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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starry plough on 22nd April 2016 9:41 am
Thanks for putting the co-efficient table up earlier, it showed me that my memory about when we lose the good season was off.
Next season we’ll be defending 5.55 points so the new manager should have two campaigns where we play the qualifying ties as a decently seeded team (via the champions route if it stays in place) and attempt to put some double digit points on the board.
Incidentally, Ronny has brought us up the table in his short time. Last season we were #55.
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Seems appropriate here to say thanks, generally, to those posters who bring tweets, twitters, facebook gossip and other digital stuff to this blog. I don’t do much of any of that, so this place remains an entertainment to me, on occasion.
I have a theory the huge spread of the internet nowadays explains why some posters consider this blog to be poorer than the old days. People move on at different speeds.
Tradionalist88
Love wee Lenny but not for me this time.
Along with what you’re saying think DD will go for as big a name as we can attract. If NL recruited it will be down to a failure in getting our chosen targets which will be a failure in itself.
I’ve faith that we won’t mess up this time.
HH
KITALBA on 22ND APRIL 2016 11:11 AM
I thought about this a lot in the wake of this season’s CL camp. It comes down to several things but basically at team like Malmo have something like 40 staff and the number or players on the wage bill is tiny compared to ours (which perhaps is something we need to think about). We have a total staff in the region of 500. That’s because there are expectations of a club the size of Celtic doing things that eg Malmo doesn’t. Like having club shops all over the place etc.
Now I couldn’t ascertain the exact difference in wage budgets for the 1st team squad but I think it was significant. More than twice as much. £3-5M I think. Something like that. Again though, does that make a huge difference to the squad I don’t think so. There’s also the part of the size of Celtic that I’m afraid dictates players get more by being here. Stuart Armstrong, GMS and Ciftci will all have increased wages just by being being here because Celtic is expected to pay at a higher level. They didn’t instantly become better players by walking through the door. So a team like Malmo is ‘allowed’ to pay less for players that on paper are not very far off our own.
In summary the sheer size of Celtic dictates that we pay more than Malmo for players of similar quality.
That means that we have as much chance of qualifying as Malmo, and should make a better fist of it but I don’t think it’s any more than that.
We’re going to get more screwed soon too, because I think all the Scandinavian countries have superior tv deals to us now, so their ‘free’ money will be higher than ours too.
We’re doomed! Doomed I tell you.
GUYFAWKESAFOREVERHERO
No problem mate, for me who wears green tinted most of the time it’s good to look outside of our world every so often and of course most of the chat here is Celtic based I can’t help but wonder what other countries FA’s do for their sports that has left Scotland so far behind.
The SFA have to take responsibility for the poor condition of the national sport and does anyone really believe that Dungcaster can bring anything other than embarrassment to us.
Celtic have problems and challenges for sure but that lack of any real not hun based leadership in the game has left us high and dry since years…
GO TELL THE SPARTIM on 22ND APRIL 2016 11:06 AM
Racey ?
RACEY?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P33V-wnfnzs
The majority of the team which played on Sunday may be internationalists but the ones who have been here since NFL’s time lack the basic skills on a regular basis : inabilty or unwillingness to create space by moving off the ball, inability to pass accurately, failure to create options for the man on the ball, running with the head down and not using peripheral vision, one-footedess, ball watching etc.etc.
Now all players will have strengths and weaknesses but professional players, irrespective of the manager should always be seeking to improve skills and fitness levels.
It should be a given that professional players must give 100 per cent all the time.
A new person might make them realise that failure to learn should mean that they are next out of the door and the spotlight should now be well and truly on them.
Whoever the new person is I shall support him. Hopefully those on the blog more expert than I will too. .HH
WEEMINGER
“They didn’t instantly become better players by walking through the door. So a team like Malmo is ‘allowed’ to pay less for players that on paper are not very far off our own.”
Good point,players expect to be paid according to the existing wage structure at the club-though RD apparently was happy to accept what he got. The question remains though-why are other clubs with lesser resources able to find better players than we have over the last few years in particular?
This is a huge problem,bud. We keep signing too much crap,sorry to be so straightforward about people who wore that jersey. Who sanctions that scouting requirement?
Scouting is a very difficult job,but it has two requirements.
Is this guy good enough.
Can we get him.
How much emphasis has been put on the first-and foremost-of those requirements? Evidence suggests damn little.
BMCUW, TET,
Thanks for the response from early hours posting…
I don’t know so asked on here…
600k p.a. for a scouting job, really???
Regards & Hail Hail
TBM
Latest manager thinking:
* Lenny clearly wants it. Why, given he previously walked out over money/control issues..? No idea. Perhaps he himself needs the cash or he realises he isn’t in line for any decent sized job down south. I can see his attraction to the PLC – relatively cheap, down on his luck, still a fans’ favourite… but this would be a deeply unimaginative move by Celtic.
