Celtic jury still out on Tony Mowbray

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Tony Mowbray's West Brom troubles have followed him north

By Gary McDaniel

Tony Mowbray is developing into the type of manager that the press can dedicate page after page to.  His gradual distain for football writers, which came to the boil during the past week, has raised many questions about his control of the team and whether he is reaching breaking point.

It all began with the story last week, by The Daily Record, that Scott Brown believed he was unwanted by his manager.  Celtic quickly denied the story and threatened legal action. The Record has stuck by their source and the tabloids editor has admitted that the story was given the all clear by Brown himself.  This surely raises questions about what is going on within the dressing room walls of Parkhead.

In the aftermath of the New Year derby, Chris Killen, Willo Flood, Gary Caldwell and Barry Robson were on their way out of the exit door, the latter departure leaving many Celtic fans puzzled.  With the news that Daniel Fox and Stephen McManus maybe next, and Scott MacDonald's future by no means secure, it wouldn't surprise me if someone like Scott Brown wasn't sure about his own career at Celtic Park. It may have been a good idea for Mowbray to allow the dust to have settled on the story and deal with Brown internally, or maybe he has. 

I'm sure the Record would not have run the story without making sure it was water tight.  This though has been the tipping point for the hoops manager, who clearly feels that the majority of the football journalists in Scotland have no clue about football, fair enough.  He also claims not to care about what is being written but yet it seems he does.

The Celtic fans, which I have spoken to, are split as to whether they believe he is the right man for the job.  I watched yesterday's match against St Johnstone in the pub - just for research purposes for my column (hope you're not planning on claiming expenses - Ed) - and was really interested in the mixture of emotions expressed by the Celtic fans at the unfolding events at McDermaid Park. 

The air was filled with anger, frustration and distain at how their team was performing.  Players such as Georgios Samaras, Marc-Antone Fortune and Niall McGinn were getting it in the neck and cries of despair at the team's formation were being vented. As the half-time whistle blew the Celtic faithful stared into their nursed pints and began to discuss if the former Baggies manager was the right man for the Bhoys hot-seat.

Only seconds into the second half and hope is delivered as the saints are reduced to ten men but there is no real cheer from the band of Celtic fans gathered around the TV.  They know that with Celtic's recent shyness in front of goal it was not to be expected that a desperate need for three points would surely be delivered.  Pressure finally takes its toll on the Perth men's defence and Fortune delivers a thunder bolt to bring about parity.  His celebration leads to cries from the Celtic fans of "that's right you tell them son." Obviously directed towards the press, but hold on were these not the same fans who bemoaned his performance prior to his goal?  As Samaras fires Celtic in front "on you go Samo, ya dancer," better than what was being said half an hour earlier.

To say the match was a classic game of two halves would not be fair in terms of the play but would be of the emotions expressed amongst the Celtic faithful. The first period was on the whole a typical performance by Celtic and most of their support, present in the pub, in agreement as to what had been written in the press about their team’s form recently.  In the second half though it seemed to be a case of no hold on maybe everything might be alright???  They hacks are wrong.  Or maybe that was just an outward emotion covering the deep worries some of them may harbour within. 

Last season Mowbray failed to keep West Brom in the Premiership but was receiving praise from both media and fans for not changing his philosophy of how the game should be played.  You could say he got an easy ride.  That is something no manager in Glasgow is gifted.  There are those who say that Walter Smith does, but in his first tenure at Ibrox he came under pressure, from the press, due to Rangers dismal form in Europe during the mid-nineties.

Looking at the difficulties that the midlands club had last season it is taking on a similar picture as to those affecting the Parkhead side this term.  Lack of goals and a tendency for his defence to give away cheap goals. 

Mowbray is now beginning to bring in his own players and they will need time to gel but is January the right time to be doing this?  If Celtic fail to win the title in May will the Celtic fans accept that and give him another chance?  You get the impression he is trying to bring about a revolution at the club but does he have the capabilities to do this?  Only time will tell.  What Mowbray has to take into consideration is that the players who he inherited from Strachan he requires this season to help Celtic wrestle the title back from Rangers.

The Man Utd job has been in the headlines of a few of the English papers of late.  Who will take over when Sir Alex Ferguson steps down, if he does?

You get the impression he is nailed to the Old Trafford throne and refuses to budge. 

There will though be a time when the red devils need a new man to take over at the helm.  Jose Mourinho's name has been put forward by a few journalists and pundits down south. 

What surprises me is, how many of them dismiss him due to the fact he likes to spend money, something Manchester United may not have.  Do they forget the job he did at FC Porto?  That wasn't brought about with a war chest of cash. 

These are the same journalists who claimed that when Man City brought in Roberto Mancini for the managerial post they bleated, "Oh he lacks experience."  The guy's won three scudetto's with Internazionale.

Sticking with Inter, I must pay my respects to Javier Zanetti. 

The 36 year-old has been a faithful servant at the Milan club for 15 years and seen god knows how many managers come and go at the San Siro. 

He is a true legend amongst the Inter fans and has been probably the most consistent player in Italy during his time in Serie A.  The Argentine is a true gent and very charitable to boot. 

If ever a player deserves to be in receipt of a World Cup winners' medal in the summer then he is the ideal candidate. 

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