Peter Lawwell told Sky Sports he’ll not be rushed into making an appointment. Football goes on holiday for the next few weeks as players, managers and (under normal circumstances) CEOs kick back before minds turn to preseason and transfers. Even if Celtic appoint a manager tomorrow, his plans for next season will progress little in the immediate future, but the task is being addressed with some urgency.
The best insight I can offer is that the bookies and media know Sweet Fanny Ally about what is going on. Know that when Celtic start to talk to a candidate, the first thing they will insist on is radio silence, so if the aspiring manager is talking to a jouno, chances are he’s not talking to Celtic. The club will attempt to do as much work below radar as possible, but between now and the day of an appointment, newspapers will splash their latest ‘favourite’ to get the job over their covers in an attempt to get you buy. You’d be better picking your own candidates and writing your own headlines.
I’m going to wallow a bit in European glory tonight. All those photos of the Lions back in Lisbon has been inspiring. What great man, what a great history they’ve given us.
Order your dedicated copy of Tommy Gemmell’s All the Best at the fancy new CQN Bookstore.
[calameo code=000390171873c910154bd lang=en page=106 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
1,442 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
- 34
- 35
- 36
- 37
- 38
- »
Lubo –
The problem is, people claiming Lenny was hounded out of Scotland takes the emphasis away from the simplistic belief that he left because of the budget, and that is just not on is it?
In fact some of them have even claimed he left because Forster and van Djyk MIGHT BE SOLD.
I repeat . . . MIGHT BE SOLD.
Risible.
Ernie Lynch –
Is the transfer budget a new thing for Neil Lennon?
Or has it been like that since he came?
Because if it has been like that all the time he’s been here it’s hard to see why that alone would now suddenly induce him to leave.
Or is that too logical and rational an approach?
neganon2
It is bizarre behaviour, indeed, for “an anti-Catholic country” to have, under law, Catholic schools.
GCT,
I know, I know.
HH.
.
Great stat from last night –
After 2 European Cup finals in Lisbon featuring 4 different teams, Celtic still have 70% of the total shots on target ;-)
Neganon2,
We may not agree with every work he has said in the article, but he deserves huge credit for highlighting issues that most others deny or even bury. He does not deserve to be discredited as some on here are doing.
Limbo.
Ernie –
As I posted the other day, he left because he knew what was coming, and put his family first.
Lubo
09:58 on 25 May, 2014
I think the barney is because Mckenna insists, in the face of reality, that Scotland is enlightened and progressive.
It isn’t.
His article shows that it isn’t.
Good article below from today’s Guardian/Sunday Observer supporting my perception of events in Scotland and the Scottish Governmemt’s weak attempts to deal with it. This failure will result in some lack of support in the upcoming referendum. A potentially significant SNP “own goal”.
Sunday 25 May 2014
The Observer
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/25/neil-lennon-persecution-shames-scotland-celtic-manager
—-
Now that the departure of Neil Lennon has been announced, it is time to ask why enlightened and progressive Scotland treated him in such a vile manner in each of the dozen or so years he spent with us. The resignation of a Celtic manager ought only to be the subject of scrutiny on the sports pages, with his success rate and football legacy being picked apart and compared with others who have occupied that seat. Such, though, has been the universal hatred to which this young man has been subjected in every part of Scotland that any interpretation that fails to analyse why is immediately rendered meaningless. Neil Lennon is, quite simply, the bravest man in Scotland.
Lennon was that rare thing in the world of team sport, a highly skilful player who immediately went on to become a very successful manager. From 2000, as his career in Scotland progressed, it soon became apparent that he was being abused and vilified at almost every away ground he visited. Something other than football rivalry was being expressed here and it was becoming ugly to behold.
In matches against Rangers FC, then Celtic’s oldest and fiercest rivals, the abuse was almost unbearable and on one occasion Lennon’s manager, Martin O’Neill, put a fatherly arm around his shoulders and marched him halfway up the pitch as if to say: “I know what this is about, but this is my son and we will always support him.” Lennon, you see, is a Catholic from Northern Ireland. He has red hair and a belligerent onfield demeanour that brooks no compromise. He never backs down. And then of course, he played for Celtic FC. For some in Scotland, this was a toxic cocktail that deserved a violent response.
