As you know I hold to the controversial view that in professional football having more money than the opposition is a sporting advantage.
The best players tend to attract the best personal terms and are sold for the highest fees.
Although there are celebrated bargains (Henrik Larsson £650,000) these are atypical.
Essentially money equals muscle in professional sport.
Moreover, I hold that to be true for off-field activities as it is on the pitch.
It will not, I’m sure, have escaped the action of many in the green side of Glasgow that the Parkhead club shells out a lot for their CEO.
Indeed, if this report is correct on Mr Woodward and Manchester United, then Celtic stumps up more for their chief executive than any other club in Britain!
It is undeniable that the champions of Scotland do very well in terms of commercial activity.
Indeed, it is that that gives them a financial and ipso facto a sporting edge over their rivals.
However, it is a sturdy rule that the highest-paid non-playing member of staff at any professional football club should be the manager.
That is clearly not the case at Celtic.
Sadly, the days of the untitled director of football are back at Parkhead.
As is his favourite agent.
Of course, the CEO of a football club must have an agile mind and a mastery of detail.
An excellent memory is also a sine qua non for anyone in the corporate hot seat.
Therefore, I was amazed to learn that when asked at the recent AGM Celtic’s guy said that the club had never had sight of the infamous Five Way Agreement.
This seems a serious error, if true…
The next couple of weeks will tell if Celtic have visibly strengthened their squad for the second half of the season.
Failure to do so would give great heart to Mr Gerrard and his charges.
The rational members of the Sevco High Command know that the course they have embarked upon in order to stop Celtic retaining the title is utterly unsustainable.
I was told yesterday by a very well-placed source that the average wage of the Sevco squad is continuing to rise alarmingly.
It isn’t at the Celtic level yet, but the upward trajectory is clear.
Of course, the Ibrox entity only has a fraction of the champion’s commercial revenues.
Hence it is unsustainable and this point has been hammered home in recent dignified conclaves.
However, it doesn’t have to be sustainable long-term.
Stopping Celtic will give them a permanent place in the Ibrox firmament.
If they ascend to that dignified place in the hearts of the Sevco klanbase then they should raise a glass in the Blue Room to the best-paid CEO in British football.
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Ten Reasons Why We Won the League Cup And Rangers Didn’t.
1. We scored a goal and They didn’t.
2. We scored one goal in the game and they didn’t score any goals at all in the game.
3. We scored a goal in the second half and They didn’t.
4.Our goalscorers were more clinical than theirs were.
5.We put the ball in the net and They didn’t.
6.They’re not Rangers any more.
7. They’re not Rangers any more.
8.One of our Shots On Target went in and theirs didn’t.
9. We rippled the back of the net and they didn’t.
10.The game ended after ninety Regulation minutes plus injury time and the score was 1-0 to us.
Why is Celtic buying this guy From ninth position club with 7 goals from 18 games:
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/patryk-klimala/profil/spieler/387153
When this guy in the top club in Poland has 14 goals from 18 games:
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jaroslaw-niezgoda/profil/spieler/269446
I don’t believe the ragtop price quoted. The first guy is £500k. Where’s the CL intent?
Quite simply, he’ll be cheaper.
Nobody has paid a transfer fee for him in his career.
A Bialystok & Bloom scam could be the movie plot here. A la The Producers.
I pay you £3.5m for your £400k boy and you kick back £2m to me and keep £1m for yourself. Only in Hollywood.
They all end up in prison in the end.
Phil👇🏼
Des Nately,Syd Lateen,Ed StanleyNed Ashley?
Ring Peter Houston we have a problem.
Those guys you mentioned are pretty smart judging by their well thought out opinions.
So what is your problem.
You spelt my name wrong.
That’s the least of your problems.
Great moniker you’ve got.
Or maybe it’s something you’re suffering from.
A Club LIke No Other should be in the UCL. Simple as that! Cluj at CP is our biggest game of the season so far. We lost it…yet we should have won it by a country mile. Cen Fath? The tie was in our favour in the second leg and we had hame advantage! WE threw it away. Mr. L. played a 4-3-3 when an amatuer would have played a 4-4-2. We ended up chasing a tie we had WON at least twice, with five up front…a la Morton , League Cup, Celtic Park and LOST. That cost us £30M and a chance of Immortality…Again!
