29 replies to this topic

[Gaffney]

In Craig Burley's column he starts off with sensationalism, no time to charm in the person got to make this article seem like the sporting article of the century. Neil Lennon faces the most important decision of his career in the next few weeks and if he calls it wrong it may well cost him his job as Celtic manager.

 

Choosing a first team coach is the most important decision in his career. This should leave most sane human being's confused, I guess at half time against Kilmarnock was nothing. I guess the death threats were nothing, signing players that will cost millions of pounds is nothing compared to choosing a first team coach. Bad start Craig maybe your article still has a chance to redeem it's self, maybe he will come out with several good arguments to back his initial paragraph.

 

As expected he gives no arguments why this could cost him the job. I can only read between the lines and guess that he is suggesting Lennon's behaviour could cost him his job. His behaviour isn't perfect but his performance vastly outweighs it. I don't think Lennon can afford to get a touchline ban every season. He is still learning as a manager and I just hope that he learns from his small niggling mistakes to improve his performance season after season or at least maintain it at the same level.

 

Craig for the whole article only names one potential candidate, Gordon Strachan. Strachan was close to coming into some sort of role at Celtic but it was during the time that results were going bad for Celtic and in the end Strachan refused to come to terms on a deal. Is this a suitable move now, I really don't think so. Lennon has overcome his challenges that confronted him to win the league title, get to a League cup final and a Scottish cup Semi final. Strachan was suppose to come in to help him on that issue, not issues relating to his touchline behaviour and I certainly don't think that is a valid reason to bring him in.

 

Is Strachan the perfect candidate anyway, could he bring something to Celtic. Strachan was bad at transfers, he couldn't get the best out of his players, Lennon's league record dwarfs his and his relationship's with players is far from perfect. I can't see any reason why Lennon would bring him in now, I've got no problem if Lennon personally wants to do that because there could be reasons behind the scenes.

 

As we move back to the article Craig make several statements. Rangers could be stronger next season, Lennon is far from the perfect manager and if results are bad the fans will turn on him. I don't think there is a problem trying to be better than last season and not being complacent. But what will Strachan do to stop this from happening other than Craig saying Strachan can ENSURE Lennon has the job as long as he wants.

 

Let me conclude this by saying Craig gives no evidence that Strachan will improve Celtic, no justification to bringing him in just because of Lennon's touchline behaviour and caps it off with sensationalism. I personally think that Lennon doesn't need a big name singing to his back room staff, the appointment should suit him personally. He has done a fantastic job so far and I don't think this is an issue the fans should really be that concerned about because Lennon has already shown that he can overcome massive challenges.

 

Gordon Strachan, 3 league titles with two of them coming against poor Rangers sides with the help of £31m to get a win ratio of 67% over 4 seasons. Neil Lennon 1 league title over two seasons against a stronger Rangers with the help of £13m to get a win ratio of 75%. You can also take into account that Lennon really had to build the entire squad from the ground up.

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[WillieByrne]

why would strachan a manager whos avoided relegation won 3 league titles in a row several trophies guided celtic in the last 16 of the champions league twice in a row take a first coach job? held only laugh if lennon asked him not a hope of gettin a manager to become a first team coach

[carraigbhoy]

I used to like Burly when he played for us, but he has turned in to an obnoxious opinionated prick, some of the remarks he made during Celtic games last season where despicable and clearly uttered to convince his critics that he wouldn't be biased! Its back fired on him! now he has more critics who think he,s just a prick! If I actually paid for Sky, I would have written a formal letter of complaint against this cu@"t.

[pepperami]

a wee bit harsh on wgs there gaff i believe wgs would do a cracking job for lenny,

even just the winding up of the msm would be worth his weight in gold.

i believe wgs had to build his side from the ground up also and i also believe his signings were good too i hope this idea from burley comes into fruitation.

[dundalk celt]

the football was crap under strachan , he won three league titles , but he spent a bit of money compared to lennon, I dont think it would be a good idea for hom to come back, another thing, craig burley talk a lot of bollocks at the best of times.

[pepperami]

the football was crap under strachan , he won three league titles , but he spent a bit of money compared to lennon, I dont think it would be a good idea for hom to come back, another thing, craig burley talk a lot of bollocks at the best of times.

he might talk bollox sometimes but i think this would be a good idea strach didnt spend that much tbh the downsizing he had to do after the mon era was a job in itself.

some great moments under strach always seem to be forgotten i believe he was badly let down by the boards lack of ambition his experience and his knowledge would be an asset also his team always seemed to pull out the stops when needed right at the death of a lot of games. our young team would gain a lot in how he managed to consistantly pull it off and so to would lenny when the chips are down.

[Gaffney]

he might talk bollox sometimes but i think this would be a good idea strach didnt spend that much tbh the downsizing he had to do after the mon era was a job in itself.

some great moments under strach always seem to be forgotten i believe he was badly let down by the boards lack of ambition his experience and his knowledge would be an asset also his team always seemed to pull out the stops when needed right at the death of a lot of games. our young team would gain a lot in how he managed to consistantly pull it off and so to would lenny when the chips are down.

He spent £31m at Celtic and signed a lot of old players or flops.

[dundalk celt]

Some great moments alright particularly in the champions league , but I was never a fan of the ridgid 4 4 2 system, In comparison to lennon he spent a lot of money , could you imagine us signing a current dutch international striker now.

