O'Neill Resigns, Strachan In

[-cman-]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/4572091.stm

Alas, Martin we hardly knew ye. He goes having taken Celtic to some fairly dizzying heights and brought some wonderful memories. I certainly hope all goes well with his wife and we see him back at the helm of a great football club in a few years. In the meantime, I hear there's an opening at the Guardian for an occasional football columnist. :D

Gordon Strachan is a terriffic football personality and based on his writings he seems to have some interesting new ideas. So, its bound to be a grand adventure one way or another. My only misgiving is whether Gordon can do what O'Neill could not: separate the board from their money on new players. Much of Strachan's recent writing has been on the importance of conditioning and strength and that calls for a youth movement.

[Teso Dos Bichos]

This should only strengthen Celtic. Regardless of what O'Neill fanboys say, tactically he was a bit of a clown. I feel sorry for Strachan though, he has inherited a team consisting of a fair few aging wasters. Good luck all the same.

[Scottish_Morton]

It could be a bad move for Strachan, an aging team, high expectations. He's going to need money and i'm not sure he'll get much. Although he is a tremendous tactician.

[celtic76]

I think I have to agree Strachan may not get the money to replace this aging squad and is on a one year rolling contract? I mean that seems desitned for failure. If the board did not put out the money for O'neil who was able to deliever than why would Strachan ever think that it will be any different for him? Or maybee this is just a steping stone for Strachan and O'Neil will be back next season. I could very well see Strachan replacing the likes of Souness or Jol at two high EPL clubs who greatly under achived. So your the new manager for the Bhoys who do you let leave and who do you bring in? :cool:
Bellamy - gone
Douglas - gone
Sylla- loan out
Balde - gone
Lennon - gone
Valgreen - gone
Hedman - gone
Fernandez - gone
Its a long list and not much coming in so far.

[Scottish_Morton]

Anyone else think Petrov might leave now?

[Burkies Ginger Mop]

Bad move for Strachan. He has to rebuild the team and follow a manager that most Celtic fans consider to be a god!

The general feeling I get from Celtic fans already is he is not the man for the job and the jury is still out on him as a manager! Tough for anyone going into a job when a lot of the fans seem to have made up there mind already!

[Burkies Ginger Mop]

Anyone else think Petrov might leave now?

I reckon so!

[-cman-]

Bad move for Strachan. He has to rebuild the team and follow a manager that most Celtic fans consider to be a god!

The general feeling I get from Celtic fans already is he is not the man for the job and the jury is still out on him as a manager! Tough for anyone going into a job when a lot of the fans seem to have made up there mind already!

I don't doubt what you're saying but I don't know why that would be the case. His teams have always been fighters, if not achievers so we know he can motivate. He's a scot leading one of scotlands marquee teams. He's shown tactical smarts and seems to have spent his time off thinking deeply about the game.

The number one worry everyone has is about the age of the team and the willingness of the board to spend on younger, better players. That isn't completely in Strachan's control. As you said, O'Neill had God-like respect from the fans behind him and he couldn't (or wouldn't) do it.

We'll find out come September though.

[Burkies Ginger Mop]

I don't doubt what you're saying but I don't know why that would be the case. His teams have always been fighters, if not achievers so we know he can motivate. He's a scot leading one of scotlands marquee teams. He's shown tactical smarts and seems to have spent his time off thinking deeply about the game.

The number one worry everyone has is about the age of the team and the willingness of the board to spend on younger, better players. That isn't completely in Strachan's control. As you said, O'Neill had God-like respect from the fans behind him and he couldn't (or wouldn't) do it.

We'll find out come September though.

Personally I think he is a good manager but you should read some of the phone in!

I’m also basing this on speaking to my mates who are not best pleased as he has won nothing as a manager and has also mentioned stress before!

A wee quote from Tommy Gemmell.

“'But if the wee man thought he was under pressure at Southampton, which was why he decided to have a sabbatical, he ain't seen nothing yet.
'Bossing Southampton is like being in charge of a junior team compared with the job of managing Celtic.”