What we,ve got as a Manager is a Coach. Cen fath? It is because NL is a Journeyman in work terms as opossed to a Chartered Engineering Professional, he’s a player who has become a manager. He has no proven credentials in management at any elevated level and the Board knew this and appointed him because it saved them looking for and finding a guy that could get us in the UCL.
I think he would have gone through an interview process similar to the one AM never went through when he got the Scotland job – the second time around.
A Year is a long time in any walk of life and in Professional life, if your in the RIGHT position, it could add millions to your bank balance:same if your a players Agent or a football Coach. Jobs for the …no don’t.
In defence of BR in European competition. I watched the UCL draw in season 2017/18 when Liverpool lost the final to RM. We were in the last pot ball wise. With two balls left in our pot if our ball was picked out first, we would have in the Group with Liverpool, Seville and NK Maribor.It wasn’t to be and we were, as the last ball, automatically put into the Pot with PSG and Bayern Munchen.
These two teams along with Barcalona and Man City who we drew the previous season were all fancied winners for the Cup. We were never really going to qualify from these groups! But what if we would have had a rub of the green stuff in that draw. You’ve got to be in it to win it. That is why Cluj was a seismic game changer for a lot of Celtic fans and why Mr. Lennon is not the man for the job this time. Will we win the league? Yes. Scottish Cup…let’s hope lady luck turn up AGAIN!
Scud , keep the Benny’s , chiseling and LIEWELL patter going .
I love it .
Scud , keep the Benny’s , chiseling and LIEWELL patter going .
I love it .
“Kenny McLean has told BT Sport Football that former Aberdeen teammate Ryan Christie underwent a training regime to increase his physical stature, which is now seemingly paying off at Celtic”
So it took the Aberdeen backroom staff to see the potential and bring it out in Christie.
They should pap Ajer, Jullien, McGregor and Johnson among others up there for a while.
Aye but the bennys are chiseling the bennys.and the bennys got chiselled of the klan.its all happening in benny world.i tell thee!!
The bennys are tam kite.the bennys.the bennys.the fooking bloody bennys
Hahahaha son of scudmissle. His patter is rotten right enough. Well played sir
6 Million in for Rodgers and his staff and we replace him with Neil Lennon which is the equivalent of replacing Edouard with shankland…. !0 million wasted on Julien and bolingoli who has no skills or any qualities what so ever…total waste of a Celtic shirt. So yea we’re getting what we paid for. Furtther, under Rodgers our squad value rose under Lennon it is decreasing. Take for example Tom Rogic, under Rodgers he was worth 20 million or thereabouts under Lennon he’s invisible and remember this is the same player who man city rated so highly that every time he got the ball he had 2 sometimes 3 players marking him…can’t get a look in under Lennon and if sold right now we’d be lucky to get 5 million for him.
Tom Rogic is quite simply our best midfielder and easily the best in the country.
However, I would have valued him much higher than £20 million considering Maddison went to Leicester for £24 million.
I, too, am frustrated with his lack of game time.
Lennon constantly playing his favourites ahead of better players may ultimately cost him his job and us 9 in-a-row.
Rogic should have been given more game time in preparation for the debacle in the last game against Sevco, where his defence splitting passing ability and close control were sorely missed.
It’s also time to see what Ajer can do in midfield because he is not the answer at centre half.
As for Bolingoli, the sooner he is out of the team and sent packing the better.
The Hoops will never shrink far enough to fit him. Simply not good enough!
Hear Hear and fookin’ Hear Hear again.
Hail Hail.
I’d take a punt on Shankland! He might not work out but if he did he could be a huge assett. I see similarities with the Griffallo in his movement off the ball.
If we are going to move for him we should do it now. Because if he goes south and continues to score at even close to his present rate he will very quickly move out of our price range.
I agree about Tom Rogic how you can leave an international class player who has proved himself against the huns on the bench is shit.
Phil
I feel that this window so far has been very underwhelming for Celtic to say the least, despite a decent summer window where we brought in a few quality additions who have no doubt improved the team,the type of potential signings in this window have “Project” written all over them, If the Celtic board and in particular the CEO have any ambition to win 9 in a row then now is not the time for “Projects” or sitting about hoping against hope that Sevco will go into Administration in the next few weeks.
