Regular readers will not be in any doubt about my views on Mr Lawwell’s reign of error at Celtic.
This site is fully searchable and my long-held assessment of Celtic’s unofficial director of football is here.
However, it would be remiss of me for that day that’s in it not to briefly rehearse why I think this unqualified good news.
Unqualified, ah yes…
I often referred to him as the “unqualified director of football”.
For, in essence, that was the main problem with his time at Celtic.
Mr Lawwell is, by training, an accountant.
Therefore, I hope he will appreciate the balance sheet approach.
For anyone who wishes to put the Quadruple Treble on the credit side of his account, I would challenge that.
The bulk of that amazing feat was achieved precisely because Mr Lawwell was temporarily relieved of his duties as the unofficial director of football.
What I have called the Rodgers Interregnum was a product of an incensed Dermot Desmond at Hamden in April 2016.
I have multiple sources that attested to the fact that the Sevco party rather over-did the Unsurpassed Dignity.
Pissing off a real billionaire was the hinge factor that brought an EPL standard manager to the home dugout at Parkhead.
Neil Lennon completed the work that had already been mainly done by the guy now managing Leicester City.
I spoke with the Celtic blogger James Forrest today and said to him that it would be a significant challenge to name all of the “project players” that Mr Lawwell foisted on a succession of managers.
Neither of us fancies having a go at compiling that very long list of expensive duds.
Then there were the genuine players that Celtic managers wanted at crucial moments.
For me, the failure to land the easily affordable Steven Fletcher in 2009 stands out as a catastrophically bad call.
During the Rodgers reign, it was the saga around John McGinn that probably had the manager looking for the exit.
As I have stated here before, Mr Lawwell probably should have been moved on around 2010.
That would have been seven years in the job, a normal tour of duty for a CEO within Desmond’s empire.
A new guy would not have been so comprised by the events of 2012 when Rangers died and the phoenix club Sevco was being prepared to be parachuted into the topflight as if nothing had happened.
The entire sad story around Resolution 12 indicates that Mr Lawwell continued to believe in the Old Firm brand above all else.
In order for him to be the unofficial director of football, he needed malleable managers.
However, they tend not to be from the top tier.[Images]
In this most historic of seasons, Celtic has crashed and burned and that is firmly Mr Lawwell’s fault and, for me, his enduring legacy.
There were, in fact, two pieces of good news for the Celtic tribe today.
The first one, of course, was Mr Lawwell’s departure.
The second one is that his successor appears to have not the slightest interest in association football.
For the avoidance of doubt, he doesn’t need to know a fullback from a corner flag.
Mr McKay will take over the club in Scotland with the highest commercial revenues in Scottish soccer.
Consequently, he can give the new manager the highest football budget in the country.
After that, he should have zero input into what player the guy in the dug out wants to sign other than if it is within said budget.
Of course, it should always have been thus.
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Former pupil of St Aloysius in Glasgow and a lifelong Celtic fan probably has some interest in association football, however he’ll do the smart thing and bring someone in as a bona fide DoF / top class manager. His strengths are behind the scenes of running a big business which is pretty much what Celtic need.
Jeezo, 9 championship trophies on the trot and 4 trebles on the bounce…what a record! As a supporter of the blue half of Glasgow it has been difficult over the last decade, so I find it unbelievable that a sizeable proportion of the Celtic support are so unhappy. It couldn’t last forever…all good things come to an end and it has for Celtic. It’s no disgrace – they said when Rangers won nine in a row it wouldn’t happen again, but it did. Look to the future.
Gentle words, I thank you.
Despite all his, alleged faults, PL never picked the team, or the tactics. Neil Lennon did. He persisted at the start of the season with the wrong midfield, and the wrong tactic. Also, he persists with Shane Duffy, need I say more.
