The Scottish Football Writers’ Association Manager of the Year is not, rather incredibly Brendan Rodgers but Kilmarnock’s Steve Clarke.
If you have ever been to a horse racing meeting, you will know that occasionally there is a race with a hot favourite and the some bookies will have a betting market for the race that simply excludes the apparent certainty, the horse that is so far ahead – the rest of the field are regarded as being not being in the same class as the favourite.
So the bookies overlook the favourite and exclude it from the market, taking bets on how the rest will race against each other. It works for them and there is a logic to it.
The Scottish Football Writers’ Association must have had a similar mindset when choosing their manager of the year. The bookies set the odds by looking at form and then adjust the prices as the money comes in for a horse.
The form horse in Scottish football management – with Brendan Rodgers in the field – means that there can only be one winner.
Let’s recap on the form guide.
EUROPE – Only Celtic made it trough the summer and into the Group Stages of the Champions League as 4th seed. Despite the seeding made it through to Europa League achieving European football after Christmas before losing to Zenit St Petersburg.
BETFRED CUP – Brendan Rodgers’ side won that in November.
PREMIERSHIP – He won that in April.
SCOTTISH CUP – He won that at the weekend, had he not (the only unknown for the ‘bookies’ at the Scottish Football Writers’ Association then Motherwell’s manager Stephen Robinson would have won the Cup.
The Scottish Football Writers’ Association excluded Rodgers – they must have done – for whatever reason – and opted for Kilmarnock’s Steve Clarke. Clarke is a fine manager but come on.
Anyone know the answer to this one? When Walter Smith or Jock Wallace were winning trebles for the old Rangers, did the The Scottish Football Writers’ Association, overlook these Rangers treble winning managers to give their award to another manager in the league?
I think we all know the answer to that one. Not that Brendan Rodgers will be too bothered.
Steve Clarke picked up his award and spoke about the need to stop Celtic. He must have decided it would be worthwhile playing to his audience.
He said: “Six out of six is pretty good. They had the Invincibles season last year which was incredible.
“I don’t think the clubs in Scotland were going to allow that again and there was a better resistance against Celtic this year.
“They didn’t win all their league games and dropped more points, which maybe makes next year more interesting.
“But when it came to the cup competitions and the big matches Celtic just showed they were that little cut above everyone else.
Clarke though knows that the Kilmarnock job will remain a challenge given the club’s budget. It was encouraging to see the size of the crowd for their final home game – a win over Hearts – last weekend.
It must be rotten supporting one of these teams with these artificial pitches because they seldom produce an entertaining game – it is incredible that boards at clubs like Killie and Hamilton don’t get that.
“It’s very difficult for me to sit here and say we’ll challenge again for the top six next season, although I’d like to think we will because we’ve got the nucleus of a good squad,” Clarke said.
“If I can keep them together and add one or two over the summer then I’d like to think we’d be very competitive again next year.
“We also need Rangers to be better. Aberdeen will improve and I think Hearts and Hibs will too.
“So hopefully we get a more competitive division.”
Have you got one of these? Beautiful Sunday should be celebrated all summer long…
WHAT DOES CELTIC’S DOUBLE TREBLE MEAN TO YOU? Were you at Hampden or did you watch on TV? Where were you, perhaps overseas? Did you head over to the ground for the open top bus parade? How as that? Share your personal experiences today on The Celtic Star – email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk and we’ll do the rest…
Listen to “John Paul Taylor with A Celtic State of Mind (Part 2/3)” on Spreaker.
