Bringing in a new manager will inevitably result in a fair amount of upheaval, while it’s often the senior players in the squad who should be nervous about their role going forward.
A new boss will always want to implement their own style and put down a marker to confirm that things have changed, so it’s often an easy choice to move on from stalwarts from the previous regime to signal that to the fans.
There’s a fine line to walk with that approach because you still need some experienced heads in the dressing room, so it’s going to be interesting to see what happens with Scott Brown.
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He’s been the captain and first name on the team sheet for years now, but this feels like the first season where his selection has actively been questioned on a regular basis.
There was always a feeling that Brendan Rodgers had a plan to gradually phase him out and that probably still needs to happen, while a new manager offers a chance for a clean break.
There’s always going to be a place for Broony at Celtic Park and it could also be a natural time for him to step into a coaching role, but a report from Sky Sports has indicated that he has no plans to do that just now:
“I am doing my coaching badges and I am learning quite a lot from John and the manager (Lennon) and other managers too.
“Now is not the right time for me to be jumping into becoming a player-coach or a coach or anything like that.
“I think I’ve still got a lot to offer on the field or with the lads on the training ground.”
That indicates that he still sees himself being capable of playing a key role in the team for at least one more season, and it could lead to a fascinating choice for the new manager to make.
We often see a situation where a veteran player gets a new lease of life under a new boss and it would be magnificent to see him go out playing a key role in a team that re-gains the title and shows some progress in Europe.
The problem will be that nobody really likes change, and there is a possibility that we see a situation that happens in every workplace.
When a popular manager who perhaps gave the employees an easy ride moves on then you’ll see those who refuse to adapt and try to stunt any progress, and that’s a problem the new manager can absolutely do without.
You have to think he’ll be professional and it’s hard to see him playing anywhere else next season, but it seems to be clear that he won’t be a part of the new management/coaching setup for now.
We really need to move on from this idea that players approaching the end of their playing career should automatically get coaching jobs for us. This “jobs for the boys” approach is holding us back. People should be appointed for their skills & knowledge, not because they’re ex-players.