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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Traditionalist88,
Thinking about it (a la Charlot), to me, you seem like you are agitating for a supporters’ protest at Celtic Park.
That would make great copy, along with a cracked crest above it, wouldn’t it?
I imagime the people who matter at Celtic Park will be getting the message by now. Money talks, and to people who have a strong monetary interest, it appears to be the only language that’s understood. And when it talks, I’m sure it’s a clear enough message for them.
Would still have kept him on as a development/Director of Football type role and get a strong personality who can win things tactically in as manager.
Paul67etal.
Where did Ronni go wrong??.
I heard a rumour eminating from last year and it continuedon into this year that the players? didn’t like the work rate that Ronni was putting into his training regime and they also didn’t like that other regime, the diet regime. big bug bare for players who had a junk food & drink fest ever week after a game. heavy bevvy and junk food, plenty of junk food. I felt sorry for Ronni he hadn’t a chance against the junk food clique,I believe that was when his reign ended. You can’t disagree that Celtic played some good football at times, pity the players rebelled,they could have been a good team, they must have had a rota system ‘two or three playing badly every week’ would be about right.
I suppose that’s where Ronni went wrong, trying to tell Celtic players what too do. Big mistake Ronni.
The Green Man says SACK THE Board on 21st April 2016 1:05 pm
I cannot do anything else.
=================
Not being able to and not having the desire to do anything else are not the same thing.
To our next manager , whoever he is .
If youve not got full control dont come .
If your going to be a board patsy dont come .
If your going to fill the team with cowards . Weve got plenty already. Dont come
Deila in shock player signings admission:
“I signed all the players. There’s not a player I didn’t say ‘yes’ to”
P67 — you need to stop ruining your reputation with these PL friendly articles.
What credibility you have left — very, very little — is being wasted by this forced, partial and slanted nonsense / crap / rubbish.
The issue we are now facing has been with the club for the last decade.
Football does not come first, PL’s bonus comes first.
The squad over these years has been undermined by the fact that averting and and anyone could be out the door to make the numbers bonus friendly.
There has been no talent management.
No pipeline with people moving up to replace those moving on.
No structure, no long term planning just a 6 monthly rummage around various agents bargain buckets to generate hope, a headline and a packed dressing room.
The story with strikers over the past 6 / 7 years beggars belief.
Not just a case of the money spent.
Not just a case of the money wasted.
The money that was needed to get them out the door early was the shameful part.
Yet still they — sorry you — clap.
Ronny Deila a few minutes ago….
” I signed the players, not one player I haven’t said yes to. I knew what I was coming into”
“I have no problems, v good communication with board and Peter. I am not bitter. Felt I was given a chance & lately not seen improvement”
Hail hail
Matt
“He won two leagues…”
If ever a phrase was to capture the WATP levels of arrogance at the club, surely this must top the lot.
It’s phrases like that the really make you wonder what on earth the peoples in charge at Celtic are up to. At least what it means is that there’s no point in a fan moaning about refereeing decisions between now and the end of the season given that we’ve already been handed the league title.
FFS!
All I’ll say is at least the club have learned the lessons of complacency from the weekend. We can all be thankful for that.
Pfft!
Ach well!
Absolutely marvellous to read thro` the post mortems with cause of death based on speculation ,preference and innate bias in favour of one`s favourite hobby horse.
At least he`s gone . Well, I should say going.
Bit of nail biting to come. No. Not over the new coach .
But whether we can actually limp over the line.
The single focus.
Wonder who`ll pick the team.
OLDTIM67 on 21ST APRIL 2016 1:18 PM
I heard one of the pundits on 5live (i forget who) saying that these days the players have to like the manager and then respect them. If they don’t then the manager hasn’t got a chance, it’s the most basic of requirements now
A sorry state of affairs but it is what it is
Paul
With all due respect, blaming Ronny for the purchase of players is desperate.
Why not point the finger at the real villans, Pedro and Park, Oh wait a minute, you can’t or won’t.
HH
Asking any manager to win anything…while at the same time, tying his hands behind his back.
That is crazy.
Asking a rookie to qualify for the CL…with woeful players…..who the feck is crazy enough to do that?
I wish people would open their eyes to the way Celtic is run by the PLC.
They are either daft…or at it.
Too much power in the hands of the few.
Thats the problem…..they dont have to answer to anyone, they just hide.
THE BATTERED BUNNET on 21ST APRIL 2016 1:19 PM
Deila in shock player signings admission:
“I signed all the players. There’s not a player I didn’t say ‘yes’ to”
==========================================================
But…..But………
The C.Q.N. worthies know better.
Hey Ronny, you can player A, he is pish, or you can have player B, pish but in a different way, or you can have player C, his is not pish, but always injured.
Takes you choice Ronny.
TBB
Exactly the same quote also came from Neil Lennon.
I blame Peter CSC
Nice to read Ronny saying that. I’d rather have someone who was more of a winner and left with some angry words and a better record but there you go
MadMitch on 21st April 2016 1:20 pm
Paul67 is arguably one of if not the smartest guy on the blog – he created it FFS..so like you I have genuine concern for his credibility…it seems unbelievably that he would write such keech. For the record he doesnt strike me as the type to sell his soul…its really unfathomable that he should write this p*sh…more so that he should expect anyone ( but the most stupid happy clappers) to actually swallow it.
Credibility is indeed on the line.
OMG — Who did RD say no to?
The issue is people are now putting that statement forward as proof that everything was hunky dory– nothing to see here, move on please.
However that statement is not the full picture.
Who picked the players to put in front of RD?
Not much involvement if others did the choosing and RD was left to say yes or no.
