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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Gary67 – that’s not news – the reason why he has left might be news.
Owen Coyle 9/4
Owen Coyles granny 3/1
‘Henrik Larsson has been contacted by a club interested in appointing him as their manager, but his current employers don’t know if it is Celtic who have made the approach.’
####
Wallander’s on the case.
Owen Coyle and it’ll certainly shift my season ticket.
@OHenleyAlex: I believe that Malky MacKay has been sounded out about the possibility of becoming the next #Celtic manager.
joe_joe_john_bobby_teddy
13:10 on 23 May, 2014
Gary Mcallister, interesting
met him in YORK RAILWAY STATION 4 weeks ago.asked him for a SELFIE.
whits that he said.HONEST.!!!!
Paul67, I may be reading too much into the conversation we had on Saturday, but are you looking for John Collins to be approached about the vacancy?
Some cracking posts today. Every cloud I suppose.
Why does it have to be someone from within? Why not some one with different ideas and a fresh approach? I read recently that Mourinhio showed his new Chelsea players 17 different exercises in ball work that some had never seen before.
A new fresh face could come in and work to the Same budget as has already been agreed. Mowbray was the fault of the Celtic board not Mowbray! They paid his 2 million pound transfer fee and the 4 million for MAF. At least Tony Mowbray thought he could make a job if it his way and had a bit of self confidence. Peter Houston is the most qualified member of staff currently on the Celtic payroll but I don’t rate him any better than Stuart McCall or Derek McInnes for that matter. The fact that Peter is A Celtic supporter should n not make a jot of difference.
Weeron is spot on. We need a manager who will win the league and make progress in Europe. I almost feel that Neil Lennon deliberately set up as he did against Juve and Barca and even Ajax just to show our frailties. Another manager may have played more defensively and taken something from those games. If another guy can do that we won’t hear the managing down the way calls from me or anyone else. The club are in the best position to appoint a new manager to take the club forward but I fear the worst.
The Mackintosh Building at Glasgow School of Art is on fire. Looks pretty bad. Hope there are no casualties.
BT
Good luck Bud. Hate when I fancy a horse. Always a dilemma, risk good bhoys losing money on account of me, or keep it quiet and see folks miss out a couple of bob. Hmmm.
Anyhow, Owen fav now. Jings crivvens and help ma boab. I hope the bookies have got that wrong…….
By the sounds of it, looks like an approach has been made to Henke, trouble is hes a man of his word and hes said to his club he will not be leaving this season. Only if DD offers their directors a good wedge in compo and they give Henke their blessing to begin negotiations will it happen. Get the cheque book out DD.
whoever we get we must give youth a chance. I think Malky did a hell of a job with Watford and Cardiff. But for Miller’s balloon in the last seconds he’d have won the League Cup v Liverpool with a Championship side. He’s outwitted Liverpool that day and Cardiff were never in the bootom 3 in the Prem when he was manager.
I don’t think giving John Kennady a promotion would be a bad shout either if he had someone like Stevie Clarke or Willie McStay along side him. There’s good young players like Fisher, O’Connell, MacGregor and Henderson who deserve 20+ games a season next year. The Wanyama’s and Hoopers are always going to look elsewhere if they have a bit of success with celtic. The only chance we have of becoming a decent force in Europe is to give our own ample chance to gain experience and progress.
IMO Lenny is the third best CFC manager of the 21st century
His greatest strength was the locating and nurturing of talent ….generally for onward sale
The Black Arrow and the Godfather of Rap: a Celtic story . . . http://theshamrockglasgow.wordpress.com/2014/05/22/the-noble-stride-celtic-and-the-pioneering-herons/
No surprise to see many names being mentioned and lots of rumours. I’m sure the club has also had a whole lot of e-mails and telephone calls from managers looking for an interview.
I do think we need someone with managerial experience this time around. It’s not an easy job given the combination of very high expectations domestically, the challenge of achieving something in Europe and the financial constraints. A lot to juggle – unless we are looking at a Director Of Football & Head Coach model to split the responsibilities.
….PFayr supports WeeOscar
13:25 on 23 May, 2014
IMO Lenny is the third best CFC manager of the 21st century
His greatest strength was the locating and nurturing of talent ….generally for onward sale
——————————————-
Who are your top 2?
If any ole bhoy does actually know what’s going on I’d be obliged if he could give me a glimmer.
etims does make some sense………….
Now, if you are thinking to yourself that you don’t want him here because you are afraid he might fail, then don’t vote yes in the upcoming independence elctions. Thats the better together mentality, and it won’t work for them, and its not the way forward for Celtic either.
