![\"desmond\"](\"https:\/\/etims.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/desmond.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nHe has other business interests, and his lack of attention can be interpreted as him treating Celtic as a plaything means he doesn’t head any list of Great Celtic Men, in fact , it would be fair to say he wouldn’t even be considered for entry on one. no-one would propose him, and it’s likely no-one would block him. He’s just sort of there.<\/p>\n
When he intervenes, which he does on a fairly irregular basis, its to deal with the important issues, such as the appointment of Martin O’Neill ahead of Guus Hiddink, after the John Barnes \/Kenny Dalglish debacle, but ither than that he appears not to really care.<\/p>\n
So, why does he do it ? Why not just sell up and move on ? his view echoes that of David Murray, the man who sent Rangers spinning into oblivion, in that if he did move on, then he would make sure he sold up to someone with the clubs best interests at heart, without really showing that he is following that course.<\/p>\n
Many supporters would like to see him invest in players, but its not as simple as that. Like any shrewd businessman, he doesn’t make money in order to chuck it away again. No-one would expect him to, well, no-one with any command of rational thinking that is.<\/p>\n
After all, a sure fire way of becoming a millionaire is to start of as a billionaire and then buy a football club. Especially in Scotland these days.<\/p>\n
But surely a couple of quid to help us along wouldn;t hurt ? Or, and I think he would go up in everyones estimation if he did, what about contributing to the Kano foundation, or any of the other charities associated with the club ? Theres several to choose from, and it would come off his tax bill, if , indeed he has one.<\/p>\n
Billionaires and Celtic supporters make for uneasy bedfellows. Our mentality is a wee bit different from other supporters. We recognise our roots, and why we are here as a club. I wouldn’t like to be a billionaires hobby, so to speak, with money thrown around in the way that some of the English clubs do, but investment and contributions away from the playing side would improve his image, and make us feel like he is , if not one of us, actively trying to be.<\/p>\n
Below him in the pecking order comes Peter Lawwell.<\/p>\n
Loved and loathed in equal measure, well, apart from the loved bit, he drew roughly a million pounds in wages and bonuses from the club last year. He is in charge of a collection of businessmen we refer to as the board.<\/p>\n
Recently , one of them, Lord Livingston of Parkhead-how’s that for an oversized ego?- voted in the House of Lords to support his lord and master David Cameron, who thinks poor people should be seen and not heard.<\/p>\n
That enraged Celtic fans, as did the accusations that Livingston endured racial and other abuse from the support, which came from Iain bankier, another board memeber whom it seemed at the time would see his name pass into the language as a rhyming slang alternative to swearing. All of that blew over, as something else drew the supports attention, but like the baseball bat under the bed, it’s ready to be used whenever the need arises.<\/p>\n
There is no-one on the board thus far mentioned deserving of any respect, which has to be earned, and thus far, they haven’t earned it. In fact, it could be argued, and with no small measure of success, that they have done the opposite.<\/p>\n
The refusal to pay a living wage, the use of zero hours contracts, combined with what appears to be a patronising attitude towards those of us who pay our money, either directly or indirectly, into the club. all of which sit uncomfortably with a support which although broad in political beliefs, maintains a common \u00a0feeling of not quite socialism, but not too far away from it.<\/p>\n
More than that though, the Celtic support is more politically aware than most, and more likely to rebel against injustice, perceived or real.<\/p>\n
As it stands, the board are probably only one more PR disaster away from being not forcibly removed, but certainly made to feel they would probably be better off spending their Saturdays at the golf club.<\/p>\n
Lawwell apart, board members don’t receive a massive wage, but its still a good earner for them. The support are beginning to resent them. and its not just about the money. The feeling is that they are not representative of the club, they are not, put simply, people who have “drunk wine in the graveyard ” .<\/p>\n
And if anything, especially in the dark days of religous apartheid, we still prefer to be amongst our own.<\/p>\n
Again, a little more effort required of they are to earn any sort of respect. Actually, some effort would be a start. We can move forward from there.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Lawwell, without doubt the main man, the big cheese, the head honcho, \u00a0has been accused of operating the club purely to make money. The bank balance is more important than the team sheet. Results on the pitch are important, but its what the share price stood at this morning that concerns him.<\/p>\n
Thats unfair, because he does actually love the club. but , as with Desmond, he doesn’t always give that impression.<\/p>\n
And theres something else.<\/p>\n
If you were CEO at Celtic, wouldn’t you try to influence the manager ? Wouldn’t you suggest that you knew best as well ? After all, you would only need to put three Celtic fans in a room to get twelve different opinions under normal circumstances, and isn’t it perfectly natural that when a manager suggests a player should be bought, that if you disagree, you would try to talk him out of it ?<\/p>\n
I’m prepared to forgive him the occasional error of judgement, and excuse him on the grounds that it would be almost impossible for me, if I were CEO, to stand up in the boardroom and yell into Ronny Deila’s face “you are not buying any more bloody midfielders” , because its my opinion and i would be in a position to offer it.<\/p>\n
And of course, if he insisted, I could block it.<\/p>\n
It would take a hell of a man to go along with things when he didn’t think it was the right move.<\/p>\n
Here we may have hit upon a major issue.<\/p>\n
Not quite who is picking the team, but who is picking the players that can be selected for the team ?<\/p>\n
for example, Leigh Griffiths is doing rather well as a lone striker. Goal scoring throughout the team isn’t really an issue, but someone, be it the manager, the cheif scout-if such a person exists-or another of the “team ” has determined that we need cover for him, and this cover should be a big bustling centre forward who can hold the ball up , distribute it and bully opposition defenders.<\/p>\n
