Brendan Rodgers resigned in February 2019, a day before a crucial league game at Tynecastle and four days before a Scottish Cup quarterfinal at Easter Road. Celtic had around 24 hours’ notice that he could be moving, that was crucial in planning how to cope with two visits to Edinburgh that could have seen us out of a cup for the first time in almost three years and facing a crisis in the league.
I know there are a lot of raw memories from last season, but Neil Lennon stepped up big time then, and in the months that followed Rodgers’ departure, taking the next available five domestic trophies.
Neil wanted the job permanently, Celtic only wanted him on an interim basis, so they agreed that he would take the job until the end of the season on condition he was considered for the permanent role.
I spoke to ‘sources close to Celtic’ when those events were unfolding. It is fair to say that in late February 2019, few at Celtic expected Neil Lennon to get the gig come the end of the season. Having appointed footballing and commercial success in Rodgers, they hoped to be able to snag an equally qualified candidate.
What became evident over the three months that followed, is that Rodgers was an exception to the rule – he came because he was an actual Celtic fan, he moved on because he was also a football man, and that’s what 99% of the games’ heroes do, folks. There would be no box office manager this time.
Appetite for another over-achieving young European, like Ronny, was low. The spectre of the most intense person to walk the earth (from Cork) lurked, as ever. There were candidates who took small English clubs for a brief moment into the sun that is the Premier League, but none had managed a club of our size, with our challenges and expectation to win.
Unlike the deliberations in 2016, when Rodgers was appointed, no one felt hopeful at the direction of travel the recruitment process was going. No one at Celtic would ever say, “We ended up with Neil”, but it’s how I viewed it.
Despite how Eddie Howe is viewed in the rear view mirror, 99% of us were delighted at the prospect of him taking over in the summer, I wrote, “the best English manager in the game” at the time. When we return to the market after Howe’s rejection, it was roulette time. There was no indication Ange Postecoglou would be more successful than Ronny Deila or Neil Lennon, but as in February 2019, a second ‘Rodgers-type’ appointment was not going to happen.
Five months in, I cannot believe how well Ange has done. We are on a path I have faith in, recruiting talented players who excite and are within our budget. The crucial difference between Ange and Pedro Caixinha, who before coming to Glasgow took his club to the CONCACAF Champions League Final, is hard to spot.
They were both roulette wheel appointments, sometimes the ball lands on your number, more often it doesn’t. On the positive side, you get to spin the wheel, maybe there’s a Pep 2008 waiting for you, but that transition from Rodgers to Lennon, seven consecutive trophies to five consecutive trophies, was one for the ages. Replacing an entire management team midseason is a business interruption even an Ulster medical testing lab cannot whitewash.
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CHAIRBHOY on 14TH NOVEMBER 2021 12:28 AM
CELTIC40ME @ 11:59 PM,
Thats the point, it’s not a single player, it’s dozens of players in important positions
Dozens? Here’s me thinking we’re talking about John McGinn and it turns out it’s more than 24 players that was the problem. How ever did we manage all that silverware? BR was better than anyone imagined
Here’s Brendan Rodgers European record at Liverpool:
Season 1 at Liverpool (with a team that nearly won the prem): champions league – 5 points and a third place finish behind Basel, 2-1 home win against Ludogrets, a home draw against Basel and a point away at Ludogrets. Knocked out on penalties in the Europa last 32 by Besiktas.
Season 2 at Liverpool: Europa League: away draw at Bordeaux, home draw against Sion (!)
Sack. Klopp takes over, takes them to the final.
No shame in not being as good as Klopp, but he’s miles off being as good as him on that evidence.
Leicester, last season
High water mark, top a group ahead of Braga, Zorya Luhansk and his old foes AEK Athens
Drew away against Slavia Prague and lost 2-0 at home.
So, with apologies, and at the risk of boring the blog:
What effect on Celtic did not signing John McGinn have?
CELTIC40ME @ 1:13 AM,
See, you won’t answer the question, a simple straight forward question and you shy away from it.
Yet you want me to answer a hypothetical question about Clubs I care little about.
Brendan Rodgers Celtic European results are a matter of record.
We thought at the time he should have done better. But what came after made us aware how well he’d done.
He qualified for the UCL two times out of three and got us European football after Christmas two times out of three.
The only season he didn’t get the UCL group stage was when we had the summer transfer debacle, even then he got through the first two qualifiers and got narrowly beaten by AEK.
That’s not a bad record Celtic wise whichever way you rinse it.
Just remember we had 40 million sitting in the bank during the transfer debacle of 2018.
