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Celtic’s limp Champions League exit highlights grim lack of ambition Celtic’s limp Champions League exit highlights grim lack of ambition
(about 1 hour later)
A curious thing happens when British clubs appoint a hitherto unknown foreign manager. Supporters who had never themselves heard of said coach before adopt an immediate defence mechanism against anybody who raises an eyebrow.A curious thing happens when British clubs appoint a hitherto unknown foreign manager. Supporters who had never themselves heard of said coach before adopt an immediate defence mechanism against anybody who raises an eyebrow.
This happened most recently in Glasgow, when Celtic unveiled Ronny Deila. Within hours of his name entering the public domain, the 38-year-old was being heralded as a Norwegian coaching genius.This happened most recently in Glasgow, when Celtic unveiled Ronny Deila. Within hours of his name entering the public domain, the 38-year-old was being heralded as a Norwegian coaching genius.
A blunt reality was ignored. No player worthy of the top level would last even close to six-and-a-half years playing in the Norwegian league without being snapped up. The same applies to managers; Deila spent that period in charge of Stromsgodset.A blunt reality was ignored. No player worthy of the top level would last even close to six-and-a-half years playing in the Norwegian league without being snapped up. The same applies to managers; Deila spent that period in charge of Stromsgodset.
In their wisdom, Celtic teamed Deila up with John Collins in replacing Neil Lennon and his coaching staff. Deila was known in British football circles having studied Manchester City’s training. He was linked with the Crystal Palace job once. He enjoyed success in Norway at a club nowhere near the scale of Celtic while making no inroads at all in Europe. Given that Celtic have been reduced to taking chances on players, there is probably no surprise in the same approach eventually applying to managers.In their wisdom, Celtic teamed Deila up with John Collins in replacing Neil Lennon and his coaching staff. Deila was known in British football circles having studied Manchester City’s training. He was linked with the Crystal Palace job once. He enjoyed success in Norway at a club nowhere near the scale of Celtic while making no inroads at all in Europe. Given that Celtic have been reduced to taking chances on players, there is probably no surprise in the same approach eventually applying to managers.
The early impressions at the current Celtic are of a dreamy managerial idealist; training ground rumblings of discontent were rumoured from the early days of Deila’s tenure, a matter which can be overplayed and occasionally reflects badly on the players themselves. Deila bemoaned the performances of other Scottish clubs in Europe as somehow holding Celtic back by virtue of the country’s coefficient. By Wednesday night, how those comments had come back to haunt him.The early impressions at the current Celtic are of a dreamy managerial idealist; training ground rumblings of discontent were rumoured from the early days of Deila’s tenure, a matter which can be overplayed and occasionally reflects badly on the players themselves. Deila bemoaned the performances of other Scottish clubs in Europe as somehow holding Celtic back by virtue of the country’s coefficient. By Wednesday night, how those comments had come back to haunt him.
Marriages of coaching convenience seldom work. Collins was a fine Celtic player and one of precious few Scots to forge a successful career abroad. His coaching career, though, is somewhat erratic. There is also the not insignificant issue of negative previous with the Celtic captain Scott Brown when the pair were at Hibernian.Marriages of coaching convenience seldom work. Collins was a fine Celtic player and one of precious few Scots to forge a successful career abroad. His coaching career, though, is somewhat erratic. There is also the not insignificant issue of negative previous with the Celtic captain Scott Brown when the pair were at Hibernian.
It would be unfair to blame Deila and Collins entirely for Celtic’s humiliating exit from the Champions League, by virtue of a 6-1 aggregate defeat to Legia Warsaw at the qualifying stage. The manager is indicative of a wider decline and problem – it could be reasonably argued that Harry Houdini would have had trouble taking Celtic’s current team to the promised land of the group stages for a third year in succession.It would be unfair to blame Deila and Collins entirely for Celtic’s humiliating exit from the Champions League, by virtue of a 6-1 aggregate defeat to Legia Warsaw at the qualifying stage. The manager is indicative of a wider decline and problem – it could be reasonably argued that Harry Houdini would have had trouble taking Celtic’s current team to the promised land of the group stages for a third year in succession.
