Go on. Admit it. you’ve missed his ramblings;
Norwich won’t want Neil, says former Hoops star Burley
Well, actually, I don’t think we have. Craig Burley, who now covers the EPL for American sports channel ESPN, has given his much sought after views on the story that Norwich City want Neil Lennon to replace Chris Hughton, who hasn’t been told he’s getting his jotters yet, but no-one at Carrow Road has asked him to the Easter Party yet.
“Marriage made in heaven? Hell, more like,” insisted Burley.
“I just don’t see it. In the first instance I can’t imagine Norwich looking to Scotland for a replacement for Hughton if they decide a change is necessary and even if they did I’m not at all sure Neil would believe it’s the right club for him.”
Thats because, when Lennon was asked about the Norwich story, he told everyone what the right club for him was, which wasn’t quite what Burley, who is terrified we’ll all have forgotten him, meant.
“I don’t know where they came from,” Lennon said. “I was asked ‘Do you think you have taken the club as far as you can?’ and I said well maybe the [Champions League] last 16 is maybe as far as we can go for the time being, so I think it was taken completely out of context. “I hope I will be here for the long haul. I haven’t changed my mind on anything. I’ve got work to do here.”
Burley, though, was on a roll;
“Neil would be better off staying at Celtic and waiting for something else.
( Strangely enough, Burley stayed at Celtic until he got something else. Obscurity County FC. Which was a fairly good indicator of how his television career would go. )
“He has to be careful. If he jumps ship then he has to get it right and I think he would be better off maybe going to a club that is on the up and up in the Championship in the first instance.
( Yes. His European experience would be invaluable for them. )
“That way he can enhance his reputation by maybe making it into the Premier League and then take the next step to a bigger and better club maybe in the kind of second tier of the game there behind the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United.
( As opposed to competing with Milan, Juventus, Barcelona etc.. )
“But if he goes to a struggling Norwich City he will inherit the same problems Hughton has had and, for that matter, that Paul Lambert who did a terrific job for them would have had as well.
“You really don’t want to be scrambling about near the bottom of the Premier League and maybe getting relegated.
“That wouldn’t sit well on anyone’s CV and it wouldn’t do his stock any favours at all.”
(One can only wonder what is on Craig Burleys cv.
Playing Career;
Knocked own teeth out with knee.
Managerial and Coaching Career;
None. But always ready to offer advice to more experienced and successful coaches.
Media Career;
After a poor start with Setanta, who went into liquidation, he moved to ESPN, who gave up on football in Britain due to poor ratings. ESPN have kept him on, covering the English league for the US audience. One eyed man in the kingdom of the blind indeed. )
“It wouldn’t be a good move for him or them.
“The problem for Neil is that clubs in the south look up at Scotland and without exception think that Celtic should be winning the league because there’s no Rangers and no competition.
( Ah, here it comes. The clause in his contract for the interview in the Express, from which the article is taken; )
“I know Neil and Celtic can only beat what’s put in front of them but try telling people in England that.
“They just see a league that is effectively won before a ball is kicked in earnest and, unfortunately from Neil’s point of view, they also see that Celtic have been knocked out of two cup competitions – and at home at that.
( Because there is no competition ? )
“Directors and officials in England see that for themselves.
( Which is why they are plundering our playing squad. Which currently includes the next England goalkeeper. )
“Honestly, without Rangers providing some serious opposition there is a stigma about Celtic winning the Premiership. You can dress it up any way you like but it’s not that great.
( Thats twice. )
“The Ibrox club not being involved isn’t doing Neil any favours.
( And thats three times . Cheque, please Mr. Irvine. )
“The Champions League last season did elevate Neil a bit but this season’s European campaign didn’t go nearly as well so that didn’t help him either.
( Thats because those English clubs who ignore the Scottish league spent a fortune on three of our players. )
“There will be doubts about him at English clubs just as there is a general reluctance to look beyond the border for players, never mind managers.
( Except for the ones they do buy. )
“I know one Premier League manager who doesn’t even scout Scotland anymore and although you could argue the wisdom of that it kind of illustrates the general perception of Scottish football with people down south.
( One out of twenty doesn’t really make it the norm. )
“I just don’t think Neil is a good fit for Norwich City and vice versa.”
Then he went away for his dinner.
Then , in contrast, we have ex-England captain Terry Butcher, who has played and managed in Scotland.
Terry Butcher backs Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster to be England No.1 for World Cup
After Joe Hart, the current No.1 moved out of the way to allow Lionel Messi to convert a penalty in last nights thrilling Champions League game, he may have a point. This was compounded when Hart, in a one on one with Danni Alves, opened his legs wide enough for both the player and the ball to pass through , which meant a 2-0 home defeat for the best team on the planet.
