Dermot Desmond’s involvement in Lennon being given the season

When Brendan Rodgers moved south to Leicester with every available employee, he could fit in a people carrier it was looked upon as rather disrespectful to jump ship in the middle of the season. Indeed, in many quarters it was argued that had he waited to the end of the season he would have gone with many of our blessings. I’ve never been sure of such sentiments but so be it.

Celtic now find themselves in the position whereby if we are looking to grab a manager currently in employment, we’d be looking to do the self-same thing to another club, asking a manager to do the same thing to another set of supporters, something that riled us so much.

When the rumours surfaced that Dermot Desmond was happy to have seen enough progress in recent results to give Neil Lennon to the end of the season it was of little surprise. Indeed, the disingenuous claim of a January reassessment of the manager’s role never really rang true, it had something of the ‘extra value’ platitudes about it.

Public utterances from players to the manager and the chief exec rarely have any substance in truth or consistency these days, so much so that one day they might say just utter something honest and no-one will believe a word of it.

In this instance Dermot Desmond hasn’t really said anything publicly at all, probably that’s as much to do with plausible deniability as per the entitled and mob statements that weren’t directly attributed to anyone at the club either. It may after all be worth erring on the side of such caution in case, we lose heavily to Hibs on Monday night or we exit a fourth tournament in five months by way of the Scottish Cup this month. It’s certainly wise to be in a position to distance yourself from attributable quotes especially in a season of such erratic content.

My feeling was always that with money to lose at Celtic were aware of this impending demise unravelling. Previous European performances and a huge loss of income would surely have ensured at least a watchful eye. It’s just that the speed and severity of it caught them unawares, that the plan was always for a summer re-set whether 10-in-a-row was won or lost.

The need for addressing a restructure to the largest shareholder was probably evident after Ferencvaros. Back-to-back 4-1 defeats to Sparta Prague would simply have moved the focus from looking at a Chief Executive’s performance and his blatant missing of KPI’s exclusively, to a manager who even with the dreadful capitulation of another Champion’s League campaign would surely have been expected to at least tread water in the Europa League, and even if not, domestic success would still allow time for an in depth look under the bonnet at the club. All of that unravelled far more quickly than expected. Not that any of that is an excuse.

The initial delay in dispensing with Neil Lennon’s services was clearly because there had been no scenario planning for a domestic collapse. Europe however? Yes, that was always possible. Indeed, a Chief Executive may have had it pointed out such an event for a third consecutive year on his watch would mean a summer exit – personally I’d have preferred that to be announced at last month’s AGM but given how difficult it can be to attract a suitably qualified CEO you can understand the delay.

Given performances at least have picked up since Lennon’s last vote of confidence and considering those managers out of work that may have been sounded out either declined our advances or have been discounted, it could be we are on to those currently gainfully employed.

If that is the case then it is unlikely too many at present are either unscrupulous enough to do a Brendan or unwilling to start their employment with a mountain to climb, and then begin the following season tarnished by a previous campaign not of their making. There is after all a big difference when it comes to seven-point deficit and an ego convincing an individual he can bridge a gap to a nineteen-point deficit and your ego telling you it doesn’t fancy the public deflation.

As such Celtic may well have been left with the sticking plaster option of a temporary fix until the summer, either that or a lesser choice of manager just to stop the rot.

That Neil Lennon has at least overseen an improvement in performances in the last four weeks it may have been enough to negate the need for a managerial change immediately and allow the inner workings of the club to be fully assessed and an alternative structure put in place. It may even be, as would be sensible, that those changes would impact directly on the process and the man chosen to deliver that new manager. If that’s the case I think I’d welcome such strategical thought. It is long overdue.

At this moment in time such structural change being implemented is the hope I cling too, that it is Desmond rather than Lawwell who appears to be in some way communicating via the press at present makes me hope change is afoot throughout the football operations side of Celtic and not simply at the level of manager.

It is not after all just the stewardship of the first eleven that hasn’t been fit for purpose this season. The decline of the entire footballing operation at a European level has had a significant impact on the club’s finances, not to mention reputation and that goes beyond this season, well beyond.

So, if Dermot Desmond is getting hands on, I can only think back to the appointments of Martin O’Neill and Brendan Rodgers and his direct involvement. If our largest shareholder is looking for a manager of such standards, he may well have been advised the club remains an attractive proposition but its micromanagement approach needs addressing. If that means we need time, if that means it takes until the summer to turn it all around and if that means Neil Lennon sees out this campaign, then I’m all for it.

We have after all won fifteen out of that last twenty league titles. If we get the next few months right, we can do the same again. A bit of short-term pain for long term gain seems a price worth paying right now. Then again, it’s the hope that kills you isn’t it?

Niall J