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Rumours Continue To Swirl As A Big Name Candidate Is Ruled Out For Celtic

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There is no certainty at Celtic right now except more uncertainty. For a while longer anyway. The rumours continue to fly, left and right. New names are plucked out of the air with startling rapidity. Some stories – like the mad one yesterday about Buckingham – flare just long enough to worry us that the board has taken leave of its senses.

Others, like Maresca, linger like a bad hangover, and you just wish that they would go away. His would be a dire, desperate choice and would confirm that our club’s very serious nepotism, cronyism problem had become a clear and present danger to us. Reports that Man City “won’t stand in his way2” aren’t the least bit surprising; he’s a mere coach, why would they?

Last night, one particular name was officially taken off the list; David Moyes is not going to be available. His club has finally given him the support he has long earned. A European semi-final last year, and a final, and the win, this year has restored Moyes’ reputation in England. He is not just out of reach for the time being but into the distant future. Thank God.

I have nothing against Moyes on a personal level. He likes Celtic without necessarily being in love with the club Lazy hacks link him to the vacancy every time it comes up, and every time it does he makes it clear that he sees his immediate future in England.

He talks of Celtic as a vague possibility somewhere down the line, perhaps when he’s 70 and has two teeth left in his head. There is zero prospect of us ever seeing him in the dugout as the Celtic boss and not only should last night be seen as a verdict on that possibility in the here and now but it should be the moment the subject is closed forevermore.

He suffered from what should have been the greatest moment of his career; his appointment to succeed Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. Some have wondered if he wasn’t the right guy but at the wrong time. I understood the thinking behind the appointment at the time, but could never shake the idea that it had been a risky one that appeared doomed from the start.

I am not a great fan of his football. It’s workmanlike without being especially entertaining. I have no doubt he would get results, but you might be in danger of missing them by falling asleep. I long ago put my snobbery about his name aside – I was genuinely pleased for him last night – but I am glad that the risk of appointing him has been removed.

If only other dangers would recede the same way.

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  • Roonsa says:

    I have a feeling it’s Maresca. I fear your fears about how the appointment will be handled by Celtic are true. Like last time, you will say WTF then let’s support the guy, then fall in love with him before he drops us like a stone after Spurs sack our last one.

  • Johnno says:

    Sorry James, but have to totally disagree with you upon David moyes as a potential manager for us.
    Like any potential manager there is going to be plus and minus to consider, without any idea if they will do a good job for us or not.
    What I struggle to understand, is many think Ange won’t be a success within the EPL, yet the same wouldn’t want Moyes as a manager?
    Fail to see how that makes any sense when moyes is the longest serving manager to have operated within the EPL, I believe currently.
    More plus points than minus ones imo, and not one for walking away from a job either.
    Even with winning the trophy last night still remains only a couple of poor results away from the P45, and already under pressure in finding the replacement for Rice.
    Knows how to get results in European football now, something we desperately need to improve upon.
    Plenty of knowledge about weather our younger players would be actually ready to make them moves to bigger leagues in term’s of ability moreso than the wage packet, so far better advice would be given to them than an agent.
    Decent and renowned name for attracting players and maybe the bug of finally winning a trophy might give him the appetite for more.
    Wouldn’t be one to say nothing about the use of VAR and the cheating mibs either.
    Plenty more plus points I could mention, yet the biggest question is weather he would have any interest to returning to Scottish football?

  • Sophie Johnstone says:

    Who do you think then genuinely interested to know

  • Martin says:

    Moyes is a good manager and I wouldn’t be upset if he came, though I suspect he won’t. No harm to Maresca, but the position we are in right now is not one for a rookie to cut his teeth, the board couldn’t survive such an appointment.

    Muscat or Rodgers are the most likely “good” options. Knuttsen would be a good choice but he’s waiting for the season to end in Norway then heading to Ajax, who have a vastly superior youth setup and that’s what he uses.

  • Bob (original) says:

    ‘Brendan & Broony’ is an interesting suggestion I’ve seen…

  • John Harrity says:

    David Moyes has refused the Celtic job 3 despite having never been offered it.

  • Johnny Green says:

    The headlines that I have liked the most so far, has been Brendan Rodgers with Scott Brown as his assistant. That would work for me on many levels,

  • Johnny Green says:

    No matter who is appointed as the new manager, the Celtic support are going to have misgivings about the fact, that when the EPL dangles the carrot, then the carrot will be scoffed. However, we have to take succour in the fact that the EPL are only going to be interested in successful Celtic managers, we want that success, so we have to live with the negative add-ons that comes with it.

  • John says:

    James, agree with you comments on Maresca. Real unknown and basically untried. Plus side Arteta came out of city?

    With regards to Moyes, agree about his football style, would not be nice to watch and we would need to clear a lot of players out. Disagree slightly with your MU comments. Moyes was the fall guy. AF knew his team were aging and there was no money in the pot. Moyes was given £20m. He tried for Baines and ended with Fellini. But AF was still pulling the strings. On a hiding to nothing.

    There are lots of good managers out there who would just need to tweak our team. The Board need to find that man.

    Man C do not play our style. Would that meant a change in personnel. Sure the board would not go fir that.

  • Jim says:

    I sure hope we at least try to tempt Knutsen. The guy hosed us down home and away and beat Mourhino’s Roma 6-1 with a team that gets about the same attendances as Kilmarnock. Their football is incredible at times too, this guy is the Norwegian Postecoglu.

    Maresca would be a Lawwell/Desmond ‘back to the good old days’ debacle. Surely they wouldn’t dare?

    They must appoint a proven winner.

  • John S says:

    Phil McG’s case for a Director of Football (and continuity) is a compelling one.

  • Lawrie says:

    Rodgers is the best candidate by a country mile. He knows the club inside out and will hit the ground running. A new manager would take months to implement his style and by then we could be 9 points behind The Pluke and playing catch up.We know BR has been outstandingly successful here and delivered umpteen trophies. That is the only thing that matters. Or are the bitter and hurt among our support going to cut off their noses to spite their face? Time to go a pair and realise this is football and people move on all the time.

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