Strachan - Come the summer, stick or twist ?

Spot on mate!

 

Im not bothered if he stays as his record is dam good, but to be honest id prefer seeing an attackin European manager come in someone like Rikjaard "just an example", we do have the players to really hurt teams, we just dont use them effectively enough especially in europe away from home, thats just my opinion.

 

Two different managers on the same budget can produce two different outcomes altogether.

We need a manager who can get the best out the team and make a connection with the fans. I've never seen the morale so low both on and off the park right now and I don't care if some of Strachan's lackeys try to put a positive spin on it - you're not going to tell me morale is great within the club.

And sure there is no guarantee everything will get better if we got a new manager - but that's a chance i'd gladly take.

 

I don't think a manager has to make a connection with the fans - I've never particularly liked Strachan but hasn't stopped me supporting him.

Yes it would make it easier in that certain fans would give him more leeway, but is not a fundamental part of the job imo.

 

Had it been any other football club, I would agree with you - i.e., the manager being an employee and no more than that. But I think to be the Celtic manager, you need to have a good relationship with the fans. I've never seen the support so divided or the morale so low and we've won 3 in a row.

There's something not right.

 

Thats true but we are talking about the reality of ditching WGS as he is now (with all the experience he has gained managing us) for some other guy. The WGS of 4 years ago is not one of the 2 options on the table. I am not comparing the relative merits of 2 managers at the same point in their careers, we are comparing 2 managers now.

The only way WGS will leave this summer is if he wants to. There is no way the club would sack him for one failure in four. I also think WGS is right in on the new long term plan with all the foreign youth we have brought in in the last few months and the board so I am not sure the board will entice a big name in with a big budget up front like they did with MON.

 

I agree that it would be nice, I just don't think it's fundamentally necessary - results are more important than popularity (although both would be nice)

 

poll result is very interesting - about half want him to go and half want him to stay and what happens to the league this year isnt a factor for most. That just shows how hard the divide is.

 

Eck had the same problem with Rangers fans. He was not seen as one of them and the older fans couldnt get his Aberdeen days of whipping the OF out of their heads. I think WGS is a love or hate sort of personality. He has a huge fanclub of his humour (see utube etc) as well as a lot of people who dont like him. Personally although Celtic fans tend to see Rangers as the dour lot, Celtic fans I feel take themselves much more seriously and I think often have a liking for stoic homely very sincere sounding guys of the Tommy Burns mould who say the right things and dont do a lot of talking. Caesar was another. Mark McGhee and Mogga would be younger versions.

 

It's not about 1 failure in 4 (although the board will see it that way) it's about failing every week to get the best out of his players against very, very ordinary SPL teams.

I don't think the majority of fans could put up with another year watching his football although just how many % we'll never know. Perhaps the poll on this thread is a good indicator. I also believe that if he was here for the long term - he would've got money to spend in January. Which leads me to another point - you speak about his long term plan with foreign youth - it is better than his short term plan spending money and I don't think the board actually trust him with money given some of his buys.

For me - Strachan has worsened as the years went on and it really is time for change whether we scrape the league or not.

 

You're right - I remember how we all laughed years ago when his top 20 quotes were printed in the paper.

It wasn't until he came here and people were beginning to realise that his "wit" was nothing more than a way to patronise people; then they changed their tune.

 

I voted to go, but who do we replace him with is the million dollar question.

Craig Levien os my obvious choice, but there is no clear indication that he'd be better (even though he is clearly better than WGS).

I think some things work & some don't, WGS has won 3 titles by this method - he's not really sure how he did it & he's not really sure how he's done this one either...

thats why he doesn't answer questions properly, he really doen't know what he's doing, I can empythsize with him - cos I'm the same.