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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canny be the same duffy, is it ?
https://twitter.com/i/status/1459148201957675013
such great words. ange on attending the tommy burns play
https://twitter.com/i/status/1459111411079069716
GVB has now arrived in Glasgow so looks like a quick appt will be made. On paper looks a good move, better than SG in all respects, no? Only big difference will be budget he gets to play with. Don’t think we’ll see them in turmoil this season.
CelticEarlyYears
@EarlyCeltic
·
Nov 12
OTD 134 years ago, Brother Walfrid led founding father Joseph Michael Nelis to sign the contract on a 5 year lease of land, at £50 per year, where the first Celtic Park was built. Local joiner Pat Gaffney built the ground with the help of many volunteers from the Irish community.
https://twitter.com/EarlyCeltic/status/1459099447200260111/photo/1
GVB,
33% win rate in China.Bumped last year.Now you would have thought,Norwich,Bournemouth,Swansea,Newcastle,Villa,Spurs,Sheffield,all changed or planning to change managers,would have had a nibble at someone out of work.
Saying he will only come if he has decent money to spend.That should be good.
jinkyredstar
————————–
It was 53 years ago today, on November 13, 1968 that Jock Stein made, and reluctantly decided to keep, a promise to Jimmy Johnstone.
The deal was made at half-time in a European Cup second round first leg against Red Star Belgrade at Celtic Park.
Jock Stein’s legendary man-management skills came to the fore when he pounced on Jinky’s fear of flying and made him an offer that only Jimmy Johnstone could accept, and only Jimmy Johnstone could keep up the other end of the bargain.
With the Hoops locked at 1-1 with Red Star, the manager took Johnstone aside for a quiet word in that half-time break, promising the winger that he wouldn’t have to fly to Yugoslavia if Celtic won the first game by at least four clear goals – never has a half-time team-talk to one player changed a game so much, and it was down to Jinky’s dread of flying.
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2021/november/13/celtic-s-wee-green-star-outshines-red-star/
DENIABHOY on 13TH NOVEMBER 2021 11:55 AM
‘GVB has now arrived in Glasgow so looks like a quick appt will be made. On paper looks a good move, better than SG in all respects, no?’
####
It’s Beale they’ll miss, not Slippy.
Interestingly AV have assigned Beale the same job title as Mcallister.
Put your hands up for Detroit – Boxing/Music/Cars and so much mair.
Kwality
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_VOnuBXjb4
St Stivs
Thank you for that – you have made a happy man very old😀
Yep – I was ten and the impact that game had was massive to a wee red head fae the Gibby (although I had moved by then – just gaining street cred)
Up on The Greenock CSC bus with my constant companion, my uncle Sanny Kennedy.
Celtic actually drew a few boos at HT!
The second half was incredible, Jinky created a ballet for the Tims. Red Star players were flying at him – but he wasn’t there anymore, they lay in his wake.
Red Star we’re no mugs but Jinky destroyed them.
Lost forever because of a technicians strike ( allegedly)
Not lost between my ears😀
Cheers
Not a trick question:
Can someone tell me who Jimmy Bell is please……. Sounds like a lovely lad .
Eratic, fat ugly racist hun bassa. Think that covers it.
Sevco kit man. Forgot that bit.
BRRB
Is there another type ?
Eratic, fair point old chap. 🤔
Brilliant Bada B,
Rewind…….
https://twitter.com/TamsellicsonIII/status/1459291411065581568?t=9uVxVICBglLmQmRsUkYHDA&s=08
slow news day
Was at the same school as Brian Cox(St. Michaels)
chimmy bell
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FD_rXtHXEAA1PXL?format=jpg&name=small
anbody seen stevie.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1459093207808155651
look,
https://twitter.com/i/status/1458889677306486787
SAINT STIVS 11:54
Thanks for Ange clip.HH
GVB will placate the fans, however it’s maybe a knee-jerk appointment. Rushed decisions are not always the best decisions. Strikes me as a mouthwash to rinse out the bad taste of Gerrard’s departure – problem is a mouthwash is not meant to be swallowed.