In the first leg against Legia, Celtic were shockingly ragged and tactically inept; match two was arguably worse. Deila was hardly helped by the ridiculous agreement of the Celtic hierarchy to play European qualifying fixtures at Murrayfield, as Celtic Park was handed over for a Commonwealth Games jamboree. This is supposedly a prominent football club, not a venue hirer.In the first leg against Legia, Celtic were shockingly ragged and tactically inept; match two was arguably worse. Deila was hardly helped by the ridiculous agreement of the Celtic hierarchy to play European qualifying fixtures at Murrayfield, as Celtic Park was handed over for a Commonwealth Games jamboree. This is supposedly a prominent football club, not a venue hirer.
Deila already looks a soft and cheap option. Specific qualities are required to manage at either half of the Old Firm because of the intensity associated with the positions. Should Celtic decide he isn’t up to the task, the whole affair won’t even register as costly. Yet it already is in the eyes of supporters, who are rightly disenchanted by the path their club has taken. Yes, Deila should probably be allowed to build his own team but pointers towards how much resource would be pushed towards that doesn’t bode well. Deila already looks a soft and cheap option. Specific qualities are required to manage at either half of the Old Firm because of the intensity associated with the positions. Should Celtic decide he isn’t up to the task, the whole affair won’t even register as costly. Yet it already is in the eyes of supporters, who are rightly disenchanted by the path their club has taken. Yes, Deila should probably be allowed to build his own team but pointers towards how much resource would be pushed towards that does not bode well.
In November 2012, Celtic were in a formidable position. A 2-1 defeat of Barcelona set them on the path to qualification to the Champions League’s last 16. Lennon was in charge of a young, vibrant side which had been built relatively cheaply from scratch following the disastrous managerial spell of Tony Mowbray. Domestic dominance was assured courtesy of Rangers’ demise; Celtic were well-placed to establish themselves as a regular European force.In November 2012, Celtic were in a formidable position. A 2-1 defeat of Barcelona set them on the path to qualification to the Champions League’s last 16. Lennon was in charge of a young, vibrant side which had been built relatively cheaply from scratch following the disastrous managerial spell of Tony Mowbray. Domestic dominance was assured courtesy of Rangers’ demise; Celtic were well-placed to establish themselves as a regular European force.
Instead, the opposite has transpired. The club has developed an apparent obsession with signing projects rather than first-team football players. The side which so meekly surrendered to Legia – who are no more than European also-rans – merely typified the slow undoing of Lennon’s work. Those who feel sorry for Deila given the downsized circumstances he has been placed in should remember it is those very circumstances which led to his appointment.Instead, the opposite has transpired. The club has developed an apparent obsession with signing projects rather than first-team football players. The side which so meekly surrendered to Legia – who are no more than European also-rans – merely typified the slow undoing of Lennon’s work. Those who feel sorry for Deila given the downsized circumstances he has been placed in should remember it is those very circumstances which led to his appointment.
Gary Hooper, a striker of genuine quality, was allowed to leave for Norwich City as a series of almost mediocre players – Amido Balde, Teemu Pukki, Dirk Boerrigter to name but three – arrived in Glasgow’s east end. Celtic would balk at offering Hooper his true worth of close to £30,000 a week, instead taking gambles on players from abroad who might – and only might – come good. It is a scattergun policy and one which would always rebound at some stage. This business plan makes little sense. Gary Hooper, a striker of genuine quality, was allowed to leave for Norwich City as a series of almost mediocre players – Amido Baldé, Teemu Pukki, Derk Boerrigter to name but three – arrived in Glasgow’s east end. Celtic would balk at offering Hooper his true worth of close to £30,000 a week, instead taking gambles on players from abroad who might – and only might – come good. It is a scattergun policy and one which would always rebound at some stage. This business plan makes little sense.
