If we attempt to put the pieces of the forward plan that Celtic are working on together, we know that Peter Lawwell is retiring as the CEO on 30 June and that Dominic McKay will take over the next day. We also know that McKay, who has a background in communications and at the SRU has stayed well away from the actual rugby, will not seek to replicate the Lawwell remit of controlling everything including the Football Operations.
We have enough intel to believe that there is going to be a major overhaul of the football operations at the club with a Director of Football apparently going to be the next key appointment and the well-informed Stephen McGowan from Scottish Daily Mail gives an exclusive update on this today.
Celtic PLC Chairman Ian Bankier this morning released what is essentially the club’s long overdue January Review, which they promised at the beginning of December. Bankier doesn’t say much if anything about the future of the Celtic manager Neil Lennon, whether his performance has been reviewed and judged to substandard this season and whether or not he will leave toe club in May.
Celtic board when talking about Neil Lennon: pic.twitter.com/UYtKiAdRdb
— Conor (@ConorM67_) February 15, 2021
Why not address this? It’s probably because the club don’t want their hands tied in the ongoing search for a Director of Football, with one enticement being to the favoured candidate (who might otherwise not take the job) is that he can with sign-off from Dominic McKay decide on who the manager will be and if it is not Neil Lennon, work with the new CEO to get their new manager appointed. Basically Bankier doesn’t want to put the cart before the horse.
This actually makes sense and perhaps we should be a little more prepared to see it through to a conclusion. This is the next chapter for Celtic, the Lawwell era has run its course and we have already discussed his successes and his failings. It’s now time to look forward.
Juventus scout Matteo Tognozzi is the latest name being mentioned today by Stephen McGowan for the new Director of Football job at Celtic. Another name mentioned this morning is the former Bournemouth and Huddersfield recruitment chief David Webb, who McGowan states wants to be considered for the newly created post.
And the Daily Mail man also reveals that Celtic have engaged Nolan Partners, the executive headhunters, to assemble a shortlist of candidates for interview with Fergal Harkin from Manchester City already a known option.
With a new CEO in place, a Director of Football being head-hunted then the next logical decision is to determine who that manager will be and what structure he will be working under. That isn’t known at the moment – the new Director of Football will bring his own ideas – and he will want to have a big say in who the manager is.
So what are the options as far as Neil Lennon, John Kennedy and Gavin Strachan are concerned?
1. The may simply lose their jobs, with each receiving the contractually agreed compensation.
2. They may be invited to be interviewed for the new jobs within the re-structured football department.
3. They might simply be kept on but given different remits.
With Celtic these days it’s hard to predict much but it is worth noting that the best possible appointment as our Director of Football is going to be crucial for our ongoing success and prosperity as a club. Accordingly it’s the right thing to do to keep the choice of manager open, given that there’s now not much point in removing the current coaching staff with regard to this season – when even the resumption of the Scottish Cup seems unlikely.
Neil Lennon and his coaching staff know that they on borrowed time given the way this season has gone badly wrong and knowing that there is a new football structure just around the corner. Had they been dismissed due to the awful results and performances then there would have been presumably a caretaker brought in. had that happened in December then the league campaign might not be over now, but it didn’t happen. Dubai never got a mention this morning incidentally.
My belief is that Neil Lennon is essentially doing the caretaker role at the moment and is well aware of the situation.
Season tickets aren’t renewed on 15 February so Celtic still have time to get their man who will make the call on the manager’s job when appointed. The new CEO will be involved in this process and, in my opinion, Neil Lennon will be allowed to see out this campaign but will leave the club, with sincere thanks, after the last league game of the season. Agreed already, a managed departure with little or no controversy and a new man appointed shortly afterwards. In time for renewals.
— The Celtic End Podcast🎙 (@TheCelticEndPod) February 15, 2021
