As we digested the team news on our way to Celtic Park for the Premiership clash with Hearts on 7 December we all struggled to guess how Celtic would line up. Wilfried Nancy had a ‘get to know you day’ and one training session before throwing a completely new formation on the players.
This was an unnecessary and arrogant gamble. In the weeks since, the same aloofness led to the squandering of momentum in the title race and the loss of the League Cup Final. By his fourth consecutive defeat (at Dundee United), it was clear the course we were on was not about to quickly resolve and would ultimately lead to the loss of the league.
Respite came against 10-man Aberdeen and in uncomfortable fashion at Livingston, but Celtic were bossed by Motherwell, then by a Newco side who have never won so easily against Celtic. Results were not just bad, they were historically so, and notwithstanding the mess left behind after Brendan Rodgers, six defeats in eight games was down to Wilfried Nancy’s inept tactical decisions. He admitted players did not have time to learn and that the squad was not a fit for his requirements, but he persisted in some naive hope that things would magically improve.
His substitutions and tactical changes never once benefited Celtic, in stark contrast to those made by opponents during his short reign. My worry when he remained in position yesterday morning, was that we would beat Dundee United on Saturday and delay the necessary change until it was too late.
Paul Tisdale put Nancy’s name on the table but was not responsible for the appointment. By the board’s own words and deeds, they have made two successive bad managerial and one bad chief exec appointments since 2021. After so many decades of managerial excellence, that is a significant slip in standards. To quote Marvin Gaye, What’s going on?
We should all be grateful to Martin O’Neill for answering the call one more time. He will be 74-years-old in seven weeks and he is clever enough to know what a challenging environment he steps into. Far more so than the one he left last month. Success, even against Dundee United, is not guaranteed.
Transfers are hard enough in January but they need to happen as though we had a permanent manager in place. It will be difficult, try selling ‘The manager wants you but he’s leaving in May’. This is not in a good starting position.
We are now in an 18 game season with momentum against us. Hearts, Newco and Celtic all know they can take this title; the eventual winner will be required to put in an enormous effort. And you just know, the last game of the season is bound to be at Fir Park. On the positive side, if we overcome the travails of this season and win the title, they can pave over Ibrox. If anyone else cannot win the title this season, we all know they never will.
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Welcome back Martin
Wednesday eve is it?
It was never about………..
Hope the Board back you to the hilt.
Bowie and Kyogo up front would transform this team
Nicholson next.
Then an olive branch and peace talks.
And, 2 centre forwards, a goalie, a bruiser centre half. a decent winger and a midfielder who can tackle.
Not much to ask.
Bada – I thought we might take a punt on Bowie in the summer when the other targets evaporated.
Bowie is a work in progress. He’s strong with his back to goal, but facing it he still misses too many chances.
Kyogo hasn’t been Kyogo for the best part of two years.
I doubt either of these cats would immediately thrive in the roomful of rocking chairs that is Celtic right now.
MON has a hell of a job on his hands.
If you are reading Paul, can you let us know what you think is going on (as per your question) and also which bad CEO appt you are referring to? I am guessing you are referring to McKay rather than Nicholson? Maybe if we had a board that did not just rubber stamp DD’s wishes things would be different?
“Paul Tisdale put Nancy’s name on the table but was not responsible for the appointment. By the board’s own words and deeds, they have made two successive bad managerial and one bad chief exec appointments since 2021. After so many decades of managerial excellence, that is a significant slip in standards. To quote Marvin Gaye, What’s going on?”
Deniabhoy – I also raised an eyebrow at the “one bad CEO appt since 2021” unless Paul means “since the bad one in 2021″…
Paul67,
“…and notwithstanding the mess left behind after Brendan Rodgers”
This is why you are as much to blame for the division and Nancy debacle as anyone.
You shielded the architect of these not fit for purpose models and strategies.
Not only that, you hid the purpose of these secret strategies, like the “moneyball” cash cow…
Not only that, you made excuses for the dark arts and machivellian modus operandi – often blaming the victims.
Dermot Desmond has a lot to answer for, his aloof personality, feral capitalist approach and his detachment from what was really going on at Celtic – yet calling the big shoots with wormtongue in his ear was the most damaging.
Peter Lawwell has gone, and from both Directorships this time.
I think he was found out, so he was kicked out…
Great – but now we have the muck of the augean stables to clear out and a football club to rebuild.
Never forget your part in this Mr Bremnan.
Hail Hail
So Paul67 actually runs Celtic?
Who would have thunk it?
“the mess left behind after Brendan Rodgers”
——————
Those would be the Ferraris you spoke of? Always thought it was considered to be a pretty upmarket brand.
There definitely is a mess though. Recruitment has been mostly poor since January 2022, no ambition or vision beyond the old firm, failure to strengthen from positions of strength, appointments made in key areas with very little obvious reasoning.
This could be a genuine fork in the road moment if we choose to take it. Or will it just be more of the same?
