-
El Cormaco ponders the big question, that of responsibility at Celtic….I’ve been at it again – thinking. And that’s no bad thing, our erstwhile city rivalshave been very deliberately *not* thinking for a very long time, because if theydo then the truth it will reveal will break their little blue hearts.So I’ve been thinking. About Ronnie. Our manager. And before Charlie getshis big book of Ronnie stats out let me make it clear, this is not a piece onRonnie in or Ronnie out.I’ve said how I feel, I don’t believe he will ever get to the level we need him tobe at and I want a replacement, but that’s not why I m writing. I’m wonderingwhether or not he is actually our manager. Let me explain…I know when he comes on TV saying his things in between his “eh..” pausesthat make him sound, well, “eh..” a bit thick, there is usually a little bit of textthat says “Ronnie Delia, Celtic manager” some where on the screen.But is he really? Was he given the job of Celtic manager, or of Celtic headcoach? And what the hell do we care – why am I interested in this apparentlysmall detail?Okay – the last part first. To me, based as usual on no research except mymany years spent watching football, there are some key differences betweena head coach and a manager.I lived for several years in Italy – oh la la (wrong language there, amico) andthere “managers” are assigned the title “allenatore” or trainer. They haveresponsibility for the training, selecting the team, putting the tactics in place,making substitutions, explaining why the team won / lost to the press etc. Ajob with plenty of responsibility for sure, but not all of itThey have no responsibility for buying or selling players, the medicaldepartment, sport science department, the scouting department, the player’scontracts, the strategic direction of the club.These responsibilities lie with a general manger type figure (I know, you’reseeing images of Jock Brown standing like a fool with a sweeping brush). Youhave for instance Galliani at Milan; “trainers” come and go as results wax andwane but the overarching structures remain in place so there is minimaldisruption to the club when the “trainer” is booted out or walks off for anotherjob.The coach comes and goes but what is ever present is the looming ominousbaldy headed cold blooded killer sitting watching on impassively from latribuna (told youse I lived in Italy)
-
The manager on the other hand combines all these roles into one person,everything flows through him and from him. He is the creator, the evaluatorand decision maker of everything he surveys, and when he goes the wholething basically has to start again, think of Alex Ferguson at Man Utd.In our clubs history, we’ve had great managers, Pensionerbhoy’s favouriteWille Maley (sorry PB!), Jock Stein, of my generation Martin O Neill. Men whowere the manager of the club in its biggest sense – top to bottom, board roomto boot room, they were intimately involvedin it all and were “the boss” .Neil Lennon I think wanted a similar role but was being shoe horned into the“head coach” role, and this ultimately led to a parting of the ways.Delia I believe came to the job with a job spec of head coach.Does he have a say in transfers in and out? Possibly he’s involved sure, butdoes he have final say? How many signings have we made from Norway orScandinavia, where you might expct Ronnie to be in the know about a fewjuicy players we could have signed? How much did he know about thembefore signing guys like the disappeared GMS or Armstrong, DreadfulBoyata?Does he choose his coaches even? Would he have turned the job down if hehadn’t been able to appoint John Kennedy?How much sway does he have on the sports science, the physios, themedical department?Did Ronnie come in knowing the areas where he would have no power?Does it matter? Am I ever going to stop asking rhetorical questions?Yes to both those last ones. It matters because when the club is limpingalong, a bit flat, a bit “meh” a bit lacking in ambition, like it feels to me it isnow, who is responsible?Thon Spiderman guy’s uncle talked about power meaning responsibility.Does Ronnie really have the power? Is he therefore responsible? If notRonnie is it Lawwell? Or is he only carrying out orders of Desmond et al,looking after the share price above all else? Should Ronnie grow a pair andsay, “I’m the manager, I m calling the shots now? “I’d like to know answers to these questions because if and when we get angrywe want to direct our ire at the right guy. If Ronnie’s hands are tied I d forgivehim a bit more , though still not want to see him be around long term, givenhis tactical / technical failings in my view,. If some one else is managinggmuch of the football activity at the club do we have the right to know who isreally calling the shots? ( I know you’re picturing fat Salary bursting out his“training” gear saying ”Who are these people?”)
So, head coach or manager? What do you think, what do we have right now,
what do you want us to have, who do we get angry at when the club appears
as listless as it does right now?