The board did let him down in his last season especially in the january transfer window , were we signed willo flood and effectively blew the league.
It also has to be remembered that he ran charlie mullgrew out of the club for being 10 mins late for a bus , and the treatment of jackie mac namarra was a disgrace by him and lawwell

[pepperami]

He spent £31m at Celtic and signed a lot of old players or flops.

he spent 31 mill in players? over 4 years bought scott brown, mcdonald,robson.jvoh, nakamura,hinkle,

he had to effectively do major surgery to the mon team he was left a lot of old players he had to release he done a cracking job with a smaller budget than mon and won more than mon?

strach was a blessing same old same old all this when the ebts where rife aswell some people just didnt know and wont realise what wgs did for us and surprise surprise the board shafted him willo flood?

[pepperami]

want to add how much did he sell players for? you say he spent 31 mill but how much did he actually spend?

[MGMT]

He never spent big money on a player who flopped. Highest amount was £2 million for Tommy G. Anyone who questions his management needs to take a long hard look at themselves, then throw themselves face first into a wall.

[pepperami]

mgmt strach was a revelation mate he really was a love it when hes on celtic games being a pundit he calls celtic we for example the we man did good shame people just dont realise what he did

[WillyCFC1888]

Strachan was quality he proved it with how many trophies he won, my two criticisms of him are he played defensive sometimes we went up only 1-0 and he would wait until 90-90+ minutesto bring a sub on but a liked him.

[Gaffney]

he spent 31 mill in players? over 4 years bought scott brown, mcdonald,robson.jvoh, nakamura,hinkle,

he had to effectively do major surgery to the mon team he was left a lot of old players he had to release he done a cracking job with a smaller budget than mon and won more than mon?

strach was a blessing same old same old all this when the ebts where rife aswell some people just didnt know and wont realise what wgs did for us and surprise surprise the board shafted him willo flood?

They players you quoted cost £14m, McDonald 2.5 seasons, Robson 2 seasons, Nakamura 4 seasons, JVOH 2 seasons, Hinkel 2 seasons, Scott Brown 5 seasons. So his best signers were really short term only lasting on average 2 seasons except from Brown and Naka but Brown only really started to peak once Lennon came in.

Strachan did well for the first two seasons, but the reason he got sacked was that he spent to much for a short term team. Strachan didn't have to revamp the squad, it only needed a change of tone and a few signings eg Wilson, Boruc, Nakamura, Zurawski.

In his last season many people said all we needed was Fletcher in January, we could have signed him in the summer but Strachan spent £3m on Maloney who did nothing, £2m on Samaras and £2.5m on Loovens. He spent £7.5m on duds in his last season and he only won one of the three spl games against Rangers in the last season, he couldn't really get the better of Walter Smith.

[pepperami]

so if a players injured he a dud? so izzy is a dud then gaff? how much did he get for selling players gaff? how much did he actually spend? jarosic aswell good player? you mentioned donati also 1 swing of his boot got us more than the cash we paid for him how much he gain the club for his treble his 2 last 16 cl places and his 3 league titles and other cups? how much gaff

[pepperami]

also gaff you cant blame wgs if mowbray axed the better players we had at the time mate

[MGMT]

Gordon Strachan was better for Celtic than what Martin O'Neill was overall, in terms of debt, income and overall state of the club. Were we not heavily in debt by the time MON left, then by the time wee Chesney left, we were debt free. He took us to the last 16 of the Champions League in consecutive seasons (with a squad that many wouldn't take to, criticising his decisions along the way), won 3 in a row, built a squad that was capable of being feared by other teams all across Europe and not to forget the many happy memories he gave us.

God bless Martin O'Neill, Gordon Strachan, Glasgow Celtic and of course, the Tax man.

[Gaffney]

so if a players injured he a dud? so izzy is a dud then gaff? how much did he get for selling players gaff? how much did he actually spend? jarosic aswell good player? you mentioned donati also 1 swing of his boot got us more than the cash we paid for him how much he gain the club for his treble his 2 last 16 cl places and his 3 league titles and other cups? how much gaff

He signed a player for £3m in a position already filled my McGeady who had been injury prone for the past two seasons and through his career which meant there was no place in the budget for a young rising star Steven Fletcher who at the time wouldn't have cost much more.

Just saying don't blame the board, Strachan had his cash and didn't spend it wisely season after season.

[pepperami]

He signed a player for £3m in a position already filled my McGeady who had been injury prone for the past two seasons and through his career which meant there was no place in the budget for a young rising star Steven Fletcher who at the time wouldn't have cost much more.

Just saying don't blame the board, Strachan had his cash and didn't spend it wisely season after season.

wrong i do blame the board strach needed a whole new team and you still havnt answered how much he actually spent gaff cmon im dying to know

[Gaffney]

wrong i do blame the board strach needed a whole new team and you still havnt answered how much he actually spent gaff cmon im dying to know

Strachan didn't provide a whole new team in either of his last two seasons. Strachan cost £17.55m excluding wages and that pattern could not continue. Lennon over two seasons has made a £4m profit from transfers excluding wages, also there are several young players that could be sold on to fund a new squad. Kayal, Hooper, Izzy, Wanyama, Mulgrew, Forrest, Ledley and Ki so there is a lot of potential for the future in this squad.