Nine days without a game is technically not a winter break but it is double the normal interval Celtic players have between games. Ironically, it arrives when they found a formation that resolved the performance problems that plagued the club until December.
I would have preferred a midweek game than a break, with three games to make up we have applied pressure to our spring programme, although I’m sure Celtic did not anticipate the turnaround in form when these matters were settled.
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This Sevco Mob have the cheek to have THEIR Players wear armbands to STOP RACISM ?
How many of Sevco Security Staff and/or directors etc…go outside and confront that Racist Mob ?
HH.
IF Celtic FC had got back on the Bus and driven away refusing to play the Match, I would have gladly given Sevco the 3 Points….but by then the whole of Football would have KNOWN WHY Celtic Fc refused to play the game.
HH.
JAMES FORREST on 5TH JANUARY 2021 2:09 AM
Brilliant stuff James.
Lennon most definitely wears the emperor’s new clothes for some…
KEVINLASVEGAS on 5TH JANUARY 2021 9:43 AM
Well said.
Now that it appears the board will be keeping the manager on until the end of the season can we ponder why?
Is it simply that by appointing a new manager now the season ticket “bounce” would not happen?
or is there a possibility that this shambolic board will keep him in place next season as well?
Big Jimmy
Totally agree, but that takes leadership of which we have none, there are also gates that can be opened to allow access to the inside of the stadium next to the Broomloan stand these should have been opened to allow the players to enter the stadium, no Sevco wanted this scenario outside their front door, anyway they are responsible for the security inside and out, they are culpable.
ONENIGHTINLISBON on 5TH JANUARY 2021 10:19 AM
Both possibilities bode badly for next season.
Keep Lennon on next season and face a repeat of this season. Give him until summer and the new manager is scrambling around for signings towards the end of the window while we exit Europe.
Shambles.
James Forrest piece about Lennon is spot on ,Thousands upon Thousands of Celtic Supporters didn’t want him back at the club,yet this useless board of directors went against us by appointing him after The Scottish Cup Final taking over from Brendan Rogers,We are now 19 points behind Sevco ,who in my opinion are certain to win the League,He Lennon and his coaches have contributed to this with there team selections,and when it suited him he threw some of the players under the bus ,then he tells us some don’t want to be here,I think what they were saying was that they didn’t want to play for him ,they had enough of his team tactics ,so we can’t all be wrong about him,The Supporters have basically told him and Kennedy who they would like to see in the starting eleven,2 being Turnbull and Soro who have been inspired us to go on a run of results,The supporters should be congratulated on forcing Lennons hand by giving them a start in the first eleven team ,otherwise they would have been sent out on loan like others under him ,some say players like Hendry ,Bayo ,Kimala ,Shved and others weren’t good enough ,well there is Turnbull and Soro who I reckon Lennon didn’t trust them ,they have proved him wrong ,players need plenty of first team football to see if they are up for first team football ,not to be judged up at Lennoxtown ,and in this transfer window I hope the board have the sense not to trust him with giving him money to purchase players this month ,If they have someone in mind to take over from Lennon then get him in along with his own coaching staff ,and if he has to make changes then give him the funds to persuade players to play for Celtic,do it know ,don’t wait till the summer,Some will say I’m critical off Lennon that’s fine ,but we can’t hide from the facts,and Hopefully the 2 Amigos Desmond and Lawell are replaced pronto ,and like many more on here ,they see what’s wrong with the Club and who is to blame keep it up ,there is no room for sentiment.
I agree with James Forrest on the appointment of Neil Lennon permanently for a second time. He simply has to go and the sooner the better.
Someone posted earlier that Dermot Desmond is showing the Celtic support who is in charge. All very well at the moment. He has the money we paid up front for Virtual Season Tickets and refund money from last season which supporters like myself did not request to be repaid.
However, Celtic supporters, like myself, will show Dermot Desmond who is in charge in a few short months. Wait till May, Dermot, wait till May.
