It’s an understatement to say that this season has been a massive disappointment. Frustrated and wanting action, we now await the long-anticipated appointment of Eddie Howe as our next manager. A young man whose coaching ability seem to increase daily as the saga drags on, such is the desire amongst the support to finally see white smoke emerge from Paradise.
I’d expect Howe to be appointed after the season ends, as who in their right mind would want to be associated with this current Celtic side? This means he will start with a clean slate and remain untainted by the debacle of the previous regime.
I’d also hope that his coaching staff are all his own men and that Kennedy and Strachan seek new opportunities.
The season is nearly over, our rebuild is looming and 2021 has a feel of season 1964/1965 for me. There is a quote often said that sums up the challenge our club faces.
“Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it”.
We should learn from the dark days of January 1965, which was a low point for our club then managed by the legendary Jimmy McGrory. Despite a squad full of talented players, we had not won the league title for many years. Celtic had just crashed out of the League cup to Rangers, been taught a footballing lesson by Barcelona in the Fairs Cities Cup and the title was out of reach. Kilmarnock would be champions on goal difference from Hearts and Celtic would eventually finish eighth (and we thought the 90s were bad).
The Scottish Cup was our only possible route to glory. The press smelt blood and John Fairgrieve of the Daily Mail delighted in reporting:
“They are being left behind by provincial clubs with a fraction of their resources”.
Source: Scottish Daily Mail 12 January 1965
It is also well worth reflecting that Billy McNeil was on the verge of asking for a transfer with Spurs interested, Bobby Lennox was being tempted by a move to Falkirk and a certain Jimmy Johnstone was a shadow of the player he would one day become.
In 2021, despite years of success and a Quadruple Treble we are in a similar situation. We will finish at least 20 points behind the new version of Rangers, provincial clubs are doing well in the cups, and our squad has players with talent and skill who are not reaching their full potential.
The press as always are writing with glee about our demise and expect our rivals to prevail for the years ahead.
However, in 1965 Celtic had the courage to break with tradition, sack McGrory and appoint a football visionary in Jock Stein.
The board led by Bob Kelly, who had not only signed players, but frequently picked the team over the head of the manager, finally realised the folly of this controlling strategy.
At the press conference to announce Jock’s appointment Bob Kelly famously shook his hand in front of the assembled press and said, “It’s all yours now”.
The rest as the cliché goes is glorious history. Cesar stayed and became a legend; Bobby Lennox ran foreign and domestic defenders ragged for years and Jinky Johnstone would go on to be our greatest ever Celt.
The power of a manager with coaching ability, excellent man management skills and total control of the on-field operations was the catalyst for the years of glory to come, that would transform these underachievers into footballing immortals.
I would go so far as to say, that the appointment of Jock Stein created the modern Celtic.
We all know that we will appoint a new manager soon, but that move without a change in board strategy may not deliver success.
Whilst we will never get another Jock Stein, in Eddie Howe, we have the opportunity to employ a well-respected coach with fresh ideas and a track record of playing attractive football.
When he does get the job, he must be given complete control of the playing side and appoint his own backroom staff. The removal of Peter Lawwell should ensure he receives this freedom to rebuild Celtic on his own terms.
We all hope he will be the man to reignite the careers of the players that will remain. Especially those that have underperformed this season such as Griffiths and the probable next club captain Callum McGregor.
Can he nurture the growth of talents such as Dembele, Johnston, Montgomery, Welsh and Connell? I certainly hope so. It might be too much to expect miracles like encouraging Ntcham and Ajeti back to form and the right frame of mind.
We will see a high turnover in players, those we have on loan will depart and hopefully never return and we should receive a decent amount of money for Ajer, Christie and Édouard.
Any money brought in should be spent on creating a team with a solid spine. We will require a blended recruitment strategy.
This must include experienced professionals who will not be bullied and that will fight for our club. However, in uncertain financial times we will also need to grow our own players and use our budget wisely.
I would urge Celtic to seek quality from wherever we can find it, but to not ignore the potential on our own doorstep.
There are fine players currently in the SPFL who would enhance our side and help us play attractive football.
I am encouraged that we are linked with three players in particular, Kevin Nisbet of Hibernian, Ali McCann of St Johnstone and Aaron Hickey now from Bologna. These would all fill gaps in our side and be exciting players that can play a part in the new look Celtic.
A combination of motivated and properly coached existing players with an addition of quality and grit further supplemented by the best youth available will not only excite the supporters but allow us to assemble something more like the Celtic teams of the last few years. As for matters off the park, that’s a whole new challenge for another time.
I am optimistic that if we appoint the right coach and Howe looks like that man, allow him the time and money to establish his own team and if our new CEO concentrates on his own role, then success will follow.
After all, if you know your history and learn from it, we have been here before and we can and will rebuild.
Hail Hail
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Today isn't our day we've had a decade of these days being ours but you can't win them all even tho in the last 4 years it's certainly felt that way. Celtic dominated Scottish football like we've never seen an we'll never see again be proud you witnessed it. We'll be back. pic.twitter.com/dP7erc0n99
— 🏴 Boyle🇻🇦 (@Boyle_67) May 15, 2021
