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Celtic Diary Monday November 23: The Desmond Intervention

If you thought that bringing back the three Swedes , an idea ventured in yesterdays diary was crazy, then you’d probably better stop reading now.

 

We’re about to go from crazy straight through the looking glass into insanity…

 

The talk at the ranch, and also among others too many to mention is that Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane will take over the reins from Neil Lennon, and guide Celtic through the rest of the season.

 

Some will say that they are past their best, and not be in favour of such a move, whilst others will say they are well past their best and not be in favour of such a move.

 

The storyline appears to be that back in May 2019, in a very casual way, Martin O’Neill let Peter Lawwell know that he was available if needed. This was apparently at the funeral for Billy McNeill.

 

It looks like he’s needed now.

 

There is a lot of talk at the ranch about the pair, though its hard to ascertain if it’s merely a “what if..? “, although the fact that there is talk in the first place could be more than significant.

 

If the managers coat wasn’t on a shoogly peg, there’d be no talk at all.

 

If the players somewhat lollygaggistic attitude on the park could be explained, it may be that not only on the pitch are they waiting for something to happen, they’re waiting for it to happen off the pitch as well.

 

Maybe the CEO is waiting for the final nod from Dermot Desmond to curtail the Celtic career of Neil Lennon, who doesn;t deserve to be treated like that, but one has to be realistic and say he’s kind of been the architect of his own downfall.

 

Put simply, he’s not doing the job he;s paid to do.

 

The product, the actual football, has been sold to a loyal customer base that has been denied access to it, and forced to watch it on television, yet no one has complained and everyone who bought a season book has refrained from demanding a refund.

 

Lawwell is well aware that should Celtic fail to win a tenth successive title, or at least put in a bloody good shot at it, then those sales figures will drop.

 

He is also aware that the moneyball development plan , which sees the club buy prospects and develop them to sell on for huge profits, is not being implemented.

 

Although one could argue that Jeremie Frimpong has made the grade, several others haven’t even been given a chance, including Armstrong Okoflex, who posted this on social media….

 

https://twitter.com/i/status/1330610526016200705

 

 

This is significant because he clearly feels disaffected, and cannot talk to the manager about it.

 

It also shows that to an extent internal discipline has broken down, and the manager could reasonably be accused of failing to manage.

 

Then there’s Karamoke Dembele.

 

Dembele was once one of the hottest prospects in European football, and the stalling of his development could be why he’s not signing a new contract.

 

Which , potentially, is millions of pounds of lost revenue.

 

There are others , maybe out on loan or languishing on the bench that could have equal fears about their future, and even more worryingly, the three French players have all registered, at some point, disaffection with the manager.

 

Then there’s Scott Brown.

 

It;s fair to say that Brown has not reached the heights of previous seasons, and whilst this could be down to the passing of years , its also noticable that he isn’t quite as involved on the pitch as he usually is.

 

After conceding a very soft penalty against Hibernian on Saturday, he appeared to accept it. Not in that he didnlt argue, but in his body language, the slumped shoulders, the air of acceptance.

 

That could be down to the fact that he is carrying the weight of divided loyalty.

 

More than anyone else, he’ll know exactly what is going on with the manager, as he will be the link between board and team.

 

More than anyone else, he’ll be feeling hurt simply because things have come to this, where a manager who has won all the trophies he;s competed for domestically, has reached the end of the line, and if we are to believe that the powers that be have finally had enough, then he will have been feeling it.

 

 

We could list the failings on and off the field this season for quite some time, and we could also list the excuses.

 

 

But in a results business results matter, and in a number of issues, Lennon isn’t getting them.

 

 

Keane and O’Neill, it seems, will be coming in as manager and director of football respectively, which could also mean a complete clear out of the coaching staff, maybe even to the extent that there will be a return for Damien duff, who would have to talk is wife round, and Shaun Maloney.

 

Two promising coaches who have been missed.

 

 

Should, as Keith Jackson hints in the Record, Celtic instead opt for Gordon Strachan, it would mean the club would have to persist woth the somewhat ineffective ideas of Gavin Strachan, which would probably not be a good idea, given that Gavin is the target of much of the disaffected talk.

 

Then again, Jackson hinting at Strachan probably confirms the Keane -O’Neill move….

 

John Kennedy is still annoyed about something, thats also clear from his body language, and its now got to the stage where one feels there has already been a breakdown in communication between the head coach and the manager, for instance note the lack of interaction during substitutions at Easter road…

 

 

 

Whilst some, alright, many will see the appointment of the two Irishmen as a backward step, a step into the world of old fashioned ways that dont fit into the modern game, it’s also worth remembering that there are a couple of things they could sort out almost immediately.

 

Three things, three things essential to the success of any team in any business.

 

Discipline, Standards and Education

 

Discipline comes first, and whilst Lennon and possibly even O’Neill have a sort of hands off attitude to day to day management, there is little doubt that O’Neill commands respect. One story that springs to mind is the one about players under Ronny Deila complaining that the man was largely ignored by senior players when he spoke, but when O’Neill walked into the dressing room, everyone shut up.

 

As for Keane, maybe his, er , forthright attitude is whats needed to prevent further indiscretions , such as that of Okoflex, before it becomes a real problem.

 

Remember the issues about team leaks ? That would be stopped, although we hear it wasn’t players as such, but relatives of players.

 

And to be honest, I kind of believe that because way back when that sort of information was freely available.

 

Keane would also command respect, and whilst fear can be counter productive, it would also let the players know that they cannot get away with shirking training, and cannot get away with less than one hundred per cent effort on the pitch.

 

 

Would the players respond to him ?

