So, the sleeping giant stirred, stretched its arms for a bit, and promptly went back to sleep.
Roy Keane, having decided that although Edinburgh is a nice enough place to live as long as you don’t go outside or mix with the natives, told Celtic yesterday that he did not wish to be considered for the managers job.
Before it became the major news story at lunchtime, when all other outlets were telling us that Keane would be announced as the new man , the Irish Examiner was already on the case…
Not so fast. None of this happens without Keane saying yes and signing the contract. Over the weekend, some things have emerged that have muddied the waters. One, Keane may lose ‘his’ keeper Fraser Forster to a Premier League side. Two, the nett transfer funds available from Celtic to reshape his squad are pittance in market terms, a couple of million, certainly no more than £5m according to well placed sources.
The article then went on to mention an English club, with strong Irish links, who were going to offer Keane an assistant manager post, and allow him to stay on with Ireland, something that Celtic would not-or could not-do.
There is a third, very important element. A Premier League club (one that has had a strong Irish tinge in the past – no, not Man Utd!) is also keen on his services as assistant to the manager. And that club has no major issue with the possibility of Keane double-jobbing and staying in his role with the Republic of Ireland.
Logically, this appears Keane’s best option, even if it isn’t the most direct route back into front line management. Celtic offers him that, but if the Glasgow club don’t make the group stages of the Champions League – and their squad isn’t best equipped to negotiate the hurdles of the pre-qualifying lottery – it could be a long winter for Keane in Scotland.
Keane may lose ‘his’ keeper Fraser Forster to a Premier League side. Two, the nett transfer funds available from Celtic to reshape his squad are pittance in market terms, a couple of million, certainly no more than £5m according to well placed sources.
Now, on paper, whatever he raises plus £5m is not bad, certainly compared to what Neil Lennon was allowed to spend, but in reality, its like whooping with joy when the value of your house goes up, but when you sell it you find you need to spend the profits buying another one.
Martin O’ Neill once said that we ( Celtic fans ) had better get used to life in the slow lane, and frankly, at the moment it looks like we’ve pulled over onto the hard shoulder.
Steve Clark has now moved into the pole position, which is at best underwhelming. Clarke was sacked from a club where the fans are so used to inconsistent performances that they sing “Boing Boing Baggies” as a reference to the ups and downs of life at West Bromwich Albion, so if he couldn’t hang on to a job there, he must have been particularly unimpressive.
So, where are we up to ?
Neil Lennon was mutually consented after complaining about his budget and Peter Lawwells interference. Henrik Larsson was contacted about the job, he rang his former team mates, Lennon and Johann Mjallby , to ask how the land lay. Then he remembered he was under contract until November.
Then Roy Keane said it wasn’t for him-for reasons that are as yet unclear, but are unlikely to be far removed from those in the Examiner article.
Clarke is now favourite with the bookies, who have had nearly every unemployed manager in Europe in pole position at some time, so its probably safe to say they have no idea. Apparently, Kenny Dalglish has recommended him for the job.
Morten Weighorst has taken a job at Aarhus, which is Danish for “My Place ” ( I’ll get my coat ), Oscar Garcia is off to Tel Aviv, and Paolo di Canio is off his head.
That leaves Malky Mackay and Owen Coyle to battle it out with Clarke for what was once one of the biggest and most prestigious jobs in European football.
Slow Lane ? I think we’ve decided to walk.
Dermot Desmond has told his pals that he wanted Davie Moyes, that was his first choice. Moyes has been quiet about all of this, and so therefore cannot, despite the problems with agents and accountants, be entirely discounted.
Could the fuss over Keane have been a bit of a red herring, designed to take the publicity away from the real candidate ? Lawwell and Celtic are well known to keep their business away from the press, and often surprise us with the conclusion of their work.
You really have to hope thats the case this time, because I have this recurring nightmare where John Park is installed as Director of Football, with Peter Houston as Head Coach.
On a temporary basis, until November, when Larsson will be ” suggested ” s taking over, but then we will be told that Houston and Park aren’t doing to badly, and deserve a crack at it.
Depressing, and I don’t want to think about it anymore.
