, tactical inflexibility, and little track record of winning things to fall back on. Summed up here:
https://www.getfootballnewsgermany.com/2020/feature-where-did-it-go-wrong-for-lucien-favre-what-next-for-borussia-dortmund/
So, combined with his age and likely cost, I ruled him out.
Not read Bach this thread.
Neil Francis Lennon.
Thank You.
Absolute Legend.
9 leagues
4 trebles
Unprecedented success
But toys oot the pram when all goes wrong.
Everything is cyclical, football teams win and lose..it’s not real life.
But Peter Lawwell is the devil incarnate..
Bayern Munich made a Direct Payment to Borussia Dortmund.
It was as much for Bayerns benefit.
If Aidan isnae up for Celtic next Season. The games over. It is the Time we get together.
We will shoot Pool US or Uk Always first to 18.
Amazing that at least 67% of the time it goes to the 35th frame…… well not on UK tables. I won easily that day.
Paul67
Are you seriously trying to peddle the idea that bringing in a manager in the summer and giving them a few weeks window to rebuild the squad from scratch is a good idea? That it’s good planning?
What a load of rubbish.
We need a clear out now while the players still have some value, if they don’t want to be here then get rid as soon as so we know what we need. We need the incoming manager to start bringing players in or at least to have deals lined up. The manager needs time to stamp his philosophy, tactics and style on the club and first team, for a whole new coaching, sports science and analytics team to be brought in and embedded into the football operation.
The past couple of years has been an absolute shambles. People have been pointing out the dangers for years now and nobody in a position of power did so much as raised an eyebrow. There his been gross negligence from the board down.
Paul67
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/400645948767-0-1/s-l1000.jpg
TT
Dermot Desmond and his board are responsible for appointing PL.
PL has guided us into the eye of a storm.
He now needs to remain calm.
Jumping ship right now will just mean that we are sunk.
I believe that DD will get this right.
TT
Malone Bhoy
Hammond is our head of football operations .
He will remain .
He is the one who PL has decided to remain in place.
I therefore think that the planning for next season is being done by Hammond.
I can’t say that I’m not concerned by that.
TT
Required to be in place well before the start of next season:
– Manager
– Big changes to 1st team coaching
– Director of Football
– Board level changes
– Data analysts
– Revamp of the scouting system
Were likely to lose or sell or get rid of at least the majority of:
Barkas
Elhamed
Ajer
Duffy
Laxalt
Bolingoli
Hendry
Christie
McGregor
Elyounoussi
Eduoard
Griffiths
Dembele
Harper
Has any club ever went through anything like that in such a short period? Whoever is responsible needs sacked, and sacked now. No serverence package, no pay off, removed for gross negligence.
Will be buying tickets on the Davie Hay.
Pay at the gate . Com
The Celtic Board – Cowards letting Neil defend Celtic so Passionately, himself, Again.
Go.
Yoi are no where near Welcome here.
Be like Virgin Media. The most patheric on the Vo services Since on the Go Services began.