The Offical Glasgow Celtic thread

[T Fearon]

See Lennon says Mc Manus will return to Paradise in the summer. Sensible decision, for all his technical faults, Mc Manus is a competent central defender who can weigh in with important goals and more importantly, he possesses leadership and inspirational qualities conspicuous by their absence at Celtic Park in recent times.

[JimStynes]

Im not sure you read the previous post properly lynchbhoy. Its pretty clear Mowbray wasnt sacked due to his failure to deliver "instant success". Nor was anybody expecting a "fairytale". I dont know how many times its been stated here that he would have been given time to rebuild the squad over a period of 2 or 3 seasons had he even kept the team competitive in the SPL whilst he was building his own squad. Given Celtic's resources in comparison to the rest any competent manager could have achieved that. Im not sure where the problem is in understanding this point. How football has changed over the past 20 years is not relevant in the slightest.

The idea he was starting to make progress is one of the most bizarre things Ive read on here but I suppose its all about opinions .  The truth is, as Main Street said, that this was something of a "mercy sacking". Mowbray was a beaten man who had no more answers. There was no panic from the Celtic board with this decision, they just knew it was beyond Mowbray to turn the club around.

You didnt seem to understand the point about the St.Mirren game either, the point you make about 6 defenders is totally irrelevant. Mowbray suggested that playing a 3-1-6 in the Second Half against St.Mirren was a courageous call and one for which he deserved praise. "You can either be a brave coach or a negative one" were his words. That shows his flawed philosophy. You can also be a pragmatic coach. There is no glory for a Celtic manager in putting 6 men up front against St Mirren and losing 4-0 yet Mowbray seemed to believe he had been brave and deserved praise. In fact he seemed to suggest it was better to go gung ho and lose 4-0 rather than play it tight when required and grind out a 2-1 or 1-0. Again, unless that changes he will never be a good manager.

those points were in response to the 'points' raised by yourself - so relevant as answers to yourself/your post.
Also people with an iota of understanding would see the comments about the six strikers as being from a man who is awaiting the chop and trying to make excuses and justify how having 6 strikers/forwards on a team at the end of a game can be positively viewed. Detractors will obv gloss over this. Its a nothing comment. He should have told them all to bugger off.

we all know about the phrase regarding directors and their knowledge of soccer.

IMO Mowbray was making pogress - too slowly perhaps - certainly made plenty of mistakes (Fortune being one). Getting rid of deadwood showed that he spotted the players that were so obviously not good enough straight off. I know a lot of scots and some Celtic fhans thought the sun shone in the likes of caldwell, mcmanus, robson (when not inj), mcdonald,kileen, maloney - but these players were never good enough and gotten rid of for  reason.
That was progress - simple identification. Left backs and strikers were required as well as centre halves.
Not only did Mowbray eventually get around to doing this - he made a lot of the signings on an approbation basis - so that if they didnt work out, Celtic wouldnt be financially lumbered.
But most people and most importantly the directors all panicked and mowbray was not given the time to turn things around. Lennon is fine until the end of the season but Celtic need a proper man that is a level above the prev two incumbents installed as early as possible in the summer.

Mowbray was making progress!!!! ffs wise up

[clarshack]

i know its not celtic but i always liked big lee wilkie. certainly he was better than some of the donkeys masquerading as celtic defenders in recent times.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/dundee_utd/8601523.stm

[tyroneman]

Mc Manus is a competent central defender who can weigh in with important goals and more importantly, he possesses leadership and inspirational qualities       

mcManus was a clown. Not fit for Scottish div 1 let alone Celtic. Let him stay where he is. He was a bombscare. Couldn't tackle or head or read the game or pass and most certainly did not inspire those around him.

[Atticus_Finch]

Mc Manus is a competent central defender who can weigh in with important goals and more importantly, he possesses leadership and inspirational qualities       

mcManus was a clown. Not fit for Scottish div 1 let alone Celtic. Let him stay where he is. He was a bombscare. Couldn't tackle or head or read the game or pass and most certainly did not inspire those around him.

Slightly harse TM but agree to an extent.    I wouldn't be clamouring for McManus' return but would still welcome it on the basis that he couldn't be any worse than Thompson.
But bottom line for me is that not only do Celtic have to significantly improve on how they've performed throughout the course of this season, they have to improve on how they performed in the season prior to that as well.
McManus wasn't up to scratch that season and he won't be up to scratch next season.  Same applies to Naylor.
Lennon should realise that.
Just watching Sky Sports News, I think Davie Provan summed it up well ... he said "lennon is fine for the short term but in the long term Celtic need to be looking to someone with a proven track record.  Neil lennon would represent a gamble and considering the position Celtic are in, they can't afford to be taking gambles."
i agree

[T Fearon]

But surely it boils down to who, with a track record, is available and can they be persuaded to come to Celtic with track record in tow? Arguably the job was more attractive last summer, yet Mowbray seems to at best have been 4th or 5th choice.