* Moyes is waiting to see what carnage emerges from the end of the EPL season. There will be blood and he will be well placed to step in at some middling club. If DD is really determined to push out the boat and get a big name, Moyes is by far and away the best/most gettable candidate. He’ll want money and control, so his appointment would really shake things up. I’d say 40-60 against at this stage.
* Keane would jump at the job, but has reservations about how much control he’d have. His career is stalled. Next move is either to us or to a Championship struggler. MON will be warning him of the limitations that might be placed on him so I think he would only come if there is a change in PL’s role/position.
* Scottish candidate: Most likely? Hughes at Inverness. Teams play good football, works with a tight budget, has the larger than life character to manage the job. Yogi is the dark horse in this race IMHO.
* Outsiders: Too many to mention, but don’t be surprised if you hear Mick McCarthy’s name before too long…
TBM
According to E Tims and KDS, if correct, the mind truly boggles so it does.
HH
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 22ND APRIL 2016 11:43 AM
Even if our scouts are good enough at spotting talent. There’s a worldwide pool of players that are within our sphere, we won’t always see them first and that’s sort of why we end up with projects because we’re rushing at them in fear of missing out.
By all accounts we approached Man City for Boyata ahead of Denyer but they felt that Boyata was the one that would step up and wanted to keep him there, and offered JD in his place. So we’re not the only ones finding that it’s really hard to tell at that age who’s really going to make the grade.
I really feel like football’s broken at the moment. As I can’t see anything within Celtic’s control that will prevent us going downward. We’re waiting for invites from a benevolent money pot. The mere existence of which goes against the whole ethos of the game imo.
AN TEACH SOLAIS
I reckon the vast majority of Celtic supporters will support the new man. As we did Ronny too.
We know the problems he faces,we want him to succeed.
I wanted him to succeed until late Sunday afternoon,when I realised the game was up. Same wi Tony Mowbray,took me till the St Mirren game.
(I’m the same in the bookies)
Btw,I believe that the translation of yer moniker into Bermudan is McTALL. Biggest fella I’ve ever met,and expect to do so again too.
No problem in the pub that night wi him and AN TEARMANN looking after us…
This is from CQN magazine, who writes this stuff ?
If it’s one of ours, looks like Moyes won’t be getting the job then.
“Despite being the Bookies favourite for the Celtic job and the candidate voted mostly likely to be the next Celtic manager in the recent CQN Poll, it seems unlikely that Moyes tops Celtic’s list or indeed Celtic are Moyes’ dream job.”
http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/moyes-merseyside-and-the-managerial-merry-go-round/
TET, TBM
Do you think that maybe includes all his expenses? I would hope so but even then it seems unreasonably high.
scotbrownsbhoys on 22nd April 2016 11:29 am
Lets hope so. The right choices can give us a real boost this summer.
HH
WEEMINGER
Indeed. Watch tonight’s Youth Final,Man City v Chelsea. Many signed for huge fees,many already on huge wages.
But…
You said we are biting too quick with new signings-whit,wis there a queue for them?
You want me to rhyme them off,you tell me who were up against in signing them. Yet other clubs target their meagre resources much better.
And for that,our CEO gets a million,a nonentity gets 600k-life changing money EVERY YEAR!-and a decent man gets saddled and sacked.
And we get done up like kippers because we are Celtic supporters,faithful through and through.
Weeminger
I have no idea if it’s right or not, but that’s now two places I have seen figures in that region.
As I said earlier, even at parity with the coach is way too much.
HH
Need a new car for work. Can’t decide whether to go for the Murray Minty 2000, the Lawell- Deila 2013 model or the Moyes 2016.
The Minty is quality but is very expensive. If I buy it, I’ll be able to travel all over Europe lording it up, but will probably end up having it repossessed and having to walk.
The LD is cheapest option, but unproven over distance. Should manage to get around most of Scotland though, albeit with the odd blow out here and there. Don’t think I’ll be seeing much European action though.
The Moyes is priced between the two. Proven reliable over a number of years, it should see me zipping around Scotland blowing away everything in my way, with the occasional jaunt into Europe.
( I believe the Minty went out of production though I’ve read that it’s been relauanched under the same badge:-)
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 22ND APRIL 2016 12:00 PM
What I meant was let’s say we’re taking a serious look at Ryan Christie (as we obviously we’re) his agent knows Park is taking a look. Do you think he keeps that quiet? Probably not, so then some English teams take a look. We have to jump in before we’re 100% sure he’s up to it (and he may be, I’m not casting aspersions) because we’re worried somebody can sneak him out from under us.
