Celtic chief Lawwell’s departure is direct result of Rangers boss Gerrard’s success, says Davie Provan

[BlueMeanie]

​

STEVEN GERRARD won his first trophy on Friday without kicking a ball.
By taking the head of Peter Lawwell, he’s taken down Scottish football’s biggest beast.

​

Be in no doubt, Lawwell’s departure is a direct result of Gerrard’s success. This isn’t how the Celtic powerbroker would have scripted it.
He was meant to be carried down London Road in a Sedan chair, The Ten in his pocket, legacy secure.
Instead, he’s leaving behind a club in turmoil.
Gerrard should leave some room on his mantelpiece.


Neil Lennon and his backroom team will be next out the door followed by head of recruitment Nicky Hammond.
Hopefully, anonymous chairman Ian Bankier will do the decent thing as well. The club needs gutted from top to bottom.
This season was an accident waiting to happen. All it took was for Rangers to put a proper team on the pitch and Gerrard has done that.
Hoops punters, seduced by the worthless pursuit of The Ten, are now confronting an inconvenient truth.
An opportunity to dominate Rangers and the rest of Scottish football for years has been blown.

---

I’m not writing this with the benefit of hindsight. This column blew the whistle on the Celtic Park boardroom years ago.
From the prestige of contesting the Uefa Cup final in 2003, the club is now irrelevant in European competition. Unforgiveable.
Europe is the only yardstick against which Celtic should be measured, not by stacking up domestic trophies against poor opposition.
Lawwell inherited a serious football club 17 years ago. In Martin O’Neill, he had a proper manager in charge of a top group of players.
Seville didn’t happen by accident. Celts got there because they paid top dollar for top players. But then something changed.

Thanks to the brilliant eye of chief scout John Park, Celts became a shop window. The buy low, sell high routine worked well for a while.
Virgil van Dijk, Victor Wanyama, Ki Sung Yueng and Moussa Dembele were just a few of those who made Celts millions.
It allowed the board to parade the annual balance sheet like the European Cup.
The AGM became a backslapping convention where awkward questions were treated with contempt.
Rangers’ liquidation allowed Celts to hoover up more titles and more cash. They had a free pass to Champions League millions every season.
No Celtic board in history ever had it so good. Yet somehow they’ve allowed Rangers up off the floor. The buck stops with Lawwell.
Despite fawning media coverage, his legacy is not a pretty sight. For starters, his announcement leaves Lennon twisting in the wind.
Lenny deserves better than to find himself warming the seat. With the title now gone he should be paid up now.
Unlike some in his dressing room, Lennon can look himself in the mirror.
He’s been done in by his own players and some brutal recruitment. He’s never had the leverage to push back against his board.

As for his successor? This is where Dermot Desmond comes in. Celts’ best managerial appointments have come through Desmond’s involvement.
The Irish billionaire overruled the board in 2000 to appoint O’Neill, brought in Gordon Strachan and went the extra yard for Brendan Rodgers.
Can he pull another rabbit from the hat? Problem is, the landscape has changed.
Having serviced a £50million wage bill during the Covid crisis, do Celts have the cash for a rebuild?
Who’ll fancy the gig by the time Odsonne Edouard, Kris Ajer, Ryan Christie and Olivier Ntcham have left the building?
Who’s to say Rodgers won’t come back in for Callum McGregor?
Against that backdrop, Desmond needs to find a time-served operator. No more Ronny Deila types wearing L-plates.
The new guy must be allowed to pick his own backroom team without interference.
That will require Lawwell’s replacement Dominic McKay to butt out of dressing-room issues. McKay has a vacuum to fill.
With Lawwell, goes the power and influence Celtic enjoyed during his time in charge.


His involvement with the SFA, SPFL and European Club Association ensured Celts were never dumped on.
He negotiated football’s corridors of power effortlessly.
Celtic shareholders will feel he goes amply rewarded. That eye- watering wage package will see his pension well topped up.
Fair to say Peter took as much from Celtic as the club took out of him.

 

[Puggy]

Nothing to do with pending court cases then ? That the Japanese bastard has swept under the carpet and ignored.

 

[Boroger]

Biggest beast indeed.

 

[whitbyontbear]

hahahaha

 

[top_cat]

Sweep sweep, you rat. Stepping down as shit gets real.

 

[Positively Blue]

despite fawning media coverage, his legacy is not a pretty sight. For starters, his announcement leaves Lennon twisting in the wind.
Lenny deserves better than to find himself warming the seat. With the title now gone he should be paid up now.

Poor Lenney!

 

[Grimsdale]

Away.....give that man a lollipop.

 

[Malbec]

Provo is a backsliding fanny of a boy who may just have got it right in his judgement today but why is he not opening up on what he has known for years?

Column inches prick.

 

[MrStruth]

A decent summary from Provan.

 

[Rathcoole_bluenose]

Provo can %^*& off and give birth to a hedgehog. Wanker

 

[RoyalBlue1]

Provan is that cvnt who arrives late to the party and tells everyone stuff they already know!!

 

[Blueranger45]

Despite fawning media coverage, his legacy is not a pretty sight. For starters, his announcement leaves Lennon twisting in the wind.
Lenny deserves better than to find himself warming the seat. With the title now gone he should be paid up now.
Unlike some in his dressing room, Lennon can look himself in the mirror.
He’s been done in by his own players and some brutal recruitment. He’s never had the leverage to push back against his board.

he's never won a title without a challenge either as a manager but I'd still like to see him get a new contract

 

[jasa]

To little too late to be moaning now proven. Lawell has been a disaster for scottish football as every move made is to the benefit on one club. I would say he has held football in this country back for a generation. I'm sure the whole of scottish football will be glad to see the back of him, a typical bully.