Sevco the last few years despite their financial troubles have managed to limp on season after season and will no doubt continue to do so, I do not see them going into administration any time soon as the chaps in the Blue Room believe that this is their year, why would they press the Administration button when this is their best chance of stopping us at 8? I have no doubt that seeing Sevco go into Administration would be great and would help us to seal the 9, but we have heard it all before in regards to the financial trouble at Ibrox, they still continue to sign players they cannot afford and get through each month when there are not many home games being played at Ibrox and also when the International break commences.
Celtic have to sign “Experienced” players in this window to seal 9,although those type of signings are not in the mindset of the CEO who prefers to sign “Projects”,This window is in our best chance to improve the team and claim 9 in a row, failure to do otherwise will cost us.
So LIEWELL strikes again and we miss out on another potential target in Sporar. £5 million would have sealed the deal no doubt doing another history repeating itself scenario McGinn case al over again trying to get the player on the cheap . Get used it folks we ain’t spending a penny this window loaned players either from an academy down south or loaned players over the hill from EPL to old for a game there but they can come up here and top up their pension . Defoe being an example and hey if it works for sevco why should it not work for us according to LIEWELL way of thinking .
Here wee go, if it’s not rotten Benny chat it’s uppercase LIEWELL. Your patter is rank rotten
Block capitals for attention seeking effect
Scudmissile, what does The Benny’s mean?
Got to laugh at the old sorry statement that players are tired. My dad worked down a pit, at the coal face, and played semi pro, sometimes after a full shift. These guys are meant to be fit athletes who have the best nutrition and sports scientists to maintain their fitness.
Watch training and they hardly break sweat and even then only half a day.
Maybe if they had to do a REAL day’s work they would appreciate what work is.
What does the ‘benny’ comment mean?
Don’t pay any attention to it. Its just his rotten patter
Means the guys a fanny mate. Been told umpteen times to give it a wrap but still somehow thinks he’s funny
Benny is a dimwitted character from a TV soap that hasn’t been relevant for 40 years. Just like Scudmissile’s patter.
thanks tony bananas for clearing this up..i was at a crossroads with it
The CHISLING chairman at ibrox could well be right about one bad season for us and we will fold . At this particular moment and time he could be right I hope not but he could be . Financial instability is present at ibrox but they will go for broke and blow us away by producing another couple of rabbits out of the hat in January as wee stand by and watch .
Even the chiselling chairman and a blind benny could tell your patter is honking
Once again another who thinks its patter your very easily amused . Calling out the SEVCO chairman as a CHISLER which he is and their fans BENNY’S which they are a think I have touched a raw nerve with one of them here . Maybe your to thick to get it. Would you like them described as the famous Glasgow Rangers or would that make me a sevco fan . You choose dont take to long over it you might confuse yourself Shamrock . And as they say on the advert on the TV I like the Murphy’s it’s not bitter . Now that is patter .
No it’s not. Everyone on this page cringes at the bennys patter. We’re all adults here and that type of patter/chat/description or whatever you want to call it is childish and pathetic. Like I said not having a go but for the good of everyone probs best to lay off it
Oh dear Shamrock my son you want to be and act like an adult and go on about childish behaviour and yet here you are trashing my name by referring it to more like a scud book than Scudmissile. Now take your pick of what it’s to be but don’t take to long now you might confuse yourself in which one to choose. As I have said before everyone has opinions and their own choice of words when posting on here the Klan, Sevco, my favourite the BENNY’S. Not everyone’s cup of tea when describing them but it’s mine .
Scidmissile more like scud book but one thing that’ll no be getting passed about like a scud book is your honking patter lol
Shamrock cheers for picking up on my script feel free to use it but remember these comments I post are only my opinions which are like arseholes everybody has one .
It’s not your opinions as like you correctly say everyone is entitled to theirs it’s the bennys stuff. Honestly mate it’s rank rotten and I’m not the only one who strongly believes it’s time to give it a wrap
I am 100% with you. The BENNYS chat is god awful. Cringe every time i read it
Nobody’s trashing your name here other than yourself.
One minute bennys isn’t patter then the next you find it hilarious so what’s it to be?
Don’t take too long scud book don’t want you confusing yourself.
And why do you need a name for them just referring to them as them is plenty everyone will know who you’re talking about.
Imagine down the boozer hitting out with that persistent bennys patter. Not a person worth their salt would be sitting with you.
