So where did it all go wrong for Ronny Delia? First of all, it didn’t all go wrong. He won two leagues, and if you think it was impossible to lose those, just think back to a team in last season’s Championship, who enjoyed an equally superior income over their competitors, but lost the league to Hearts by the length of the M8.
It was just as possible for Aberdeen to win the league this season or last, as it was Hearts (reeling only months after going into administration) to win the Championship last season. Ronny delivered the primary requirement each season – the league title, but he failed on the second tier requirement – qualify for the Champions League.
Soon after the Legia Warsaw debacles Ronny reflected on the question about whether it was right to ask his new team to adopt his tactics, instead of waiting until he’d recruited players to fit his system.
Two years on we are still remarkably short of players to play his system. Innumerable wide midfield players have come and gone, with many still lingering in the stands. We have an enviable list of creative mids in the squad, yet none have been able to dislodge Stefan Johansen, who by his own admission is having a disappointing season.
Then there’s the striker roles. Leigh Griffiths has been a significant reason why we’ll be crowned champions again over the next few weeks, but he’s pretty much on his own. No one has been able to put pressure on him. For a while Leigh had to wait until John Guidetti and Stefan Scepovic dropped out of the picture, but you’ll struggle to recall this season’s striker arrivals, Carlton Cole and Colin Kazim-Richards, three years from now.
For these reasons, we can say recruitment is where it all went wrong for Ronny. It’s not about 4-2-3-1, half the top teams in Europe play with that formation, nor is it (the now abandoned) zonal marking system, also the dominant top-level defensive system.
We’ve simply recruited the wrong players for creative midfield and striker positions. It’s also subtler than to just say we’ve not recruited good enough players. Some who have escaped Celtic Park after arriving in the last 22 months have done pretty well elsewhere. Guidetti and Scepovic are La Liga strikers, while Jo Inge Berget also made it to the Bernabeu this season.
None of them are great, but I suspect we made them look poorer than they are. Kazim-Richards is unlikely to trouble Sergio Ramos next season, but there’s more to him that what we’ve seen, or will see. We’ve been a place careers diminish disproportionately.
On the positive side, Ronny brought the best out of Leigh Griffiths. He moved the disintegrating Emilio Izaguirre aside for 18-year-old sensation, Kieran Tierney, (the biggest winner on Sunday). And he finally resolved some of the least-organised set-piece defending known to man with the recruitment of Erik Sviatchenko (on this point, you cannot over-estimate the value of adding one good player to a team).
One thought crossed my mind several times this season: If he hadn’t spent so much money fruitlessly trying to make one system work, would he have acknowledge he was on the wrong road and changed tactics?
He backed himself into a corner so stuck with the same faltering policy at Celtic, but surely, surely, if he walks into another job soon, unhindered by that wasteful use of budget, he’d not follow the same tactical strategy which failed him?
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I would imagine that Celtic, like most football clubs nowadays, sign players by committee. The manager/head coach identifies a position he thinks he needs filling and the type of player he wants. The scouting team then go away and compile a list of possibilities. The manager, possibly assistant/coach, and scout then discuss the pros and cons of each candidate before deciding who first choice is. The manager should have the final say on this. The finance team then go and try to seal the deal.
Where this falls down, IMO, is if the manager doesn’t have the final say (Ronny says he did), the manager’s recommendations of players to fill the position are not taken into account (we don’t know this re. Ronny), or the method of scouting the players is flawed (KDS suggestion is that we use a database and a small group of agents, if true then that’s a worry).
It would be good if Celtic actually communicated with their supporters and gave an overview on how they scouted and signed players.
Didnae sound like it , yamugye.
:-)
I read it wrong, lol.
Glasstwothirds,
A belter of a post!!!
HH
Gary67
Ronny said more than a year ago he wanted a def mid, he never got one.
HH
UP_OVER_GOAL on 22ND APRIL 2016 10:09 AM
“So Lennon just doesn’t have the numbers.”
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In the microminicosm of C.Q.N.
I have a tendency to like Tims on the field and in the dugout.
Mind you , wee Gordon became one .
( Prodigal son syndrome ) :-)
STARRY PLOUGH 941
Ranking 54 in Europe puts us three places above a Pot 3 place in Europa League,on paper. That’s a fair old fall from heady heights of our 125 night v Barcelona.
I think Lenny endured because he was a Celtic player, i dont particularly buy into this “he was great” narrative. His cup losses to lower league teams, his humiliation in Europe etc etc, if he hadnt played for us and had to face the all out war from Scottish Society then he would face the same howls of derision that RD and to be fair any non celtic playing/supporting coach would do. I admire his strength and fortitude in putting up with constant fear for his safety, all for managing a football team, some of the football wasnt too bad either.
A bit of supporter introspection wouldnt go amiss, me included.
With regards to players lacking confidence and optimism, they are professional players, have they been stealing a wage for a while then?
NEGANON2 on 22ND APRIL 2016 9:15 AM
There’s a massive difference between a normal business investing in infrastructure etc to improve efficiency, output etc with a clear return in future than a football club investing in playing staff.