 

Well, thats all down to standards. Their own desire to be the best they can be.

 

Keane was a world class player, a leader on the pitch at the highest level.

 

Maybe his communication skills as a manager leave a little to be desired, but there can be no arguing with his effect on the pitch when he played, The problem may be that in his early days as a manager, he demanded too much of players, expecting them to do what he could do, and we can only hope that he’s adapted that idea to simply getting players to be the best they can be, and encouraging them to be that rather than criticising when they’re not.

 

Our players are arguably a little more prone to the efects of criticism than most, as Olivier Ntcham pointed out when he said he didn;t like it when Neil Lennon shouted at them.

 

God alone help them when Keane starts…

 

There’s little doubt off the field stabdards have dropped as well, with a gradual erosion of standards set by Brendan Rodgers that lifted morale and confidence among players.

 

This has to be addressed as a matter of urgency, and with Keane working day to day with the layers, that would leave O’Neill to attend to that.

 

 

Then, finally, there’s education.

 

O’Neill was often unfairly accused of playing a sort of ho hup route one type of football, which if you look back is complete nonsense, and whilst some may say he was fortunate to inherit Larsson and others, he did bring in Sutton and Hartson.

 

He also knows how to set a team up to play to its strengths.

 

Along with Keane they will install the basics amongst a group of players who very often appear to not know what tey are supposed to be doing, and that may be the single biggest reason why Celtic are now eleven points adrift of “rangers ”

 

Yes, i know there are a couple of games in hand, but points on the board are always better than games in hand, and there’s a real fight now on our hands to retain the title.

 

Not just on the pitch, but in the media, and in the halls of Hampden.

 

No one in Scotland will criticise or even ask questions of Gerrard and his crew, and whilst its down to forelock tugging on their part in that instance, with the introduction of Keane especially, and O’Neill, there would be an instant reduction in, to put it bluntly, some of the shite they peddle.

 

You might also, and this is perhaps more important, see a reduction in the booting up and down the park of Celtic players without punishment.

 

The prospect of facing Roy Keane for any referee who feels loyalty to the lodge when making decisions will make them think twice.

 

If the world watching how we treat Gerrard in the media is a reason for the deference, how will it be when an even bigger name in world football calls out the cheating ?

 

 

 

As it stands, things are not going well at the club.

 

A fresh injection of enthusiasm is needed.

 

 

Keane and O’Neill might not be our first choice, but it’s looking more and more like its a choice that has already been made.

 

 

And the first thing they should do is pin this up on the dressing room wall.

 

 

Image

 

 

O’Neill and Keane may not be the best management team available, but they are the right one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Delbhoy
3 years ago

This diary has become absolute nonsense , one day its back him the next day sack him because you have seen phils tweet about roy keane , nobody knows what will happen but i very much doubt they would take a backward step again and bring in someone like keane who has a worse track record than lennon at falling out with players

Monti
3 years ago
Reply to  Delbhoy

Fvck off somewhere else then!

Monti
3 years ago
Reply to  Delbhoy

That you talking about the war again Albert?

Mike
3 years ago

A football manager is a precarious position, most are on a twelve month rolling contract, its a results driven game. The Celtic board has a duty of care towards all of their employees, Neil Lennon suffers from depression, that is well known. We too are suffering from depression from the antics of a board who run the club as a business, it’s quite obvious that the football department is run in an ad-hoc way, with positions granted in an un professional way. The rot starts up at the top and filters down to the support who simply cannot understand some of the decisions they take and the reasoning behind them, the buck has to be past back upstairs for their incoherent decisions. Whatever or whoever is the new Celtic manager Neil Francis Lennon will always have my admiration and respect, respect for a fellow Celtic supporter, player, captain, coach and manager. Your header is ironic in that it was MON who tried extremely hard to bring Neil to our club in 2000.
Neil Francis Lennon: Player 2000 – 2007, UEFA Cup Finalist,appointed captain by WGS in 2007, in 2008 first team coach, 2010 he took over from the hapless Tony Mowbray with Mjalby Alan Thomson and Garry Parker. He first left Celtic in 2014 having won three league titles. He then went nowhere as far as we were concerned, returning later to Celtic in our time of need. Its ironic too that once again we are fire fighting to bring in his replacement, as once again the mistakes from the board leave us in a precarious position, professional ? do’nt make me laugh….

Edinburghtim
3 years ago

May be the answer till the end of the season? Change must be immediate. Dermot could buy in whatever additional specialists are needed to get the squad in shape and improve all the basics.

Gerryh7
3 years ago

There is a reason why these 2 are out of work. They are dinosaurs.
From Brendan Rodgers to Lennon to those 2 . How far we have fallen.
Get someone in to start rebuilding for next season as there are too many players here who want away.
This season is lost.

Big Don Gazpachio
3 years ago
Reply to  Gerryh7

Who is your choice to ‘start rebuilding for next season’, Gerry?

I openly went for Martin & Keane on Sunday’s Diary but I want to know who you’d go for.

Big Don Gazpachio
3 years ago

No joy, Gerry?

It’s been two days …

BelfastBhoy
3 years ago

O’Neill/Keane is my thinking as well. However, as a short-term solution. They have huge experience and managed to get a very limited Ireland team to the European finals and beat the world champions (Germany, Italy). The priority is 10 and something needs to change quickly. Both O’Neill and Keane know the club and would be respected. Both have that winning mentality.

It wasn’t the result on Saturday it was the manner in which we played. Lack of urgency or care. Nobody seems to debate with the referee after a decision, it’s just acceptance. The lack of respect from the players for the jersey, for themselves and for their manager is unbelievable.