I would say the same is even truer when we’re looking at youngsters in foreign markets. If they’re on our radar they’re almost certainly on the radar of other teams. So again we possibly are jumping in too early in some cases to make sure we get what might be a star.
WEEMINGER
I give up.
new article posted.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 22ND APRIL 2016 10:11 AM
I understand what you are saying.
However what if we get rid of PL and the new CEO appoints a manager who is underwhelming.
Do we still fling all our toys out the pram ?
HH.
Exiled Tim, deleted and yellow card. We cannot have that level of personal abuse on the site. If you want to have that exchange with someone, please arrange to do so in person.
I have seen us win leagues at Celtic Park …. v Rangers 4-2, St Mirren 3 nil, and 1 nil, St Johnstone 2 nil, at East Fife, at Dundee Utd twice, at Hibs, at Kilmarnock, at St Mirren ( Albert Kidd ) at Dunfermline ( we had to lose 16 nil not to win it ) maybe others I can’t quite remember but I never recall winning it at Tynecastle. That will be sweet, very sweet.
Day Of The Eagle 17:05 @ Haydock Park.
4.10 Sandown – Carole’s Destrier
Best of luck to all
Cheers GFTB
Sandown 410 La Reve
Good luck everyone
San 2.20 Voix du reve
SOUTHFIELDS THEATRE 410 Sandown
menorah 2.55 sand
Seconditis…even in the Scottish National
Try ..Lincoln 4-10 Haydock
Sorry
2-10 at Haydock
Morning all,Going for SAINT ARE 4.10 Sandown…give it another chance.
HH N GL.
Guys, Gee-Gees here pleaseeeeeee…
fleagle1888
Measureofmydreams 4.10 Sandown
Good luck all
HH
CQN Saturday Naps Competition : WEEK 38 results (Apr 16th)
Winners:
voguepunter (Vicente) @14/1
Angel Gabrial (Two Taffs) @5/2
Losers:
16 roads (Ivan Grozny)
21-5-79 (no selection)
BMCUWP (Ballyculla)
bonbhoy (no selection)
Bull67 (Connetable)
Burgas Hoops (Cartographic)
Cathal (Eshtiaal)
Cosy Corner Bhoy (no selection)
Dim Sam (Seeyouatmidnight)
El Madrigal (Pain Au Chocolat)
Eurochamps67 (Seeyouatmidnight)
Fastbhoy (Golden Chieftain)
fleagle1888 (Highland Lodge)
gerryfaethebrig (Spookydooky)
Graffitionthewall (Ballycrystal)
green T (no selection)
Gweedore Celt (Ballyculla)
hashadenough (Solar Impulse)
leftclicktic (Arbre de Vie)
Nye Beavans RS (Missed Approach)
Onemalloy (Vyta du Roc)
PFayr (Alvarado)
Rockon (Milborough)
Som mes que un club (no selection)
The Bhoy from the Village (Heathfield)
TheBarcaMole (Vyta du Roc)
tommytwiststommyturns (Folsom Blue)
twists n turns (Milborough)
What is the Stars (no selection)
Zihuatanejo (Hernandoshideaway)
Cheers, fleagle1888
CQN Saturday Naps Competition : WEEK 38 Standings
Well done to voguepunter on napping the Scottish National winner (Vicente @14/1), Angel Gabrial was our only other winner last week !
16 Roads is still spread-eagling the field…
+15.25 > 16 roads (9)
+9.50 > Zihuatanejo (5)
+9.00 > Nye Beavans RS (7)
+5.95 > leftclicktic (8)
+4.25 > Rockon (7)
+3.83 > twists n turns (6)
+2.58 > hashadenough (9)
+1.50 > BMCUWP (6)
-1.00 > voguepunter (4)
-1.42 > El Madrigal (6)
-1.50 > Angel Gabrial (6)
-1.67 > bonbhoy (5)
-4.50 > Graffitionthewall (7)
-10.50 > TheBarcaMole (3)
-10.58 > green T (8)
-10.75 > The Bhoy from the Village (6)
-12.13 > gerryfaethebrig (5)
-12.50 > Cosy Corner Bhoy (4)
-16.03 > fleagle1888 (5)
-16.88 > Bull67 (5)
-18.10 > Eurochamps67 (5)
-19.00 > Cathal (2)
-19.00 > tommytwiststommyturns (2)
-19.25 > PFayr (4)
-19.75 > Burgas Hoops (4)
-21.20 > Gweedore Celt (2)
-22.58 > Dim Sam (6)
-24.13 > Fastbhoy (4)
-24.75 > Som mes que un club (3)
-26.55 > Onemalloy (3)
-28.13 > What is the Stars (3)
-38.00 > 21-5-79 (0)
Cheers, fleagle1888
(—Beirut CSC—)
Yorkidding 2:40 Ripon.
Good luck on another difficult day punting
wise.