Left with a Hobson’s choice — take it or leave it on the basis the who knows would be put in front of him next.
Semantics in play now.
I could interpret that Ronny Deila quote in more than one way;
He actively identified the players from an unrestricted field of choice, or
The way The Exiled Tim has theorised ( I know that’s not the correct word but I can’t think of anything else at the moment!).
Does anyone know if the quote is part of a tv interview, or what question he was asked?
whwn ronny said he approved every player it would be interesting to hear him elaborate on how these signing fitted with his preferred system of play. Did he also have last say on departures? No doubt we’ll be told to believe he did…
#patronising.csc
Celticrollercoaster supporting Shay,our bhoy wonder along the way, I was never a fan of Lenny because frankly he wasn’t that good a coach.
The warning signs for me started when a team with the likes of Robbie Keane and Sami. The following season we had the league seemingly won only to lose against Inverness away and give the Myth his third title in a row. The following season saw the implosion of Rangers on field, Fat Sally threw away a 17 point lead to hand Lenny the title, with all the off field shenanigans is it any wonder Rangers lost focus?
Lenny’s cup record was shocking over the period of his tenure and at times his style of play made you wonder why you’d bothered turning up as you weren’t being entertained.
In many ways the horrendous personal abuse he suffered while our head coach helped take the focus off his failings as a coach.
Your points about the decision makers is correct we will continue to make mistakes but given we can attract better quality players than anyone else we will continue to be there or there about when the honours are decided.
Like you I know several supporters who are thinking of giving up on their season tickets.
Madmitch,
“Great minds…” or “Fools…”
I know which one I like to believe it is, for me!
I don’t even know if I can finish reading the article as the second verse has spitting my lunch all over my colleagues. ‘It didn’t’ (chuckle).
I can only guess that you don’t watch too many games &, have absolutely no knowledge of the cash we have pissed up the since Ronnys arrived, not to mention the amount of midfielders we have in our squad that never get no further than bench while the 3 amigo’s are chosen time & time again yet deliver absolutely nothing for the team other than sore eyes for those that have to watch Celtic.
OK! I’ll give it another shot.
TRAD88
Now…I dont get it:)
What exactly is it that you expect me personally to do about the board?
Shall i write them a strongly worded letter.
How about a severe ticking off…will that do:)
What if i shout…’Down with this sort of thing’….will that work:)
Tell me o great one.
HH
DHARMA BAM on 21ST APRIL 2016 1:29 PM
he is holding a press conference right now
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/35720536
and another…..
” if I see improvement, it’s easy to stay on, but I haven’t seen that for six months”
BTW for Madmitch and the statement
“The issue is people are now putting that statement forward as proof that everything was hunky dory– nothing to see here, move on please.”
Tosh!
I have put the statement(s) forward – as has TBB as far as I can tell – with no comment, spin or opinion. For you to read motive, malice or naivety or anything for that matter into my thinking is a leap of faith that Indiana Jones would have baulked at.
I provide it merely as a statement of what was said.
Hail Hail
Matt
Thanks, Clydesider.
P67
I know you pull back on it later in the piece – and others have mentioned the same thing – but can we please stop referring to Ronny or Celtic as having won this years league?
While I’ll breathe a lot easier if we win on Sunday , we are a team who are still catchable, have announced the departure of our manager yet who remains in situ, have underperfomed horribly on almost every pressure game this season and are now, by definition , about to play the other five top teams in the country , against whom our nearest rivals generally have performed far better than we have.
Referring to us as having won it before we have is the part of hubris I expect from other clubs and not ourselves , especially given just how brittle and fragile our confidence has been all season.
Tlwio
Old Tim,
I strongly suspect you’re right. If it is true that the players refused to act as professionals off the park, we should try and off load them. They are a disgrace.
For those of you intent on attacking Paul67, why don’t you simply start your own blog or read another? I’m sure Paul67 has better things to do than be subject to criticism based on surmise.
With the poor recruitment it looks like our most important players were the ones who wouldn’t buy into his new ways
If biton and johansen had at least shown the form of last season, or better, if the other experienced players hadn’t lost form at various times over the season things would have been different. But maybe Ronny was the cause of the lack of form, who knows
IIRC, Martin O’Neill blew a 5 point lead entering the last 5 games in 2005. I am hopeful that Ronny will not blow an 8 point lead but not at all confident given the state of some of our players.
Hang on a minute.
Does
“There’s not a player I didn’t say ‘yes’ to”
not rather contradict
“I signed all the players.”
Matt @ 1.35
Yet still they clapp.
Oh look — squirrels.
By the bye, I do agree that we shouldn’t be claiming to have won the league before we have done so.
THE EXILED TIM on 21st April 2016 1:25 pm
Hey Ronny, you can player A, he is pish, or you can have player B, pish but in a different way, or you can have player C, his is not pish, but always injured.
Takes you choice Ronny.
—————————————————————————
You forgot player D, who is represented by Dudu Dahan – we strongly recommend him.
And so ,in the face of irrefutable evidence to the contrary , the conspiracy theorists ploughed on regardless.
:-)
Not one player I haven’t said yes to.
So my last post stands. Ronny didn’t identify the players and was forced to fit them into his side. He may have said yes but who would he have signed?
The playing system goes hand in hand with the players to play it. If the guy who picks the team and puts in place the system is asked to change the system to suit the players he has signed for him the bass burst.
Ronny may have been pedantic with the system at times and unfathomably in some games but that doesn’t excuse signing 4 players on loan from a club with a senior employees son in the payroll with a vested interest in those players doing well.
You can have bread and water or nothing Ronny.