Gary Hooper has decided he’s had enough of Norwich, and is after a move. Before we get into a should we forgive and forget argument, its worth remembering that unless he’s prepared to work for minimum wage and a bit of a bonus at Christmas, he’ll go to QPR.
Robert Snodgrass , reportedly one of the reasons why Neil Lennon fell out with Peter Lawwell, could end up at Hull. Lets face it, as soon as he asked for a decent wedge, he was never going to get his phone calls answered.
Peter Lawwell has done a sterling job to stabilise the clubs finances, and he is well worth the sixty or so bus loads of season book holders it takes to pay his salary.
Sixty ?
Every year ?
Those buses won’t be full for very long if he doesn’t show a little ambition. If he doesn’t get this next appointment right, and back the new man with a reasonable budget (no-one is asking for silly money ) then Celtic Park will be the place to go to next season if you fancy a bit of peace and quiet.
Its enough to drive you to the drink. but although this place is a nice enough looking bar,
its probably best that those of us worried about what manager we get in stay away from it , at least for now. Have you seen where it is ?
The 1965 cup winning side were pictured in yesterdays diary, and today, to cheer us up a wee bit, heres another from the twitter page of “colourizer ” Barry McGonigle.
Todays question is how do we get back to being the club we used to be ? Answers to
P. Lawwell,
Celtic Park,
Glasgow.
Who knows, he might even read some of them.
When Peter said there was 5-10 names on a list, did he get the Celtic manager replacement mixed up with shopping at Parkhead Asda.
You dont go sacking someone without the proverbial Plan B in place already…thats schoolboy fitbaw stuff.
It’s going to be wee Gordon Strachan to the rescue until November isnt it?
would have him back in a heart beat
I maybe just an old cynic regarding the approach to Keane, but maybe Lawwell and Desmond thought (wrongly) that with the deadline for season book renewals being last weekend !!!! Surely not???
How do we get back to the halcyon days? Well you get this car, a DeLorean maybe, get it up to 88 mph and bob’s yer uncle.
Slavan Bilic
It’s clear that Roy Keane wanted the job. If he didn’t, he would have said so 2 weeks ago. The fact that Celtic were still talking to other candidates, after speaking to him, was far to much for his ego to handle. HH
Wieghorst signs for Aarhus. I was going to ask where Aarhus was until I remembered that it is in the middle of our street.
Totally agree with your article. Keane would only have come on his terms, i.e. nobody sold, plus healthy budget and no interference from Lawwell.
Having said that, maybe we dodged a bullet on this one.
Thought he was “up for a fight”? Never turned away from a challenge?
If there’s a challenge in football, it’s managing our club.
Looks like he wasn’t up for the fight after all.
But all this still leaves us without a manager. Or should I say Head Coach. If Lawwell decides who comes and goes from the club then that’s what the new guy essentially becomes. And Steve Clark has a big reputation as a coach.
we need a manager who is going to excite us, not bore us.
I know he lacks experience as a manager but I really hope its Henrik.
he knows what Celtic is all about, he knows how to attack, he would be good with the media and the legend that he is would inspire all our players.
A gamble ? maybe but one worth taking as at least he would bring a real buzz back to paradise.
TIME FOR DERMOT TO SELL UP TO SOMEONE WHO CARES ABOUT CELTIC
Last 4 West Brom managers
Di Matteo: Won CL and FA Cup
Hodgson: Got England job and will win the WC
Clarke:…………………
Mel: Great british Bake Off
lenny is coming back on friday seems he just wanted a wee holiday without the papers following him about or so a taxi driver told me last night
What a depressing diary today. why is it that we always slag the media and then listen to them when they name just about everyone involved in football as our new manager. lets just wait to see what Celtic say and do, then we can have an argument about the rights and wrongs of that.
Well said
Think this will catch on Bongo…?:-)
Delighted Keane is not coming that would be a disater he record as a manger is poor. No one else has offered hima job in years why should we?
Clarke? Coyle? Mackay? How the mighty have fallen. Here’s a simple idea. Pare the squad down and pay the better players more. Lenny bought some real duds so how could we trust him to spend more money wisely? Duds= Rogic, Balde,Pukki, the injured Dutchman, the long gone Mexican and a few others. Also why did Lenny sign players and never play them? Get rid of 4-5 players and pay one or two good ones more money. Keane has now insulted our club twice. Long may he manage at Leyton Orient or Staleybridge. He would have been a colossal pain the in the arse and would never last a full season here. Who’s left. Moyes or Larsson. Dark horse: our own McStay.Actually, Lennon has landed us in the *****!