-/
Terrific article during the night James Forrest. I don’t always agree with your analysis but I’d hope you continue to contribute here despite the trolls best attempts at ad hominem attacks and vitriol. It’s good for debate and the Neil Lennon story is highly nuanced in my opinion – we had a chance with Rangers demise and Sevco’s incarnation to really reinvent ourselves as a European club but decided instead to stay just ahead domestically with a lack of ambition. Neil Lennon is a clear personification of our thinking during 9IAR, sandwiched between an attempt to modernise under Deila (right idea, wrong person) and a gold watch under Rodgers (which we couldn’t be bothered building upon after he fled).
Neil, in my opinion, has also rode off the back of his irish roots, his clear anti-rangers antics and being a manifestation of Scotland’s anti-irish shame. That just ‘is’ in my opinion and this bias in some has bought him less scrutiny than he deserved when looking purely at his management capability against the hope we would build our club up as a something more than a domestic minnow.
I suspect Neil ‘the legend’ versus the man who lost the 10 debate will rage on for years to come. We’ve got to come to terms with the fact that this is one of many issues that will divide the support and maybe respect the alternative views.
Just saying.
HH
Aw naw, even auld Prof Hugh Pennington is getting the boot intae us over Dubai. He must be a hun too.
We all differ on who the legends of our club are.
neil Lennon – not a chance in hell.
BIG WAVY on 5TH JANUARY 2021 11:03 AM
100% kaaaarect.
NL has got away with absolute murder here.
Mowbray or Deila were sacked for less.
Do the board actually think people will renew with the present manager and coaching staff?
Maybe they have a big reveal planned just before the season tickets are due….
CALL_OF_JUAREZ on 5TH JANUARY 2021 11:06 AM
Aw naw, even auld Prof Hugh Pennington is getting the boot intae us over Dubai. He must be a hun too.
——-
CoJ – interesting. Thank you.
Did he release a statement unilaterally or (wait for it) …. was he asked ?
🤔
Cheers
Hail hail
Keep The Faith
Although the real mastermind behind our demise is the not-so-cunning artist formerly feted as the Sharp Suited Man.
His fiendish master plan Operation Short Head appears to have somewhat backfired.
I do not agree with all the ‘Lennon is no legend’ stuff sorry.
Of course he not a teir one legend like Big Jock,any of the Lions or indeed Larsson or McStay.e.t.c
But come one guys.He IS a pretty sure fire modern day legend.
There is no amount of bad management this season that can ruin that.
But he has to be removed ASAP…..I agree.
We need to move on as a club and prepare for the challenges ahead.
BACK TO BASICS – GLASS HALF FULL on 5TH JANUARY 2021 11:47 AM
I think Scottish hacks have a list of people they phone when they’re scratching around for stuff to pad out a story.
Pennington’s on the list. So is Devine.
onenightinlisbon on 5th January 2021 11:11 am
Not a chance in hell??? Really? After the service he has given to our club you have such disregard for the man? I think that is very unfair.
I agree his time is up, personally I would have preferred a new coach to replace Brendan.
But I have a lot more issues with the board and our signing policy than I do with NFL.
Any manager working under these conditions will struggle.
I would want to hire an up and coming European manager and a Director of football giving them control of all football operations. I’d clear out all the current scouting and coaching staff and preferably most of the board but I do realise this is not within our control.
Relentless abuse of NFL the man does us no credit.
ERNIE LYNCH
Quite . If it wasn’t for lockdown , I’m sure they would be doing a high St. poll of public opinion .
On Neil Lennon , managers are sacked here , there and everywhere for far less , as a matter of course .
James Forrest,
Excellent article on Neil Lennon and why he should never have been the Celtic manager. Objective , factual and insightful. Ahem take note.
