Thommo parts company with Celtic

No worries mate .

As Mani said ,Its posted in the rumours thread so keep this to the main topic lads.

 

By John Hartson


ALAN THOMPSON became a Celtic legend as a player.

He was given a fantastic chance by Neil Lennon to go back and work there as a coach.

If he’s now gone and blown it all then one thing’s for sure — he’ll regret it for the rest of his life.
My old team-mates had been as thick as thieves since teaming up again in the dugout two years ago.
So it was a massive surprise to me when I read in SunSport that Alan had been sacked.
Let me make it clear, I’ve not spoken to either Neil or Alan since yesterday’s news broke.
What I would say though is Alan was a very fortunate young man working in a very privileged position at such a great club.
Celtic said the decision to axe him was due to footballing reasons alone.
But reading between the lines it looks to me like something else must have happened between the two of them. It must have been serious for it to finish this way.
Maybe Alan’s not done his job properly or perhaps he’s even taken liberties with Neil, I don’t know.
Alan has had a few problems off the field in his personal life over the past few months, with regards to splitting up with his wife.
I was led to believe that they were trying to patch things up. But stuff like that in your personal life can sometimes really throw you.
I know what I went through when I was staying in Glasgow and had my off-field problems in my personal life and during my own marriage difficulties in particular.
Glasgow can be the wrong place to be when you’re going through a divorce. You’ve got the bright lights and everyone wanting to take you out for a drink. It can be tough.
But despite all of that, Neil and Alan seemed to be getting on with the job and doing it well. They’d just won the title after all.
For it to all end like this means something quite personal must have gone on between the pair.
What I do believe is it had to be Neil’s decision. Very rarely do you get one of the board telling the manager to sack one of his staff.
Neil would have been quite loyal to Alan so it’s something that has obviously upset him.
As players I wouldn’t have said Neil was any closer to Alan than he was to Chris Sutton or Henrik Larsson or myself or Paul Lambert or Stiliyan Petrov.
But it didn’t surprise me when Neil went in for Alan because of the experience he’d had coaching the youths and reserves at Newcastle.
I felt they’d got closer over the last couple of years standing in the dugout along with Johan Mjallby and Garry Parker.
It looked to me like the three of them did most of the coaching while Neil had the final say on which players would come to the club alongside chief scout John Park and chief executive Peter Lawwell.
I keep talking about everyone needing an opportunity in football.
They owed a lot to Neil for putting his faith in them at the start and everything looked hunkydory.
They didn’t look like they’d had any problems on the touchline.
I thought they were quite tight together and doing the job as well as anybody. If Alan’s been out of order then it’s a real pity.
There’s a feelgood factor at Celtic Park just now after they won the SPL championship for the first time in four years.
Alan would have been buoyed and lifted by that achievement just like everyone else.
Whether we’ll ever really get to the bottom of what’s happened I honestly don’t know.
Where does Neil go now? He might just stick with Johan and Garry. He may go in for an ex-Celtic player or someone with more experience.
Whatever Neil decides, he’s a bright young manager and I still think he’ll go far.
He’s also just been linked with the Norwich job but I’m glad he’s decided to stay at Celtic. The fans absolutely idolise him and he’s just had the season of his life after winning his first league title.
A lot of Celtic supporters might be a bit bemused by what might have happened over the past 24 hours.
But you have to respect the manager’s decision. If Neil’s seen there’s a real problem there then you have to back what he’s done.
I don’t think it’ll affect anything that happens at the club pre-season.
There’s certainly enough there with Garry and Johan if Neil decides to hold off bringing anyone in.
Of course Celtic don’t need these problems. There’s enough to concentrate on with what’s happening on the playing field right now.
They’ll have been determined to try and capitalise on Rangers’ problems across the city and running Celtic Football Club accordingly.
Neil would want to be focusing on bringing players into the club during the close season and making sure he doesn’t lose the ones he desperately wants to keep.
He’ll have a holiday if he can but his phone will constantly be on and he’ll always be working.
But I’m sure there will be times when it feels strange that his pal Thommo won’t be there next to him.

Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sco...lts-hell-regret-it-forever.html#ixzz1ws46q8uY
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NEIL LENNON wanted to tell Alan Thompson to his face that he was being sacked.