Lenny will always be a legend but we are going nowhere at the moment.

Iancelt67
3 years ago
Reply to  BelfastBhoy

I thought Lenny was an average player average coach. Average and decent man. What’s all this shit about shirts not being shrunk for the inferior ?

Malcolm McKinlay
3 years ago
Reply to  BelfastBhoy

Whats all the fuss about we have had a bad start to the season,let us not forget the huns colapsing after the Christmas break last year it could happen again KEEP THE FAITH H H.

MabozzaRitchie
3 years ago

aye right Neil

Big Don Gazpachio
3 years ago
Reply to  BelfastBhoy

Excellent comment, BelfastBhoy.

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

LOL!,! Says the former British army, Trump supporting, Brexiteer, racist who hasn’t seen Celtic Park in decades.
You couldnae make it up

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

Oops.

B6065345-B07A-45AF-8B5E-7767D57A068C.gif
henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

What’s made up baw jaws? What was stated is entirely accurate.

Big Don Gazpachio
3 years ago

He’s a Trumpette tae, HD?

Ffs, whit a Charlie right enough!

Big Don Gazpachio
3 years ago

So Trump’s right twice a day and ‘China DID cause this pandemic’ ..?

You got proof for any of that, soldier?

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

The internet told him.

Big Don Gazpachio
3 years ago

Must’ve done.

No reply either way.

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

Aye, hoaching.

8746D749-D6C6-4C8F-BC91-AD33E0774BB0.jpeg
alzyerpal
3 years ago

Sold, Ralph. Count me in (Till the 10 is safely in the bag at least) It’s got to be a better option than the shite (Lack of tactics, lack of discipline, lack of fight) we’re currently witnessing every single week.

jpm88
3 years ago

Can you point out what , in Keane’s managerial CV would qualify him for the job ; or is it down to ‘nobody else will touch it ‘ . If some relatively ‘ unknown ‘ unemployed ex-manager with a managerial CV akin to Keane’s was touted fans would go tonto ; but hey it’s Roy Keane and he’s a ‘kind of ‘ Celtic fan and he’s even Irish so – ‘pure brilliant ‘ .
Nobody even slightly suspicious that this league is being ‘ lost ‘ to save sevco and the beloved old firm?

Big Don Gazpachio
3 years ago
Reply to  jpm88

I’ve been suspicious of that since the signing of the 5WA way back when, mate.

But at least Martin can organise a side and Keane can kick their arses when they need it.

Which is a damn sight more than Lennon, Kennedy & Strachan have ever done combined.

Frodshambhoy
3 years ago

We need to do something.
On Saturday I sent this text to my mate in Tenerife who watches every game:

Listened on the radio ………. seemed that Christie continues to shoot every time he sees the goal even when a killer pass is on. Lack of coaching or intelligence or probably both. Can’t see things improving unless there are changes in management and coaching.

Then saw this today
https://thecelticstar.com/crazy-action-shots-show-massive-tactical-failures/

We have the players but really lack game intelligence. Hate to say it as I love Lenny but we really do need to make changes.

George Scott
3 years ago

Had to read today’s diary twice just to make sure I wasn’t dement. After that I can say that you could make the cat laugh. Neil Lennon’s comment that the SFA are a shambles, which they are, because Turnbull (a player he never uses) caught Covid on an SFA trip to Greece only indicates to me that Neil Lennon wouldn’t recognise a shambles if he met one in his soup. But you’re right (aye, this time) Mr. Lennon has lost the plot (as well as the dressing room) and has to go. Celtic won’t sack him, after all they’ve booked him on a flight to Prague this week and won’t get a refund on his ticket. He’ll pull off a wonderful result on Thursday and everyone will be back on side. Celtic will then go on a run and cap it all by humping the huns. The January window however is going to be a Bobby dazzler. Lawwell should now be getting his ducks in a row, wouldn’t really like to predict what will happen when the shooting starts but Lennon is going to be there ’til the end of the season and Celtic will be quadruple and hopefully five druple treble champions, without any help from dinosaurs O’Neill and Keane. You can fire me if I’m wrong!

mcklintop
3 years ago

At this point I’m losing the will to live. If we are going to make a change then do it asap. Strachan or O’Neill/Keane? Good god. If pushed I’d take the latter. But I fear that adding Keane into that dressing room would be adding petrol to the flames.

I do know one thing, we need to get the Griff and Edouard into the starting line up. The give and go’s from them in the last 15 minutes opened up Hibs more than in the previous 75.

Did someone say James Forrest? Is there ever a better example of not knowing what you had until it’s gone. There’ll still be guys out there saying he’s sh!te.

C’mon tae feck Celtic time to get real.

Legend07
3 years ago
Reply to  mcklintop

JF He’s no shite exactly just hides! Never grabs the game with the scruff of the neck even though he has the talent and pace to do so

bgbhoy
3 years ago
Reply to  Legend07

does he not?

i wonder how many games hes won us, finals, derbys, ucl qualifcations, El qualifications

The Cha
3 years ago
Reply to  bgbhoy

To be fair, he played at the start of the season when we were equally woeful.

This isn’t about players, missing or not.

This is all on the manager and he’s failing miserably.

LMG!

Rob O'Keeffe
3 years ago

Roy Keane?Didn’t take the job when offered and Ronny stepped up when he was told he would be assistant knowing he wasn’t ready for the top job.O’Neill?Walked away after Celtic really looked after him when his wife sadly fell seriously unwell.No loyalty shown by him.I could tell you plenty of info about what’s happening behind the scenes but mark my words,We are Not getting 10,forget it.Okoflex is an excellent player,no wonder he’s pissed off.Dembele can’t be played because his coaches and family know he’ll get the shit kicked out of him.Still,at least the advert was professional,roll up,roll up,er,online obviously….Oh Ghod help Us…

Big Don Gazpachio
3 years ago
Reply to  Rob O'Keeffe

You know whats happening behind the scenes then come on to Celtic blogs only to tell us you can’t tell us?

