\u201cHe fits the identikit of a Celtic\u00a0manager. I can totally understand his situation, that it\u2019s a personal decision, but I was hoping he would take it. He would have given the club a big lift.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0It seems strange that Lennon would comment at all on his successor, its not something you see a lot of in the world of football, and the very nature of the interview adds fuel to the fire that the fiery Irishman ( copyright MSM ) didn’t leave on the best of terms. In fact, it suggests that we were right all along, and he didn’t leave at all. He was fired.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Theres a bitterness about Lennons words, which makes one feel slightly uncomfortable. He may not have been pushed, but he almost certainly wasn’t pulled back in when he was close to the edge.<\/p>\n
\u00a0No doubt his exclusive will either be in a book, or in the papers. I suppose he’ll have to pad it out a bit, because once he’s told us what McCoist whispered into his ear that night, no-one will really pay that much attention to the rest of it.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Anyway, the new guy will be at his desk on Monday, and he will have the backing of the support. Strangely enough, he’s \u00a0one of two only Celtic managers to have won a league title with another club, either before or after their spell at Celtic Park.<\/p>\n
\u00a0The other was Davie Hay, with Lillestrom, also in Norway.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Lets face it, it was never going to be John Barnes.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Thats if he is going to be the manager, and not the head coach. It appears that Celtic will go down the line of appointing a “Director of Football ” , who will look after the more mundane aspects of the managers role, such as signing players, sorting contracts and generally interfering with the managers business as much as he can.<\/p>\n
\u00a0John Collins has been mentioned as a candidate, though no-one has fully explained exactly why, especially to John Park, who is , according to John Park, favourite for the position.<\/p>\n
Its not like he hasn’t been doing the job for the last couple of years anyway. \u00a0Or trying to.<\/p>\n
Davie Hay , in the Evening Times, explains how it all would work;<\/p>\n
“I was used to having been the boss of Celtic, involved in almost everything.<\/p>\n
“With board approval, the manager ran the club, the playing side, agreeing contracts, negotiating transfer fees, and identifying new players along with the scouts and bringing them in.<\/p>\n
“Then I went to Norway in 1989. I knew things were done differently there, but not as differently as it turned out.<\/p>\n
“I was the coach. That was the extent of my responsibility. The general manager dealt with everything else, from the day-to-day running of the club, to contracts and even selling and buying players.<\/p>\n
“Everything financial was his domain.<\/p>\n
“I actually enjoyed the fact I could focus entirely on training, playing and winning.<\/p>\n
“Once a month, I sat down with the general manager to discuss things like training times and travel arrangements.<\/p>\n
“But, that was it. I still don’t know to this day who earned what among my players.<\/p>\n
“I was not involved in recruitment, or anything like that, which managers in this country take for granted.”<\/p>\n
But there was a drawback. After he took some time off during the mid season break, he returned to find he was minus his top striker , Jan aage Fjortoft, who had been sold…<\/p>\n
“I was stunned to discover Jan Age was no longer there when I got back to Norway,”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n “When I asked why I had not been consulted, I was told simply, ‘That’s not your job’.<\/p>\n “Worse still, the guy they had brought in to replace him – again I had no say in this – was no good.<\/p>\n “I could see that straight away in training, and he never played for us.”<\/p>\n You get the impression that if the club had signed Lionel Messi he would have been “no good “, and would ” never have played for us. Especially as he would only have been two years old at the time ”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n “Eventually, I did become comfortable with the way things were set up,” he explained.<\/p>\n “The only thing I wasn’t happy with was the issue of player recruitment, and I decided to come home after one season.<\/p>\n “But those are the parameters under which coaches work in Norway, and they accept this.<\/p>\n “Deila would have had such a set-up at Stromsgodset with Jostein Flo the general manager, and it clearly worked well, given their success.<\/p>\n “Can it transfer to here, if it’s the way Celtic want to go? That’s down to the individuals involved.<\/p>\n “It’s certainly not for everyone. But the Scandinavians seem to be happy with it.<\/p>\n “Perhaps we will see recruitment of players being left to Peter Lawwell and John Park.”<\/p>\n No shit.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n If we are to install a director of football, we could do a damn sight worse than Davie Hay. but you get the feeling that after removing one man who stood up to Lawwell and Park, there won’t be any rush to bring in another.