Re Dermot Desmond latest musings on the fate of the Celtic manager and that he is in place until the end of the season. We have seen this season his decision making has not been the best. After the Sparta defeat the writing was on the wall and Lennon should have been replaced then. Even the Boli incident was a throwback to his previous slack regime at Lennoxtown where he was rarely there for 9AM start. Giving the players 4 days off after months of rest was the fatal decision for Boli to AWOL.
From Sparta , defeat to dropping points to all sorts then the surrender to them at Celtic Park —- again a decision should have been made by DD to remove him. The protests maybe irked him but when it gets to that position at Celtic there is virtually nothing a manager can do to turn it round. The defeat at Ibrox should see him go —- but no Dermot has decided again. Earlier change could have rescued a title bid as the first half performance on Saturday would have happened in October.
Why no change now then ?
Based on Lawwells central role in the collapse of the club over the last 18 months Dermot has a bigger decision to make around a new CEO. Having had a look at the background of his sons I would be surprised if any of them take up the CEO role —-happy to be wrong. One of the challenges when Fergie left Man U was that the CEO left at same time —- this is part of the reason the club has really struggled since. DD will be aware of this and managing change has to be done carefully. The next changes should be for the next decade of club. In an ideal scenario for DD would have Lawwell to be close to ECA or UEFA as European change comes —- although Brexit might impact all UK based clubs.
DD knows this season has been a horror story. The dogs in the street know it. The fanbase is angry and demanding change —- no majority shareholder can ignore that. A repeat next season when fans are back would mean Celtic would need to play in empty stadiums in order to protect the responsibles. In the streets they will need very thick skins.
The only question is the scale of the change —- maybe at 70 DD sells up as none of his sons want the CEO gig for whatever reason or maybe they are not up to all the political shenanigans of running the club in a hostile country. The manager is gone in name only ; a fundamental reboot is necessary and that involves a new CEO. It could be that DD at 70 years old is 50/50 on the best way ahead and that is why he plays for time to look and evaluate the options of Sale or wholesale change. The share price is depressed however Celtic is an attractive brand and would entice interesting characters.
So change is coming is what I read between the lines —- it’s just the scale off it.
TIMMY7_NOTED on 5TH JANUARY 2021 12:01 PM
Totally respect your view.
No abuse from me, just don’t rate him.
Back to basics
I would think he was asked a question or been instructed to make a statement. Don’t see him coming out with something without being prompted.
new article posted.
TIMMY7_NOTED on 5TH JANUARY 2021 12:01 PM
onenightinlisbon on 5th January 2021 11:11 am
Not a chance in hell??? Really? After the service he has given to our club you have such disregard for the man? I think that is very unfair.
I agree his time is up, personally I would have preferred a new coach to replace Brendan.
But I have a lot more issues with the board and our signing policy than I do with NFL.
Any manager working under these conditions will struggle.
I would want to hire an up and coming European manager and a Director of football giving them control of all football operations. I’d clear out all the current scouting and coaching staff and preferably most of the board but I do realise this is not within our control.
Relentless abuse of NFL the man does us no credit.
…………………………….
You make a very good point but when the Board continually treats the fans with contempt relentless abuse of the man is what starts to happen. Just about everybody thinks it’s past time for action on the managerial front. Remove the problem and the abuse will stop immediately. The fans are frustrated and this is how that frustration manifests itself.
the wee white ear plugs with oxegyn they stick up your nose give you some bogies
and they are nappies not pads
‘6 million peseta/pound man music’
windae stilll open
No Covid
No Larry
No curly
definetly
Could be that who they have in mind for the Head Coach role has said, or his club has said, he’s not leaving till the summer. If so, he will be kept in the loop for signings and leavings etc. If DD is going to change the CEO then, to him and his ilk, that is a far more important decision. Perhaps he thinks the new CEO, should have an input on who is coming in, and perhaps, he/she will want to change the whole structure of the footballing department, especially if he/she might be coming from a football background. Ajax, Dortmund, Bayern etc. all have Football minded Executives, please not Pat Nevin :)). por cierto.