Same rules apply on here.
You’re likely someone who sits with a bottle a cider in his maws attic, drinking g cider on his skants wondering how he’s no had his hole in about 15 year
Fuck me Scud!! But you are one dab hand at ruffling feathers!!
Scud,
How much did you put in the CVA pot?
Celtic 2-1 wins against huns and the panic sets in. Feck me sideways.
The window is only just open and due diligence must be done.
We will be held to ransom for players that’s a cert, the 25 million for KT last summer will drive prices up.
I am not one for thinking that PL isn’t or hasn’t been value for money.
Seems to be a real short term memory lapse from some.
What will really come from Res12 being right and upheld? Really?
I’ll tell you what, same shit that came from HD email saga, fuckers will move on to bigger and better wealthier jobs elsewhere.
League is far from over and we will triumph.
? Where to start on this? Celtic won the last derby game. l’ll take two of of what you had tonight. The rest of the post is just a board love in.
He means that of the 3 games placed against Rangers so far we have won 2 and they have won 1.
For us to lose the league this season there is only one person’s fingerprints all over it and it’s LIEWELL . He will do his usual and wait until the final minutes of the transfer window as deals collapse around him by penny pinching and then throw in a couple of loaned players from another academy. The fans will swallow it as they always do while crying into their cornflakes in the morning as sevco cheat their way to the title . I will say one thing about the BENNY’S they are relentless and stop at nothing cash or no cash . Now as for us and our board we have come to a halt .
Again enough of that bennys patter. It’s absolutely honking and reflects bad on all of society
Seriously but pal what’s with the bennys patter? It’s absolutely honking and doesn’t reflect well on you at all.
I believe I speak on behalf of myself and everyone else when I say want to give it a fuckin wrap
The only thing that is guaranteed with Celtic is; Rangers will always spend more on players. Every time Celtic had a chance to bury them ! No money was spent fact.
Back in the 70s European top table nothing spent. 80s, 90s, remember remember biscuit tin December.
The club that refuses to back managers full stop. Wake up this era is no different. Get ready for another dead end transfer window.
Yes we are top of the league but they have a game in which if they win will put them ahead of us. We were lucky in League Cup final and the result was against the run of play. December was an embarrassment. Again outplayed. My point is that the article keeps talking about our financial muscle which means we should be streets ahead. But we are not. Yes December is not end of season and there is still some way to go but the future is not as clear cut as the financial muscle alleged would imply. Lawell may well be CEO but it is the manager who is responsible for the team. Agreed Lennon was so successful but no guarantees going forward.
Lennon has never won a treble as manager. Even when sevco were in the lower leagues he never accomplished it.
Ronnie Deila came closer to winning a treble than Lennon. So I wouldn’t say he was
“so successful”.
Lennon made the last 16 of the CL and has been in Europe after Xmas more times than Rodgers … Your misuse of stats is laughable, given that the financial disparity between Sevco and Celtic didn’t exist with the dead Rangers and Lennon’s prior time in charge.
The financial disparity did exist as sevco were bankrupt and a few years away from attaining premier league status. It was the likes of Killie , St.Mirren, Hearts and even Morton who done for Lennon.
He never won a treble but his European performances were miles ahead of anything BR produced. HE was in charge for almost ALL of our worst and most embarrassing results in our long European history.
In fact our performances this season, the home game with Cluj aside, with Lenny in charge far outshine anything BR produced.
What Rodgers did or didn’t do is irrelevant.
Lennons ability or lack of ability as a coach is all that matters.
Who gives a f#¥k about what Rodgers done.He’s history.
It’s the here and now we should be caring about.
Lennon has us in a better points position than the two previous Seasons at this point.
He has the League Cup in the bag.
He has us in the round of 32 of the Europa League after winning our Group.
He has signed several decent signings and in the process of signing more.
I fail to see what the problem is?
If it is tactics then you are obviously blissfully unaware that Neil Lennon will alter Systems and tactics to suit opponents.
Rodgers and Deila previously stuck to one system rigidly for a period of 5 Seasons and truth be told it got us nowhere in Europe.
We as a team need a more pragmatic approach to problem solving in that tougher environment.
Lennon like Strachan previous has taken Celtic further in Europe with this approach.
They did so with weaker sides and lesser spending on them.