In his time at Celtic, Neil Lennon was the victim of almost a dozen assaults and attempted assaults. On one occasion, he was kicked to the ground by two assailants outside his favourite wine bar in one of Glasgow’s most desirable neighbourhoods. Most famously, he was attacked on the pitch in Edinburgh by a supporter of Heart of Midlothian. The incident was witnessed by millions watching live on Sky TV. In what must have been a world legal first an Edinburgh jury subsequently cleared his assailant.
Three years ago, two men from Ayrshire tried to blow up Lennon and his family by sending him a parcel bomb. A judge convicted them of a lesser charge. Others had attempted to send him bullets in the post. He was forced to stop playing international football for his beloved Northern Ireland because he and his family began to receive death threats immediately following his move to Celtic.
During Lennon’s 13 years in England as a player for Manchester City, Crewe Alexandra and Leicester City, there hadn’t been a single controversial incident involving him. As soon as he pulled on the green and white hooped jersey, he became a marked man throughout Scotland and subjected to a persistent and egregious litany of hate. Since 2011, he and his family have received round-the-clock police protection at home and at his children’s school. During this time, Lennon was badly let down by every major organisation in Scotland that would normally have been expected to intervene as this extraordinary campaign of personal vilification was being played out before them. Let none be in any doubt about this: Lennon was hated for his religion and for his country of origin. Too many Scottish football writers either chose to ignore what was happening or, worse, tried to justify it by saying that, by dint of his belligerent demeanour, he brought much of it upon himself. They conveniently overlooked the fact that Lennon had an exemplary disciplinary record and never criticised opposing teams or managers. Away from football, he lived quietly and openly in Glasgow’s West End, where he enjoyed the company of supporters in the wine bars and restaurants of that neighbourhood.
The Scottish government simply chose to look the other way while a migrant worker in Scotland was being racially abused in front of them and the Scottish Football Association refused to intervene. Indeed, on the only occasion that they did so, they hit Lennon with an extraordinary ban as punishment for reacting angrily, but not violently, to something uttered quietly by Ally McCoist, his Rangers counterpart. You got the impression they had been waiting to do that for some time.
Meanwhile, the government, in a gross act of cowardice, decided to use that incident to show that it cared by organising an utterly worthless and meaningless summit on sectarianism. Yet it had nothing to say about the campaign of abuse that Neil Lennon endured in this country. No anti-racism body ever came to his aid. There are some who claim that Scotland remains an anti-Catholic country, but it’s not really.
Nor is this about Rangers FC, that once mighty bastion of the Scottish Protestant hegemony. They have routinely been employing Catholics for years and participate fully in anti-sectarian projects. Rather, there is still a sizable remnant of Scots who cling stubbornly to old ideas of religious and cultural supremacy and who regard the Irish as an inferior race.
The pillars of their existence were the Church of Scotland, the Conservative party and the reserved professions where Catholics were once told politely they need not apply. These have all either disappeared or been rendered meaningless. The Catholic Irish, meanwhile, have emerged confidently from discrimination and deprivation to play a full role in modern Scotland. For some, the pace of change has been too much. Neil Lennon arrived at a moment in time and became the sum of all their fears and insecurities. This is not to excuse or justify, merely to offer an explanation.
In the 1955 film Bad Day at Black Rock, Spencer Tracy goes looking for justice in a small American town with a secret. Eventually, he finds it and the town finds redemption. Political, cultural and civic Scotland has yet to explain its failure to protect Neil Lennon. Until it does so, it can never fully be redeemed.
HH
Gerry
GCT
Na he left just because of the bigots. Took him 14 years to decide.
Wood for the trees and the PR.
MWD says Aye
Meganon2 Scotland viewed solely from the Celtic/Sevco prism will give you a skewered or dare I say even perverse assessment of life in Scotland, i suggest you read Tam Devines we’ll researched hyperbole free views on how Catholics are achieving on Scotland, who knows you might get brought into the light and be enlightened
Just read back and see this article has already been addressed. Apologies for that but relevant nevertheless.
Gold Coast Tom
10:08 on 25 May, 2014
If the purse strings were loosened he would have stayed, at least for another season. I’m fairly sure of that.