Hail Hail
(N.B. no stats were harmed in the writing of this article)
It’s a good question – who’s making the real decisions? But at the end of the day, Deila has his objectives which will involve getting the results and these are winning the league and a good run in Europe every year. The weakness to me seems to be his man management and his ability to motivate he players he’s got so that they perform consistently well and have a strong team spirit. I’ve seen it there in patches – but folding against mediocre European opposition is inexplicable and unacceptable and points up this weakness.
Also – I remember Stein talking about his negotiations to take the job – it was all about total control. He knew it was necessary and he insisted on it…it has the right effect on the players.
Where did this post come from ?
Talk about going from a positive to a negative.
Right now I am focusing on the positives and what a positive last night was. 8 goals which could have been 15.
The team looks fresh (amazing what a bit of rest can do)and we are moving in the right direction.
We have just signed a Danish playing and are looking at a few more Scandinavian players so that shows that Ronny is the manager but obviously the board must approve but that is always the case.
Onwards and upwards we go and yes Ronny can get us to a higher level
It was written before last nights game. The point , to me, is more about whether or not Deila is a manager or a coach.
Ralph,
I would suggest neither…..
” Ronny can get us to a higher level “? Really?
Go on……
I take it this post must have been written over a week ago…….never a good idea to do that as alot can and does change in a short space of time.
elcormaco,
Excellent article mate!
There is not one ounce of doubt in my mind that it is the board of directors who should be facing the wrath of our support.
They are in control of the clubs destiny and to me, they are making a total mess of it with their buy cheap, sell big and replace with inferior player policy.
This Peter Lawwell and the board argue against paying ALL our staff the living wage but Lawwell walks away with £1m per year? Disgusting!
The majority shareholder pops up on a golf course and tells a gleeful Hun media that ” we need Rangers ( IL) back “?
This man and his board do not have one clue how the support are feeling about this monstrosity of a club coming into the League.
These men are not the men to drive Celtic forward.
Ronny Deila?
The sooner he goes the better, nice man but it has become clear he cannot take a Celtic side and progress in Europe, this season has been embarrassing watching Celtic in Europe.
It really matters to me how our club is viewed on the big stage, I want Celtic making headlines across Europe for famous fighting victories on the park, not for banners, flares or being pissed on by Molde.
Lawwell on his own words admitted Deila was a gamble, the last two seasons on Europe would suggest that gamble is a costly one.
Success in Europe can never be guaranteed but we aren’t even close.
The pressure on Deila in the summer will be red hot, if he stay’s and fails again…Efe better order a taxi bus for this management team and CEO!
Before Jock Stein arrived as manager, Sir Robert Kelly picked the team, Jock told him that he wanted control over all team matters, Bob Kelly agreed and the rest is history!
” Celtic first and Celtic last and Celtic overall ”
Hail Hail!
Hey come on, Why do some of you so called Celtic supporters stop demonising Ronnie and get right behind himTo date he has more trophy’s than Lennon had at the same juncture. Lay off the guy he’s only been in the job a season and a half.
While this is an interesting piece, well written and well thought out. Even if he is the manager his hands are tied by wage constraints and limited transfer funds.
There are with any organization checks and balances:
The supporters hold the board accountable (don’t spend money)
The board holds the manager/head coach accountable
The manager/Head coach holds the players accountable
The players hold the fans accountable (trying or not)
AT NO POINT is it the job of supporters to hold the manager/head coach or the players accountable.
WE MUST support them no matter what!
No scathing attacks on social media!
No sitting in the stands moaning and groaning!
No booing of players or managers!
Finally if we really want to hold this board accountable then WE MUST organize. WE MUST all at once refuse to buy something for a home game. Something that will be noticed, but not tremendously hurt our club. Just enough to send a message.
Pish!
Sounds like a press release from Kim Jong-un ffs.
Can you believe this shit? ” it’s not the job of supporters to hold the manager to account” WTF?
You honestly expect the manager to listen to a support who moans and whines at every unlucky result? When HE KNOWS he has the full backing of the board!
We cannot give him verbal warnings or written warnings. We cannot fire him.
Only Fat PL or the board can fire him. Therefore we must direct our anger at the board.
Attacking players and the manager only causes poor morale and a lack of confidence.
SUPPORT YOUR TEAM and GO AFTER THE BOARD!
Post in the ether….
Poor Ether, she must be sore.
Not as sore as Bobs wife!!
