How well do we handle succession? Mostly very well. Back in the 90s Celtic stumbled from one manager to another, picking up whoever was available and prepared to pick up the inevitable poisoned chalice, without any perceivable strategy.
Wim Jansen came from nowhere, or Japan, to be geographically accurate, and was a success, but despite a legendary respect for Fergus McCann, this appointment looked like a stab in the dark. After Wim left, we had the seminal reign of John Barnes. Millions were spent, and wasted, before King Kenny held fort for the final few months of season 1999-2000.
The changes introduced by Martin O’Neill are still being felt. We had been rubbish for decades in Europe, hadn’t knocked out a team from the ‘big five leagues’ since Leeds United in 1970. We were conditioned to expect and accept defeat, but after Martin, the world would never be the same again.
Martin’s strategy was not without its flaws, for a start, it wasn’t sustainable. Celtic lost millions every season, despite competing in Champions League football for the first time, and the momentous matter………. Seville.
Gordon Strachan came with a remit to change the problems the club faced immediately before his arrival – bring spending down to meet income, win the league and make progress in the Champions League. Despite starting with one of the worst weeks in the clubs history, Gordon delivered.
There was a problem, though. A disconnect opened up that first week when Artmedia smacked five goals past David Marshall, which was never fully resolved. When we went back into the market, fixing this disconnect was high on the agenda. Who better than a popular former player who ‘invented’ the Celtic huddle.
Tony Mowbray ticked the boxes which Gordon Strachan showed little appetite for but he was miles off plan for Celtic. The first week in the job he asked to sign Marc-Antoine Fortune for close to £4m. I’m sure the proposition was a bolt out of the blue to the club. Expensive 28-year-old strikers with a low- scoring record was not on strategy. Having appointed Mowbray, the club had little choice but to back his maiden request, but I bet there was a raft of people at Lennoxtown who knew how this chapter in our story would end.
Neil Lennon was working as a coach at Celtic during the Mowbray era. He was close to the scouts, sports science people, fitness experts and chief executive. In other words, he was on plan. After the John Barnes ‘tried and tested rookie manager’ strategy, I didn’t want Neil, or any other debutant, but he was intelligent, tactically aware and experienced inside the Celtic system. Within no time, Neil was making headlines as a Champions League manager. The shine will quite rightly never fade from Martin’s halo, but I could make a case that Neil Lennon has been our best manager since the guy from Burnbank.
Notice the pattern?
We have a habit of appointing a manager to address the perceived deficiencies of the previous incumbent. Right now, the need for someone to connect with fans will be less pronounced than it was when Gordon Strachan left, the need for someone to work within budget is fundamental, but will not stress anyone.
Neil’s most glaring faults are a whole lot less glaring than any of his predecessors. This time, we should be looking for someone just like the previous guy:
A student of the game, who understands the tactical trends in the world game.
Intelligent.
On plan with club scouts, nutritionists, sports scientists, coaches, player trading policy and budget.
Order your SIGNED copy of Tommy Gemmell’s All the best from the (fabulous new) CQN Bookstore.
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My choice would be Stevie Clark good pro who has earned a respected reputation in the game and worked with a lot of quality football men and played with a few also.
I also think Celtic may look for a suprise option of someone who has been in and around the park off and on for many a year
Willie McStay
“But he recommended Bangura” to be the new “But he lost to Ross County”.
Slept on it, just my dear old man told me to do.
Any clearer, well maybe.
Coyle, Malky, Laudrop are, as a well known Portugese fellow said, specialists in failure, as too is Billy Davies. Now then I thought, think with the brain, not the heart (another one of the old man’s ). Henke and Lambert is my choice but maybe we could have a look in Germany at some aspiring young managers who want to try European football. After all, German football saw how badly they were failing and did something about it and now they are certainly in the top three in world and club football. I am not sufficiently au fait with the who’s who in German football but worth a punt methinks.
Hail Hail
KINGLuBO
Moonbeams WD. Wee Oscar’s our Bhoy and Kano’s our mhan. @ 12:39
Understand where you are coming from buddy. My decision was not an easy one as you know but sometimes heart rules head.
I hope you are well and we can reconvene CQN Roseburn branch (with LiviBhoy?) when I return from Chicago end of June ?
So Paul, what your saying Henke in the hot seat?
!!Bada Bing!!
12:41 on
23 May, 2014
excathedra44- Coyle the Celtic diehard who knocked us back to stay with the mighty Burnley? Never to be asked again IMO.But i fear he ticks a lot of PL’s boxes.Cheap-he will do the job for half Neil’s salary,and talks up the O** F*** any chance he gets.So as you can work out,it’s a no from me mate.HH
===========================================
Thanks for reply.