Hi Phil. I agree fully with your sentiments. I do however for this season especially, feel that our squad of players have decided not to be proper professionals. Signings have been very poor. Just think that if McGinn and Turnbull had been combined, they could have been our engine room for years to come. Drastically weakened club now unfortunately and the Scottish MSM happy to gloat on our failures. When does Dermot ever think, I have 1000+ £m’s, let’s enjoy the Celts winning more
Mr Lawwell has suffered enough stabs in the back. Now that he is to leave his post at the end of the season, I would ask that he be allowed to serve out his remaining time without further attacks. I don’t see the demise of Celtic being his fault alone. As for his attention to balance sheets, financial prudence is the wisest way. We have crowed on this sight as to how we have millions more than the club we trail by 23 points today. I do hope that Peter’s successor doesn’t run the ship aground. Thanks Peter, I wish you well for the future.
After today against St Mirren, you have got to wonder what it takes to incense Dermot Desmond. The coaching staff including Neil Lennon have lost it. I suspect if Dermot Desmond does not act soon we could be looking at a third place finish. Admittedly this might build momentum for the Celtic Trust if Desmond is as disinterested as his inaction over NL would suggest. By the way, if the answer defensively was Shane Duffy, what exactly was the problem? Ffs!
When Clancy says he thought he saw a tangle of legs then he clearly did not see the Morelos stamp properly.
Clancy may claim to have seen it, but video replay and his own words, demonstrates he clearly did not see it properly.
One has to ask, yet again, why an SFA referee who saw an incident involving The Rangers, condemned by all including former RFC players, does not act according to the rules and awards a red card.
Don’t know him personally but know his friends and family well, a massive Celtic fan before he became an employee, and I’m sure will continue to be so.
Overseen unprecedented success domestically at the Club, and seen the huns die on his watch through shocking financial management and behavior.
Was at the helm when we done brilliant and at times pretty poor business in transfer market (particularly this close season which we are all disappointed with) although the Frimpong deal is outstanding.
Good tributes from Brown and Rodgers, although it would be better if Rodgers had admitted he fuccked up McGinn deal not Peter which everybody knows inside the club.
Hail Hail Peter you lived the dream.
I think it’s worth mentioning that BR achieved his success with a squad almot entirely assembled by NL and Ronnie Deila.
The signing of Dembele was all but completed before BR was appointed. He had little or no input there. There had also already been tentative talks with Sinclair’s reps, although to be fair that one would likely have failed without the personal BR connection to him.
The remainder of the squad, other than Broony, who had all been there before either, Forrest, Izaguirre, Lustig, Rogic and Biton, all brought in by lenny, was down to RD.
The signing of Craig Gordon was pivotal. The introduction of Calmac and then KT was also hugely significant. The signings of Armstrong and GMS were also important. The latter four ALL needed time to mature, as did Rogic who was still in his teens when RD arrived – and unfortunately injured most of the time he was there.
I’m convinced RD should have been given another year.
Dermott Desmond done nothing when the wheels came off long before Jan 2 ..the horse had bolted way way long before that ..Peter lawwell will go down in celtics history being the man that allowed a dead company to rise …even if it is a tribute act. Peter lawwell had immortality in his hands just like Jock Stein . He chose otherwise
Get a real Director of football in now, first remit will be get a new management team.
This can’t be left until June, problem is we don’t want Peter Lawwell anywhere near the selection process.
He was a mixed bag. The Shved and McGinn sagas and the untitled DoF interference i agree with. Not good, and that with a manager of a prestige I doubt that we will see for some time. The “old firm” duopoly was a judgement call. Ultimately I agree with you, but the big clubs in Spain, England and Germany have continually expressed a desire for a European super league. How long before there would have been a second division? It might still come to pass, and if we do not make it in I suppose the “old firm” was an insurance policy to ensure the club’s survival. Time will tell if that call was correct. The wheel is still in spin. The Lennon call was his undoing, but ultimately the system he built secured a 10 million fee when we are 20 points behind, and for a player with a couple of assists all year. He was grossly overpaid, that is for sure.
You may be wrong in the ‘he has no interest in football’ Phil,as I’ve read several articles about the newly appointment CEO that stated he held a season ticket @Paradise! Not unless all of them have got it wrong.
Let’s hope he can undo some of PL’s massive errors and in doing so, shows us all he has true integrity and will also ensure that every team follows the rules and regulations.A certain klub in Scotland scoffs at rules,breaks them regularly and has the brass neck to whine like a little bitch if anyone even speaks badly of them.Worse still,weekly they field a team that they simply cannot afford, FIFA ffp rules fired right oot the windae,shameful.