P67 writes:
‘ By the board’s own words and deeds, they have made two successive bad managerial and one bad chief exec appointments since 2021’.
Ahem… how much credence or gravity do we give any admissions or pronouncements by this Board?
BR – kicked on this blog as a bad appointment – briefly restored our Euro burnish until he saw the squad limitations and exhorted the suits to back him; instead – maybe with woeful Wilf awaiting – they backed off of Brendan and look where their decision-making has landed us.
You miss an opportunity, Paul, to provide the answers when you teas us with ‘What’s going on?’ Maybe get PL to tell you who’s effing up royally in the suit department and, if their performance is as suss as WN and PTs were deemed… out they go too !
As for marvellous Marvin toons, equally apt numbers for this situation could also include ‘Aint That Peculiar’ and obviously, ‘Ego Tripping Out’.
MarvinGaye CSC
Btw, this stone cold Marvin groove always makes me smile:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkCUWNbTiA4
You just can’t let it go Paul67….
Are you just trolling us now…
How many trophies? Our most credible run in Europe for decades,that Brendan Rodgers? Reviled by a few lackeys on here,as their hero Lawwell was bypassed when he was appointed.
On a board filled with accountants it would not be difficult for said board to do some creative accounting if they were adding a few notes from their own little nest egg to purchase the next great Shved.
Playing football manager and hoping for a little return on investment.
When the manager does not play ball, things can turn sour.
It’s very easy to understand how we’re labelled as entitled by others when they see BR being labelled a bad managerial appointment.
BR excelled despite the incompetence at board room level.
I hope MoN can do what BR in 2023. Only this time, after winning the league, we clear out the incompetency at boardroom level.
Get a striker in, yesterday, Celtic !
Let’s get away from the Peter Lawwell fairy stories and hit some facts.
Between Brendan Rodgers arrival and his departure, Celtic sold over £130 mn in player transfers.
Celtic had record revenues, record profits and record player value during Brendan Rogers tenures.
He won eleven domestic trophies out of the thirteen he competed in.
He incrementally improved us in Europe.
When he left, people like Callum McGregor and Shaun Maloney could not speak highly enough of him.
His staff, that he was supposedly so divisive with, followed him out the door – because they showed loyalty.
God Bless Brendan of Arabia
God Bless 🎵Martin O’Niell Martin O’Niell Martin O’Niell…. ad infinitum🎶
Hail Hail
Celtic will likely focus on short-term, high-profile loan signings this winter—players like Keane and Bellamy in the past. These are top-tier players who aren’t getting consistent game time in England but could be tempted by the experience of playing for Celtic. To be honest, that approach works well for the club right now. We need experienced first-team players who can contribute right away.
However, the real reset should come in the summer. A full squad overhaul is needed to push for long-term success. For now, the priority has to be winning the league, and bringing in quality loans could help get us over the line
Yesterday was a great day but it’s still not enough.
To what’s going on we must add how did we get here, who is responsible and how are they being held to account.
The appointment of Nancy was a historic failure. Those responsible simply cannot carry on as if nothing has happened. They are irredeemably damaged.
Bring me the head of Michael Nicholson, get a couple of decent loan signings in (up front!!!) and let’s go and win this league.
11 trophies out of 13 mess, I’d sign up for that. A CEO who gave us the best summer transfer window we’ve had, yes please.
Same old arselicking revisionist crap on here I see.
MON @ 12:27 pm,
During our last bought of HVP sales, Peter Lawwell got a 2.8 mn bonus on top of his 1 mn + salary.
It ended up in our club crashing in 2020/21.
He left Celtic as CEO a very wealthy man – yet unlike Brendan of Arabia, he was unemployable – just think about that!!
Hail Hail
Our club didn’t crash in 20/21.
Ridiculous comment.
1 year in 14 it actually didn’t win the SPL and that equals crashing.
Entitled or what ?
I am one of those who was happy Brendan Rodgers went. The football we were playing was totally negative. Plenty were complaining at the time, and rightly so. Strange how that has been conveniently forgotten.
Let’s hope MoN and crew can work a miracle or two.
Chairbhoy
A real malign character, that guy! Strange that Schmeichel, Tierney and Iheanacho all went back to play for him for a second time…….
BR rumbled Lawells rainy day fundraiser.
Hell hath no fury like an egotist scorned, we have seen that on here enough times.
PLB
The loan signings you ask for might be easier to come by this window than normal. The expanded World Cup will weirdly help us.
Many very good players will not be starters at current clubs but really want to impress prior to the summer. It could be there are lots of loan deals or even shorter term deals which can be done.
Reaching last 24 in Europa might help for last minute options. Hopefully we can get some others confirmed sooner. My sense is this will be a massive test month for MN and it might be him fighting for his job which he seems to be telling others he wants out of. Standing up to DD was his big weakness in the past 2 appointments imo.
Personally I want us to get this window sorted now and we can sort out the rest of the exec and structure change from Feb onwards and let the football side take care of itself Feb until May.