Hail Hail
Rangers FC in Manchester, open investigation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbOquKAcQmM&ab_channel=ManchesterEveningNews
Ange keep daeing what you are doing.
Incredible fitba.
Just the start too.
Europe is where Celtic have to showcase, this Season is early, Ange knows this and embraces this fact.
Heading up to Aiberdeen there were grumbles and mumbles.
Ange’s fitba is quality.
Hopefully he is backed to the hilt in January.
Ralston.CSC
Which side are you on?
Junglism
Dr S Gachet
I know this is a niche market.
JUNGLISM
I wouldnae have missed it for the World……….that Saturday in Milton Keynes was abitmad.:)
The above DJ may or may not have been Dani Behr.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DI4yWKWQUg
Celtic beat Aberdeen 5-0 on that day, away frae Home.
John Barnes Highpoint.
Tom,
I hope you enjoyed Dundee, we played some good fitba.
Gordybhoy and Garry (RIP) and wee Aidan Loved the dayoot watching the Bhoys when we went to Dens.
The less said about the drivers skillz on the way home, the better. :)
PETEC
Had a really good day at Dens. It helps when the Bhoys play well, score great goals and entertain. Was my first visit there for a generation.
Long may it continue.
Hail Hail.
PETEC
I watched that 5-0 Pittodrie victory in the Kearney New Jersey CSC in the company of Lisbon Lion Jim Craig.
I was in New York for St Patrick’s week and after watching that performance we thought it was the start of a wonderful new era under Barnes. How quickly things can change in football.
Tom – I cannae Believe G-Thang was taken Home so early.
You Never know the minute,
Celtic…… Glasgow Celtic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6YO9skxjtU
Good morning all from a mild, overcast Garngad
Good to see Tony (Terminator) Ralstino getting recognised for his hard work. Even if it should have been before Patterson.
I just hope as I do with every player that goes on international duty that they all come home fit.
D :)
Tony Ralston gets a call up to the Scotland Squad as a replacement for Nathan Paterson who is suspended,you know what Tony tell him Clarke thanks but no thanks ,why if and more than probably if Denmark beat us Scotland you can be sure you will be one of the whipping boys by the Media and all them Sevco supporters who all of a sudden have turned up at Scotland games,listen to them going all about Billy Gilmour,two faced shower of Supposedly Scotsmen ,who don’t want Independence,that’s what you are up against and a player as well a supporter of Celtic,no Tony let him find another right back,you just concentrate on what you are doing at Celtic.
Good Morning Celts…
CELTIC40ME @ 1:13 AM,
So, with apologies, and at the risk of boring the blog:
What effect on Celtic did not signing John McGinn have?
Right, you are still not answering questions, simple straight forward questions and we are boring the blog, so let’s try to put a line under it…
… firstly your use of BR’s European campaigns seem to suggest that after he left Celtic, his European exploits did not get much better, even though he had better players.
… we got the quadruple treble anyway, so what difference would John McGinn have made?
The hypothetical nature of you argument makes is (intentionally!?) difficult to answer.
But let’s see, I guess the nearest we get to European level for John is his International career
He has been a key member of a resurgent Scotland team, even being Captain, Scotland qualified for their first major championships this Century and are still in line for World Cup Qualification for the first time in a generation.
Since he went to Villa instead of Celtic John has had 32 Caps and scored 11 Goals and Captained the national team.
There is no reason to assume he wouldn’t have brought that sort of form to Celtic’s European ties and would have made a significant impact.
If we compare him to Callum over the same period who is our Captain and most consistent midfield player he has 37 Caps and scored 1 goal
By any measure I think its fair to say John McGinn would have made a significant impact
Since going to Leicester City BR has not played UCL qualifiers but his Europa League record is an improvement on that at Celtic, maybe not hugely so but again these degrees of improvement can be very significant.
BR almost beat AEK with Celtic, he beat AEK Athen home and away with the better players of Leicester City and came top of that league.
So I think the only logical conclusion we could draw from your scenario is that in August 2018, with better preparation and better players such as John McGinn, Celtic would have qualified for the group stage under Brendan Rodgers.
We were due a “lucky” draw in UCL (doesn’t mean it would have happened) and we would have had a better side. John McGinn along side the fading Browny could have made all the difference.
Another third place was definitely on the cards especially with our improved seeding.
Hail Hail
Cautionary advice for those attending the club’s AGM on Wednesday, perhaps their first time, early bird catches the worm.
I thought I was there in good time in 2019, forty minutes ahead of the meeting time and already I became part of an ushered group led to an overfill room. I believe there were two such rooms by the time of the meeting commencing. I suggest you arrive at least one hour before 11.30am.