You appear to be one of those within our Support who is panicking at the first sign of a GENUINE challenge domestically for 7 years.
As far as I’m concerned uefa league is a side show and I hope we don’t progress beyond this upcoming round. Winning nine in a row to me is more important.
Lawwell is a salesman who runs Celtic as a stage for him to develop players and sell on. That is his brief and that’s how Lawwell earns his massive bonus. Pure sales that is all. Celtic find themselves with a massive wage bill and not much to show for it. Like any poor gamblers he only talks about his great success. What about all the failures that continue to pick up massive salaries? At best Lawwell has broke even over the years with his moneyball.
The money in the bank won’t be touched to any great degree. Maybe Mr Desmond senses the end of the easy money at Celtic and his gearing up to sell his shares. Sevco get their act together for one season and Celtic are folding like an MFI wardrobe. We should be out of sight.
There are many ,many Clubs out there who haven’t broken even over the past decade or so.
Even more with nothing to show for it as well.
In 2011/ 2012 I wrote to Celtic. I sent a copy by snail mail and email to Mr Lawwell, Mr Desmond and the PR department.
The jist of the letter was that I had it from a good source that Celtic were fully aware of the problems over at Ibrox and also were aware of the SFA’s behaviour and decision to issue a European licence which broke their rules.
I stated that if true they were complicit in this rule breaking and as a supporter of Celtic I wanted my club to be no part of it.
In the letter I said that I’d been a season ticket holder since 1990, when they were only several thousand in my position, and that I would not be spending another penny on Celtic merchandise unless they could reassure me that they were doing everything in their power to assure that justice was done and to assure me that they were not in any way complicit with what I believed, and in turn, would happen. I never received a reply.
By 2011 I had 4 season tickets for myself and my sons. I didn’t renew. My father, my mum and several other relatives sent similar letters. Like me, they received no reply and didn’t renew.
Four of us were original shareholders. Personally I took out a student loan in 1994 to purchase my 10 shares from Mr McCann for £620 I believe.
Unlike me my relatives have not given Celtic a single penny since. I have given in on a couple of occassions and bought European tickets and strips for my Celtic daft kids.
Phil’s recent article ‘hinted’ at what I was told in 2011/2012. I received no reply to my original letter and either did my father.
How many shareholders wrote similar individual letters and received no reply. To ignore one or two is fine but what if we all got together?
I’m convinced that there are major questions to be answered by the Celtic Board. Have they always behaved in the best interests of the fans?? I don’t think so.
Sorry for the rant.
Don’t apologize
Don’t apologize
A damned fine rant!
I appreciate, it is one thing dealing with the day to day running of a football club and another to sit at home pontificating without responsibility. However, not one of us, on here, would have made the appalling amateurish errors both in team selection and tactics (of which I know very little) committed by Rodgers and Lennon against Sevco recently and I, for one, hope that, down the line, there is a reason for it explained in their biographies. At the moment it seems unfathomable.
The loss at Christmas chad very little to do with Tactics.
It did have plenty to do with key players failing to do their respective jobs to a standard which both the Manager and the Supporters have come to expect.
We dominated the possession 57-43%
We created more chances 11-9
We had the same on target 5-5
The difference being we had 1 penalty saved and twin goal bound chances cleared off the line.
The point is in the last two games against them far too many of our key men have failed to show up and play to the levels they usually do.
You simply cannot foresee this as a Manager as all Season the team has produced a decent level of play.
We changed Systems during the game from the 4-2-3-1 we started with to a 3-5-2 so it isn’t as if Neil Lennon didn’t try to alter our approach as he clearly did.
We weren’t outclassed in Midfield as a great many seem to think.
You don’t control the majority of possession and create more chances if you are outclassed in Midfield that is simply nonsense spouted by people who clearly do not understand the game that well.
The team are tired they have been on the go now for the best part of 3 years playing every round of every Competition available Domestically.
4 of our current squad are in the top 10 of World Football for minutes played so far this Season.
They aren’t robots,fatigue,metal exhaustion and general wear and tear will inevitably take its toll.
I think some within our squad have fallen into the trap that they only need to turn up to win these games.
Success on the levels never seen before could well be the cause of this?
2angers were on the other hand are a side DESPERATE for a result at CP.
They have chucked everything they have at this Season.