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Thanks Phil🇮🇪
We should’a been a contender.
He did set us up well but was side tracked by the moneyball when we needed a team and serious investment. The tools were there in Rogers, we paid the going rate. The buck stops with a CEO not starts.
Both Peter Lawwell and Dominic McKay are CELTIC fans. I believe PL was leaving on the completion of ten anyway.
It wouldn’t surprise me if PL was now off to uefa in Nyon, where he can look after the interests of Celtic and Scottish football and Mr Desmond’s interests.
Phil you remind me of Judas.
Never Celtic supporter in millions years.
100 percent Phil. Good riddance to him. In his own words he said Celtic couldn’t go 3 years without UCL group stage money. It was his failure to adhere to the ‘speculate to accumulate’ mantra that has been his demise and his egotistical behaviour was indeed the reason Rodgers left us. Onwards and upwards now
Hi phil great peice again from you but whos next manager going tpo be lined up because new manager has a big job on his hands to do with the squad i can edcuard leaving in the summer wont be suprised by that
yes Lawwell shouid had went long ago shouid went when Rodgers left dont forget Rodgers had that bust up with him i belive it was LAWWELL fault dont know full story to it he was to grubby with his money didnt invest in squad when he shouid had at times we needed to am glad hes off.
His biggest mistake was giving NL the managers job and then failing to sack him. Lennon is the one who is to blame for this seasons shambles on the field of play.
Ps the signing of Shved and others during BRs reign would strongly suggest that Rodgers was certainly not in charge of all signings and that applies from the day he walked into CP up until the day he left…let’s not try and make excuses for NLs abject failure as a manager.
Phil, you very recently had a go at the 4th Estate, as you called them, for headlining a story on Neil lennon wth a picture dubbed “Punch Cartoon” which showed Neil in a bad light, and you were quite right to do so. So why then did you choose such an unflattering image of Ronny Deila? Ronny was a good guy and should not be undermined with your crass portrayal of him. It is a bit disrespectful in my opinon and does you no credit whatsoever.
It’s a bit harsh to say that this season’s debacle is firmly at Lawwell’s door. At the end of last season many of us thought Edouard or Ajer would leave.
But we didn’t sell anyone. We did let Simunovic and Hayes go, and I think these were mistakes.
But Lawwell provided £5m to sign a new goalkeeper. And another £5m to sign a striker. And then coughed up big money to get Duffy on loan, a signing we all welcomed; and one that we all thought would secure the League. He also spent £3m on Turnbull. And all this during a pandemic when income was uncertain.
In short, he backed the Manager, big time. What happened after that, who knows? But PL did provide around £15m to strengthen a side that had won the last 11 available trophies.
Whilst I totally agree with your take on Mr. Lawwell, and his unacceptable influence on incoming players, …my over-riding concern is what Lenny does with players …once they’re foisted on him.
I have long held the view that Lenny stands and watches games, the same as me, yet fails to see what’s going on in front of him…It is obvious that he has his favourites…and no matter how they perform…they are a shoe in.
Poor performers are allowed to stay on the pitch far too long…and his late substitutions are baffling.
I posted on here, months ago, that Soro and Turnbull should ask for a transfer …because they, like me, were watching dross…and yet couldn’t get a game.
It’s now clear that these two are pivotal to the team’s performance…and are now virtually assured to start games…
Why so long Lenny ??…Why…??
And as an aside, I think Soro is a better all round player than Turnbull, and if he improves his abilities…then he will go for big money in the future.
We also have Shane Duffy…who is just awful…( its the only word for it…) and yet Welch comes in ( twice ?) does a good enough job…then disappears again..?
Anyway…I don’t have faith in Lenny’s ability to see what’s going on in front of him…or to make required changes…and that to me is a big big reason for him to leave.
Mmm, was it not Mr Forest himself who said that DD was gone before the unseemly celebrations were witnessed?
As someone once sang…”Meet the new boss, same as the old boss’
Is this the extent of the mythical January Review ? Added value ?
Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. What next? £6 plastic pints a la Murryfield ! A half empty stadium will at least allow Adidas to see their branding. Some very pissed off fans here in Coatbridge.
Needs root and branch