Last night and this morning, my phone levitated with angry Hoops fans lamenting Celtic’s most recent acquisition.
It is fair to say that the self-selecting group contacting me was overwhelmingly hostile to the appointment of Mark Lawwell as Head of First Team Scouting and Recruitment.
So, what’s in a name?
Clearly, for many in the green corner, Mark Lawwell arriving at Celtic reeks of nepotism and is a reminder of the dark days when his dad was viewed as an overmighty CEO who meddled in squad matters to a troubling degree.
The opposing point of view is that Ange was an employee of a club within the City Football Group Limited (CFG) from 2018-until arriving at the Hoops last summer.
Consequently, when he was the manager of Yokohama F. Marinos, he was part of a structure where Lawwell Junior had a senior role.
“I was very keen for Mark to join the Club, and clearly, I am delighted that he has accepted this important role and that we have been able to bring him to Celtic.
“Mark is someone who I worked closely with throughout my four years at Marinos, through which time we developed great trust and an excellent working relationship. He knows the way I like to work, the way my teams play and the particular player profile which this requires.”
I said to a buddy, who is convinced that this is a nepotistic appointment, that for his theory to hold water Ange Postecoglou would need to be willing to have someone imposed on him.
Candidly, I told him that I couldn’t go there.
Everything about the Australian with the immigrant backstory suggests that he has a very low tolerance for being messed around.
As for Lawwell Junior, his recruitment efforts will be scrutinised to the Nth degree by Hoops fans who have already made up their minds about him and how he got the job.
Your humble correspondent will look to the public data.
What is already in the public domain is that the CFG has a vast football talent database, and Mark Lawwell will have a granular knowledge of that operation.
For now, Ange’s imprimatur is more than good enough for me.
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I mentioned on a Reddit sub group the plus side of employing a guy who has so many contacts within the city group, his CV and how Ange is nobody’s fool and certainly not one to spare his feelings on a subject.
Give the guy a chance and let’s see.
Who offered James mc carthy a 4 year deal, we would have had a better return from Ramsey
Maybe so, but crucially, would Ramsey still have missed that vital penalty?
And yes you’re are bang on, 1 maybe two years, but four? Nah not for me either.
That’s one wrong move from Celtic, thankfully you could count them on one set of hands, and none were anywhere near big mistakes. The previous season mistakes are counted in groups of fifty, to make it easier to keep track, with them being so numerous.
CELTIC FC CHAMPIONS OF SCOTLAND 🏴 2021/22
Phil: agree with nearly everything you said there. Only one thing I’d point out that could explain why Ange might publicly go along with it even if he may not totally agree with it. What is that? How about if a 3 year contract for him is being discussed right now and that support is the price?
Just pointing out the possibility of trade-offs.
It’s a stretch to describe Peter Lawwells time at Celtic as the dark days Phil.
Does anyone not think that it was mark lawell who told his dad to go for postecoglou after Eddie howe deal collapsed?
Looks like a great appointment for Celtic. In Ange we trust.
I agree with you.. let him be judged on his performance. Plus Ange’s word is good enough for me. He doesn’t strick me as a yes man.
I trust that Ange picked ML.
I totally agree with the appointment, in that if Ange is on board with it, then so should we be.
And me too Phil. Ange will not have anyone whom he doesn’t see fit for their role, further still, he would not have said the things he did if he didn’t feel exactly that.
Too many ready with tar and feathers, the guy worked within one of the biggest, if not they biggest, footballing groups on the planet.
IF his work isn’t up to Ange’s scrutiny then we can decide on another, for now though, let’s give him the chance to do his job.
100% agree Phil. Given the way Ange has spoken in the past I don’t understand why anyone in the Celtic support thinks he would now be willing to roll over and have his belly tickled. The fact of the matter is Mark Lawwell, regardless of who his dad is, has been working in a senoir recruitment position in one of the world’s most successful football organisations. I think it’s deeply unfair to dismiss the guy before he’s even been in the job a couple of days – look at the number of pundits who wrote Ange off from the get go. Sneering on the other side of their faces now.
I don’t know if Mark Lawwell will turn out to be a good appointment or not, but he deserves a chance, especially as the manager has endorsed him.
He was at City for a few years, I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have lasted long if he was rubbish at his job. I don’t care who his dad is if he can do a job for us. Good luck to him and if Ange is happy to work with him that should be good enough for us all.