We on the other hand go into a January window with over £30m sat in the Bank and in a position to replenish and refresh a side now running on fumes at Christmas.
The break in Dubai will allow our key men to reset,recharge and regroup.
Fresh faces will bring fresh impetus on those whose positions need strengthening.
Forrest for example has had no one pushing him this Season?It should have been or Arzani but injuries put paid to that.
Same with Édouard he needs Griffiths fit and pushing him otherwise standards and levels will inevitably drop.
We are in a better points position than the last two Seasons at this point.
A Cup already bagged and into the latter stages of the Europa League.
I don’t really see what the problem is other than some getting edgy about a much improved 2angers.
Which they are btw a whole 14 points improved should they win their 2 games outstanding at the same juncture last Season.
Keep The Faith bud Lenny has been here before and got the medals to prove it.
I bow to your superior knowledge with regards the game statistics and they seem to back up your main thrust. However, I can’t buy into the fatigue theory . For the most part they train all week to play 90 minutes on a Saturday apart from Ajer, Christie, Hayes, Frimpong and a maybe a few others, they hardly break sweat. If as you say they are suffering from ” metal fatigue” then it is up to Lennon to rotate the team. What did Hayes, Sinclair (now gone) and Sved do to warrant being overlooked by vastly inferior players? They are supposed to have the best squad and yet the same “tired” players are chosen each week. You are hoisted by your own petard claiming Edouard and Forrest need someone to push them but Lennon still picks them knowing they have no self-motivation to do their best. You also make out Lennon to be some aeronautical engineer who realises the aircraft has weakness due to over use and yet passes it fit to fly rather than replace the problem parts.
Having said that I found your description of the game informative and interesting.
Predictive text is the curse of the IPad user apologies in advance.
Pedantry is an awful affliction all the same you have my sympathies.
The reason used for Leicester’s lacklustre performance v Southampton yesterday was the 9 games that Rodgers side had to play in December.
Southampton as you may be aware turned around a 9-0 defeat to win 2-1 in the corresponding fixture and Leicester were simply not at the races.
Given how well Leicester have played all Season then it would seem that there is definitely some in this.
Now if you consider the fact that many of our key players will play the bulk of games in a Season (as is the norm at most Clubs) and that Celtic have won all Competitions for the past 3 Seasons (10 Trophies in all) and therefore played more games Domestically,then you also factor in European games and International Football for those good enough and lucky enough to be selected then it really doesn’t take much of a stretch of the imagination to think that some of these key men could well be suffering a bit from these punishing schedules.
Shved and Hayes have both had injuries recently,Arzani has been out for almost the entire time since he arrived.
These would be 3 players that the Manager could look to replace and rotate Forrest with.
He has rotated where possible this Season especially in Midfield but up front it’s been very difficult for him to do so with the absence of both Griffiths and Bayo who has been injured on and off since his arrival.
On the left side we have been spoiled for choice in terms of resources but again Johnston and Elyounoussi have also had injuries.
You might not take these factors in but Managers must on a daily basis.
All of that to one side Celtic still sit at the top of the League with a better points total than the previous 2 Seasons at this point in proceedings and a mere 3 Points off the total we had in the “Invincible “ Season.
The only difference is this time 2angers are a much better side and have themselves turned around an 8 point deficit with 2 games to spare on last Season.
If they win those they themselves have improved by 14 points having also won one v Celtic in the League and lost one (quite convincingly lost) in the League.
We have improved and they have improved.
We are now in a position to strengthen in this window whilst having a break in Dubai.
I fully expect we will come back much stronger than where we left off.
Thanks for your sympathies but I have to say even allowing your match statistics (dammed or otherwise) you are putting lipstick on a pig. We were hammered. McGregor at left back! Morgan and Johnson lone strikers! Rodgers and Lennon have no excuse. Griffiths is finished as is only there to stop people calling out for a second striker.
The main thing I get from your piece is the injuries sustained by Celtic are interesting.
1. Are they buying them injured?
2. Is the training harming them?
3 Are they actually athletes?
4.Are they just not protected by the referees?
If it is the fourth, Lawwell and Desmond need to be proactive.
