02 Apr 2021 09:07:30
With it looking more like we are going to appoint Eddie Howe what's everyones thoughts?

Personally think he is one of the best realistic options out there. The one thing i hesitate on is whether he will be able to make a quick immediate impact on the team in the same way other might have, however everyone knows we need a huge rebuild of first team squad and backroom staff and i think this kind of appointment is ideal in this situations. let's hope we get this right as it is one of the most important signings for us for a long time.

{Ed007's Note - By "immediate impact", DK do you mean now or in the summer? Even if Howe is announced I don't expect him to take over until the the end of the season. I just can't see him coming in right away and Kennedy was told when Lennon left that the job was his until the end of the season.}


1.) 02 Apr 2021
02 Apr 2021 09:38:46
Here is something to consider. When Deila came in he liked his team to press but was unable to do this effectively as the players were not fit enough.

For the first 6 months we could only press for about 60 minutes before the players tired. Eventually the team got fit enough to keep this up for 90 months but took about 6 months to get to that level.

This season, our fitness levels looked like they dropped, which raises the question, how long will it take for the players to get fit enough to do the high press under Howe?

For that reason if we do appoint him, i would like him to come in immediately and start working on fitness, on tactics on philosophy and assess the squad so we know which positions he wants to target in the summer.


2.) 02 Apr 2021
02 Apr 2021 09:47:32
On a personal point for me my first realistic choice was de zebri and 2nd was howe so I think this will prove to be a great appointment, the quicker he can start work behind the scenes better.


3.) 02 Apr 2021
02 Apr 2021 10:03:29
100% agree LAW👍.


4.) 02 Apr 2021
02 Apr 2021 10:06:41
It was only a myth that Ronnie’s teams were fit.
On only 3 occasions in 2 seasons under Ronnie, did Celtic pick up extra points in the last 14 minutes of games. (once Griffiths scored a winner in the 75th minute at Fir Park)
On 24 occasions, Celtic were either losing or drawing in those league games.
And 21 times that’s how it remained.
The 3 exceptions were:- Rogic 90th minute winner at Killie, Griffiths a 90th minute winner at home to P. Thistle and the only other time was a 89th minute winner by Van Dyke at Pittodrie.
Not once in the league did a Celtic goal in the last 1/ 4 of the matches turn a defeat into a draw.
Basically under Deila, whatever the score was going into the last 1/ 4 of the match, that’s how it remained.
In fact Celtic lost more points from winning positions in the last 1/ 4 of games, than we gained, under Ronnie.


5.) 02 Apr 2021
02 Apr 2021 10:32:06
I am basing it on what i saw with my own eyes. The first half of the season our players were out of juice after about 60 minutes and we would often give away goals in the last 30 minutes without scoring.

After xmas i noticed a big difference in the team, they no longer looked dead on their feet after 60 minutes and the press was far more effective and could be sustained for longer. We were also playing some great football in the last half of the season.


6.) 02 Apr 2021
02 Apr 2021 10:54:58
buzz i couldn't agree more and was close to posting a similar post.


7.) 02 Apr 2021
02 Apr 2021 10:58:44
LAW
You make a valid point.
Celtic dropped loads of points up until the New Year in his first season.
But in the second half of the season, Celtic only lost the lead on a couple of occasions and always looked in control.
My theory was based on the last 1/ 4 of games when Celtic were struggling.
Which happened up until the New Year and his 2nd season was a mixed bag.


8.) 02 Apr 2021
02 Apr 2021 11:26:25
As you say it was a mixed bag in the second season and I should have stated that my point was only in reference to the first season.

By the way my post was not intended to reopen a discussion on Ronny Deila. I only used him as an example as I see similarities between his style and Howe's style and they both took over after Lennon, where the team's fitness seemed to drop.