VVD, Lustig, Mathews, Wanyama, Hooper, Commons, Mulgrew, Izzy, Forster, Ambrose, Lenny signed FAR more good than bad.
But who signed who? Which ones are Lennons and whose are Parks?
Bongo I am with you, why is the diary swallowing all the media nonsense, whoever put it out and for whatever reason. There is no rush until at least the pre season start in mid June, why this panic,” oh we need to know now.” Ralph i bet you wanted your Christmas presents in February!
Keans and maybe Henrik were given their place or else were an insurance to take pressure off if someone less exciting was appointed or if whoever was appointed failed, then the Board could say well we spoke to Roy and Henrik and the time wasn’r right for them.
We don’t need a quick appointment we need the right one and we don’t need to be obsessed with big transfer fees to beat Aberdeen or Motherwell, we are at best going to do well in the Europa league not the Champions League and we need to keep our resources until we face a real challenge in Scotland.
You tell them Brian. You have wide experience in football.
Ralph,
I agree Moyes is still in the frame.For me the No1 candidate.
If not him,Paul Lambert would be ideal,with Henrik as his assistant,come November time.They are good friends,and would form a great management team.With Keane going to Villa,the writing is on the wall for Paul.Also,the Villa fans have turned against him.
I address my comments to the commenters today and not to Ralph, not because I am annoyed at my lost posts (all bugle blowing at the end of the day) but because some on here are having a sly boot at the man – I presume he is a man. He uses reports from the media as the foundation for his own take on things which often comes with the biggest tongue in existence in the widest cheek. Sometimes he sees potential substance in what is being written and remarks upon it. But I have never known him to believe or pay homage to “journalists” especially Scottish ones. It happens, on this occasion, the paper was Irish and while that is no greater guarantee of the truth, it is less likely to have an anti-Celtic agenda and, perhaps, worth cosideration.
Believe me, guys, I am not in the business of only praising our Dairy Caesar but I would hate to think I am looking to bury him either. One can strip the carcass to the bone without attacking the producer. Besides, for many of us, he is the daily fix that sees us into tomorrow.
Now Ralph, surely the lesson to be learned is there is no policy like a wait and see policy. Let’s leave knee jerking to the slippery Salmond.
Here’s moye’s bet and H H
Meant to say we had a ball that night in that pub. Missed out on the bar maid, mind – beggars can’t be choosers and old men canny choose!!
PB,
I totally concur with you,re Ralph’s paper talk.Humour can sometimes go right over the top of people’s heads.
Moyes will probably want a break, the media haunted him from the day he took over Man U. WBA fans felt Clarke packed the defence for the first 60 minutes each week, home or away but he might have had to do that with survival being a more realistic goal than chasing trophies, it will be different at Celtic.
By the way Ralph what happened to the budgie, replaced with a kitty!
I for one is glad Keane is going elsewhere. Who to replace him: bucked if ah know but ma seratonin levels are low thinking aboot it. Anyehooooooooooo I’ve recently pulled Iran & Greece for ma office WC sweep. I also got a sever rattle on ma right shin on Friday playing 5-aside football. She’s a cruel mistress the auld fitba.
Hail Hail N aw that!!!!!!!!
“That leaves Malky Mackay and Owen Coyle to battle it out with Clarke for what was once one of the biggest and most prestigious jobs in European football.”
There’s the rub – past tense. Keane taking the manager’s job would just have been equivalent to him signing for Celtic at the end of his career for personal rather than professional reasons.
And why would he pick it up after Lenny dropped it? His seeming prevarication was simply not to embarrass the club or Desmond by saying what was on his mind. There was no way he was going to take it.
Actually I’m not sure it matters who takes over the manager’s job as the constraints are so great that ambition hardly comes into it. It’s just about keeping the show running – winning SPL, maybe a cup, maybe last 16 although unlikely this time round if the big players go.
The more I think about it, it’s going to be Jackie Mc namara for the job and to be honest, I think he’d be a good choice.