‘TIME FOR A HOOPS CLEAR-OUT,’ EX-CELT
FORMER Celtic caretaker boss Billy Stark insists Ronny Deila’s successor must have a massive clear-out at Parkhead.
Stark, 59, said: “I think Celtic need an established manager. The size of the club means they need an experienced man who knows how to handle a dressing room.
“With 30-odd players in that dressing room, I’d be waking up in the middle of the night worrying about how I’d control that number.
“It’s impossible to have over 30 players and keep everyone happy. An experienced boss wouldn’t deal with that number because, these days, that’s what management is about.
“I would guess the first thing they’ll do is cut the numbers back. I don’t think I’d be in the minority having the view that Celtic have far too many players, so I’d expect the new manager to address that.
“Basically, it’s about recruiting the right players and motivating them: if you can do that then you should achieve what you set out to achieve. A big part of that is managing them on a day-to-day basis and getting the best out of them.”
Stark, who has managed Morton, St Johnstone, Queen’s Park and the Scotland Under-21s, added: “I always laugh at the phrase ‘they’ve lost the dressing-room’ because it’s absolute nonsense. Back in my day, there were people who didn’t like the manager because they weren’t playing and that’s the way it will always be.
“A manager’s skill is to accept that people will feel that way, but talk to them in such a manner to keep them feeling part of it. You have to keep people motivated if they’re going to work properly.
