We’ve been trying to figure out who is The Celtic Star’s Player of the Year for this season and given the way things have panned out, rather than run a Poll on the site – as we’d normally do – we’ve been doing something different. After each match Sandman – who will later this week submit his own player-by-player review of the season – posts his Definitive Ratings so what we’ve done is count the marks up from the start of the season on a month-by-month basis to determine which player should be our Player of the Year. It’s also given us a chance to look at the squad to see who did what – there is no hiding place on this table below.
We’ve now added in the Ratings received from Sandman in February 2020, a month where Celtic had six wins and one defeat – away to Ross County – and that was that as far as Neil Lennon was concerned as the manager of Celtic. It wasn’t the defeat at Dingwall on 21 February that cost Neil his job, or the overall form in February, it was what had happened before.
The Celtic board keeping Lennon in place for three of four months beyond the time when a change was obviously required derailed the 20/21 season. Had the Scottish Cup not been delayed with the final on 20 December then the change would probably have happened months before. Instead the Celtic Board focused on rounding off the previous season, to win the Scottish Cup and complete a Quadruple Treble but in doing so they sacrificed the Ten.
Shame on them.
Some observations on the standings at the end of February, Callum McGregor continues to play too much football playing all seven games and his ratings notably have started to drop. Kris Ajer can hold his head higher at this point in the season, maybe looking to get his move through a run of improved form? The same can be said of Odsonne Edouard who had his best month of the season in terms of points awarded by Sandman in February – when it was too late. Another with one eye on the summer transfer window opening no doubt. That penny hasn’t dropped with Ryan Christie yet. Meanwhile Leigh Griffiths is half a point ahead of James Forrest, who hasn’t kicked a ball since September.
SANDMAN’S DEFINITIVE RATINGS – TOTALS FOR UP TO AND INCLUDING ALL GAMES IN FEBRUARY 2021…
1. CALLUM McGREGOR – STARTS 44 POINTS 266.5
2. KRISTOFFER AJER – STARTS 37 POINTS 235
3. SCOTT BROWN – STARTS 30 POINTS 197.5
4. RYAN CHRISTIE – STARTS 32 POINTS 191
5. ODSONNE EDOUARD – STARTS 28 POINTS 177
6. JEREMIE FRIMPONG – STARTS 26 POINTS 156
7. GREG TAYLOR – STARTS 24 POINTS 137.5
8. VASILIS BARKAS – STARTS 19 POINTS 123.5
9. NIR BITTON – STARTS 20 POINTS 121.5
10. MOI ELYOUNOUSSI – STARTS 23 POINTS 121.5
11. DAVID TURNBULL – STARTS 20 POINTS 118.5
12. SHANE DUFFY – STARTS 22 POINTS 115
13. DIEGO LAXALT – STARTS 19 POINTS 109
14. SCOTT BAIN – STARTS 17 POINTS 107.5
15. CHRIS JULLIEN – STARTS 15 POINTS 91.5
16. ISMAILA SORO – STARTS 12 POINTS 84.5
17. TOM ROGIC – STARTS 13 POINTS 81.5
18. ALBIAN AJETI STARTS 14 POINTS 75.5
19. OLIVIER NTCHAM – STARTS 13 POINTS 73.5
20. STEPHEN WELSH – STARTS 9 POINTS 55
21. LEIGH GRIFFITHS – STARTS 8 POINTS 46
22. JAMES FORREST – STARTS 8 POINTS 45.5
23. HATEM ELHAMED – STARTS 10 POINTS 44.5
24. JONJOE KENNY – STARTS 7 POINTS 42.4
25. CONOR HAZARD – STARTS 7 POINTS 42
26. PATRYK KLIMALA – STARTS 5 POINTS 27.5
27. ANTHONY RALSTON – STARTS 1 POINTS 7
28. MIKEY JOHNSTON – STARTS 2 POINTS 7
29. CAMERON HAPRER – STARTS 1 POINTS 4Photo: Jeff Holmes
Tomorrow we’ll look back on March 2021, not many more to go thankfully…
Celtic Football Club Statement: Neil Lennon resigns
Here’s a reminder of the statement on the club’s official website announcing the departure of Neil Lennon as Celtic manager…
Celtic Football Club today announced that Neil Lennon has resigned from his position as football manager with immediate effect.
Neil has served the club with distinction as both player and manager, delivering numerous successes, most recently completing the Domestic Treble in December. In his second period as Celtic manager, he has achieved five trophy successes, to add to his three League titles and two Scottish Cup victories in his first period as manager.
Current assistant manager, John Kennedy, will take interim charge of the team.
Neil Lennon said: “We have experienced a difficult season due to so many factors and, of course, it is very frustrating and disappointing that we have not been able to hit the same heights as we did previously.
“I have worked as hard as ever to try and turn things around, but unfortunately we have not managed to get the kind of run going that we have needed.
“I have always given my best to the Club and have been proud to deliver silverware to the Celtic supporters. The Club will always be part of me. I will always be a Celtic supporter myself and I will always want the best for Celtic.
“I would like to thank so many people at the Club who have given me so much and I would also like to thank my family for their love and support. I wish the Celtic supporters, players, staff and directors nothing but success for the future.”
Celtic Chief Executive Peter Lawwell added: “I would like to pay tribute to Neil for all he has done for the Club in his second spell, delivering our eighth and ninth successive league titles, the Quadruple Treble and winning the last five available domestic trophies.
“Neil has always been and will always be a true Celtic man and someone I will always hold in the highest regard.
“I have watched Neil fight many battles over many years, on and off the field, with a courage and tenacity few could match. Even this season, he has fought so hard and worked tirelessly to turn things around.
“While this season has not progressed as we would have liked, it cannot diminish the character or integrity of a man who has given the Club so much.
“Personally, it is a sad day for me to see Neil leave the Club. Neil is a man of quality and decency, he is someone who will always be part of the fabric of Celtic and someone who will always be welcomed at Celtic Park.
“On behalf of everyone at the club, and personally, I would like to thank Neil for his work as our manager and I wish him and his family good health and continued success in everything they do.”
Celtic’s principal shareholder Dermot Desmond commented: “Neil is a Celtic legend both as a player and manager. He has given so much to the Club, and with his success over the last number of years – including winning a Treble in his own right – he will be very difficult to replace.
“We thank Neil sincerely for all he has done for the club and we wish him every success going forward.”