The idea that he should be able to score goals as well seems to have been forgotten.<\/p>\n
In came Ciftci, who was under suspension for biting someone, Cole, unfit, and Kazim richards, likely to be suspended for hitting, biting or stamping on someone. none of them are prolific goalscorers, so to include them in the side would mean shifting Griffiths either over or out.<\/p>\n
Deila has stated his preferred option is to have one mobile striker supported by three advanced midfielders, so these acquisitions don’t make any sense. Not if they were his idea, that is.<\/p>\n
Strikers have been a problem at Celtic for a while.Griffiths , if he stays out of trouble, on and off the field, could be the answer. The others make you wonder what the question was.<\/p>\n
Are the suits picking the players, and if so, how are they choosing them ?<\/p>\n
One theory is its all based on stats, the system operated at Brentford which saw old fashioned manager Mark Warburton part ways with the club. The idea is that players aren’t even watched, let alone scouted, and instead a list of options is presented to a “buying team ” -usually put together from a limited number of agents , to offer alternatives when , say, a striker is needed.<\/p>\n
This would explain the similar profiles of our last three purchases.<\/p>\n
They are all big, strong, seen more as a provider than a goalscorer, and all absolutely bloody useless.<\/p>\n
Football management is changing. No club, especially one run for the benefit of shareholders is going to allow one person, such as happened with David Murray or Harry Redknapp, a free reign on spending.<\/p>\n
But the most important thing in buying a player is in watching him. not on video, but on a wet Wednesday when his team are getting beat. We want to know how he reacts. We want to know if he keeps his discipline, if he puts in the effort, if he accpets responsibility or blames his team mates.<\/p>\n
Football is a team game, and we need to know how he works in a team. You cannot see that on a video,and you will never persuade a player that he is the one you want if he finds out his agent recommended him.<\/p>\n
It looks like players are brought to the club according to a template. Age and \u00a0sell on value in some cases look to be more important than what they can bring to the team, what qualities they have now, as opposed to what we can teach them. Football, a results business, is very much a “now ” business. Despite appreciating the idea, Celtic supporters don’t seem to be ready to wait for long term results if it means losing to Ross county on the way.<\/p>\n
Above all, there is the mistrust of the club here, because every time we get a new hero, he’s sold on. and we cannot complain, because we sold him the idea of moving on after he was good enough in order to get him here in the first place.<\/p>\n
Which might also poin tto a more destructive battle going on behind closed doors….<\/p>\n
The management wants to build a team of young Scots, aiming for a concerted effort at european honours. deila’s track record, and indeed , success with one or two players so far suggests he just moght be capapble of doing this.<\/p>\n
However, the club needs to sell. and Scottish players don’;t attract the big money, so we still have to pull in the foreign gems. The little nuggets which fetch a premium.<\/p>\n
If we want to build a team that hangs around and grows together, we can’t do this.<\/p>\n
If we bring in the non Scots and develop them for English cash a year or two down the line, we will always be back to square one, as we have sen this season.<\/p>\n
Can we have it both ways ?<\/p>\n
Is this, in fact, the heart of the matter.<\/p>\n
Whilst the board were all for building from scratch, the sudden realisation that it will take time has scared them, and now they want to change it back, or at least try to get the two idea’s to work alongside each other.<\/p>\n
This is crucial.<\/p>\n
We can either stick to the policy of making our own team, which we get to keep, or we can revert to the one where we hang on to players for a while before they disappear into a southern sunset.<\/p>\n
As it stands , its not about whether Ronny is capable, its about whether he will be allowed to do what he is best at. Manage and develop our own players.<\/p>\n
A team cannot be built overnight, it will take three, four, maybe even fiuve years. These days, teams don;t really stay together that long. The contracts given to a number of players lately are all long term, four, five years.<\/p>\n
New players tend to have a three year span, hinting that if they succeed they will be gone in two years. Which would get an optimum return, but again disrupt the team.<\/p>\n
We are at a crossroads.<\/p>\n
The support want a team to be proud of.<\/p>\n
The club seems to want to make money.<\/p>\n
In an ideal world, the money follows the success, is re-invested, and the success continues.<\/p>\n
We are not in an ideal world, and the danger is the balance tips toward making and saving money. Keeping the club in business, but not for the support.<\/p>\n
Keep the support happy, and show you care, and the fact is the club will never go under. Unlike another club not too far away, we are more aware, more ready to fight for what we care for and more capable of seing with our own eyes.<\/p>\n
If money is needed, the support, for the right people in charge, will find it.<\/p>\n
But only for the right people.<\/p>\n
And theres a feeling that we don;t have the right people in charge just now.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Thanks for all the replies yesterday. By and large, they were constructive, thought provoking and interesting. As expected, it kind of degenerated into the usual…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":8611,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/etims.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/problem-quote-albert-einstein.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2J7If-2eS","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8610"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8610"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8610\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8612,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8610\/revisions\/8612"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8611"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8610"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8610"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etims.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8610"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}