Sure I understand the initial rejection,not sure he is not due a second chance,be in no doubt he is a fan.
Could do worse ( In my opinion )
HH
PL will want someone to fill the stadium if we don’t make it to the CL,step forward Henrik.
Why can’t Henrik come in and be as, if not more successful than Lenny, if he wants the job give him it. He also might be able to persuade players to come to Scottish football, after all it did Henrik no harm
thecyclist
we are on the same tandem.
it’s taken me longer to get there albeit i am more pissed at my club right now than I am of scottish football. I expected what we got with Scottish football. i didn’t expect Celtic PLC to cotoe to it while at the same time stealth attack sections of it’s own support.
MWD says Aye
M6bhoy. I agree. We are all fed up with spin and should be honest
The interview from Peter lawell about how were financially stable and a good base for the future
Next day we got knocked out of the scottish cup
Sums it up
Paul
The goal posts have moved since Neil’s (or any of the other recent managers’) appointment: for good or bad, Celtic are expected to cruise the league for the next few years, yet Champions League football is by no means a gimme.
Not that that will put off every candidate: just that it could put off a number of folk for whom Celtic would previously have been a good fit.
Although, perhaps your last 2 paragraphs hint that we’ll be going for an internal candidate this time … which (without some contrived thinking) doesn’t really fit with any discernible ‘pattern’ …
FF
Could will not bring back the thunder.
Nor will Malky, nor Moyes, nor any other favourite.
Neil was a person we could identify with and easily get behind.
Despite some lining him up for criticism he will be a hard act to follow.
Online season ticket renewal.
Check out the fella on the right.
Coincidence…Hmmmmm
:O).
http://etims.net/?p=5080
To summarise
NL leaving was a surprise. Not getting a replacement for DMcG was the final straw. ST sales are poor. Henrik is the only consideration to sell STs
excathedra44- thanks for reply amigo,but i have been anti- Coyle since turning Celtic down for Burnley,think about that for a second.Not to be asked again…..i hope….HH
BRTH
I responded to you at the end of the last thread.
HH
What’s wrong with Owen Coyle
A very good track record with Burnley ….initially very good with Bolton
Good experience
It was suggested that he rejected CFC …among much mirth and conjecture …it was stated he wasn’t happy with the budget …the budget transpired to be very poor
We are CFC …huge draw …but..working in a poor league with a parsimonious balance sheet orientated board
We will be inundated with interest …if that interest sustains when the budget available it’s known..maybe another question
embramike
fully understand buddy. just glad you got there in the end. Although I do disagree with you on the AGM being a platform to raise issues. Res 12 appart AGM’s rebuff everything and anything the support is concerned about. You may get your few mins to talk but of what use when the vote is weighted.
It is only what DD thinks that matters.
MWD says Aye
on a different subject.any bhoys what race meetings have been selected for the scoop 6 to morrow thanks.
Why does it always have to be a predictable list of ex players? I hope Lawwell is casting the net far and wide.
Henke – Huge risk. The thought of how great it would be if it worked out is countered by how tragic it would be if it didn’t.
Moyes – Can we afford him? Given his reputation for cautious, uninspiring football, would we want him? There were many things wrong at United when he took over but the fact remains he was unable to produce a team with any kind of flair.
Coyle – Now that his stock has fallen in England he seems he to think we are now worthy of his services. Hey if he is the right man, I can accept it, but his stock has fallen for a reason.
MacKay – Rumoured to have been more interested in the Norwich job. Another known for direct football and signing an £8m striker who never kicked a ball.
Jackie Mac – Stuart McCall is better qualified and I haven’t seen his name mentioned.
Lambert – Maybe the best of the bunch so far. Has been hamstrung by slashing the wage bill at Villa. Has the playing credentials for sure, possibly the contacts from Germany to add to his experience in many leagues in England. Get the feeling he would rather cling to his job at Villa than come to Celtic.
Steve Clarke – Highly thought of, again great contacts you would imagine, is he someone better suited to being a number 2? Wouldn’t be too disappointed with him at all.
This is where it gets more interesting.
Laudrup – Salary? Doubtful. He was getting touted for top 4 EPL jobs this time last year. Messy sacking from Swansea though amid all sorts of rumours regarding poor discipline and signing players only from his agents stable. Due diligence would be required.
Oscar Garcia – Has a nice ring to it for those hoping for the next Martinez / Pocchetino. Comes from the Cruyff school of coaching. Resigned after one year as a manager in Israel and again after only one year as a manager in the Championship. Though he had quite impressive seasons so you would have to question why quit.