Scotland is Enlightened! It happened years ago.
Francis Hutcheson, David Hume, Adam Smith, Dugald Stewart, Thomas Reid, Robert Burns, Adam Ferguson, John Playfair, Joseph Black and James Hutton.
MWD says Aye
ernie lynch
“Is the hounding by bigots a new thing for Neil Lennon?
Or has it been like that since he came?
Because if it has been like that all the time he’s been here it’s hard to see why that alone would now suddenly induce him to leave.
Or is that too logical and rational an approach”
—————————————————–
Because its been like that all the time he’s been here does not make it more acceptable. Maybe he just wants a normal family life.
Is that logical and rational enough for you?
HH.
GCT,
We may never really know why he left. Some will use it as a reason for bashing the Board. I wonder how many of the critics were bashing the Board for a lack of ambition in appointing Neil four years ago?
A few I would guess.
Lubo
Ernie Lynch
I know that I can’t force you to engage with me on here. I asked you a question earlier. A serious question. It may have seemed general and vague so let me be clearer.
I would contend that there is evidence that in Scotland there exists some enlightenment and progression. I would offer the evidence of free prescriptions, care for the elderly and no university fees. This is not cherry picking but evidence that enlightenment does exist. There are aspects of Scotland that desperately require attention and the fact that a migrant worker like Neil Lennon was treated as he was is shameful and unacceptable.
Now, where do you point me for more enlightenment and progression. Westminster? The Labour Party.
CQN has it’s own list of Scottish thinkers intertwined with loonies, media, bananas, fruit cakes, space cadets, happy clappers, mineshafters, scroll pasters.
I know who’s who.
MWD says Aye
At the end of the day, only Neil Lennon knows exactly why he left. I surmised the other day that he might have left because of what was to come. I made it very clear that it was merely my opinion.
The only people who claim to know for sure why he left are the aforementioned posters and the Daily Record.
Says it all really.
Lubo
Then some will use it to bash the board bashers.
None so blind as those who can see.
MWD says Aye but should stop questioning Celtic authority
McKenna’s piece demonstrates clearly that none of the authorities in Scotland – footballing (“the Scottish Football Association refused to intervene”) and civil (“The Scottish government simply chose to look the other way”) – were willing to tackle the sectarian abuse of Neil Lennon.
He also reminds us of Neil’s 13 years playing in England without issue. So clearly his conclusion has to be that sectarianism is only a problem in Scotland. “Political, cultural and civic Scotland has yet to explain its failure to protect Neil Lennon. Until it does so, it can never fully be redeemed.”
Gold Coast Tom
10:06 on 25 May, 2014
‘Ernie Lynch –
Is the transfer budget a new thing for Neil Lennon?
Or has it been like that since he came?’
####
Well of course it’s very different since he came here as a player. And if it hadn’t been different he wouldn’t have come. And if he hadn’t been here as a player, he wouldn’t have been here as a manager. And we wouldn’t have got to Seville.
####
‘Because if it has been like that all the time he’s been here it’s hard to see why that alone would now suddenly induce him to leave.
Or is that too logical and rational an approach?’
###
From what I understand his budget’s been reduced. I’ve also heard (and I don’t know if it’s true) that there may have been a ‘misunderstanding’ about what his budget was to be. He thought it was one figure PL thought it was another. I suppose these little mix ups can happen.
The bigotry and sectarianism was a factor, of course it was, but it wasn’t the tipping point.
So GCT
You haven’t mentioned anyone by name. Apart from me who are the aforementioned posters?
MWD says Aye
For clarity, which is why we have punctuation, my last post should have included question marks.
Now where do you point me for more enlightenment? Westminster? The Labour Party?
My friends in Celtic,
As the debate widens. Free prescriptions, care for the elderly and no university fees are the result of devolved powers within the UK.
Why would we put these in jeopardy ?
HH.
PS : There is no such thing as free. The cost will be paid elsewhere.
MWD –
Read back a wee bit.
I am trying to arrange a pool tournament and a right boozy day out for CQN bloggers this summer.
The venue will be Scotland’s best pool hall , Styx in Kirkcaldy .