With regards “tiredness”, I refer you to Jim Thomas’ earlier comment at 11.13
your excuses for Lennon don’t cut the mustard. It’s the managers job to make sure players turn up…it’s right there in the title ‘Manager’ You also talk about tired players,this season and this has some merit, however, we’ve played about the same amount of games as the sevconites but tell me .Why did Lennon play CalMac against P.Thistle earlier this season? And why why did Lennon agree to take his tired players to tyncastle in the middle of a hectic period with a huge game against sevco on the horizon? As for tactics, earlier in the season at fir park Lennon’s tactics were the the long ball game, as soon as Motherwell scored the players on the park decided to ditch this grotesque style of play and play it on the deck…and that’s not a secret its widely known and it’s also one of the reasons why there were reports of a bust between the manager and Scott Brown. Sorry bud but your excuses just don’t cut the mustard and no amount of ‘stats’ are going to help you.
No it’s the Managers job to get them prepared for the game both tactically and physically.
It is up to them as well paid professionals to deliver a performance that matches that wage.
Whether you choose to accept it or not our key players have played an extraordinary amount of football over the past few years with great success.
They aren’t robots though and at times will underperform regardless of what the Manager does or says.
Neil Lennons record at Celtic more than stacks up against many of our previous Managers.
He’s won 3 Trophies since his return and has us in the Round of 32 in the Europa League after WINNING THE GROUP.
The Sevconites have not won every Competition entered in the past 3 Seasons and so therefore have not played as many games.
They have had a constant change in personnel available to them and have been nowhere near our levels until this Season.
The comparisons are not the same.
No the comparisons are the same but you can’t accept it so you have to go back further and further. But in light of that i’ll ask you again. Why was CalMac played against P.Thistle and why did our manager agree to take his tired team to tynecastle in the middle of a hectic period with an important game against sevco on the horizon? Also have you even considered that Lennon can’t get the best out of these players as he’s not a ‘man manager’ which could explain why he lost his dressing room at both bolton and hibs?
Bolton were in Financial crisis when Lennon took the job there a crisis that he was unaware of when they approached him.
He took Hibs from the Championship to 4th Spot in the Top flight then Petrie sold his entire Midfield and asked him to work wonders again from scratch.
The fact he beat us convincingly at Hibs and gave Sevco problems seems to have escaped your attention.
As for man Management Rodgers took a 40 goal in a Season Striker to a mental breakdown in 2 years with his unique approach to it.
Lennon took a back 4 of Lustig Ambrose Wilson and Matthews at left back to the last 16 of the Champions League.
Rodgers has never been past the last 32 of the Europa at 5 attempts.
Including 2 attempts at Liverpool with a Net spend of £300m in the Transfer Market with a side already containing Reine Agger Skyrtl Johnston Gerrard Lucas Suarez and Sterling.
If we’re relying on Liarweel to bring in Quality in this window you’ll have a long wait..This Coward can’t even stand up for his own shareholders..Just ask the Guys from Res12..It’s a wonder he can’t stand up straight because when it comes to the fight he’s Fkn spineless..He can’t even defend Christie..We need players because the team looks tired..Just ask Strachan why we lost a league to the Huns when he asked him for cash to sign Steven Fletcher..I think his words were “Just Go with what you’ve got Gordon” The Huns won the league…He should have been fired on the spot..If we don’t win this league this season he better move to another Planet..
Lawwell is culpable on so many levels. Had one good / maybe lucky transfer window at the same time Rogers arrived. Before then and Since then it has been awful. He does not understand market value and always plays cheap. John McGinn is case in point especially considering he was moving multiple players on for more than 10m each.
He should be fired, period.
Rogers left because he couldn’t do his job and Rogers without saying it exactly, it is what he meant – he couldn’t take the club any further – he had 3-4 transfer windows with piss poor outcomes. Rogers, a brilliant manager (although I still have a problem with his approach in Europe) shouldn’t have left when he did but I have no problem with him moving on under the Great Pretender.
Why will they raise a glass to Woodward?
You need to read again!
I understand the piece totally but will point out that his appointment of the manager is what will cost us the title. Best player.. click, highest wages..click, best possible manager and back room staff.. no chance.
You don’t give up a merc for a lada.
The Red Imps Manager must have been a Sinclair C5 in this analogy.
Step up Mr Desmond. You are the only person who can influence the CEO to facilitate the upgrades that are required by the Manager.
Let’s not leave it until we fail to deliver to make the changes.