JHB
Nice one :-))).
I’d rather GVB than Lampard…..not that I think Lampard is great …just more clout and another EPL love in Chelsea blues brothers pish …..so I’m hoping VB is correct
JHB makes a fine point.
I suspect sevco will rush to appoint. They will look to maintain whatever momentum they have.
Think it may have been Big Wavy who mentioned the muscle memory in the hun team. They need to keep the shit show moving forward, albeit at a reducing rate of knots.
I never expected us to win the league when things kicked off.
Now? I’d be disappointed if we didn’t. We must do everything we can to secure the title.
No more ‘just enough’.
Surely any new manager, particularly one that has managed at a high level would want funds to buy players.
Sevco allowing themselves to plunge into more debt?
Doubt Van Bronkhurst would be happy to be told he would have no funds…
The Huns will spend more money they don’t have. Their fans never accept financial reality and just want money spent on the team at all costs and the board will do it to placate them.
Ange has the right idea.
Concentrate on Celtic and making Celtic a team that EVERYONE hates playing against. Going for goals in the 90th minute as much as the first.
Who knows what this changeover at Ibrox will bring suffice to say that it is less than ideal coming one third into the season and on the back of horrendous finance figures. Seems to me there are three choices to be made over the next couple of months at Ibrox.
1. Indulge the new man, sell no one and bring in a few players of his choosing.
2. Attempt to sell a couple of players, maybe Patterson & Kent to fund a few players of the manager’s choosing.
3. Adopt a “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach, like when Lennon replaced Rodgers.
No 1 is risky as it would exacerbate the financial position, but might secure the title.
No 2 The January window is fickle and this strategy could fall flat. However only the loss of Kent would weaken the squad. The financial position might be marginally better this way – Gerrard’s £4m will help.
No 3 Financially better, but risky on the field – hoping that a new manager & backroom staff can instantaneously gel with the players.
Lennon did it with an on-form squad and an eight-point lead – could GVB do it with a slightly underperforming squad and a four-point lead?
There is a vacuum at the moment – Celtic must fill it -reduce the gap in Nov/Dec and get the right players in January.
The ball is in our court with Ibrox preoccupied – let’s not blow it again like last season.
Say what you like about the huns, but if they appoint GVB only days after slippy went its good planning.
It seems they were prepared and had mitigation in place.
How long did we dither ?
HH.
Greenpinata on 13th November 2021 4:26 pm
Say what you like about the huns, but if they appoint GVB only days after slippy went its good planning.
It seems they were prepared and had mitigation in place.
How long did we dither ?
—————–
We gave the job to Lenny before he’d even had time to wash his balls, can’t get quicker than that :O)
SAINT STIVS
JinkyRedStar.
I was at the game and will remember it as long as I live. In over 60 years of watching fitba from all over the globe, and attending games graced by Law, Best, Pele, Messi, Maradona, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Rivelino and many other greats, I have never seen such a one man virtuoso performance as wee Jinky that night. I was near the touchline on JJ’s wing in the second half and got a close up view. The Belgrade team were nae mugs, but Jinky just tormented the life out of them, even when they brought reinforcements over to back up the left back. He just left them in his wake. Utterly unforgettable.
THE-HUDDLE
I assumed that GREENPINATA meant when Lenny left the second time.
Judith almost bursting out that dress, away for a shower😵😱
Iniquitousiv
Exactly my memory – never see anything like it again
HH
Giovanni van Tranny is one we missed. WTT saw him as the final piece in his jigsaw puzzle and was desperate tae sign him hence his appearance at the new year game as a guest of henke.
He was part of a trio Wim had at Feyenoord consisting of Ghod, Booby Petta and GVB, unfortunately wee frugal mcdougall knocked that on its head and the Huns moved in.
.
IniquitousIV on 13th November 2021 5:01 pm
I assumed that GREENPINATA meant when Lenny left the second time.
——-
But then my shitty joke doesn’t work…………….
The Red Star full back is the same one that cheered in the Yugoslav dressing room when he heard that ormond wisnae allowed tae pick the wee mhan for that vital WC game in the Fatherland.