<\/p>\n Still, none of that really matters to us who sit in the stands. As long as we get a team to be proud of thats enjoyable to watch, we don’t really care.<\/p>\n Another chapter in our illustrious history is about to be written, and if we are changing direction a wee bit on the road to glory, I’m all for it if it gets us there.<\/p>\n Now to the first page in that chapter. Celtic are looking to make their first signing of the summer. and given the movement by Scotlands newest club as they continue their journey through the leagues, its essential we get it right straight from the off.<\/p>\n Ally Mccoist -well, actually not Ally McCoist-he’s disappeared off the face of the earth, and no-one knows where he is<\/p>\n There is no suggestion that these two chaps have removed him, or offered any form of gentle persuasion to get him to vanish.<\/p>\n After all, how big would that car boot have to be ?<\/p>\n Sorry, I’m rambling again.<\/p>\n Second Rangers have declared their intent by snapping up Kenny Miller, and encouraged by this, we hear they will have scouts at the World Cup as McCoist reckons he could secure \u00a0one or two big names for the campaign in division one.<\/p>\n We shouldn’t laugh , really.<\/p>\n In fact, I had to breathe into a paper bag for a while when I saw this, on Newsnow;<\/p>\n Rumour mill: Deila | Celtic in for Gordon | Miller<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>The Scotsman<\/b>\u00a008:11\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Fortunateley, though, its not Gordon Marshall. Its Craig Gordon. I may have used the word “fortunatley ” in completely the wrong context there. And thats the second time I’ve spelt it wrong. I really do need a new keyboard.<\/p>\n The Scotsman explains-well, someone has some explaining to do…<\/p>\n Celtic are in signing talks with former Scotland no. 1 with a view to offering him a contract. Gordon has been training with the Scottish Champions for the last few weeks and is expected to be given a medical today. The deal could make him the first signing of the Ronny Deila regime.<\/p>\n If they are all going to be of this calibre, may I humbly suggest that we also make it the last ?<\/em><\/p>\n Gordon has previously trained with Hearts and Rangers, been a coach with Dumbarton and attracted interest from a host of other clubs. The keeper, who cost last club Sunderland a record-breaking \u00a39million from Hearts, has won 40 caps and recently vowed to win back his place in the national set-up.<\/p>\n \u00a0Please tell me he’s coming in as a coach. Actually, don’t. Stevie Woods is an excellent coach. Okay, please tell me he’s coming in as third choice-a back up for Forster and Zaluska. Or just as a back up for Forster , but please, please, tell me he is not coming in to replace Forster.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0Okay, he’s not coming in as a replacement for Forster<\/p>\n Feck off. I \u00a0don’t believe you\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n We’ve ignored all the transfer hullaballoo while the new manager was being wooed and bedded in, and if this is a sign of what we can expect, then we’ll carry on ignoring it.<\/p>\n \u00a0Julain Schieber, of Borussia Dortmund has also been mentioned. The striker is quitting the German side because of lack of game time, and insider told us exclusively why;<\/p>\n \u00a0” He hasn’t scored any goals when he does play “<\/p>\n \u00a0Ach, its just teething troubles….Isn’t it ?<\/p>\n Meanwhile, is this the new away top for next season ?<\/p>\n I don’t know who chose this one. I \u00a0don’t know if its even genuine. But tartan is for the rugs we put on our knees at the football. not for the shirts.<\/p>\n \u00a0Not ever for the shirts.<\/p>\n There are several, equally objectionable ideas for a new top floating around in cyberspace…<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Embedded](\"https:\/\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/BpZSDR0IYAEdE1b.jpg:large\")
<\/p>\n![\"easdales\"](\"https:\/\/etims.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/easdales.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"bbc](\"https:\/\/etims.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/bbc-panel.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"20140606-080337-29017742.jpg\"](\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.liveforfootballshirts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/20140606-080337-29017742.jpg?w=600\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/i572.photobucket.com\/albums\/ss161\/Documental\/CelticAway2_zps77738f9c.png\")
<\/p>\n
![\"top](\"https:\/\/etims.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/top-a.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"top](\"https:\/\/etims.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/top-b.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"top](\"https:\/\/etims.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/top-c.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n