Either shit or get off the pot, mate.

james
3 years ago

Get them in,please!!!!

Gareth Savage
3 years ago

If we are making a change then O’Neill and Keane would be fine until the end of the season and give us a chance of success. Both played decent football as managers and while the end for Ireland was poor we played great football at the Euro’s and battled to big wins against Germany, Italy and away to Austria and Wales, nothing to be sniffed at. There’s obviously issues going on that Lennon cannot solve and he doesn’t deserve this, he’s a true Celt who’ll always be loyal to the club.

SteveNaive
3 years ago

No refunds, we all agreed when we renewed.

james
3 years ago

Obvious ploy by the board,make us desperate enough to accept O’Neil and Keane,well its worked,I dont doubt they could do whats needed for the league this season and if its them let’s hope O’Neill will exorcise the ghost of black Sunday against Motherwell.

Cartvale88
3 years ago

I find it fascinating how many people say it will be alright on the night, it is only a bad start. Since the Brenda left everything has been on a downward spiral, last season was poor. Players that have left like Sinclair and Hayes could have made an impact. Since the return of Lenny we have become poorer to the extent that Sevco dominate at games against us.
His demeanour is shocking, yes it could be his illness, but in that case his employers have a responsibility for his welfare and wellbeing. Leaving him to take the pressure and the flack is clearly a failure of the CEO.
Everyone blames Lenny, Delilah, or the Brenda, but the true culprit that has allowed the return of Sevco is the CEO.
He has sat in his Scroogelike way counting groats and missing the bigger picture, or doe he really want an ‘Old Firm’ is he Agent Orange?

Caption
The Wankers dream on

Big Don Gazpachio
3 years ago
Reply to  Cartvale88

He’s Agent Orange.

What more proof do you need?

Cortes
3 years ago
Reply to  Cartvale88

He’s the manager of Team Mick (“Don’t touch me ears”) McManus FC.
In next weekend’s thriller Team Mick takes on Team Giant Haystacks, stay tuned, grapple fans. Buy granny a ringside season ticket for Xmas.

Seppington
3 years ago

As a temporary fix I’ll take O’Neill as manager and Keane as assistant. Nane o’ that “Director of Football” Jock Broon pish thank you very much! However, you just know that if the bhoys pulled it back and got the ten Keane would be kept on as manager going forward and….no no no no no. Desmond needs to put Lawwell in his place – the board room, nowhere else. Get a proper manager who can take us forward in Europe (unlike Rodgers who was an absolute disaster on that front), an experienced head who’ll take no shite from PL…

Honest Hoops
3 years ago

My preference would be to offer Pochettino the position…modern manager with modern ideas on how to overcome obstacles….like 10 men behind the ball with the ref playing sweeper….that’s my own opinion!! It will never happen but it’s good to dream..

Monti
3 years ago

St. Martin & Roy Keane?

I have a semi

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Throw a real curve ball and go for Beale at Sevco.

Monti
3 years ago

Fvck off

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Why thank you.

Iljas Baker
3 years ago

That could work Duncan. I’d give it a go. Brown or Soro and Turnbull given 30 minutes each and perhaps Ajeti if things need to be refreshed up top. I’d forget about Europa this season as 10IAR is in jeopardy and I’d use it to feature lesser-spotted species such as Dembele, Klimala etc. Give them some experience, hope and perhaps a dose of reality.

MabozzaRitchie
3 years ago

Keane and O’Neil are relics. A Guaranteed second place

bgbhoy
3 years ago
Reply to  MabozzaRitchie

were looking at a 3rd place finish if we continue with the current manager

MabozzaRitchie
3 years ago
Reply to  bgbhoy

anything other than first is last. If getting rid, get someone good.

bgbhoy
3 years ago
Reply to  MabozzaRitchie

i dont disagree

one thing certain is we aint winning no league under lennon

if its attitude of the players then i cant think of anyone better than oneill and keane to resolve it

strictly for this season i would not have them long term

same as i wouldnt have had lennon after the treble treble was secured

BroxburnBhoy
3 years ago

There are issues at the moment and like any other football manager questions have been raised about Lennon and his back room staff. Clearly Rodgers is a better more modern manager with vision and professional back room etc. that said he slunk off in the night to join that mighty club Leicester! Unforgivable. O’Neil and Keane are also now sorry to say much like Our current manager in terms of their approach. Keane is a bully and O’Neil has had serial failures post Celtic. If we are to seek a new manager I’d be more interested in a modern manager applying the same professionalism as Rodgers without the narcissism. Lennon could be Keane by shouting more and creating fear or like O’Neil by spending more. Better for him to be who he is and if that fails to get the results needed then look for a new modern manager.

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago
Reply to  BroxburnBhoy

Lawwell drove Rodgers out and £9m was trousered. Rodgers owed Celtic nothing, but was due far more respect from the Accountant that uses our club like a piggy bank and a plaything. At the time of Rodgers appointment, if you remember, there was great apathy amongst our fans with diminishing attendances and the Resolution 12 issue was to the fore ,many thousands were not going to renew season books. That was what brought Rodgers to the club as Lawwell and Desmond schemed to get things back on an even keel and keep the money rolling in. Once achieved, Rodgers was undermined by Lawwell, having served his purpose and there was only ever going to be one outcome. A guy with his managerial abilities was not going to hang around and got out ASAP and although the timing was shite I only blame one man for that. Any manager with a ounce of integrity would find it hard to take the job working under Lawwell, he is the main problem at Celtic Park and Lennon is just one of his failing pawns. Lawwell needs to be removed, he is a failure. A club with our set up should be qualifying for the Champions League regularly and not once in a blue moon. Lawwell has cost this club a fortune and he is as guilty as sin when it comes to his pandering and back door shenanigans with regard the new club from Govan.
Let Celtic flourish and get Lawwell to fvck.