Forster, of course, has performed admirably in three contests with the Catalans, with only the freak 6-1 game , when there was nothing at stake, blotting his copybook.
Butcher said;
“Fraser should be fighting for the No.1 jersey and fighting to be out there as the starting keeper in the first game.
“He’s very much in the frame and there shouldn’t be any problems with him going there.
“As an Englishman I’d be quite happy for him to be in the squad. He’s had an excellent season, I’m happy that he’s doing so well.
“Peter Shilton’s never played up here – apart from playing badly for England at Hampden. If he’d played in Scotland, I’d respect his opinion rather than dismiss it.
“Fraser kicks the ball a mile and is the modern keeper. He’s good with the ball, his distribution is excellent, he comes for crosses and he’s a good shot stopper. You couldn’t ask for much more.”
Speaking of Forster, the Record says that Celtic are lining up a move for Portuguese keeper Ricardo, who plays for Academica, as well as David Forde of Millwall, and a whole host of others soon to be revealed ready for when the big man heads south in the summer.
Celtic also took in the Estoril -Braga game on Monday. Bragas keeper Eduardo is out of contract in the summer. And there is a kid called Rafa who pulled out of that game who is being watched by a number of clubs. but not on Monday, obviously.
Politics again-sorry- and with David Cameron telling the country that Benfit cuts have given people hope, here’s a timely reminder of the lifestyle we would be leaving behind if Scotland were to gain independence
Last night, it came as a bit of a surprise that despite Celtic having exited the competition, the champions league is still attracting attention.
English league leaders and “best team on the planet ” Manchester City faced Catalonias “Worst Barca team in years “, in front of a somnambulent crowd in the sparkling Etihad stadium.
Predictably for anyone who watches football without the English league, Barcelona won comfortably 2-0, despite the intimidating atmosphere from the home fans.
Well, thats if they were intimidated by silence.
Seriously, anyone who ever moans about the atmosphere at Celtic Park again should watch a re run of this game. For what was arguably the biggest game in Manchester Citys history, they barely mustered a cheer, a song or a round of applause, as everything that is wrong about football was on show last night.
Manchester City spent a few years in the third tier of English football not so long ago. Yet their support didn’t desert them. They still had huge, vociferous crowds no matter who they were playing.
15 years ago this week, #MCFC took on Macclesfield in the third tier of English football. A night like tonight shows what a ride it’s been.
Then along came some Arabs and stole the heart of the club, replacing a proud local institution with footballing mercenaries. ITV commentator Clive Tyldesley at one point remarked that Barcelona ” don’t like it up ’em Captain Mainwaring “-a popular view of foreigners in seventies middle England, which sort of lost its point when you realised that they only had one Englishman on the pitch, the bumbling Joe Hart.
So, for all that is wrong with Celtic-or what we perceive to be wrong, remember, it could be a lot worse. A hell of a lot worse, and if ever Celtic were to sell out the way most of the top English sides have, then its time to knock it on the head. No, I think we’ll stay where we are, thank you.
More importantly, I think we’ll stay who we are.
Over at Ibrox, this tweet raised a few hopes…
West Ham’s Ravel Morrison joins QPR on 93 day emergency loan
However, there was disappointment when the new club discovered they don’t do cash loans.
I’m sure someone will help them.
Tom McAdam was the man in yesterdays picture, a solid and dependable centre back who should have a little more recognition for his achievements than he does.
Heres one who may have been a little over-rated. Who is he ?
Didnt Craig Burleys Media career start when he was allegedly leaking stories along with Johnny Gould to the Press?
Super Tony Casgarino..scored against Der hun but God bless you Tommy Boyd!
Tony Cantscoreino…made Jiri Jarosik look like Usain Bolt!
not sure if it was his debut or not but I remember being at Celtic v Hearts at Parkhead, when the bold Tony in the space of 5 mins..scored & got sent off for punching someone ( John Robertson was it)? In the pus!
Craig Burley was a good player for Celtic, but seriously dislike the guy as a pundit!
Terry Butcher? Zombie 🙂
took him a right few games to score as i remember…even then tommy coyne or someone had to lay it on a plate for him!
at least we got a good swap deal for him
Jarosik – forgot all about him
Juninho ?
Tony Cascarino, the man with no Irish relatives who managed to play for Ireland. Or the man with very little striking ability who played as a striker.
Burely is an idiot. Anyone leaving Celtic to manage a team in the lower leagues must be crazy. Gordon Strachan left Celtic and took some time out before returning to Middlesbrough but he left after losing the league (sorry, after being cheated out of the league by a club playing a team it could never afford).