It’s the same argument every summer. So I’m going to do my best not to get involved, as we come round to the same place. The club won’t do it to the level that makes a concrete difference to the team.
Gary,
That is exactly what happens.
HH
Bout yiz!!
I’d love to see Ronny’s team respond on Sunday the way Luis Enrique’s Barcelona responded mid week to an awful month.
Not comparing teams and or managers but how we react to adversity will be interesting.
Árd Macha
Ronny has been extremely dignified. ( no I don’t mean in the mo surname manner…)
He has said no more than his terms permit. I don’t think he is betraying the fans.
However, are serious questions to be answered by this board.
Nothing can deflect that in medium to long term , but for now there is a league to win.
THE EXILED TIM on 22nd April 2016 10:18 am
Exactly, which suggests that the strategy for the signing of players is flawed, in many ways. I’m sure he would have wanted another striker in January and I’m sure his choice would not have been CKR, but if we’re doing a favour for a favoured agent, and he’s given a take it or leave it, he ok’d the transfer.
TET
And right on cue. But he’s not calling him a liar, it’s just spin right?
ERNIE LYNCH on 22ND APRIL 2016 10:11 AM
PL ‘Hey, Ronnie, we’re signing ######## #####, OK?’
RD ‘OK, Boss’
##
Would what RD said in the interview be consistent with that scenario?
I think it would.
Doesn’t mean that’s what happened, but it does mean that it could have happened
ERNIE LYNCH on 22ND APRIL 2016 10:11 AM
Agreed.
But if that`s right , then it`s just as well he`s gone.
Anyway am off to get ma maws messages.
HH
Gary67
Yip, I agree with you 100%.
It’s what I have been saying for years, but the board lackys just canny see it, and it’s no a crit of them either, they can’t get everything right every time, if they did we wouldn’t be in the position we are, we would be up there with the Barcas et all.
Sometimes things just need a little tweek here and there.
HH
………………………………..
TD67
Ronny is not a liar.
But as you are a barefaced liar, you would know all about liars wouldn’t you.
GO TELL THE SPARTIM on 22ND APRIL 2016 10:20 AM
With regards to players lacking confidence and optimism, they are professional players, have they been stealing a wage for a while then?
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That`s precisely what a coach is supposed to do. Instil confidence and optimism.
Maybe Ronny`s been stealing a wage.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
And there we have the problem, the Barca result although magic on the night and it lifted us up to great heights as supporters, it wasn’t part of a consistent series of results which would have propelled us up the rankings. It was as it turns out pretty much a one off if I look at where FC Basel are now at 19 I have to admit to being impressed with their consistency in Europe, they had some big results like us but they also get the job done against the smaller teams they come up against and like us they sell their best players every summer???
We need a leader in the manager choice and we need a header or two on the park someone who when you go away from home in Europe can lead the team to a result..
HH
I make Keane favourite for the job based on what we know about the process 2 years ago.
It will seem like one extreme to the other if he got the job but it is what we need right now. Sometimes certain people are just a good fit at certain clubs and Keane may have that with us.
So i wouldn;t be against Keane at all. I’d probably go for Moyes but not sure I agree with TBB’s assessment that he’d be around long enough to create a legacy.
Just a thought – is Neil Lennon a guy who is not as timid as Deila, not as volatile as Keane, knows the club and won’t make the mistake of leaving again in a hurry so will be more likely to create a legacy than Moyes, and is strong enough to insist that any signings are his own knowing full well the manager is the fall guy if it goes wrong?
Ticks a lot of boxes.
HH
Macjay 1
does your boss come in and install confidence and optimism every day ffs.
Maybe RD was but he’s not the only one and most of them are “talented international players” – what are they talented at macrame ?
anywho, its not our opinions that are gonna matter anyway, it’ll be another scatter gun approach to recruitment, so widely adopted in our collecting of players
WEEMINGER
Is the difference so apparent with under-investment,or even poorly-targeted investment?
FWIW,I think Celtic have by and large spent pretty much now as they have before,whether it be in transfer fees or in wages.
The wage bill is enormous,the quality poor.
The purchases are frequent,and often expensive.
If targeted properly,that money over the last ten years or so could have made a difference. As it is,we have wasted it. Why,I cannot say. But my instincts would always have been to buy the best you can to light up the ground,and make sure the watercarriers are up to the job.
A strong spine wi one or two quality support,and the rest there to do the fetching.
Now,what do we have? Not a one who would be a first choice in any team pre-2009. A shambles,and a bliddy expensive one.
Y NOT67 on 22ND APRIL 2016 10:24 AM
I’m not calling him a liar, no, because I don’t think he lied when he said what he did. Maybe what he said was open to more than one interpretation. And maybe what he said was in line with a narrative that has been discussed and agreed with his employers. That’s what would be expected of a properly run outfit.
GO TELL THE SPARTIM on 22ND APRIL 2016 10:34 AM
Macjay 1
does your boss come in and install confidence and optimism every day ffs.