MabozzaRitchie
3 years ago

Rodgers wanted to do one and tapped dembele up to go with him. Total snake if ever there was one.

The Cha
3 years ago
Reply to  MabozzaRitchie

Absolutely and the proof is in all the players Leicester have stolen from us.

Oh, wait.

sfa unfit for purpose
3 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

For all you know he could have tapped up a few of our squad and be partly responsible for certain players dip in form

The Cha
3 years ago

Yeah, that’ll be it, he left 20 months ago and only now is he tapping up our players and affecting their form.

You’ve got me convinced.

sfa unfit for purpose
3 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

you said ‘only now’
not me

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

It’ll be Calmac if any.

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

Watch this space.

MabozzaRitchie
3 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

why would Leicester, a top 5 EPL side want any of our minging players? Who have you been watching this season

The Cha
3 years ago

You are entitled to your own opinion but not your own facts.

I keep saying it because sadly you keep posting lies.

Rodgers tried to keep Dembele but Mousa was insistent on leaving and there’s not a lot you can do about that.

If Griffiths self belief and confidence was destroyed because we played the infinitely better Dembele and Édouard then that, sadly, is on Griffiths himself.

To play inferior players so as to not knock their confidence, is a non-starter.

Give then all the support you can to help them try to cope, which Rodgers did and Griffiths went out of his way to thank him for.

It should be noted that Griffiths is still unfit (to start and last a game) 8 months later due to his lockdown shenanigans.

It also took him 9 months to get back up to speed after his MH break.

Both of these were under Lennon’s tutelage, who seems no keener to select Griffiths than his predecessor apart from a few weeks at the beginning of this year.

Perhaps all the indulgences of Griffiths unprofessional behaviour has affected the other players, who don’t see why they should behave better when this is tolerated.

LMG!

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

Griffiths Lol. One selfish little man child. Guy should be nowhere near Celtic. Did we not already know that Rodgers was for the off when Dembele went. Yes we did and Rodgers was away in his own mind. He certainly didn’t drive Dembele away.

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

That didn’t mean that he drove Dembele out. Must try harder Duncy.

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

What are you talking about. Rodgers fought tooth and nail to keep him at the club. Dembele said he had an agreement with the manager that he would play and move when suitable interested clubs and offers came along. This was at the time of his signing for Celtic. In the January window an offer from Brighton was knocked back on the managers say so and again when Lyon came in. An irate Dembele forced through the deal as you’ll recall. Don’t kid yourself, Dembele wanted away, but he himself wasn’t happy he had to fight to get his move. Technically, Rodgers got an extra 5 months out of him, he certainly didn’t speed up his departure. As for being a charlatan?? No. Possibly egotistical, but a good manager nonetheless.

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

So. I’ve seen loads of people hanging a portrait of themselves in their house. Wouldn’t be me though.

BroxburnBhoy
3 years ago

I respect your view. Rodgers history at Swansea and Liverpool is well known his narcissism flourished to the point of rendering him toxic. His move from Celtic was similar as his narcissism could not be stoked enough even with Celtic. He wanted a bigger stage. He has said as much himself. While I have no doubt Lawell was in the mix, Rodgers Himself dropped celtic like a stone.

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago
Reply to  BroxburnBhoy

…. and that’s my point. Lawwell got what he wanted from Rodgers and did a number on not only Rodgers, but us as well. He dropped his employers as anyone would do in workplaces all round this planet.

jpm88
3 years ago

It’s called ‘ constructive dismissal ‘ . Began immediately after Motherwell SC final .Rodgers deemed to be being TOO dominant of sevco ; threatening to end their comeback from the grave before it had a chance to gain traction . BAD for any fan of the ‘old firm ‘ . To compound matters he , BR , only bliddy wanted to sign McGinn , a 7m FB , and a 5m CH . Jeez we’d never have got our ‘old firm ‘ back at that rate – eh guys 😉

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago
Reply to  jpm88

Well put.

Mike
3 years ago

No its not, here is the real reason’s behind Sevco and their Nil success. It show’s how crook’s operate and manipulate the system, maxing out and rolling the dice, gambling on any possible future success. Club 1690 and their many friends in the Scottish MSM, Scottish footballs governing bodies, the SFA – SPFL, Police Scotland, hiding in the right hand corner is PL and a man with a moustache.
Crowd funded by the funny fanny marchers.

roulette wheel and friends 1.jpg
Mike
3 years ago

It should be a roulette wheel ^ because Sevco have no success so far, nada, nil, F.A. Gambling on success, with their friends from the Scottish MSM, the SFA – SPFL, Police Scotland and perhaps some of the PLC. who feel that it makes for more competition, more competition more £. Even to the detriment of the club they run Celtic FC. BTW. Aberdeen were without 8 first team regulars, 3 being victims of Covid. Goat-face was bleating to the SFA. looking for £. HAHAHA, that well is empty.

R.St.Parsley
3 years ago

Puggy, thanks for the tip on how to vote for a comment via the phone the other day. It worked first time so now I can get back to voting for myself!