It will be a daytime event on a Saturday.
The exact date to be confirmed .
I would welcome all CQN’rs to come along for the day.
You do not need to participate in the tournament . You can just enjoy a few beers and the craic with fellow tims.
It would be the plan to put any prize money towards a charity.
ALL ARE WELCOME.
So far we have
Petec
Sipsini
Delaneys Dunky
Hamiltontim
Bamboo
TinyTim
All interested in playing.
Please leave a message on here if you would like to attend , and if you want to participate then just state attendee or Player
Alternatively you can get my email from Paul67
Hopefully we can get a good crowd together , have a few beers and raise some money for charity.
TT
Right. Hands up.
Neil Frances Lennon left Celtic for one reason and one reason only.
It was them dastardly bigots that done it!
I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate every thug and scumbag bigot, bullet poster, bomb maker, terracing attacker. You won guys.
Neil Frances Lennon – 14 years a Celt but weak in the end.
I think that’s the just of it!
MWD says Aye
Doctor Whatfor
10:16 on 25 May, 2014
Well thank you for making your SNP tub thumping agenda clear.
I wonder though whether the examples of populist policies you cite to show just how enlightened and progressive Scotland is, might have something to do with the SNP trying to win a referendum?
greenpinata
Actually I wasn’t widening the debate. I was only exemplifying to clarify my question to Ernie.
TinyTim –
Count me in as a player.
I’ll be back in Scotland in a couple of weeks, so hope I’m not too late.
Re the potential sale of Fraser and Virgil. Not heard or seen any rumours of clubs sniffing around either player.
I would guess that with the level of contempt that the English have for the SPL , and in fact any scouting mission to view Fraser would need to get lucky to see the big man called into action , only a few times per game.
For me , less than 50% chance of a move to an Aston Villa or a West Ham.
On Virgil, whilst recognising that he is a good player, he was caught out badly in the CL games and looked a yard short at that level. From my vantage point at home games, he seemed very lackadaisical towards the end of the season and could do with shifting 1/2 stone. Partial heresy, as all defence problems are either blamed on Effe or Izzy being out of position.
I would be surprised if Virgil was sold, based on the what I have witnessed , as opposed to the consensus view.
Neil’s departure this year now makes some sense of his tactics of opening up in Champions league games, we opened up and in so doing , we are unable to compete at that level. The selection for the Barcelina away game was particularly disturbing. I guess the manager had to try , in order to find out, and perhaps he realistically thought they he could not take the club any further forward and it was time to Hand over the baton to a new man.
HH
Good Morning Bhoys & Ghirls
With the world cup just 18 days away, we thought it would give us all a wee bit of interest and fun, if we ran a predictor competition.
It will follow roughly the same scoring format as the league predictor but maybe with a few twists and turns, and the cost will be £10 each.
All monies will be paid out as prize money.
So if you would like to take part, drop us an email at cqnpredictor@gmail.com
Happy Lisbon Lions Day to you all.
CRC
TT
Dependant on the Saturday I’ll come along. Player and drinker.
I have my Bhoy every 2nd weekend so can only do every other 2nd weekend.
MWD says Aye
MWD –
I’m happy for you that you think it is funny.
Ernie,
You say McKenna “insists” in the face of reality that Scotland is enlightened and progressive. I don’t read it that way.
The article opens with “Now that the departure of Neil Lennon has been announced, it is time to ask why enlightened and progressive Scotland treated him in such a vile manner in each of the dozen or so years he spent with us.”
You can read that statement in a few ways. As a sarcastic statement or at face value that he believes that Scotland is enlightened and progressive. Nothing else in the article supports that Scotland is either enlightened or progressive. My interpretation is that McKenna is mocking the suggestion that Scotland is either. He is opening a debate about the way our society supports people who are hated because of their ethnic background. We should not be debating about the failings of the author, but the subject in the content.
If there were more journalists willing to say what he has, things just might improve.
Lubo.
C’mon GCT.
I’m disappointed. You missed me off your list. :-(
MWD says Aye
TinyTim
10:25 on 25 May, 2014
Count me in as a player, dependent on what day it is. I am away from 11th July for 2 weeks at the CQN Lanzarote convention :-)
HH
CRC