Celtic Diary Monday May 26

Speculation. Pontification. Hell, I should do rap music.

The papers are full of speculation regarding the next Celtic manager. Although Joe McBride, who works alongside Malky MacKay, has refused to comment on speculation around MacKay getting the Celtic job, which has led to pontification that he knows more than he’s letting on.

Former players Morten Wieghorst and Paolo di Canio have thrown their hats into the ring, Wieghorst is a serious option for many, while di Canio is the Nigel Farage of the race. In more ways than one.

Has anybody checked on Willie McStay ?

Theres no doubt whoever comes in will be the choice of Dermot Desmond, which had me pontificating after a drunk chap pulled up a chair and started talking football yesterday in a bar ….

See, this fellow has no interest in football, but he knows a chap or two who does. When I mentioned I was a bit of a Celtic supporter, he asked me what I thought of Lennon being sacked. Now this guy  actually lives in a different country when he sobers up, and for someone with no interest in football, he seemed to know a bit about what goes on behind closed doors.

I mentioned that I’d heard Lennon walked out over refilling his coaching staff after a couple of enforced absences. He chuckled, and said that I could believe that if I wanted to.

He went on, and asked me a question.

” So, who will pick your new manager ? ”

“Dermot Desmond”, I replied , and added helpfully, ” He’s the owner ”

” Oh, I know Dermot. And what makes you think that if he chooses the manager he wouldn’t be the one to get rid of them as well ? ”

I’d never thought of that.

In hushed and whispered slurred tones, he elaborated;

” Desmond thinks Lennon has a big mouth, and he was sick of him. Thats why he was fired, and thats why it came out of the blue-although Lennon has been threatening to go for a while, yer man finally made the decision for him. They’ll say he had had enough, and they’ll say it was mutual, but it wasn’t ”

Pushing my luck a bit, I then asked who was next in line for the job.

” Dermot wants Moyes, and Moyes thinks it will be a good move. But Moyes isn’t in control of his own affairs. Its down to agents and others… , but Desmond likes Moyes, and thinks he’s a “fighter ”

Oho-theres that “look in the eyes thing ”

With that, he finished his pint of nail varnish remover, and ambled off into the rain.

Should we take any notice of drunks ? Well, what we need to remember is this phrase, emblazoned on a flag by supporters of FC United of Manchester, a club formed when fans decided to do something when they didn’t like their clubs new owners;

My new friend was right in that Desmond is in complete control, and it  surprised me that he knew that. For someone who knows nothing about Celtic, or football, that is.

If Desmond wants Moyes, then Moyes it is. Surprisingly, Moyes himself hasn’t said a word about it. Oh hang on, what was that about working under the radar ?

Someone who is talking about the job is Peter Lawwell, like it actually has something to do with him.

‘We’ll take as long as it takes to get the right guy.

‘There has been no approaches to anyone yet but good quality candidates have put themselves forward.

‘We will be guided by the quality of the individual and his intelligence and the team he surrounds himself with.

‘This is a fantastic job. It’s manager of Celtic, we are in great shape, we are ambitious, progressive, dominant in Scotland and want to keep pushing as far as we can in Europe.

‘Age won’t come into it. It’s an open field at the moment.’

Effectively, Desmond has told him Moyes hasn’t given his answer yet. 

Which is why MacKay is staying on the sidelines. In case Moyes says no.

Or I could be talking shite again, it wouldn’t be the first time.

With his protector gone, James Forrest might well be the first player out the door. RobertoMartinez is apparently lining up a bid of £8m for the winger, which should serve as a warning to all those who would like to see him as the next Celtic manager. As much as I admire Forrest, when he’s fit anyway, and as much as I think he has an essential role in Europe next season to fill,  running out of defence in possession to ease pressure, I think a bid of that size would be too difficult for anyone to turn down.

Especially our board.

Elsewhere, Hibernian lost on penalties to Hamilton, meaning that the First Division next season will be the most competitive and exciting league in Europe. Neil Doncaster is already on the phone to several tv companies offering massive incentives to show the games.

In fact, he’s speaking to UEFA about the possibility of the winners getting the Scottish place in the champions league.

Despite Hibs, Hearts and Second Rangers all being in that division, ensuring crowds will be high even  if the quality on show isn’t, theres no guarantee that it will be one of those three who wins it.

So, it will be exciting, but lets not lose sight of why they are in that division. Its because they aren’t as good as the teams in the division above them.

Second Rangers might last the summer and take part. Millions of their fans shoved a postcard through the doors at Ibrox demanding whatever it is they are demanding this week, while their manager Ally McCoist was in the USA getting married.

They haven’t quite had the season book sales they need at Ibrox as yet, and theres a loan due to be paid back as soon as they raise £1.5m from sales.

I hope the fellow who is due it doesn’t need the money to pay his own bills, as it looks like he may have to want a little longer to get paid.

Its hard to feel sympathy for anyone who is open minded enough to lend money to a club with such a noble record of paying its bills, but I kind of do. Well, not much, but its that revulsion most of us have when we see people who don’t know any better getting fleeced by vultures who don’t care.

Which is sort of the theme over there for the last couple of years…

But then , no-one knows what will happen in the future…

Incredibly, that wasn’t the most ridiculous opinion that appeared on social media yesterday. Well, as long as Chris Graham has access to the interweb, there will always only ever be one winner.

Kevin MacKennas excellent article on Neil Lennons time in Scotland provoked this response from the bold Chris;

Some spectacular dishonesty in Kevin McKenna’s fawning piece about Lennon in the Observer today. Agenda driven, bigoted nonsense. 

 Of course, when he was challenged to elaborate with his own words of wisdom, it must have coincided with his battery going dead.

 Like his club, really.

 Owen Coyle in his Airdrie days featured in yesterdays Diary, and today we are going with someone else who has been mentioned for the job at Celtic Park. But not by many people.