================================================================
My dear chap.
I`ve never had a boss.
Well. Apart from my wife.
“Macrame ” ?
That really dates you . “Do the hucklebuck ”
Don`t think we`re going to come to an amicable on this one .
:-)
GOTELLTHESPARTIM
MACJAY
If they’re talented only at macrame,put them on gardening leave.
I wish The Green Man would hurry up and come on and tell us what he thinks of the board…
Like TD67, I’m away to get my wee mammy’s messages…almost 98 not out…
Boab
:-)
Tradionalist88
Was it not thought when NL left the Celtic management post it was to do with transfer
restraints and lack of autonomy. I don’t see that he would be in a stronger position now.
Rodgers, Keane or Moyes would demand certain conditions before even considering appointment. I think if the football structure to change it will be at the behest of the new incumbent.
Twists n Turns/An Teach Solais
Barca style football, Pep in charge…
*********************
There is a way. We could get there without leaving Scottish Football for the red light district of the EPL, in 5 years, still win the SPFL and….well that’s for later. Just a wee bit of lateral thinking and imagination.
Mind you, it wouldn’t be Barca style, it would be playin the Celtic way…Pro would be the wrong man…and you would need the second tier on the main stand.
I’m serious!!
Hail hail
Matt
WHAT IS THE STARS on 21ST APRIL 2016 9:54 PM
Frankie Boyle
I remember hearing a qoute from him where he said something like his heros growing up were Wolfe Tone and Murdo McLeod
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I read somewhere that when he was at primary school, he was really dissappointed when he realised you didn’t actually get to adopt ‘black babies.’
He said he was really looking forward to meeting ‘Wolfe Tone and Danny McGrain..’
WEEBOBBYCOLLINS on 22ND APRIL 2016 10:51 AM
I wish The Green Man would hurry up and come on and tell us what he thinks of the board…
Like TD67, I’m away to get my wee mammy’s messages…almost 98 not out…
=====================================================================
Lucky man you are.
Lucky mum she is.
Pep would be the wrong man…
As someone said…” predictive text is shirt”
Hail hail
Matt
WEEBOBBYCOLLINS
Tell yer wee mammy tae get her ain messages. Ffs,she’s old enough now.
Give her a wee hug fae yours truly anaw,please.
(Same for TD67 and his wee mammy,btw. Nae fags,and she can be proud of that)
scotbrownsbhoys on 22nd April 2016 10:52 am
Persistent rumours that there will be a kitty for the new man sanctioned by DD.
The club will have no choice but to take on board that a serious manager will have basic requirements that maybe Deila didnt.
HH
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 22ND APRIL 2016 10:36 AM
You’ll get no argument from me that the money we do spend could be done so better.
The argument every summer is that if we just spent a little bit more, took on a wee bit of debt it would be repaid with CL revenue. Again TnT with a well thought out comment on taking on 10-20% turnover equivalent debt. That’s in the region of £10M bases on average revenue for the last 10 yrs. Doesn’t sound too much.
A CL season brings in around £15M more (give or take) than a non-CL one. Great! We can pay off the debt and have £5M to spare.
For the sake of the discussion I’ll be the risk averse board. Currently we make something like £12M in losses in a non-CL season and we now don’t really even break even in a EL season something like £2M.
My contention is that taking on £10M to improve player quality doesn’t get the quality that ‘guarantees’ anything. So if out new manager follows the European pattern of our last 3 we could easily have no European football in the 1st season and only Europa League in the second. That puts us £24M in the hole – 50% of the revenue from a non-CL season. Unless we sell our best players at profit thus making qualification difficult as we try and replace the quality within budget.
I know that’s a complete doom and gloom scenario and I also know the counter argument that we could get into CL, as there’s no guarantees in football about anything.
I’m afraid though it’s the boring road ahead for us. Spend what we know we have. It’s a decision I can understand but it goes against everything our instincts tell us we want for the team.
Macjay 1
if its your choice or my choice they’ll get my full support.
The hucklebuck, that reminds me of the half time quiz we used to do at the Number 8 in the old jungle
“What was Racey’s follow up to the Hucklebuck”? Not knowing the time haunted me for years
weeminger:
How do Swedish and Norwegian and Swiss teams and all th others qualify for CL on a smaller budget than ours. It is not all about how much money you have… Man City….
WEEMINGER
Thanks vm for the reasoned and reasonable reply.
FWIW,I agree with much of what you say,but for differing reasons.
IMO,money has been taken out of the footballing side in the good years,in order to support the PLC side. This was never the intention. The PLC was supposed to generate profits-based on footfall,merchandising,etc-which would support the footballing side.
The footballing side would do its bit by being good enough that the punters flocked to the ground,bought the merchandise,which in turn made us attractive to sponsors.
A virtuous circle.
What we have now is a vicious circle of cutting costs based on reduced projected income,that reduced projected income being caused by the reduction in quality.
It’s a predicament we should not be in,and PL’s successor has his work cut out to turn things round.
KITALBA
Did you get my mail about your charity initiative,bud?