Neil has had 2 rocky results domestically and despite 5 defeats in the group stages only the games away to Barca and home to Milan were abject. We could easily have beaten Milan away and Barca at home. Neil is doing a fine job despite only having been a manager for 4 seasons. He is learning on the job and coul be here for years if the fans and the board treat him right. I would love that to happen.
Spare me Owen Coyle pleeeeeeeaaaaassseeee!!!!!!
Craiginho
That’s ma youngest I think ?
Tony Cantscoreino.
Although he did score at the ground bomber brown played for. Nearly got my mate lynched, he was in copeland road stand, Tony ran on to a wayward Spackman backpass to score, my mate jumps up, cue the hordes ready to kill him when he shouts “Spackman ya d!ck” all around agree and at first available moment he makes a sharp exit
Good laugh, thanks.
Cascarino – Italian translation – donkey
@Jas,
You’re getting mixed up with Amoruso m8!
BTW. IF Lennon went down south I would think he’s more likely to be attracted to Leicester City than never-has-been-and-never-will-be Norwich (no offence to Aunty Mary or any other canaries I know)
BTW 2 Tony Cascarino – should have stuck to the ice-cream van business.
BTW 3. The Etihad was like a morgue, compared to CP on CL night. e.g. Still get shivers thinking about the ovation given Iniesta.
BTW 4: There is no BTW 4
Thanks for letting me in. I,m only kidding but he’s a ringer for my boy Mark.hh
At least Burley is a good parent. His boy is a pillar of our local community.
wouldn;t it be smashin if after 32 mins at swinecastle the “great wall” had preserved a clean sheet, that the hoops supporters all stood up and gave the big man a round of applause and chanted his name
What was that joke, When Terry Waite got released the first thing he asked was has Cascarino scored yet?
When asked what he would have been had he not played professional football, Burley answered “a virgin”.
Ah Tony Cascarino.
Didnt he badly injure a female polis by slide tackling her by the touchline? (he was trying to cross the ball, but, you know…). I think she had to retire after it. I heard him being interviewed somewhere and I think the whole Celtic thing broke him for a while. He thought he d come up to Scotland and would bang the goals in against crap Scottish league defences, then went on to be mince. He used to get a recurring nightmare about a ball being played across the six yard box by Paul Mc Stay against our former rivals and he couldn t stretch to reach it. Or something, he definitely admitting to having nightmares about his time at Celtic. Something I m sure we can all relate to. Yep, great bit of buiness getting Tom Boyd in instead.
I really liked Burley when he first came up, he was great in the no to 10 in row season, but he does speak a lot of nonsense, which I think is becoming widely acknowledged judging by his diminishing profile. Dont pay him any heed, he ll suffocate without the oxygen of publicity.
I live in manchester and no doubt City are a big big club round here, but I dont see why they need to increase their ground capacity, and the atmosphere at the Etihad has never been great – its shape means sound sort of drifts out of it, a lot of fans still hark after the old Maine Road days. Their team were garbage last night but.
Cascarino, the player who was wrongly registered and consequently played with Ireland. I think we can all agree, there was no ‘sporting advantage’ gained there. HH
YES INDEEDY PARDNER you heard it RIGHT HERE FUCK SEVCO AND THEIR FANS
Aye Tony Cascarino the only 2 positives were his goal v old Gers & we got Tom Boyd in exchange for him – gotta feel for the boy tho just didna work out.
As for that fud burley great player in our one in a row season made a huge difference to us but an out out hun if ever there was one (his uncle George is one – gotta run in the family!!) & as a pundit a complete & total fud!!
We really shud just ignore anything he says.
I’m no so sure about George being one of them. I thought his dismissal from the national job was primarily because he wouldn’t allow the likes of Ferguson, Boyd and McGregor to do as they like. Which is constitutionally illegal.
Marky
Uncle George was interviewed in Shoot magazine way back in the 70’s whilst still a player at Ipswich – their usual sort of stuff favourite food etc for favourite other team he put down Glasgow Rangers.
Q. What’s the difference between a Chickpea & a Lentil?
A. I wouldn’t pay £200 to have a Lentil on my face 🙂
Brilliant diary (again!) today. Will we see Andy Walker in the Express,in the next few days, giving us his own pearls of wisdom…
Ya beauty we are in the Final of the Sweeping!
I wish SKY would put up subtitles when Jamie Carragher is speaking…FFS 🙂
Is Mezut Ozil ‘Flick’ from the film ‘ A bugs life ‘?
(•) (•)
With all these floods, why don’t the Government pour in two tankers of Cillit bang into the water, when the clean up happens everything will be sparkling clean, it also removes Staines.
But does it remove rocks