But in a tense Sunday call which ended their 12-year friendship, axed first-team coach Thommo instead demanded to know the reason why Lennon wanted to see him.
It left the Hoops boss with no choice but to then bluntly deliver the news over the

line that his long-term pal was OUT.
Lennon knew there was no easy way to execute the toughest decision of his two-year spell in charge, revealed by SunSport yesterday.
However, at the very least he was anxious to carry it out as respectfully as he could — despite knowing it would be a bitter moment for his pal.
Lennon had even been prepared to travel to the ousted backroom man’s own Newcastle patch.
But, ultimately, he was shunned by Thompson who clearly sensed something was wrong.
A source close to the ‘devastated’ Geordie confirmed: “He took a call from Neil Lennon who said he wanted to go down to Newcastle for a meeting.
“But Alan simply wanted to know what it was about. He is very upset because he loves Celtic Football Club, that’s what has hit him the most.”
A Celtic statement read: “We can also confirm that a meeting was set up between Alan Thompson and Neil Lennon on Sunday in Newcastle.
“However, Alan refused to meet with Neil, hence the reason for the discussion being conducted by telephone.
“The matter is now in the hands of lawyers and, therefore, we are unable to go into further details.”
As we reported, it was Lennon’s decision to ditch Thommo with backing from powerbrokers Dermot Desmond and Peter Lawwell.
There’s no replacement lined up and Lenny will now take time to consider things, reassured by his remaining backroom men Johan Mjallby, Garry Parker and Stevie Woods.
A source close to Lennon said: “It was a very hard decision for Neil. But it’s been made and he just wants to move on.”
A shattered Thompson is due to fly into Belfast today to continue his UEFA Pro-Licence course.

Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sco...d-to-sack-Alan-to-his-face.html#ixzz1ws4gj8aB
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Masterclass in filling column space, whilst saying absolutely nothing. What have I learned from this article, or even John's opinion?...nil. Not having a go at BBJ - If i got paid for meaningless rants, I'd be rather delighted myself! But still.......why would anyone in their right mind throw 30p away on The Sun?

 

Peaple that don't care about football? Oldies? Like 30p is alot, Also who cares? Let them do what they want.

 

Alcoholism is like cancer or diabetes or any other debilitating physical disorder. It does not make Thommo a poor leader or a poor choice for the club in a leader. Some people are very skilled at hiding their illness. Thommo should have the support of the club and lenny and all the fans behind him to get through it. If this is why he had to leave, I hope that he can come back when he gets better.

However if he was let go purely for footballing reasons alone, like some of the articles have stated, that is shocking because he was instrumental in our winning the title.

YNWA Thommo

 

I Hope this does not effect Forster decision to come back up.

 

50/50 id say.

 

Getting caught drink driving twice is not hiding an illness.....it is showing total disregard for other people.

 

True.

I can't bring myself to accept excuses for drink driving.

 

Could lenny have made the call by thinking he was in with a crowd who were not good for him in glasgow and with the possibilities he was trying to sort out his relationship with his missus ,maybe lenny's thinking is if he wont stay away from the wrong choices then the manager will remove him from them.

 

Controversial I'm sure but I think John Collins would be a good coach.

I never seen him as a manager. He has studied coaching in this country and in Europe, been at big clubs and is a stickler for fitness and professionalism.

 

Don't know about you but if I have work after a drink the night before it tends to affect my performance at work.

If it's true the club should help him in the background the way they did with John kennedys career ending injury.

 

I'm pretty sure they would have. Some things aren't as easy as that though.

 

Celtic are pretty well-known for treating any players or legends if they have problems - Kennedy etc. I'm sure, should Thompson need help, then the club will support and help him as much as possible. Whether he wants help or not is a different matter.

 

Would be unto Thompson I suppose but I don't imagine the club would turn a blind eye to it.

 

Maybe the club have helped but that help was falling on deaf ears. Maybe this was the last straw and Lenny had no other choice, and was getting pressure from the men upstairs. It has been well documented that Thommo has never been shy of a bevy, and I don't think for one second that Celtic would have sacked him just for a couple of nights on the sauce. Must be much more involved in this case. You don't just go sacking your best mate for no reason.

Anyway, I hope Thommo gets the help he needs and he and Lennon can sort out their friendship.