Some weeks back, I was astonished to hear that Aberdeen had made the decision to approach the veteran English boss Neil Warnock for their vacant manager’s position.
I thought it was a joke, somebody at the wind up, somebody having a laugh. It couldn’t possibly have been serious, could it? And yet it was. Not only were they considering it, they gave it to him.
The reaction from the media was even more astonishing than the decision itself.
They thought it was brilliant. Sensible people, capable of looking at the decision objectively, the way the media itself was supposed to, felt as shocked as I did myself.
Some of the coverage referred to him in blokey, matey language; it was as if these people forgot they are supposed to be offering a professional perspective, not covering one of their pals.
Too many folk in our media cannot help themselves at times. They don’t come across as serious people in a serious job but more like gushing fan boys. Aberdeen fans were, by and large, relying on these folk t o guide them right, They were lamentably served in this case, almost as badly as they were by their club, which is now paying a high price for that folly.
They are serious relegation candidates. It would not surprise me at all if they fell out of the top flight at the end of this season. It would be a depressing outcome, as I genuinely feel that our league needs Aberdeen in it and the stronger the better, which is why I lamented the decision to appoint Warnock. It was never going to end well and it might even be a disaster.
We should be ready if it’s a disaster. There are some decent players at that club, and Miovski the best amongst them, of course. If they go down they can forget the kind of crazy money they are talking about getting for him; they will need every penny they can get just to keep the lights on and no club south of the border is going to pay a premium fee.
Nor should we.
But an offer in line with the current record between Scottish clubs would be generous on our part, and it’s a price we should be willing to pay for a known quality who can score goals even in a poor team, and would certainly be a huge hit in this one.
Some people will accuse us of being predatory. So what?
This is not the forum for sentimentality; watch how the Ibrox club treats Hearts in the summer if they want Shankland, and watch how the media dutifully plays its part in helping them do it.
There will be no sentimentality there, they will be ruthless and so too must Celtic if the opportunity here presents itself.
Aberdeen might survive. I hope they do, and that shouldn’t be a barrier to us making a move for their best player anyway, but getting him would be much easier if they found themselves not playing in the top flight.
Honestly, I am not hoping for it, but even before considering this chance it’s fair to say I would have little sympathy for a club which made such a ludicrous appointment to save them from precisely that fate.
Think Warnocks wee Interview about how his friends at a particular supporters club would be ribbing him about becoming the Aberdeen manager , may have helped him get an easy ride from the press .
All good lads according to him .
Maybe he had bumped into quite a few hacks at one of the sash bashes
I really hope you’re instincts on this occasion are wrong, James.
Although l have no great affection for them l have to say that ANYONE who hates the huns as much as theirs do is ok by me.
For that reason alone l hope they stay up.
Also,the fact that Johnny Hayes,who was treated disgracefully by our own club is at Pittodrie.
There are plenty of hun loving teams/fanbases who l would rather go down than Aberdeen.
Good luck to them in their times of trouble.
‘Aberdeen fans were by and large relying on these people (Media) to guide them right’
Jesus – The Northern Lights right enough…
Light on brains for sure taking guidance from these illiterate imbiciles –
Warnock has been a great manager down south for sure…
It’s not working out up here –
But he won’t miss the cheats with whistles, flags and monitors for certain which is a bit of bonus even if Neil’s opinions don’t effect their cheating of Celtic !
Do you think that old ‘ chewing gum Charlie ‘-Neil Warnock- still has a chance of ‘ coaching ‘ his favourite clumpany on the planet …the Rangers ? He’ll be on ‘I’m a celebrity …get me out of here ‘ verrrry soon ? Or a remake of the Wheeltappers and Shunters show club show …ay uup !
i reckon james if you think moivski will go to celtic on on the cheap you have another thing coming , they snubbed him in january and sevco will now come in for him in the summer with the C L monies gifted to them by lawell and co , who do you think will pay more for him ? he’ll end up like mccann and knacker novo playing out of their skin anytime they played celtic after being snubbed by celtic
Big problem with your theory. They don’t need the cash. Why would they sell?
The joker,you are correct again,why we went for neither is beyond me,every Celtic fan knew we needed a striker after losing giakomakis but our greedy board done nothing and our manager made no attempt to convince the board ,maybe the manager thought neither were good enough,how wrong was he ,along with the Tory greedy bastards on the board.
The champs league money is only £40 m the rest is made up of points bonus ,so it will go go up thru the rumour mill weekly till we qualify, its the way of the msm.
That’s the type of logic Lawwell used when trying to sign McGinn. And by the way, it doesn’t work. Wanting Aberdeen to be a strong force will hardly work by trying to fleece them.
For the good of Scottish football ( as well as removal and reform of SFA and bent officials,) we require strength and decent competition from our so called bigger clubs…Aberdeen, Hibs et al.
That they’ve been so poor for many years now, says it all! They have to get their act together and stay in this league. We need cyclonic reform of our game, in every way, as it is a disaster and ran/officiated by imbeciles and infiltrated by bigots. Not a lot to ask for, is it?
the ebt contracts had a lot to do with players going to ibrox to join the old club .
Absolutely spot on wed be miles ahead ay that mob had they done the right thing n just bought miovski in January shame on them if it comes back tae haunt us