Bgbhoy
3 years ago

One of your fanboy pictures of the current manager here would suffice

You Complete C U N T

Bgbhoy
3 years ago
Reply to  Bgbhoy

Again, he’s never won a treble.

Not a league against a rangers side that hasn’t been deducted points or a season called early.

The Cha
3 years ago
Reply to  Bgbhoy

Rodgers never faced a Rangers when winning Trebles

Get yourself a fact checker and stop making a fool of yourself again and again.

It was precisely because the Huns “were back” and bested us in the Scottish Cup that the board knew Deila and the usual cheapskating would no longer suffice and a serious managerial appointment was required to put them back in their box.

and how.

Invincibles, Double and Treble Trebles and regular 4 and 5 goal punishment beatings were regularly administered.

Of course, you may not have noticed, as you hated this period of glorious Celtic success.

That’s not narcissism but it must be an associated personality disorder, at least for a Celtic fan it would be.

sfa unfit for purpose
3 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

LOL

And tonight hypocrite no1 will be dancing a Cha Cha Cha

The Cha
3 years ago

Its sounds like you don’t know what hypocrisy is.

Why am I not surprised?

The Cha
3 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

That is desperate stuff.

Old, new, borrowed or blue and still the Huns, as anyone who’ll be around next May will find out, if the manager isn’t replaced pronto.

Lennon lost the league to the Huns and then won it when they literally died.

The new iteration have been spending wildly since their inception and with their Scottish Cup Semi-Final win in 2016, it looked like they were going to take over, unless drastic action took place.

Rodgers was recruited and they were put back in their box until now, when his legacy is all spent and Lennon is proving incapable of dealing with them.

If and hopefully when a decent manager is appointed then we need to:

  1. Go on a sustained winning run with good performances and knocking in the goals.
  2. the above puts pressure on the Huns, who will crack and drop points.
  3. Win at least 2 and not lose the other games against them.

Everyone knows that Lennon is incapable of 1 and 3 and without those 2 isn’t going to happen.

LMG!

The Cha
3 years ago

Simply put, this is another massive corporate failure.

Succession planning isn’t some new fangled concept and companies far smaller than Celtic have it in place if a key employee leaves or needs to be dismissed.

There will be a constantly evolving list of replacements based on performance, availability, contract buyout etc and the recruitment would quickly target the top target at any given time (informal contact happens in the background on an ongoing basis).

Celtic? Quick, who’s unemployed, available and comes from the same narrow pool that we nearly always select from.

it was ever thus and expecting any difference is madness.

Having said that, a change needs to happen and soon, so I’ll take it, although without any illusions, as if the 10IAR is won then they’ll be staying if they want to.

Anyhoo, I’d heard it was Robbie Keane that was being targeted but accept than my source is probably more pish-stained than Ralph’s.

I believe Steve Walford has now retired, which is a shame, as he was the architect of our fine defensive displays under O’Neill and we sorely need someone of the same calibre.

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

Was that meant for your pals on follow follow ya ragin tosser?

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

Hahaha! That’ll be in your tiny, warped, vomit contaminated brain, you absolute walloper.

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

Better than the Luigi jibes I suppose, but you really can’t help yourself Duncy can you? It’s simply just engrained in you.

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

Irish is in my heritage as well Duncy. Great Grandparents were from Kilkenny.

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

Listen, couldn’t care less how you treat me. I’ll call out bullshit at every turn .I’m a straight down the line, take no shit, honest cursing fvcker.

sfa unfit for purpose
3 years ago

Your a multiple account crazy man.
Str8 down the line keyboard warrior troll.
Only enjoyment is lowering the tone and sending abuse

Calling out bullshit by suggesting Celtic go for Michael Beale ?
Nurse !

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

Again more fvckin lies from the little gimp of this site. What an inbred piece of nonsense you are.

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

No panic here. Just growing resentment to the people who are making an arse of running the club.

Big Don Gazpachio
3 years ago

And Lenny’s blatant ineptitude under what looks to be a serious strain for him.

Sometimes I wonder if he wasn’t told at the start that he gets the job so long as he buys into the Sevco supporting bullshit that Peter’s been up to behind our backs.

But then I don’t think he’d agree to be the man to throw away The Ten either but when these corporate cvnts have ye they usually have ye by the balls.

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

Ahhh! Now I understand. Poor soul. Did you get badly disfigured whilst serving the crown?
Must be horrendous having your arsehole located so close to your mouth, certainly it explains the amount of shite that comes out your mouth.

sfa unfit for purpose
3 years ago

Think you are jumping the gun a bit Ralph.
Don’t see any movement until Christmas.

I remember when sevco were created
Celtic cyberspace was full of comments along the line of ‘we will never define ourselves against them again.

Here we are , first real bump in the road in 9 years , 1 defeat this season and the manager has to go while celtic sites speculate who.

Real fickle.

To Neil , the man who had to worry about opening his mail , we really don’t deserve you or any other good manager.

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

And therein lies the problem. How low you wish to set the bar in relation to performances and achievements. One defeat you say? I think you need to brush up on your arithmetic.

sfa unfit for purpose
3 years ago

Its you that regularly gets the numbers wrong Walter.

But your Entitled

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

Another denier of the truth. Just making it up as you go along. It does your pal no favours either.

sfa unfit for purpose
3 years ago

What truth have i denied Walter ?

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

It must be your selective memory. Anyway Matilda, what’s with the Walter business?

sfa unfit for purpose
3 years ago

So the only denial is yours.
More of your made up pish Walter

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

Now now Matilda. Just answer the question. How many games have Celtic lost this season? I’ll give you a clue because you do seem to be a tad confused, it’s more than the figure you use to suit your agenda. Be a big girl and give a truthful answer.

sfa unfit for purpose
3 years ago

As you well know Walter , we have only lost 1 game in the League.
Silly little point scoring attempts from a silly little man

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

Point scoring is certainly a problem for our club at the moment, isn’t it Matilda?
Blinkered and insular is not a healthy trait.