AGMs are boring, non-events, the format and business is barely unchanged since 1897. It’s our club and it’s our business, so get there if you can.
To recap the current conversation;
2019AGM: Lawwell, “I haven’t seen the 5way Agreement.” (lie)
2020AGM: Bankier, “I’ve checked the circumstances around that. I’m satisfied everything was done in the best interests of the company” (charlatan)
2021AGM: TBC
—————————
Some shareholders may be travelling a distance on Wednesday. Split your journey by the Trongate and take advantage of the warm welcome and friendly smile waiting for you at The Spoon. More than a cafe, a social enterprise.
https://www.unity-enterprise.com/spoon/
Celtic forever
Interesting read [via The Athletic and Optus Australia] about why Gerrard jumped ship even with the prospect of Champions League in the air:
“Gerrard is understood to have been frustrated by the transfer funds drying up, but the supporter-investors had reached the point this summer where they were no longer willing to plug massive shortfalls every year…the Villa approach came at an opportune moment for them and a vulnerable one for Rangers. Gerrard had to weigh up how much further he felt he could take Rangers and how viable it was to sustain the success he achieved last season while the club transitioned to their next phase with a self-sustainable business model.
https://sport.optus.com.au/articles/os34977/why-gerrard-left-rangers-to-join-aston-villa-powered-by-the-athletic
I know some see postings about THEMS as heresy, but as the ancient war general Sun Tzu wrote:
“Know thy enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles, you will never be defeated. When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal. If ignorant both of your enemy and of yourself, you are sure to be defeated in every battle.”
HH
Callum is right up there with the Maestro.
Celtic is in guid hands with this Legend @ the wheel.
Awesome Calmac – Awesome.
my pet annoyance, why do teams with no interantionalist have to not play a fixture
while the club transitioned to their next phase with a self-sustainable business model.
hahahahahahaha
ha
SAINT STIVS on 14TH NOVEMBER 2021 11:17 AM
The opponents of such teams would also have to be devoid of Internationalists but I would guess that the main reason might be that teams with International players shouldn`t have to play catch up.
French CSC
@FrenchCSC
·
1h
Replying to
@Sunday_Mail
and
@ETimsNet
Douglas Ross has also been found to not have correctly declared numerous offside, handball and RED CARD! decisions while working his undeclared Saturday job.
Saint Stivs
I think his job was declared but his Club allegiance was left blank.
RED,RED,RED
Dearie Dearie DEARIE Me.
This Roaster is the opposition.
BluPeter was OK.
Mrs Woods was bangin!
Another 1997 extravaganza
ON IT Evey CELT.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYaD3Ca7Ytk
Even Every!!!!!
No Mercy to the newco Hun.
Win Lose Or Awe NAw.
Bloody Mc Ginn.Could have told Villa no.Celtic were still in for him.Same transfer money.Chose Villa.Get fekin over it.
Roger’s got 30 million to spend.A bit rich saying he left because he did not get more.Maybe if he had not bought so many bad buys.
someone asked the other day what happens when RIFC makes a loss.
Caught up with rugger guys explanations to Phil.
Worth a read, trading on vapours. go to finances and cashflow. coffetti shares and loand at 6% over 7 years,
One of these guys doing the loand, or indeed HMRC will call their monies in at some point, its inevitable.
———————————–
https://philmacgiollabhain.ie/2021/11/11/rugger-guy-drills-down-into-the-ibrox-2021-accounts/#more-22700
Anthony is taking the opportunity he has been given.
Ange is a Big Strong Man.
Just the man Villa need to get themselves out of a hole.Glen Kamara,being shamelessly touted by the SMSM to Villa.Kamara is a SPFL player.Nothing more.I would be shocked if Gerrard thought he was the answer.His reputation,and future on the line.
I had forgotten this , Rue Bobby Sands is the address of Kappa and present inside the Villa kit. , how ironic.
Well done to Big Tony.Only thing thats annoying is Media saying he will be understudy to an SPFL journeyman.
What is Clarke thinking?.People moaning about his call up.Its a big thing for players to represent their country,whatever you may think,and rightly so.From the close season,until now,wonderful change in the boys fortunes.Good on him.
Croatia v Russia today,2pm.Maybe a chance to see Juranovic at RB.
I hate HATING but the Huns are the same.
They are worse when they Wun.
There is an antidote.
You just cannae get it frae tech valley.
ernie, Hotsmoked and Tontine Tim and so many mair are priceless.