Larsson has a little managerial experience, and its in Swedens lower leagues, where he will have already learned, probably with the force of a bat to the head, that other players are not capable of doing what he could.
Thats the single most important lesson a new manager can learn. What he will have adapted to, and recent results suggest this, is the need to get the most out of, and improve, the abilities his players have.
Which is what we need at Celtic.
What we also need is a name that invokes immediate respect from any player who might be considering following Lennon out the door.
What we need as well is a name, which when spoken to a potential signing, won’t have the target rushing to google to find out who he’s talking to. If you are a striker, and Henrik Larsson tells you he thinks you can do a job for him, you won’t need to jump too high to head a ball, because you will already be taller than everyone else on the field.
Natknow
Obviously not TM…..
John Collins fits the bill. Others will have reservations but his track record us good, he is intelligent, he has contacts , top coaching qualifications, resigned from jobs over player budget matters … And he won out over the players hating his training and tactics.
Monaco is the blight the folk would need to get over.
The historic Art School in Glasgow’s Renfrew St is on fire as we speak. Fire services are in attendance but flames are still visible
Have E-Tims ever been right about anything.
After reading some posts on here we’d all be better chucking .
We’re doomed just like when Mowbray left and Lenny took over
Oh wait a minute that actually turned out quite well.
3in a row ,champs lge twice ,2 Scottish cups. no debt.
Doomed I tell ye.
Favourite Uncle
“met him in YORK RAILWAY STATION 4 weeks ago.asked him for a SELFIE.
whits that he said.HONEST.!!!!”
My wife told me that she had taken a picture which was an Othery.
I asked her what an Othery was.
She said it’s where you take a picture of someone who is not you.
….PFayr supports WeeOscar
13:30 on 23 May, 2014
Natknow
Obviously not TM…..
——————————————
:-))
oldtim has been spotted in Glasgow……..
have the prices fluctuated ?
I’d be surprised if Celtic aren’t talking to many candidates regarding the managers job.
One from left field:
Murat Yakin. Worked wonders with Basle in Europe, beating Chelsea, Spurs & other big guns. Smaller budget than us. Young, talented, experienced. Read that he left Basel a few weeks ago.
Saint Leo
13:33 on 23 May, 2014
Been mentioned mate, wee bit ago.
I hear a certain Siw Awex is avaiwabuw
Nah ok then. Whats Lubo up to just now?
McBhoy
13:34 on
23 May, 2014
Ah, sorry. Lurkin’ between workin’.
I didn’t want M’ON, Gordon or Lenny but was happy when Mowbury was appointed. Go figure!
Savo01, who would you like this time around?
Just so we can discount him:-)
Everyone safely out of the Art School apparently, but doesn’t look great for the building.
: (
Paul67 et al
Notice the pattern. I notice the pattern in Bridget Riley’s work, but more often than not I do not know where it starts or where it ends. Or sometimes where it is going. Which is just about where we find ourselves now. Now I am of the view that if Neil Lennon had decided to leave Celtic at the end of this season he would have taken the opportunity to bid farewell to the supporters after the Title celebrations two weeks back. But he didn’t. Celtic’s Pravda like response yesterday suggests to me that they did not know either. And as for involving a Manager who has in effect just walked out the door in the process of appointing the new Mhan well that is just window dressing taken to extremes. Okay we will get a new Manager, but it will be in circumstances not of Peter Lawwells’ choosing. On plan? There wasn’t one.
I’ve just left the ticket office, the queue was just edging out the door
As my form was filled in properly I didn’t have to queue.
The steward said the sales have really picked up!
Bada Bing…I didn’t realise you had your own fan club…bloke with your moniker on his t-shirt in the ticket office :)
SSN at the spin, inteviewing Roy Keane. Is response to the question if he would be interested in the celtic job. “Was I’ve got a job”
thecyclist,
Appreciate your valid viewpoint.
To many Celtic supporters Scottish football is irretrievably and fundamentally flawed. Many of our support will not accept the only option of domestic challenge, and the danger was always that the demise of “Rangers” would also trigger our decline to the pack level. IMO this is inevitable if the status quo remains.
Realistically there is only one answer. Wipe the slate clean and join another league.
We must be bold, invoke European competition law and test the water.
We am still in the dark what Celtic’s actual position and long term strategy is despite continual rumour .
That is what I would like the next CQN Q&A session to address with any person in the know to stick his head above the parapet.
HH to you.
I hope we get someone who has EPL management experience and/or knows how to win games against European opposition. I’m afraid it will be another ‘Celtic’ man to sell season books.