If Lennon has a successful run in to the end of the season, wins the Cup and the last Old Firm game, then I'm with Hartson, O'Neill, Mjallby and co, and believe that if no one else with this track record is available and willing, then he, Lennon, should be given a chance. It is no bigger a gamble than Mowbray, Coyle etc, none of whom have set the heather alight anywhere really

[tyroneman]

If today's display so far is what Lennon brings to the team then thanks but no thanks Neil.

Absolute rubbish. The worst Celtic team I have ever seen. 

[Archie Mitchell]

Absolute rubbish indeed. Seems to have been no difference from Mowbray's time in charge.

[JimStynes]

Really cant see Celtic and Rangers getting any better until they get out of the Scottish league, its just going to keep going down hill from here. They both would struggle in the english championship at this point but give them a few years and they could be a good top half premiership team.

[norabeag]

Absolute rubbish indeed. Seems to have been no difference from Mowbray's time in charge.

Never big fan of SPL or that Celtic /Rangers crap at all but have just watched 10 mins of that rubbish on Sky and I do not understand how anyone spends money on going over regularly to watch that crap. Would see better in local amateur game.

[tyroneman]

Celtic would have been better buying £4million pounds worth of pencils or shoes instead of shelling out for Fortune. At least they would get some use out of pencils. 

[lynchbhoy]

LB, I do not disagree with the logic of your posting but would question where is the pragmatism? Strachan, Mowbray, Lennon is the calibre of manager Celtic are in the market for presently and I doubt if O'Neill would have done any better with the resources Strachan had.

Also don't disagree with the weaknesses of the players let go that you have listed but again my contention is that the replacements Mowbray brought in are no better (Robbie excepted) and indeed are arguably considerably worse

lennons only qualification is that he is a celtic fan. thats not nearly good enough.
Wim Jansen didnt need that to be a success, nor did he 'understand the issues' of being an 'old firm' manager!! (demonstrating the absolute bollix that notion is!!)
best of luck to neil, but your sole reason for wanting him is nothing to do with his lack of exp or lack of knowledge but that he's from armagh !

strachans resources were good enough to be 9 points in front around christmas last season - I very much doubt if any of MON's teams would fcuk that up (grantham, shepshed, wycombe or leicester let alone villa or Celtic under him !)

jimstynes - yes - getting rid of the rubbish players was a step in the right direction. Pity most of what he brought in have been inj since they arrived !

[lynchbhoy]

that game today was no better than any Celtic perf this past three or four years.
Devoid of creativity etc. Just watching the cork v tipp hurling now which is light years ahead in athleticism, skill and entertainment not to mention bravery and effort.

I would say that the spl has indeed gone downhill from a couple of seasons ago where most games- even those played between lesser lights- were attacking fayre and entertaining .

any game I see now is a disaster. The disgraceful pitches certainly are a lot to do with this.

hopefully Celtic will get a manager soon after this season ends, lennons motivation has obv fizzled out already.

[Main Street]

Absolute rubbish indeed. Seems to have been no difference from Mowbray's time in charge.

Rubbish game on a rubbish pitch. But surely you could see one crucial difference from Mowbray's time in that Celtic managed not to leak a goal.
Interesting penalty decision, McGeady puts himself in the line of a player aiming to hit the ball fairly and wins a penalty.

[lynchbhoy]

Absolute rubbish indeed. Seems to have been no difference from Mowbray's time in charge.

Rubbish game on a rubbish pitch. But surely you could see one crucial difference from Mowbray's time in that Celtic managed not to leak a goal.
Interesting penalty decision, McGeady puts himself in the line of a player aiming to hit the ball fairly and wins a penalty.

in the last number of matches, mowbrays team were starting to rack up clean sheets - with the st mirren game bucking the trend completely

complete contrast to last game v hibs where Celtic controlled the game and should have won by a cricket score but missed chance after missed chance (keane the arch culprit) with three hibs attacks yeilding two goals giving hibs the win they didnt deserve
Today Celtic could only claim they deserved a draw at best and never looked like scoring.
McGeady kept looking to pass to keane ALL the time...when others were open or he should have had a shot himself