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

Look to your wee fvck buddy’s comments and schhhhhhhh.

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

But then again, being the bare faced liar that you are Duncy isn’t a particularly healthy trait either and if there’s one thing that boils my piss, it’s a liar.

3 years ago

Getting beat in Europe doesn’t count m8 even being humiliated by a reserve team.

sfa unfit for purpose
3 years ago
Reply to  Jimmybee

Priorities jimmy , in this year of all years.
But i wouldn’t expect you to understand.

3 years ago

Priority was to make champions league he failed, priority was to defeat sevco and go top of the league he failed,priority was then to win against a reserve team in europa he failed please do tell me what I need to understand.

sfa unfit for purpose
3 years ago
Reply to  Jimmybee

Win the League.

3 years ago

You can’t win the league if you can’t beat Aberdeen Hibs and Kilmarnock away and sevco at home.

Big Don Gazpachio
3 years ago
Reply to  Jimmybee

It’s a waste of time, Jimmy, he tells you in his name how useless he is.

Between him & the squaddie there’s more lies than Tam Pepper.

Big Don Gazpachio
3 years ago

The aptly named Unfit For Purpose

sfa unfit for purpose
3 years ago

Another Walter

3 years ago

Has he not gone yet ffs.

sfa unfit for purpose
3 years ago
Reply to  Jimmybee

Quality

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

Quality? Hahaha. What a complete arse licker you are.

bgbhoy
3 years ago
Reply to  Jimmybee

desmond in scotland tomorrow going by KDS with a poster that is usually spot on

it appears we may not have to suffer much longer

THANK GOD

sfa unfit for purpose
3 years ago
Reply to  bgbhoy

He’s only here to pick up a bag of Cash.

3 years ago
Reply to  bgbhoy

Hopefully m8 before any more damage is done

Big Don Gazpachio
3 years ago

Looks like Dermot has been reading my posts, as I wrote this on the ridiculous’Three Swedes’ thread from Sunday:

’Big Don Gazpachio
 1 day ago

What’s this pish, you still drunk, mate?
We had a chance to bring back Larsson at the start of the season.
Peter refused.
Now how much money do you think Peter would pay Barcelona for their current striking coach aka Henrik Larsson?
Ffs, I can’t believe what I’m reading here.
You want answers?
Desmond sacks Lawwell, Kennedy, Strachan & Lennon today and brings in Martin O’Neil & Roy Keane til the end of the season.
Then the delicate little pussies who don’t know how to defend will get their delicate little arses kicked.
This will at least show everyone he means business.’

It’s good when you know the right thing to do and top brass agrees with ye.

😀

Big Don Gazpachio
3 years ago

I wrote it on Sunday, ‘Desmond sacks the whole crew and brings in Martin O’Neill & Roy Keane until the end of the season.’

I’ve reposted it here so you’ll probably get to see it next week somet8me.

Or you can just check the lunatic ‘Putting The Band Back Together’ diary from Sunday.

Big Don Gazpachio
3 years ago

Ffs, what is wrong with those, you can’t post anything without it Awaiting Approval!

I called this appointment on Sunday.

Big Don Gazpachio
3 years ago

*This site

Big Don Gazpachio
3 years ago

This from the Time who has ‘no issue’ with Celtic losing The Ten …

All because he now knows how much of a tube he looks in his daft outdated defence of Lenny.

I really hope you have ‘no issue‘, Duncan, as those weans heids must be roasted.

Big Don Gazpachio
3 years ago

Out of interest, Ralph, which of those three gainfully employed Swedes would you have as Celtic manager?

Surely not our hero who managed to get his own home team Helsingborg relegated for the first time in their history?

Karl Johan Siward Mjällby (born 9 February 1971) is a Swedish football manager in charge of FC Stockholm in the Swedish fourth tier Division 2.[1]

Carl Mikael Lustig (born 13 December 1986) is a Swedish footballer who plays as a right or centre back for AIK and the Sweden national team. A full international for Sweden since 2008, he represented the country at UEFA Euro 2012UEFA Euro 2016 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Edward Henrik Larsson ( born 20 September 1971) is a Swedish professional football manager and former player, who currently serves as an assistant manager of Barcelona

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago

Titles aren’t won in these months, but they can be lost.

Monti
3 years ago

Clueless, gormless, brainless^

Monti
3 years ago

” win at ibrokes “?
Hahahaha ffs

The Cha
3 years ago

This fixation with the past is simply not relevant to today.

We’ve seen 4 humiliations in Europe (so far 🙁 ),so the oft cited Barca win has absolutely no bearing on today’s competition and opposition.

We exited Europe at the earliest point for 15 years and that’s who he is as a manager today, not any long ago success.

If you do want to delve in the history books, remind me how we done in 2011 and who was the manager.

That history will repeat itself unless we make the change.

LMG!

henkesdreadlocks
3 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

Rodgers spent £31m on transfer fees in his time at Celtic.
Funnily enough Lennon has spent £32m on transfer fees in three transfer windows.
Rodgers qualified for the CL in his first two attempts and Lennon has failed miserably in his two attempts. It’s all relevant.

The Cha
3 years ago

Its actually £40-50m and mainly for a load of Raphael.

The Cha
3 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

Ancient history and the Lennon of today has Cluj, Copenhagen, Ferencvaros and Sparta.