Thanks Paul. This piece offers some sobriety to those of us on a high from the return of tbe great man and his suitably appropriate caoches.
It shows us what the board think. That Brendan was massively to blame along with WN.
Not the appallingly low level transfer windows, the lack of comms from the club, the risk averse approach, the inadequate appointment of several patsy directors or the continued ignoring of nearly all supporters. Two bad managers and a CEO. That’s it.
We have given ourselves a chance at the league but that only. We need to give the manager a chance by bringing in 3 first team players and toughening up our pathetically weak midfield. Mcgregor has had outrageous criticism from those that surely do not understand the game. Much like Casemiro at Man Utd.
MON has a chance but do we have the recruitment team and operational people in place to carry out these tasks that other clubs seem to do. I am not confident.
Short termism should rule CP over the next 5 months. Get in who we need meanwhile planning who the next man should be.
It isn’t easy to get it right every time but you can help by running the club well and for a period of time that has not been the case.
Yes all 3 have really delivered for us ?
Funny that. A fat goalie and a 60 minute full back and a crock striker with bad rep.
Funny all coming through old connections ?
Funny many of the signings who were given a chance were similar.
Guessing the hard of thinking don’t like putting 2 +2 and a decent agent bonus together either.
But we pay for it. Tricky.
Paul67 et al
What’s going on?
Well for some of us of a (K) Celtic background that would not be quoting Marvin Gaye from 1970….
No, we would be quoting Rory Gallagher (and Taste) from 1968. Thought I’d get that in before BRRB mans the barricades demanding to know… er… ‘What’s Going On?’
Cognitive dissonance…
“I want Knutsen because he can build a team based on good scouting.”
“I supported Brendan because he wanted to spend money.”
Problem with BR is that he sees himself as an ‘elite manager’ and will gravitate towards spending rather than building. A lot of Leicester fans blame him for the current mess they are in and accuse him of taking them towards bankruptcy – yet he won the FA Cup for the only time in their history.
I think we can all agree that BR is a divisive character?
I think we can also all agree that the current Celtic board structure is not fit for purpose?
There is a lot of work to be done and it won’t all happen overnight – bringing back MON and Shaun is a step in the right direction.
https://x.com/celticig/status/2008450133848191486?s=48&t=pLERKYVBy2vfK2Cym_B3Tw
Have a look at this incompetent clown ,if you’re looking to blame someone
GlassTwoThirdsFull @ 12:42 pm,
Exactly, football guys have huge respect for him.
The fact he won’t let feral capitalists fleece the Celtic support because of some weird omerta, means he’s character assasinated, and we have the
Business Magnate with the…
You’ll never work in this industry again bo££@x
How did that work out for you Dermot!?
Burnley78 @ 12:40 pm,
Many quality players from BRMk1 were sold – others wanted to go because our CEO was playing at Big Pedro super agent.
Rather than trying to build a football club
A football squad and A football team worthy of the title… Celtic F C
Look at the silverware in 2020/21, look at the points total, strange how that has been conveniently forgotten.
A total car-crash and it took Dominic McKay and Ange to sort out the carnage and start building a better future.
Peter Lawwell comes back and quelle surprise – we end up with another car crash.
Hail Hail
The currants will be in the same market as ourselves for loans, so we’re not as certain to pick them up as some might seem, perhaps we can spend more in a loan value and the wages involved, Hopefully! por cierto
Hopefully the bloodletting over the last few weeks will calm things down a bit.
If we are to win this league we need everyone working together, we’ve lost two managers, a chairman and a head of football operations in a couple of months, no club could succeed with more change at the top.
I don’t share it but I get the anger with the exec team but to get rid of any other key members between now and the end of the season would seriously damage our chances.
We’ve had PL’s head on a stick, now PT’s. Perhaps that will do for right now and we can think about the rest in the Summer?
And unite behind someone we can all agree has the best interests of Celtic at heart?
Or is that birthday card pish?
Burnley78 @ 12:47
“My sense is this will be a massive test month for MN and it might be him fighting for his job which he seems to be telling others he wants out of.
Standing up to DD was his big weakness in the past 2 appointments imo”
———-
Interesting again, Burnley78
Genuine question re your last sentence ..
Not sure what the weakness was here?
Was it that MN stood up to DD or that he didn’t?
Among the usual clamour for heads … it would be jolly nice (hell, perhaps even essential) to understand who was responsible for what.
What’s been going on ? Lawwell was at the club far too long together with non-contributors like Allinson and Wilson. Lawwell didn’t have the decency to thank the Celtic supporters, the people who made him a multi-millionaire. Just as the board didn’t have the decency to thank John Kennedy appropriately. A board of directors as incompetent as they are classless. They have been toxic, divisive and self-serving. That’s what has been going on.
If these people fired Dominic McKay i can only assume he must be competent and a decent human being.
If we were going to list all the punts El Pistolero punted on, we’d be here all day, we’d be here all week if we tried to find out what actual division in what what footballing netherworld they are operating in now.
Pay attention.