The power of the
Scottish football media is once again manifesting itself in terms of
all things Celtic,
Of course such a
statement always leaves room for the response that, by writing about
them, you are fuelling the notoriety that you are advocating denying
them. However, the alternative is to write in such obscure terms that
very few people know what you're talking about.
So, let's cut to the
chase and mention two new “candidates” for the Celtic Head
Coach's job – one that our esteemed hacks seem to have forgotten is
not actually vacant.
Firstly, we have Keith
Jackson touting Neil Lennon for a return, now that he has been
mutually consented out of Bolton Wanderers.
Jackson is as much a
friend to Celtic as he is of truth, literary style and sartorial
elegance. However, his idle speculation that Neil might be on for a
second spell as Head Coach is, for some reason, being taken
seriously.
Let's be clear. Neil
has been a great servant to Celtic, both on and off the field (as
well as the balance sheet, Mr Desmond!). He endured abuse and
intimidation that no one should ever have to experience, far less
because of his association with a football club.
For that reason, his
standing rightly remains almost unassailably high; a position that
could only be threatened by – say – co-operating with someone
from a contemptible rag in order to shoehorn himself back into a job
that he left voluntarily. (That's not to say that he has entertained
Jackson and I hope he would not).
Let's not forget that
Neil left for his own reasons, one being that it was no longer
possible to have a team punch above its weight sufficiently to share
the same space as a decent European team. It wasn't Neil's fault that
the club was already on a downward trajectory before he left but then
neither is there any evidence that the circumstances have improved in
any way, rendering his return illogical.
I won't try to
communicate that type of logic to anyone currently earning their
living at the Record.
Then you have the
absurd notion of Malky Mackay, one that was only put forward by Hugh
Keevins, who matches Jackson in conceited absurdity while adding a
splash of thinly-veiled bitterness.
Keevins was his usual
attention-seeking self in proposing a candidate who he knew would
instantly be savaged, if he was ever appointed, due to controversies
around him. He has also faced accusations of wasting transfer cash,
something that would immediately exclude him from the position.
Celtic's strategy needs
to change – that much is clear to all but the most zealous board
apologists. But, until that is done (which might well necessitate the
replacement of Peter Lawwell, both in terms of allowing a new
approach and regaining lost trust) coaches who have managed “down
south” but currently find themselves short of options need not
apply.
However, this is simply
another illustration that Celtic fans should step up their efforts to
smother what is left of the struggling mainstream news titles.
When these stories
become widely circulated, their originators are often forgotten
allowing malicious, destabilising myth to assume the status of rumour
“from those in the know”.
We need a dignified
discussion about the potential for our current coaching team – and
these are not the types of conversations typically originated by
self-promoting scribblers.
--
