It is an undoubted truism that power only becomes accountable when it is on the wane.
I was reminded of this when a long-standing supporter of Mr Lawwell contacted me yesterday.
We had previously had a testy exchange after he had read me here on the subject of Celtic’s untitled, unofficial and unqualified director of football.
Now, this loyal Lawwell adherent told me that he finally accepted the basic premise that the CEO had been allowed for far too long to carve out this ad-hoc role.
Moreover, this informal expansion of his duties had damaged the club’s onfield fortunes.
Dear reader, I believe that Carl Jung was correct when he observed that “there is no coming to consciousness without pain”.
The league is gone, and the quest for Ten is over.
Much of that, I believe, can be laid at the door of the club’s CEO.
This, after all, happened on his watch.
Consequently, I was heartened to learn yesterday that four people had been interviewed for the post of Director of Football.
I don’t have names, but I’m told that two are at Manchester City and one chap had some connection to Bournemouth.
The other candidate was based on the European continent.
My information is that the review of the management team had only gone well for two of them:
Stevie Woods and Gavin Strachan.
So expect major changes.
I was further encouraged when I was told that the new CEO realises that football issues are not within his skill set.
Of course, it should always have been thus.
Mr Lawwell was allowed to remain in post for 17 years, and that’s probably a decade too long for that type of job.
I believe that was a major contributory factor to this car crash of a season.
It has cost Celtic the historic Ten and the man with the heated driveway at least one loving fan.
A good friend will never say “I told you so”.
Therefore, I retained from using that remark.
My Lawwell supporting pal believed in Celtic’s omnipotent CEO because it was comforting for him to do so.
Next season could see strange new ways at Parkhead where people are put in positions based on their professional expertise.
For the avoidance of doubt, I wish Mr Lawwell the very best of luck in his future career.
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The buck stops fully with Lawwell for the current mess at Celtic Park.
For the continuing decline of Scottish football, the buck stops with Lawwell too, in my opinion.
In 2012 there was an opportunity to flush away most of the shit that stains the game and society in this country.
Sure, there is shit in every corner you choose to look in, however, the pan that is Ibrox seems to be overflowing when it is open.
A lesser man chased a lesser opportunity and served the lesser good.
That man is Peter Lawwell.
The only thing PL did that stopped 10 was to appoint wee Neilly Lennon. Strange though how one day you’re being celebrated for the clubs finances which gave us a ‘sporting advantage’ and the next you’re getting the blame for anything and everything.
The fans should vote on Peter Lawwell
At the next game live that gives each
There chance lets see how we care about him good CEO or bad ceo
That sounds fair tv on vote
The fans should vote on Peter Lawwell
At the next game live that gives each
There chance lets see how we care about him good CEO or bad ceo
That sounds fair tv on vote
The quicker the better that he is out the door, he leaves a rigged game and some legacy,
His part in the 5-way agreement,
Failure to update shareholder records,
His reply to shareholders about not seeing something that was in an email to him,
Failure to deal with RES 12,
Failure to act on evidence that could have had the LNS Commission that legitimized EBT titles set aside,
Failure to act on the Traverso letter in 2016 calling Sevco a NEW club/company including taking up UEFA’s offer to investigate,
Gave a casual nod of acceptance to all the cheating before and after 2012,
No effort to implement FFP,
Not challenging the SFA about numerous refereeing mistake’s,
Briefing the press against the club manager,
Numerous transfer issues- McGinn, Shved, Compper, Fletcher, etc,etc,etc.
Hiring the club manager in a shower,
Not looking at CV’s that were in a drawer,
The abandonment of the sports science, diet, training and all round professionalism on the football side of the club,
Lack of forward planning in all areas,
Dubai
And finally but not least the man that lost the ten.
Goodbye can’t come quick enough.
Sounds like the search for a Director of Football
has been far more thorough than the search / annointment
of the chosen CEO… from a different sport…?
Improving the recruitment process for key positions at CFC should be the top priority.
I’d contend that a good CEO doesn’t need knowledge of a given sport. They’re in place for the big picture strategic planning and hire genuine experts to take on technical roles.
When the CEO of a sporting company puts themselves in a position where they believe they are best qualified to make sporting decisions then little good comes from it, as can be evidenced by Celtic’s season and the events leading up to it.
Well summed up. I’d also contend that the CEO should be in place BEFORE a Director of Football OR a manager are appointed. These relationships are crucial to the smooth running of the club, and all three really should be in place BEFORE planning for the new season begins.
With European qualifiers coming hard on the heels of the new man’s arrival the timescales are NOT good.
The whole process looks six months out of sync with the season.
If the European qualifiers go smoothly, and the league campaign gets off to a flying start, with the present management team still in place, what do the new CEO and DoF do? Bring in a new management team with absolutely NO guarantee that it would work out. A real “rock and a hard place” scenario for two guys just in the door.
I guess 17 years was just too long; 16 years, however, the last four of which delivered an unprecedented four successive Trebles, was ok.
Last summer, PL did everything we wanted. He kept all our ‘wanted’ stars, like Ajer, McGregor, Christie, and Edouard. He provided funds for the areas that needed strengthening: £5m for Barkas, an international goalkeeper, a Uruguayan international, Laxalt, on loan from Milan, £5m for Ajeti, £3m for Turnbull; and then to cap it all, a very expensive loan signing of Shane Duffy, a signing we all welcomed as the man who would ensure the Ten.
Lawwell authorised all of that spending. If we want to see where it all went wrong, the buck doesn’t stop with Lawwell.
I can assure you, I never welcomed nor wanted Shane Duffy anywhere near the club. Anyone that was excited about a Brighton bench warmer was off their rocker
If I am not mistaken Stevie Woods had a big say in the selection of Barkas as our new keeper. That rings alarm bells with me.
It was Desmond and the Board who allowed Lawell to operate for 17 years in the way he did. Losing the 10 lies at their door too.
10 in a row was lost last season when there was no sporting integrity and three teams were damaged for no reason other than getting Celtic the title for European competitions.
Yes they may well have won the league legitimately, however in the rush to ensure the following season’s spot in European comps, the process was botched, teams dumped on fellow teams and the GFA did what the GFA do best, look after the weggie bigot brothers.
It gives me no pleasure to think Sevco winning the league, as it only means going back to the duopoly, the only good news is it may take Celtic a while to get back up to speed and maybe another team will challenge for the title.
Much can be laid at Lawwell’s door, but the majority of the blame lies with Lennon, his coaches and the players.
The squad who clinched nine were not sold from under him, he failed to retain the key services of Forster (maybe unfair to expect success here) and spent £5m replacing him with uselessness. Money was given rather than balancing the books and recruitment has either been horrendous or the coaching of new and existing players has been inadequate.
If Lennon doesn’t rubber stamp the acquisition of any player then it falls on him anyway for allowing that to be the case.
Glad Lawwell is going finally but the ten should have been achieved despite him.