There appears to be a game within a game unfolding.
I’m told by an impeccable source that Rafa Benitez and his representatives had a clear the air sit-down planned with the owner of Newcastle United earlier this week.
Apparently, this was the meeting that could settle the Spaniard’s future at St James’ Park with an improved contract.
However, at the last minute, Big Mike sent one of his senior lieutenants in his stead.
Veteran Ashley watchers would quickly dismiss the possibility of happenstance on his absence and that he was sending a message.
Of course, it is possible that the ex-Real Madrid manager is merely using the genuine interest from Celtic to give him leverage with his current employers.
My mind is taken back to David Ginola in the 1990s.
Meanwhile, if Neil Lennon is still in two minds about taking the job permanently then he certainly made his case trenchantly at the presser yesterday.
Sources close to the Armagh man have been telling me over the last two weeks that the putative budget for rebuilding the Celtic squad in the summer is unrealistically parsimonious.
If that is the case then headline acts like Benitez are likely to be of the same opinion.
Amidst all of this intrigue, Celtic are the 8IAR champions and the title will be handed over on Sunday.
Only a catastrophic error of judgment, either in terms of recruitment or in resourcing the new permanent manager will prevent the same happening again twelve months from now.
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Celtic are guaranteed UEFA money at the end of next season, simply for participating in the CL, as well as telly money, so why don’t we just use the entire budget of what’s already in the bank, and start a financial rebuild?
Can you imagine what that money could do? We could afford a top-quality manager, and I know it might upset the squad, but buy in some real quality players that would enhance the squad? I don’t mean going all-out for a Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar-type of player, but splashing the cash on guys with potential (Timo Weah, for example). Look at the money we’ve made recently from the sale of Van Dijk, Wanyama, etc – guys we paid a relative pittance for. This is where Celtic excel.
Given that it was Lennon who was Manager when Forster Van Dijk Wanyama Griffiths Hooper and a Commons were signed (John Park being the key here) I fail to see why he couldn’t do it again only this time targeting ready made players like Castagne,Meling,Finnbogason who would take us forward.
Thing about employing big name managers they come with Big name Wages and also their own backroom staff who also cost a fortune.
All that money eats into any potential budget before a player is signed.
The obvious solution is to keep Lennon as a manager and bring Park back in place of Congerton and get these signings in pronto quick style.
You don’t need Jose Mourinho or Pep Guardiola to win the SPFL all you need is a solid Manager and a decent squad.
We struggled at Hibs under Lenny as did 2angers his squad there was nothing special.
Don’t necessarily agree with the names you’ve mentioned, but the general thrust of your argument is spot on. Lenny’s Euro record was miles better than BR’s, as was his ‘Head to Head’ record. With a FRACTION of the resources.
Unfortunately, the way it looks right now bhoys we need to prepare ourselves for a summer of discontent, i sincerely hope that I’m wrong, but it’s Celtic and Lawell we are talking about, the season books are already dealt with and that seems to be all that Peter seems to bother about, that and his overinflated bonus, anyone can see that there is only a few players at the club who genuinely give everything for the team, let’s supplement these guys with a few new players of genuine quality, i don’t think it’s to much to ask! HH.
Meant to ask…
Does anyone know the current legal situation regarding ” Sevco club ownership” that was contested in the Courts recently …??
Common sense tells me that, given the closeness of the CL qualifiers, a decision on the Manager has to have been made already.
I would be genuinely surprised if a new guy rocked up in 3 weeks without any previous contact regarding discussions as to personal contract terms ,backroom staff, budget and wanted players…Let alone players who will be encouraged to leave.
To my simple mind ( and the wife agrees with that description) there is not enough time left for someone like Benitez to genuinely fail to agree terms with Mike Ashley soon…then turn up at our door and be expected to handle the foregoing issues in a matter of weeks….unless he’s been tapped up already of course.
I’m not saying it won’t be Benitez….but if it is…then the current negotiations with Ashley are a smokescreen ….and the Club wants Sunday and then the Cup Final out of the way…before making the announcement.
I’ve already gone on record as saying that a big statement of intent needs to be made…both with the Manager and new players…but the spectre of the biscuit tin continues to haunt my dreams.
Oh…and you would have thought that Dermot Desmond would have ploughed some of the money he made from his big hit…The Israelites ….into the Club..:0)
The part about the parsimonious budget seems hard to comprehend.
We know that Celtic are eight out of ten years towards an achievement unparalleled in Scottish football history.
We know that they messed up last summer, and for whatever reason ended up underinvesting, leaving themselves a major rebuild for this summer.
We’re pretty sure they have a good amount of money in the bank – more perhaps than at any time in the club’s history.
We know that, even in brute financial terms, failure to qualify for this year’s champions league group would be a huge issue.
The idea that the board would jeopardise the historic 10-in-a-row that means so much to the club’s support – and imperil the European money from the CL group stages – by tightening the purse strings at this crucial moment? Utterly unfathomable.
I can only presume they have decided that Neil Lennon is not the man for the job, and they are keeping their financial powder dry till the new manager of head of recruitment are in place.
I think that’s the issue right there.
If Lennon gets the job, then the budget ‘given to him’ will probably be miserable / insufficient.
If a new, ‘Rodgers’ calibre guy gets the job, he will have negotiated a mutually agreed – and realistic – budget to revamp the squad to his satisfaction.
Aye? Well I hope he revamps it considerably better than BR did.
Incidentally, I don’t think Lenny will take it WITHOUT guaranteed funding. He walked before for that very reason. He’s not a rookie manager any more. He won’t allow his GENUINE emotional attachment to the club to be used to blackmail him into accepting unacceptable conditions.
The reallity of last summer’s parsimony was that a refusal to invest £15-20m, in areas of the team where EVERY fan knew we needed to strengthen, cost us probably north of a £40m return. People can say what they like about PL’s business acumen, but that was NOT good business by any standards. ONLY in the CL can you get that kind of return for such an investment. Money sitting in the bank is depreciating in value.
Oh aye, if you want to talk about a ‘BR calibre guy’ I’d refer you to my reply to Cyan O’Bacteria above.