[Catfish]

Strachan has a moutain to climb with Celtic. I wish him well. I always enjoyed him at Southampton.

Prayers to Martin O'Neil's wife. May she have a complete healing of body and spirit.

Celtic still need some younger footballers to compete for the title next season.

[Catfish]

Bad move for Strachan. He has to rebuild the team and follow a manager that most Celtic fans consider to be a god!

The general feeling I get from Celtic fans already is he is not the man for the job and the jury is still out on him as a manager! Tough for anyone going into a job when a lot of the fans seem to have made up there mind already!

Very good analysis and from a Gers supporters...lol. Spot on, Strachan has tons of pressure from the Hoops faithful. Should be an interesting season...August begins the post a new era in Celtic history.

[nach0king]

Strachan's mediocrity is about to shine through. He will fail in a job where making unfunny Scottish jokes isn't the prerequisite for popularity.

[Gordon EF]

Strachan's mediocrity is about to shine through. He will fail in a job where making unfunny Scottish jokes isn't the prerequisite for popularity.

He could put on an Irish accent and tell Irish jokes.

[CdnBhoy67 redded]

Strachan as Celtic manager? Someone tell me this is a late April fools joke?
With his record as manager he should be in the EPL championship division,
he couldn't even get the Scotland job, now thats bad. He won't last the
season....on second thought just don't hire him to begin with. :mad:

[nach0king]

He didn't want the Scotland job. He was all too happy to criticize Vogts but wussed out when faced with the possibility of applying.

[Scottish_Morton]

He didn't want the Scotland job. He was all too happy to criticize Vogts but wussed out when faced with the possibility of applying.

He DID want the Scotland job, he applied for it, he was interviwed for it, but the SFA wanted Wattie. He didn't put B*rti under any pressure, that half-wit did that all by himself.

IMO he's a fantastic manager, the job he did with Southampton was simply amazing.

[nach0king]

The SFA refused Strachan's application? As I understood it, he didn't formally apply as the SFA weren't willing to cave to his contractual demands (not the financial ones so much as the length of contract.) If I'm mistaken on that part, I'll happily withdraw everything I've said and call myself an idiot :D

[Scottish_Morton]

The SFA refused Strachan's application? As I understood it, he didn't formally apply as the SFA weren't willing to cave to his contractual demands (not the financial ones so much as the length of contract.) If I'm mistaken on that part, I'll happily withdraw everything I've said and call myself an idiot :D


You're kinda half right, Strachan wanted the job but only under his terms, terms I thought were very understanable e.g. he wanted input into youth development and a long contract to see it through. Strachan applied and had an interview with the SFA but they didn't like his plans. It's just like any other management job, a manager will come in with his own ideas and the interviewers will either like or dislike his plans.

The man the SFA always wanted was Walter Smith, they know the media love Wattie and they know he will do what he's told.

[Parkhead_Faithful]

Bellamy - gone - thatll be a loss
Douglas - gone - past it and pish
Sylla- loan out - jesus we are gaining by having him out the door
Balde - gone - could be a loss and I like balde but nesta he aint
Lennon - gone - should have been last season IMO
Valgreen - gone - benchwarmer
Hedman - gone - see sylla
Fernandez - gone - again bench warming pish at best
Its a long list and not much coming in so far.

We have needed freshening up since saville to be honest, the board chose to sit on their biscuit tin and try and pay off as much of our very manageable debt as they could while letting the team slip slowly into aging mediocrity.

Now Strachan on the other hand, i like him, ill give him a chance, however im not opposed to goin down to willie hills and placing a sizeable bet on him leaving before the end of the season, his record for walking out on teams is better than his managerial one, the teams he puts out on the park are grafters however and that wont be so far removed from MON, if even slightly better to watch saying as we wont be playing 10 midfielders and the whale that is john hartson up front.

With the likes of Marshall, McGeady,Beatty, Wallace and even we shaun maloney all on the fringes of the first team this is their chance to step into the breach and I have faith in all of em.

Anyways was here through the revolving door management and mince results of the 90's and if we sink back to that level, I, and the 60k other punters that always came out will still be there.