Out of the box. I doubt we’ll take too big a risk but if we’re scouting markets like Holland / Belgium / Portugal / Poland for players to bring in and sell on to England, then maybe a manager with knowledge of these markets could prove an astute appointment. Van Basten just moved to Az Alkmaar in case anyone thinks he’ll be coming in with Finbogasson
For the record I’m not decrying any ex Celt, I’d just rather we took the best manager available, than the best manager with Celtic connections available. The candidates being touted are a little underwhelming. I guess we’re a long way since it was a choice between Martin O’Neill and Guus Hiddink.
Still a new era approaches which is always exciting. Fingers crossed for a manager committed to playing football. Pure, beautiful, inventive football.
At the end of the day, this will be a battle between Celtic FC, and PLC.
We, the fans, will want FC to triumph, whilst the board………..!!
Mrs. Coyle’s grandson, is now in to 9/4 with Willy Hills.
Please God, no!!
HH
There will be rumour and counter-rumour until a new manager is appointed. There are many characteristics which a new man will need to have.
It looks like Celtic should have a clear run in the League for the coming 3-4 years, at least. A good manager should be able to deliver on this relatively easily. To move the club forward requires progress in Europe. Too frequently Celtic have been tactically naive and beaten in situations where we should have done better.
What is needed, in my opinion, is someone who has the awareness and tactical guile of a ‘continental’ style manager and who understands what it takes to be very successful in Scotland. I do not think that there is one man available to fulfill these two facets and so I would suggest that Celtic consider appointing a management duo who have both qualities.
Forget all other issues like the Green Brigade, new players coming/going, the board etc, look at the bigger picture, when the huns are back in the league pouring out the bile, wrecking the stadium, attacking our fans at will, who will still be there ? i won’t. Once the likes of Scott Brown and Commons have left, we will have a wage structure on a par with Aberdeen and Dundee Utd etc, our club is on the slide, no way out unless the unlikely event Engalnd come calling.
Is it possible to get a bet on which bookie gets it right?
Or is that just silly?
Not really sure if this was a snap decision or the start of the notice period that brought about yesterday’s announcement.
Neil appears to be saying that he told everyone on Monday so why does it appear that it caught the club on the wrong foot. No official announcement by the club until long after the media had the information. If they had a handle on things then you would have thought they would have had a statement ready
All has the look of a last minute thing with Neil in London and the penultimate day for ST renewals, just seems very strange timing especially as all concerned were off to Lisbon the following day. Who leaked this Neil or the club and why is the question. Sounds like all was not well behind the scenes regardless of the show of unity.
Who next? ….anyone but Coyle.
http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/celtic/276363-henrik-larsson-contacted-by-club-over-managers-job-say-falkenberg/
deekbhoy
—
Probably Lenny and the club planned to wait (especially as Lenny is going to Lisbon), most likely leak came from somewhere else. If Lenny has been saying his goodbyes for 2-3 weeks then it was bound to get out.
The Etims story doesn’t tie in with other reports that DD told golfer Stephen Gallagher on Tuesday.
Gary67 – go on…..
Genny Wren
She is in good order and all being well should give a good account of herself. Never won before, but has had a few bad breaks. Maybe tonight will be her turn. I’ve backed her and wouldn’t change my bet slip for anything else in the race. Problem is, I’ve thought that before and she’s let me down. Really is a case of back her if losing your money won’t cause you a problem.
I don’t generally go in each way at 15/2, but I did yesterday since I think she would be an each way banker on a going day.
That’s it bhoys…..good luck.
tomtheleedstim
13:08 on 23 May, 2014
told him NL was leaving
Gary Mcallister, interesting
thecyclist
Pull up a seat fella. The end of the world is nigh brigade is in full flow and your input will be welcome.
Etims has always been a load of old cack. Used to be mildly humorous old cack but has disappeared up its own bottom since it lost its sense of humour. But it’ll sway those who want to be swayed…..
Twisty
didn’t get price last night so took sp
currently 13/2 with skybet
good luck buddy..
Lambert @ 16’s with Willy Hills. Still hopeful. Randy Lerner’s trying to sell Villa, new owner may not fancy him, so, maybe he’ll jump before he gets pushed!
‘mon Paul, you know it makes sense!
HH
Gary67 12:13
As Coyle moves to 5/2 favourite at Ladbrokes a feeling of dread washes over me and almost puts me off my lunch!!
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I reckon Coyle would be the “banker”. Probably not first choice, but available should we not get the one(s) we want, and ready to step in at short notice with no hassles getting up to speed with the job.
Coyle now favourite with 3 bookies (Ladbrokes, hills and boylesports)
Many candidates have good arguments Roy Keane and Henrik would probably shift season tickets but like many I worry about Europe. @stvgrant saying Falkenbergs Sporting Director has told STV Larrson has been approached by A club…………….