That’s who he is today as a European manager.

Lennon has same budget as Rodgers and has right royally fecked it.

Rodgers contributed £35m profit during his time and Lennon and the rest over the past 10 years less than £5m.

LMG!

The Cha
3 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

So how did Lennon do with Liverpool?

Oops, only good enough for Bolton, who wouldn’t touch him these days.

This is desperate stuff but when Lennon gets a gig with a top EPL CL club, come back and we’ll discuss relative records.

The CL has been transformed with significantly harder qualification and he’s floundered badly and would never qualify these days.

That’s what’s important today, who are our opponents and how do we do. Again and again the answer is poorly because, surprisingly, you don’t get a free pass for beating Barca 8 years ago.

He’s out of his depth in today’s football (hell even the rookie Gerrard has got his number) and he needs to go.

LMG!

The Cha
3 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

Sparta horsed us with a mixture of reserves and youths.

They didn’t whinge about injuries and illnesses.

That’s what winners do, the other stuff is for losers.

LMG!

The Cha
3 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

Dembele came to work with Rodgers and simply wouldn’t have done that for someone of lesser calibre.

Rodgers made over £35m profit in his time, probably 10 times what Lennon has ever made.

You are the only person that would complain about increased wages when it directly led to exponential profit growth.

If you cannot see that that is a brilliant return on investment then you’re more to be pitied than scolded.

The CL has utterly changed from Lennon’s 1st stage, when we had a couple of easy qualifiers.

Nowadays there’s far stiffer competition and he’s incapable for it.

To expect the same results doing the same thing when everything else has changed vastly, is madness.

LMG!

The Cha
3 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

Again, ancient history that has no relevance to today.

He’s spunked £40-50m in little over a year and I’m not sure there’s a profit in any of them.

Our prize assets Eddy, Ajer, Calmac were there before him but their value is plummeting the longer he stays in post.

LMG!

The Cha
3 years ago
Reply to  The Cha

Wonderful, wonderful.

Big Don Gazpachio
3 years ago

Ralph, I’m curious as to why you go from claiming that Martin & Keane is ‘from through the looking glass to insanity’ at the beginning yet by the end have given numerous good reasons why these are the men who should be in charge of Celtic?

You know that’s a total contradiction even crazier than your Three Swedes hypothesis, right.

Also, why do you keep so many comments waiting for approval?

I called the O’neill Keane appointment on Sunday and only seen it up there today.

What’s the point of inviting replies only to have them show up 2 days later?

3 years ago

There is no ffp in operation in Scotland. Solely for that purpose.
Once again Sevco are playing loosely with the rules. But they only have to get lucky once. All their eggs are in this basket. Win the league and champions league money will go some way to solving their problems. We simply have to win the league this season to stop them.

Big Don Gazpachio
3 years ago
Reply to  Jimmybee

Or let them get lucky once, Jimmy.

Like we did in 2011-12.

Peter & Dermot wouldn’t be party to an agreement to help save Sevco only to then renege on it by going and winning the league for Celtic.

As Peter said at the AGM, ‘That wouldn’t be good for their business model going forward’ which is, of course, The Old fvckin Firm.

As we can see from their accounts Sevco wouldn’t last another year so Peter & Dermot have to go all in to make sure their mates in blue get access to the CL monies this year instead.

Just like the British soldier Duncan on here, Peter & Dermot have no issue with losing The Ten.

In fact, they two helped engineer it. The men who run Celtic.

Thats what ‘The Old Firm’ is, or was, the two main gangs carving up the profits between themselves and Peter’s already told us that that’s what him and Irish fella want.

Weird that you won’t give them yer money, squaddie, when all three of you think the same way.

Here, no surprise you’re backing Lennon so vociferously, come to think of it.

Birds of a feather and all that.

Big Don Gazpachio
3 years ago

To whoever voted these facts down …

Ask Auldheid.

Ya numpty.

Anthony
3 years ago

There needs to be a shake up. For two reasons firstly they have a more settled team that have been better than Celtic in the last 4 games, secondly we have not played the same back four or five all season, thirdly, yeh I know I only said two but Lennon is not understanding that playing frimpomg is huge mistake, settle the defence ffs

Iancelt67
3 years ago

Dear Jesus or god or Mohammed or Buddha, or whoever the fuck really is in charge, please remove Neil Lennon from celtic. He has been complicit in ruining this season either with buffoonery or spite or whatever. It doesn’t matter what it is but he is ruining my life. Can you please get him the job at Exeter or Montrose?? I beseech you
Yours
Ian

BJF
3 years ago

Ralph hows about if you feel the diary needs a bit of oomph provoking the life out of everybody. Rodgers was our best manager in years up there with O’Neill. The latter had a good reason for leaving Rodgers treated the club and support appallingly. Keane on the pitch in his prime was awesome everything since then has been downhill. I think the best suggestion is get Shaun Maloney, he has had enough experience of big football
Stages to merit, can he get us overt he mine against Glasgow Espanyol, can anyone and at least our future would look brighter. I am a Lenny fan, he achieved a lot as a player and as a manager but I can’t offer a defence on what has happened over the last eight weeks. Money might not do it but is there a realistic argument that Lenny or O’Neill or Strachan could do better?

BJF
3 years ago

This was on Twitter, dont know how accurate it is because……..it was on Twitter.
“There was a Dussault Falcon 7X that flew from Barbados to Shannon today arriving earlier at 5pm.

Desmonds jet is a Dussault Falcon 7X.

Desmonds holiday home is in Barbados.”

Big Don Gazpachio
3 years ago
Reply to  BJF

He’s been on holiday while all this shit’s going on?

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