“Some people think football is a matter of life or death. I assure you it us more serious than that.” We all know what Bill Shankly was getting at when he made that comment and to be fair it is from a different era. The man who is currently filling Mr Shankly’s boots at Liverpool FC, brought it up to date with words we can only marvel at for a man with English as his second language. Mr Klopp told us that during the current pandemic, football is “ the most important of the least important things”.
The Scottish government have the moral high ground, they are currently fighting a noble battle to save lives. Our current manager decided to pick an argument with them and others on the fallout from the Dubai trip and how we were being treated unfairly in footballing matters. Neil, you are losing too many battles on the park and this is also a no winner. In footballing terms, it is equivalent to losing 4:1 in both legs to Sparta Prague reserves. Learn from Donald Trump and know when to concede…..oh, wait a moment!
You may or may not agree with the manager’s comments and I think there is some merit in them but the more interesting question is over timing. I know he has been in self isolation but I hadn’t appreciated he had taken a vow of silence during that period. I am pretty sure he picked the teams and called the shots on the substitutions during our last two games. His fingerprints were all over them.
He may even have primed Gavin Strachan on what to say post match that we regretted nothing. So, why didn’t he come out with his comments before yesterday? I guess he made his views clear internally but lost that particular battle and Peter Lawell was forced into an apology. Now that he is back centre stage, he took the first opportunity to go rogue.
His comments were not designed to help Celtic FC on the park, it is too late for that, and they have damaged us off the park. At best they are self serving.
To more footballing matters, our strong “reserve” side failed to win at home to either Hibernian or Livingston. It is obvious that we have not turned things around. The performances on the park have been and remain unacceptable and arguably we have gone backwards. Gavin Strachan told us after those games that off field events have dented the players’ confidence. That is where we were a few months ago!
The players are far from blameless but the coaching staff are to blame for the failure to get that best out of them; it’s a case of the total being less than the sum of the individual parts. We have failed in Europe for some time and we are now failing domestically.
Why is Neil Lennon, and the two other coaches, still in post? The mood music coming out of Celtic is that changes are coming. Let’s hope so, but who is capable of making such decisions on the playing side? Nick Hammond is not long in post and I don’t think holds much sway. Peter Lawwell thinks he is and that is part of the problem. None of the other Board members would be involved in such footballing matters, their specialist subjects being finance and the law.
It is 100% Mr Desmond’s decision. Let’s hope he decides quickly and wisely.
Until such changes are made, a pertinent question is, have we reached the bottom? Unfortunately, I suspect there are more playing disasters just around the corner; it is not only the players’ confidence that is low.
Chris Wotherspoon
John Kennedy has to be the luckiest Celt ever, showed a wee bit of potential, that’s all it was nothing more nothing less. Got injured playing for Scitland which was poor. Since then he has been bullet proof and kept on fir continuity purposes time after time, in my mind he has stole a living from Celtic for years now but more importantly been in.place when someone better equipped could be helping us. He most certainly should not survive this one, simply not good enough fet him out of the club all together and let’s move on.
I agree, we need someone who is able to help the team , as he’s not fit for purpose.
Time for Lennon to go? Correct. However there is nothing wrong with his comments, there are too many people who have been waiting to put the boot in. Unfortunately some are ex celtic men shame on them. We all laughed at the rangers debacle but every ex player, pundit backed their club even when being run by crooks. I’m sure this wasn’t their private opinions. They stuck together. Divide and conquer!! We’re really not very clever.
Hi Paul
I did say I thought there were merits in his comments, it was the timing of them I was questioning. Wrong fight, wrong time. It is unfortunate that there is infighting at the moment but that is because the Board have allowed this to drag on too long.
Regards
Chris
I found it hard to disagree with lennons comments, but the manner in which he put them across was alarming.
It’s evident to me that we are being treated differently, but after Dubai and two positive tests (that could have been picked up in Scotland), he should just have shut up and spoken about football.
I was genuinely concerned for his mental well-being after seeing that presser, and then his attack on John hartson for having an opinion and caring about the club.
Hi Derek
I did say I thought there were merits in his comments, it was the timing I was questioning. Your are absolutely correct about the infighting, the Board have lowed this to drag on too long. Time for them to throw in the towel and save Neil Lennon from further punishment. We owe him that and a lot more.
Regards
Chris