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Ulster medical testing lab cannot whitewash this one

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

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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  2. IniquitousIV on

    PETEC

     

     

    “Where do Celtic need to strengthen when the Window opens?”

     

     

    I know this wasn’t directed at me, but we really need our midfield strengthened. Some support for Kyogo would be also be nice, starting with the Japanese striker whose YouTube video was posted on here recently. Lastly, we need a real left back. If we make these moves, we will really be motoring.

  3. quadrophenian on

    PAULO: ‘There was no indication Ange Postecoglou would be more successful than Ronny Deila or Neil Lennon…’

     

     

    On the contrary Paul, embdy from the southern hemisphere would have pointed out the bleedin’ obvious:

     

    Ronny had only won one Norwegian Cup and league flag (over 3 years) before we brought him in.

     

    As loved as Neil was, his managerial record at Bolton and Hibs was inconclusive.

     

     

    Yet Angelos had pretty good form as a rebirther of depleted and dispirited squads and had 4x old NSL (Aus National League) flags, 2x back-to-back A league flags, won Australia’s first ever Asian National Cup w a rebuilt Socceroos and then a J-League title with Yokohama Marinos. Was also voted the PFA manager of the decade in 2015 and notched up the longest continual run of 36 wins w Brizzie Roar.

     

     

    If that’s no indication of Ange’s possible success in the top league in the tinpot member state of Scotland, I’m not sure what is.

     

     

    Whether it was Peter’s Citeh contacts or long-gone Dom’s insistence, this was a calculated gamble which – while not yet proven to be a shoo-in success, is providing all of us Celts with genuine entertainment and hope.

     

     

    NONEEDFORREVISIONISM CSC

     

     

    Prestonpans: Congrats on the retirement. If you get the hang of it, pls post the methodology for all to see and learn from when the time is right HH

  5. petec on

    IniquitousIV,

     

     

    We need to concentrate on Europe.

     

     

     

    I do not trust this Board to change their MO.

     

     

    Even if the NEWCO capitulate as expected.

     

     

    Sanger is a New Ager.

     

     

     

    Sometimes yer Fridge/Freezer stops working.

  10. TheOriginalSadiesBhoy on

    CONEYBHOY on 12TH NOVEMBER 2021 1:02 PM

     

    TIMMY7_NOTED on 12TH NOVEMBER 2021 12:49 PM

     

     

    So the Celtic board don’t do succession planning, shock horror who would have thunk it?

     

     

    ————

     

     

    Give Brian Cox the CEO job

     

     

    ……………….

     

     

    “Oh fuck off!” 🤣

  12. WEE BGFC on

    FANADPATRIOT on 12TH NOVEMBER 2021 10:10 PM

     

    So disappointed to see the union flag flying above Cork City Hall today ,

     

    The dead republicans from this great county must be turning in their graves today .TAL

     

    ———————–

     

     

    BGFC here

     

     

    WTF was that happening for? If ye don’t mind me asking.

     

     

    HH

     

    BGFC

  15. petec on

    Come on Ange – You are on it.

     

     

     

    Surely, as having had COVID, that should////////////

     

     

     

    Hmmmmm

     

     

    Studies show that those Who (are you) are whatever.

     

     

     

    Control.Co.uk

  16. quadrophenian on

    PS – and credit where credit’s due:

     

     

    Whether Ange was Peter’s swansong sayonara or Dom’s denoument or work of the unsung heroes of our scouting team, it was about effective candidate appraisal, rather than the ‘Doctor Who’ punt the meeja and detractors try to frame it as. KTF

  18. Wishaw tim on

    Theoriginalsadiesbhoy,, 😂Brian Cockz!! , funny how his name was mentioned! A fat hun , who dodges tax , but a foaming at the mooth nat , aye ok ! anyway, a cple of new posters joining recently, getting attacked , usually from cheif rat , sorry nat , then his wee sweety wifes join in ,, isi it no wonder ten leave n one joins. Nat boy !! you made a reference to mental health last week, usually some would come on and give it the virtue signalling bit !! anyway looking forward to your usual. lavvy shoite gargol pish repeat,, ohh and incidentally why dont you debate with JHB or joe ordinary, Hail Hail the

  23. JHB on

    PETEC @ 10:35

     

     

    Are you a Hun?

     

     

    Sorry for the belated question.

     

    ——-

     

    I do not usually rise to this kind of bait, however, let me ask, why do you feel the need to ask that question?

     

     

    Do you feel that casting aspersions on others somehow strengthens your own credentials and makes you more of a tim?

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