As we head into tomorrow and what we’re all now certain will be a major announcement, there is a suggestion doing the rounds – I don’t think it’s much more than that – that we should be looking to appoint a management “dream team.” I get the logic, and I like the name people want to bring in to work with the new boss … but still, the idea itself leaves me cold.
The idea is that Martin O’Neill should be brought in and offered a role as director of football or some ambassadorial post to work alongside Rodgers. I totally get what this, on the surface of it, looks like a good plan.
But really, only one of those options is a good one.
What this club needs more than anything is to make Rodgers the manager.
The distinction between that role and the role of “Head Coach” – which is how Postecoglou was recently unveiled at Spurs, and which was not his official designation at Celtic – should be clear.
The manager runs it all. The head coach does the training and picks the tactics and someone else handles the transfers and all that other business. A director of football in other words.
Martin would be excellent to have back at Celtic, but in the ambassadorial role where his day to day contact with Rodgers would be minimal. I cannot think of a better person to act as a figurehead for the club, and I say that with the utmost respect, and affection, for Tom Boyd who does a similar thing right now.
But the real front man is the boss, the man in the dugout, and that’s where the brilliance of Michael Nicholson is clearest in staying out of the limelight … he makes the manager the most important person at Celtic, as he should be.
We have seen what happens when someone interferes with the job of the manager, and although I get that the difference here is that Martin O’Neill is vastly more qualified than Lawwell is to make football decisions, those decisions, ultimately, still belong to the manager himself and we have also seen what life at our club looks like when that is the case.
Because Martin himself had total command of that side of the club, and we were rewarded with some of the best football – and the best players – we were to watch in our lifetimes; club icons like Sutton and Hartson and Lennon and Thompson. A team that did reach a European final. We saw it again these past two seasons with Postecoglou.
It works better than anything else we’ve tried to do.
It is the recipe for real and sustained success, and Martin would probably chafe at the idea if he was in Rodgers’ shoes and we all know it’s the last thing the man himself is going to tolerate for long.
Probably nitpicking here, but…
As smart as Nicholson maybe to keep a low profile and let the manager
do the public talking, he could / should have said something publicly when Ange left.
Very quickly – it seemed from nowhere – Peter Lawwell was getting mentioned in
dispatches, to confuse and anger supporters who were led to believe he was a NED.
IMO, it made Nicholson look undermined, and answerable to Lawwell?
That is probably NOT at all correct, but that was how it appeared.
At least Lawwell didn’t travel to Majorca with Nicholson & McKay.
Just think that sometimes it could be in Nicholson’s interest to make a public
appearance – when necessary – if only to confirm to the support that he is in charge
as the CEO, and to becalm those of us who are perenially suspicious of PL ? 🙂
At least Lawwell didn’t travel to Majorca with Nicholson & McKay.
Is that not the most important bit? This all seems to be a go-er because lawell has been cut from having any power, a job with the appearance of power but no sway. No way Rodgers signed on if he’d anything to do with it
Agree James, it’s a non starter for me. If the manger is called the manger, then he does what it says on the tin, however, should We go down the road of head coach and DOF template in the future it’s a different way of working and one that all parties sign on for and can work. The type of leadership in the dugout that we generally engage and most probably will in future is the manager type. Let’s hope that it continues to be so.
Don’t believe a role of DoF will exist within the club anytime soon and certainly no need for one currently.
Can’t see any changes in the manner that Ange worked with Nicholson, so expecting Rodgers to follow suit.
As long as the pair can form a strong working relationship then in theory no problems should arise.
One of the biggest job’s for any manager is there decision making, and recruitment of players possibly tops the list.
We still remain a club that turns over players at a fairly high rate, but this might slow down now with our younger and rumoured want aways maybe wanting to stay and actually wanting to work under the guidance of Rodgers now.
Still plenty of decision making has to be made upon the playing staff with still far to many within the club that won’t be within the plans of Rodgers going forward either, so enough tiding up still needs to be done in that regards.
Still expect a few changes to team set up under Rodgers, yet hope the attacking intent stays intact and becoming even stronger on the counter attack that was missing to often in the 2nd half of last season and a big requirement for ourselves in CL football, I would say.
Just on our defensive set up, decisions have to be made.
Will Hart still be the 1st choice keeper next season?
Will we operate with a back 4 or the more increasing popular 3CB option?
Rodgers has usually went with the back 4, so is the LB position still strong enough for ourselves, especially at CL level and suitable cover?
Such questions are for a manager to decide upon the answer, as he needs to get the right answers as his job depends upon it especially at our club.
So really nothing has or will be changed apart from the name making the decisions upon the questions that existed before Ange even left us.
But what if Martin is appointed “director of football” to distract planet fitba? Adept ar shutting up the hacks, answer for everything and then some, and has the humility to now what doesn’t concern him..ambassador of the media let’s say, let’s the rest work in peace
Media bull most of it but Rodgers has got full control of the football side and p liewell just chairman”only no say on how the football side is managed this time .He was part of the problem when Rodgers was at Celtic plus ego Rodgers went for a big pay day”and thought getting a bigger offer to manage one of the bigger teams in the EPL after Leicester but came a cropper with them” but still the best manager for Celtic at present.
All the filth and scum are imploding evevn before there monkey parades with there clown outfits and granny/maw/ sisters/ dirty auld dishcloths the interbreeding vermin