You stand on the verge of immortality amongst the Celtic support if we seal the 10.
Dig deep and lead from the front. You own this opportunity, so take it please .
The same chairman who welcomed back the rangers and their great history ? That bloke ?
Don’t hold your breath laddie
Ed Woodward, like many of the EPL CEO’s are nothing more than figureheads, while all decisions are made by the club owners. The media money floods in, not negotiated by the club’s, but decided by TV companies. The managers in England are key, Rodgers on 5m, Klopp on 7m, Mourinho 15m, Pep on 20m per year. Are these clubs getting value for money?
IMHO Peter Lawwell does a fantastic job at Celtic, when I look back to where we were in the bad old days prior to Fergus, and to where we are now, with the astute buying and selling of players, stadi development, commercial activities etc. PLs salary structure I believe is agreed with a renumeration committee, not just Dermot Desmond. Obviously the bonus structure is based on KPIs which are obviously being met. Our clubs financial standing is the envy of many clubs worldwide, and the fact that we can be assured of being here for the next 10 years, to me is way more important than winning the league 10 in a row. Just my opinion.
Lennon does have what it takes to deliver another treble, though strengthening the squad is crucial as is a long hard look at tactics and individual performance. We should be farming more players out into the league: Morgan should have been one of them. As for Lawwell, the treble treble is a much his as anyone’s but his role as enabler is also vital. Sevco are playing beyond their capacity, thanks mainly to McAllister it would appear. But let’s not make this a two-horse race. Our biggest challenge ahead is Europa progress. Let us not make a Cluj if that. Hailhail
What a pile of pish. Sev……… The Mighty Glasgow Rangers are the most financially sound team in Scotland. I know this for an absolute FACT! Because the Lyi………Dave King said so. If HE said it, it MUST be true for HE is a man ABOVE and BEYOND reproach. He is noted for his honesty and scrupulous dealings with ALL in the business world!!!
Aw fuck ah cannae keep this up!!!
Why are we the quicker to get a player out the door than getting on in the door, looks to me we will buy blind then try and make them fit in ,at team players expense and they might be no better than we put out the door
Yeah, Lyon managed to do a deal in what, 6 hours last summer.
Lennon asked to have his signings in the door for going to Dubai.
Phils right, they must raise a toast in the dignified room of blue to our CEO, every single day – he’s their biggest asset.
HH
If this financial muscle is so great why are we so far behind Sevco? In addition the CEO does not pick the team that’s the manager’s job. As I said at start of season current incumbent is giving this title away. Anyone who thinks that last result against Sevco was a flash in the pan is going to get a rude awakening shortly. Stop crowing about how great financial difference is and concentrate on matters on field where we are deficient and will be second best at year end.
Oh dear.
I think you have misunderstood the entire thrust of the piece.
That is unfortunate.
Spot on weegie 42. I wonder if Phil, with his connections at Parkhead and Ibrox,could put each of the starting eleven in the last Celtic v Rangers with each players wages. It’s probably then the true embarrassment will become evident.
Aye but if you also get them put in the Silverware both sides have won on top then the true embarrassment becomes apparent.
The Medals aren’t handed out at Christmas.
See you back here in May 😘
“Why are we so far behind Secco”
We are actually at the top of the League with the League Cup in the Cabinet.
It’s 2-1 in terms of results for the good guys.
That’s with a team who clearly weren’t at their best and running on fumes in December.
Leagues aren’t won in December.
No one knows this better than Neil Lennon in Scotland having won 8 of them as a Player and Manager.
“So far behind Sevco”?
In what sense?
You really need to avoid mainstream media and the growing number of self entitled spoiled brats in our support who rather fancy themselves as Keyboard Klopps.
So far Behind Sevco! I’ve heard it all now.
Success breeds it’s own issues bud and it has become increasingly apparent some within our Fanbase have succumbed to the effects of self entitlement. 👇🏼
https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/between-the-lines/201801/what-we-mean-when-we-talk-about-entitlement
This is a plea to all the posters who are offended by the BENNY remarks,while I don’t personally find it amusing,what’s wrong with just scrolling on by?,and,when anyone feels like criticizing,make sure you are clear that it’s YOU,and not the wider community you are representing,the only person who speaks for ME on this site,is,ME,those who think they are speaking for the rest of us are arrogant.