12 Jan 2019 11:15:17
I have a question for you ed007

Who is actually in charge of making signings at Celtic?
Signings like Mulumbu and Commper and Izzy coming in and not really being given a chance so to speak.
Does our manager have any input or does he just work with what is brought to him?
It seems to me that maybe there is a bit of both going on here?

{Ed007's Note - Lee Congerton Brendan Rodgers decides what players the board should make moves for and Peter Lawwell (along with Financial Director Christopher McKay) then try and get deals done.
Some people think it's still like the 'good old days' when the manager was in charge of everything but that couldn't be further from the truth - Wenger at Arsenal is probably the last that worked that way. At most well run clubs nowadays the manager is no more than a coach and a cog in the footballing department as there needs to be a process that sees continuation if/when the manager leaves.}

1.) 12 Jan 2019
12 Jan 2019 11:57:58
I agree that this is the 'model' practiced by big clubs that are run with profit and shareholders in mind, hoping that the manager they appoint has the coaching ability and tactical nous to make it work.
Unfortunately, too many of the players we brought in have either failed to make the grade, are disliked by the manager or are simply surplus, because we have too much competition in that position.
The 'Sales Dept' really need to get their act together, talk (and listen) to the manager and trim this squad ASAP.
Quality should always be preferred to quantity in successful business.

2.) 12 Jan 2019
12 Jan 2019 18:25:36
I wouldn't even say the scouts fully decide which players either.

Our Man city players all came from mark lawwells

Under Lennon a big chunk of our signings came from agent dudu dahan

Even before Rodgers came in we had already been in contact with Sinclair and Dembele.

So id say even the board etc have handpicked some players too.

3.) 13 Jan 2019
12 Jan 2019 15:50:19
Ed007

How does our European scouting work. Have tried looking it up before but never really found any information. Read a article about Peter Houston hiring a car and watching games over Europe for Celtic.

{Ed002's Note - I am not sure how Celtic's scouting works in Europe and it varies on the size of the club. But typically there are a number of people that a club retains or employs regarding the "scouting" of players including a permanent Chief Scout and a perhaps a Head of International Scouting who all will report in to the club via a Director of Football or whatever. There is also be a guy who co-ordinates all of the reports and ensures that they go to the correct person. Obviously no one at the first team level is going to see or be interested in any reports related to kids so there is a hierarchy that deals with young kids, potential academy players up to the first team squad. There are then scouts retained (sometimes on a permanent basis, sometimes on a part time basis and sometimes on an ad hoc basis) by clubs to cover specific countries and/or areas of the world - France, South America, Adriatic & Old Eastern Bloc, Iberia etc.. On top of that there will be freelance scouts (often ex-referees and amateur club staff who will stay within their particular area of expertise and region). Once a player has been looked at a couple of times and reports reviewed, then someone from further up this chain will take a look. Eventually a chief scout will take a look, or if it is a potential first team player, then perhaps a coach or a manager will take a look. Some clubs also have advisors which include, taking one EPL side as an example, ex-managers or highly respected people within the game.

As a good example of this system, there are a number of people that Chelsea retain or employ regarding the "scouting" of players including a permanent Chief Scout and a Head of International Scouting who all report in to the Director of Football (when newly appointed). There is a guy who co-ordinates all of the reports and ensures that they go to the correct person. Obviously no one at the first team level is going to see or be interested in any reports related to children. There are then scouts retained by the club in specific countries and areas of the world - France, South America, Adriatic & Old Eastern Bloc, Iberia etc.. On top of that there are both formal and informal "advisors" who often have an opinion to give - some of these are very well known people.

As for Manchester United, they will look to appoint a Director of Football and have been working hard on trying to persuade someone to come - but it is proving to be a real struggle to sell the opportunity to him. Under him, they will seek to rebuild the scouting structure by adding new people and generally follow the model used by the likes of Chelsea. In the interim they have already started to make changes so they are working hard to improve.

Within the English game, particularly at lower-levels and with youngsters, scouts often include ex-managers and referees at that level across Europe - and it would be reasonable to assume the Scottish sides do the same. There are certainly ex Youth Team referees and coaches who provide scouting services to clb..

With younger kiddies clubs often restrict their search area by distance - Southampton has a fan shaped catchment area stretching out from Southampton and up to Swindon to the Northwest and the outer-reaches of the metropolis to the Northeast. Sunday league and youth games in this area will often see someone scouting on behalf of Southampton as they concentrate on local talent. Further afield they look to local specialists for advice.

The London clubs, such as West Ham, have the benefit of two multi-tiered clubs that have developed numerous players who have gone on to play at the highest level - Chelsea, Spurs and West Ham have always had a good relationship with one in particular - Senrab.}