Lennon had generated tens of millions of pounds for his club via back-to-back Champions League involvement, added to the sales of Hooper, Ki Sung-yueng and Victor Wanyama. There was a solid foundation from which the club could prove their apparent standing; as a vibrant, standalone business with aspirations beyond a Scottish domestic set-up which seems of little interest to stay-away season ticket holders.Lennon had generated tens of millions of pounds for his club via back-to-back Champions League involvement, added to the sales of Hooper, Ki Sung-yueng and Victor Wanyama. There was a solid foundation from which the club could prove their apparent standing; as a vibrant, standalone business with aspirations beyond a Scottish domestic set-up which seems of little interest to stay-away season ticket holders.
The notion that Lennon departed Celtic in the summer because of a lack of transfer funding is a flawed one. The Northern Irishman was essentially tired of the Scottish scene. Still, it is inconceivable that an ambitious and successful manager with such a love for the club would opt for unemployment if they were convinced they could take Celtic on a fresh, exciting journey as a reward for previous success. That opportunity clearly wasn’t available. The notion that Lennon departed Celtic in the summer because of a lack of transfer funding is a flawed one. The Northern Irishman was essentially tired of the Scottish scene. Still, it is inconceivable that an ambitious and successful manager with such a love for the club would opt for unemployment if they were convinced they could take Celtic on a fresh, exciting journey as a reward for previous success. That opportunity clearly was not available.
Rangers are far from irrelevant in all of this. Celtic’s board have used their wrecked city rivals as a “be careful what you wish for” comparison whenever it is pointed out that further squad investment and ambition was required. It is a totally spurious point; nobody could reasonably suggest the fiscal basketcase model which proved so ruinous at Ibrox should be followed.Rangers are far from irrelevant in all of this. Celtic’s board have used their wrecked city rivals as a “be careful what you wish for” comparison whenever it is pointed out that further squad investment and ambition was required. It is a totally spurious point; nobody could reasonably suggest the fiscal basketcase model which proved so ruinous at Ibrox should be followed.
It is, though, legitimate to ask Celtic to invest meaningfully in experienced, ready-made first-team talent for assaults on the Champions League when already in a position of unquestionable strength. If you don’t build when at the top, the potential for a tumble increases. It is, though, legitimate to ask Celtic to invest meaningfully in experienced, ready-made first-team talent for assaults on the Champions League when already in a position of unquestionable strength. If you do not build when at the top, the potential for a tumble increases.
That doesn’t mean spending £9m transfer fees but it does suggest when Georgios Samaras and Joe Ledley walk out the door, saving around £40,000 a week on salaries, perhaps a chunk of that should be put back into the team at the first available opportunity. That does not mean spending £9m transfer fees but it does suggest when Georgios Samaras and Joe Ledley walk out the door, saving around £40,000 a week on salaries, perhaps a chunk of that should be put back into the team at the first available opportunity.
Instead, Deila has been handed a loanee from Cardiff City, a goalkeeper who was lined up before the manager’s arrival and an otherwise impoverished squad which will be even worse off in the inevitable circumstance that Fraser Forster and Virgil van Dijk move on. If Celtic had a superb youth model which offset such circumstances, there would be less of an issue. They don’t. Instead, Deila has been handed a loanee from Cardiff City, a goalkeeper who was lined up before the manager’s arrival and an otherwise impoverished squad which will be even worse off in the inevitable circumstance that Fraser Forster and Virgil van Dijk move on. If Celtic had a superb youth model which offset such circumstances, there would be less of an issue. They do not.
Swift conclusions are never wise after wounding results but the Legia debacle was in the post for Celtic. A year ago, they scraped past Shakhter Karagandy in a qualifying tie. Alarm bells should have rung out there, amid the celebration; they didn’t, Celtic ploughed on, and have suddenly suffered an embarrassing crash into buffers.Swift conclusions are never wise after wounding results but the Legia debacle was in the post for Celtic. A year ago, they scraped past Shakhter Karagandy in a qualifying tie. Alarm bells should have rung out there, amid the celebration; they didn’t, Celtic ploughed on, and have suddenly suffered an embarrassing crash into buffers.