Trolling again Mongti I see must be bored eh? In answer to your question on the board yesterday. why do I come on a Tim forum? I do so because I happen to be one I only have a go at u my friend because you always have a go at people who have the audacity to have an opinion different to yours
I consider Ronny Deila an excellent manager and I believe he will improve Celtic tremendously. If I felt as the author of this article does (a coincidental reflection of the Scottish Media`s opinion of Ronny), I would at least spell the man`s firsr name correctly.
When chastising someone of their input and spelling, I would make pretty dam sure that I had perfection in my response.
12345678 aint life grand
COYBIG COYBIG GLASGOWS GREEN AND WHITE GLASGOWS GREEN AND WHITE
I don’t care whether it is RD, Pep Guardiola or Alan Stubbs in the hot seat, the coach/trainer/manager HAS to have input into what players are brought in, how can he manage players who in his opinion he doesn’t need or want, or who may not fit into his plans or tactics?
OOPS
Sorry, scrolled past most of that. The manager comes across to me on TV, as a man who is too intelligent for the person asking him skewed questions. There is a quick and easy answer to your ‘Question’ and it is whoever picks the team that plays, is ‘The Manager’. Simple really. HH
Oh dear looks and sounds like someone has not been listening to a word Ronny Deila has said since he arrived at Celtic.
A Complete overhaul of the System and tactical approach to games.
A Complete overhaul to Diet and Fitness approach
A new approach to maintenance and management of Injury prone players.
That’s called management Ronny Deila brought all this to Celtic not the Board.
He is also a Coach that is a Manager who put his boots and tracky bottoms on and works with the players every day on the training park imparting his vision and wisdom onto his players.
It’s not eve a question is he one or the other for it is fairly plain to see he is both.
Just like many others in Football past and present.
Well said
|”Oh me heart is living in the 60s still”
In common with most other clubs in the world, not just Italy, we have a team of decision makers who each consult with each other and have input to decisions. Ronny certainly does not have “final say” however that is defined but neither does he have no say.
And with the exception of a few superstar managers recently (Ferguson, Mourinho etc;) the rest have learned to live with this more easily than the supporter has.
And the reason this has come about is the Harry Redknapps, David O’Leary’s and Walter Smith’s of this world whose duff spending left their clubs dead or near dead. Which industry would ever allow free reign to the one person in the organisation most likely to lose their job within the forthcoming 12 months? A regular policy of rip it up and start again just leads to discontinuity and waste, and, yes, there is already enough of that around.
Now, if fans were regularly calling for the Director of Football to go, rather than the Coach/Manager, or were effective at all in getting CEOs, Owners, or majority shareholders to go, then the game would be different.
But we don’t- we call for managers to quit, usually 3 or 4 times per season- so we get the system we have helped to create. That’s why there is a kernel of truth in Uralius’s over-stated post about backing the manager and the team. When we are frustrated and angry- we believe that “things can only get better- it has got to change”. In doing so, we overlook the 2 other possibilities- things can get worse or things can just stay the same.
The 60s (and 70s and 80s to be fair) are not coming back any time soon.
Maybe not but flares seem to be back in vogue … 😉
Are you for real ya nobber?
Keep it to yourself in the future. 100% behind the big man, I obviously understand football and you don’t
What A clown!
did flares go out of vogue ha ha
The Vogue in Rutherglen main St?
I used to frequent in the early 90’s
ive danced on the tables ae the vogue many a time
Deila is clueless, OUT!
Fairs fair I might not be his no1 fan but you can only beat what’s in front of you and that was a great result last night.
Yaaaawwn!⌛️⏳⌛️☘☘☘
Ralph i beleive that is a well thought out article,
my own opinion is that there is only one person pulling the strings at Celtic and it is definately not the Manager/ coach, who i belieive has to work within certain perambulators,to coach to chose tactics and to look after the welfare/injuries of the players,he will of course have a say in what positions he wants to fill but that will be based on player accesability and cost.
Interestingly only this window i think he has had a bigger say in which players he wants in,i know for a fact they approached the new centrback last summer.
I think you must have started to consider the Manager? question some 2 weeks back when other Bloggers were altering there position to yours.
I know what my opinion is and its stayed the same for the last 18 months,a couple of very good results against low level SPL teams will not alter it.
Hey Monti I have never read so many blogs that talk so much pish or shit in such a short space than yours. You don’t have a clue.
Somebody else who knows you my friend.
😉
🙂