21 Jun 2020 20:40:57
Ed, been thinking about this for the past few weeks although it seems more ovbious the more you think of it - do Celtic only do enough to get by in the league and anything else is a bonus? If this is the case shoule we as fans accept it? We don't push the boat out to get far in Europe yet it seems we are content as long as we qualify for the following year's foray into Europe. I accept we aren't the strongest of leagues but should be not be doing more?
Apologies, it's Father's day and my daughter obliged with a couple of bottles.
{Ed007's Note - No worries mate, I hope you and all the fathers out there got spoiled rotten today. I think you're bang on that the board - and a lot of fans - are happy enough to be topdog in Scotland without being willing to take the next step up in Europe and the numerous recent failures to even qualify for the CL Group Stages is simply not good enough.
Celtic like to be seen as a big club but repeatedly act like a small club who are happy to be the big fish in a very tiny pond - from the appointment of managers to gambling with signings - for every Ajer there's a Compper & Bolingoli, for every Dembele & Edouard there's a Bayo, Balde, Pukki etc etc or gambling on players fitness like Boeriggter and now Elhamed instead of buying quality when it's needed, look at the John McGinn fiasco or Fletcher from back in the day.
The biggest problem at Celtic is Peter Lawwell, as long as he is controlling the footballing department as an unofficial Director of Football then we will struggle to make the next step up. As a CEO there isn't many in Europe that can touch him but he needs to stick to what he's good at and leave the footballing side to those that know better - and the fact that Lennon is just a yes man won't do the Club much good in the long run, we need a manager/coach in there who has a voice and isn't scared to put his foot down but Lawwell won't allow that as we seen with Rodgers, Lawwell was afraid that Rodgers was going to become the main power at the Club with influence over Dermot Desmond and that would never do.
Remember this is a CEO that has said he never even considered anyone else for the manager's position - although Moyes could have had it if he wanted - when choosing Rodgers replacement.}
21 Jun 2020 21:59:46
We should forget all this nonsense about trying to buy our way to ten in a row, we should be developing and bringing on and promoting our own kids to the first team, just buying now and again when the price is right, we shouldn't be wasting money and time on chasing a dream, if it happens it happens, like it did with the Lisbon lions and the Quality street kids, now we are afraid to give kids a chance, because the pressure to win ten in a row is too much, so there is a clamour to rely on professional mercanaries and pay them obscene wages to achieve, what to me, is a meaningless goal, .
{Ed007's Note - I totally agree with you, Aindoh that we need to spend our money more wisely and about youth players being given a chance although I don't put that down to the quest for the 10. For years now young players - and even older players - are written off and crucified for making a mistake or a misplaced pass. Young players will make mistakes, that's how they learn and get better.}
21 Jun 2020 22:10:50
Thanks Ed, that's exactly what I was hoping to hear. I worked for a company whose owner was affiliated in some way with a team who was always in the English First Division. If they were sailing high the CEO unoficially instructed the manager to lose a few a games in order to stay mid-table. The amount of money they needed to satisfy the criteria of being promoted wasn't sustainable for that team - ie the upgrade to the stadium, the enhanced transfer fees and all the othet improvements and layouts that was required. They had gone through some managers and I don't know whether that was due to frustration of trying to better themselves, but couldn't, or because thaey always saw themselves as being a First Division Side. The parralel is there with Strachan, Rodgers and Lennon (first time) and it wouldn't surprise me to see Lennon walk after the 10. We definitely do operate with a glass ceiling and I can't see that breaking with the business model we have anytime soon. As long as the club has enough to keep it in a position of strength then anything else is a bonus. Rememeber back to Lawwell's beaming face when we got through to the group stages of the Champion's League.
{Ed007's Note - Lennon will hold onto the Celtic job as long as he can, after this all he'll have left is punditry.}
21 Jun 2020 23:30:05
The only chance any club playing in the poorer leagues in Europe have of having any success in CL these days is by excellent/ lucky recruitment (finding 3 or 4 gems in the one season) . Celtic could spend every penny they have plus another 30 million on the squad and all it would guarantee is, instead of winning the SPL by 20 pts it would be 30 pts. I'm happy with the way we go about our business.
The market we can afford to deal in is risky for every Van Dijk, Wanyama, Armstrong, Dembele we pick up cheaply there's your Kouassi, Balde, Bollingoli etc to even things up.
As long as TV is throwing copious amounts of cash at the major leagues we don't have a hope in hell of competing .
22 Jun 2020 06:56:29
So we operate from A position of strength - tick. glass ceiling yep it's Scotland we make a fraction of what the top leagues make should we be better in Europe no doubt but that goes back to oneil and the like. some people say the ten ain't that big an issue but god forbid lenny doesn't deliver he'll be chased out of town never to return.
22 Jun 2020 06:56:58
But harsh on Lennon there Ed? I was one of many who was underwhelmed at him getting the job permanently but he's done a brilliant job in my opinion. No reason why he could go on and manage in the, ahem, best league in the world.
22 Jun 2020 09:23:03
With the money Lawwell's earning in a small goldfish bowl it'll be him who'll be chased out of town before Lennon.
22 Jun 2020 14:18:05
Aye right lenny will be as well painting a target on his back and that's just on here.
24 Jun 2020 09:12:26
Come on ed don't you think he's done great in a very short time thrown into the lion's den.
Maybe with what Lenny has done with Celtic bigger budget clubs will take a chance in him. He has improved our play more attacking he's managed to keep our top players who want to play for him. Lenny is young so I hope he stays around for a while. .
I wanted Lennon from the start imo he was the only one to get going straight away and not make to many changes.
{Ed007's Note - No I don't think he has "done great" - pretty far from it imo. He won a league only an idiot could have lost when Rodgers left, he failed miserably in both the CL and the EL (Cluj &Copenhagen), we fluked the LC when we were outclassed by an average TRIFC team and then he didn't learn from that leading to us losing to them at Celtic Park.}
24 Jun 2020 18:48:05
Harsh again @ed007 you can't hide your hatred for the guy.
Did you even celebrate all his successes guess not. The football has improved by a mile imo. I also feel more confident we will win games under Lennon it's also better looking football rather than the borefest. Rogers gave us.
{Ed007's Note - The truth is usually harsh for those that refuse to see it and are blinded by their homoerotic infatuation with "Neil Francis Lennon" as they like to call him.}