 

[mrsjr1872]

Biggest beast indeed.

Class line man

 

[EH47]

Lawell

Nothing to do with pending court cases then ? That the Japanese bastards has swept under the carpet and ignored.

Lawwell himself will now become another separate entity the minute he steps out the Knew Camp front door, leaving somebody else to deal with it,

 

[Brick_Top]

It takes some doing to be the biggest beast at that disgusting club.

 

[Vallance]

That first sentence !
Feck off.

 

[wee_bear]

Nothing to do with pending court cases then ? That the Japanese bastard has swept under the carpet and ignored.

This will be his legacy in a nutshell

 

[CWOODPIONEER]

Provo said - punters, seduced by the worthless pursuit of The Ten.
So it’s a worthless pursuit and Europe is the true measure of success? Hmm... it wasn’t that when your team were bullying the worst Rangers teams in history. Anyway I’m sure Big Pete will be first in line for our guard of honour in the stadium of shame.

 

[BobbyShearer]

Davie Provan:

“I trust Steven Gerrard has the savvy to recognise he’s already on a fool’s errand at Ibrox. The Rangers job is only going to damage his reputation. The trick for him now is to get out while he’s ahead.”

:shh:

 

[monkey magic]

Liewell, like the cowardly rhat everyone knows he is, scurried away when chased out of town by Stevie G. His legacy is to be loathed and despised, even more so by the Peasants.

 

[Vallance]

Davie Provan:

“I trust Steven Gerrard has the savvy to recognise he’s already on a fool’s errand at Ibrox. The Rangers job is only going to damage his reputation. The trick for him now is to get out while he’s ahead.”

:shh:

Aye, provan has a very selective memory.

 

[Jonathan E]

So...now that Steven Gerrard - remember the media reaction to his appointment? - has slain the mentally challenged, the lickspittle journalists are crawling out from under their rocks to poke the dying beast?

F*ck right off!

 

[Battle Fever's On]

All these columnists have been shown to be clueless.
Some of the pish they have scribed in the last couple of years shows they know no more than your average fan on the street.

 

[Pentasa]

Rangers weren't liquidated for a start Provan

 

[Bluebluecee]

Got as far as liquidation

 

[Antsy]

Rodgers coming in for McGregor

 

[Bouncyboy]

Yet somehow they’ve allowed Rangers up off the floor. The buck stops with Lawwell and you would have loved us to stay there ya piece o shit

 

[trueblue77]

‘The ten’ “A worthless pursuit”. That’ll go down well with the puddle drinkers. Almost as much as admitting their success was handed on a plate with no challenge.

 

[abz_bear]

Written like an angry fan.

 

[Theboydave]

It is very like a glory hunting fan when things are going well they are there taking credit. First real adversity and it is rats fleeing a sinking ship. I am sure if you were to read more of Provan's older articles there would be plenty of arse kissing of the fat Japanese.

 

[SenoraCuellar]

Aye maybe. Or maybe clearing out before the court action starts so his name isn't linked to a toxic scenario.

 

[Obanloyal]

Gerrard has put them back in there place,completely collapsed at the first sign of a challenge.

 

[Clicker]

There’s nothing more despicable than a jump-the-dyke.

 

[The Canny Man]

F**k Liewell, the man has been a poisonous cancer on Scottish football since the day he arrived. A bully, a ponce, a charlatan, a horrible bitter individual who I despise with every breath I take.
No one, and I mean no one, will ever change my mind that him, that other disgusting scumbag Reid, Manus Fullerton and Brian Wilson + various other reptiles aided by a complicit media weren’t behind the demise of Rangers. Well, they didn’t reckon on the resolve of the people and it’s came back to haunt them.
F**k each and every one of them. WATP.

 

[Div1872]

Lieswell is leaving for a few reasons

- Dave King called it 100% right - one title and their cost base cannot cope and the house of cards collapses

- The pending civil cases for multiple victims for CSA and Lieswells claims of ‘separate entity’ will be ridiculed - they will also be burdened by massive compo claims and this will have a financial and reputational damage to the CFC brand

- Their financial model is phucked with a huge wage bill and revenue stream that will be drastically affected by Covid, no insurance policy and a fan base who will not renew their season tickets

- If Rangers navigate the CL qualifiers and get into CL group stages then we get a £30m boost in revenues

Take all that into account and they are Royally phucked

 

[insanicdrunk]

No Celtic board in history ever had it so good. Yet somehow they’ve allowed Rangers up off the floor. The buck stops with Lawwell.

Rangers were not allowed anything. We served our time, we built this team over 3 years, we deserve this, this was not given it was won.

 

[Gunnerger]

Rangers weren't liquidated for a start Provan

You have “fans” on this thread saying it’s a fair article as well

 

[Scaramanga]

His pal Andy Walker won’t be too happy with the word choice in the opening line there

Gerrard is like Perseus when he emerges with the head of Medusa, only this time it’s the head of a fat Japanese.

 

[Bluecon]

Gerrard has put them back in there place,completely collapsed at the first sign of a challenge.

The

Aye maybe. Or maybe clearing out before the court action starts so his name isn't linked to a toxic scenario.

This is their Final ,The Joker Falls,Hell mend that "Charitable Football Club "

 

[Wilkinsvolley]

McKay celtcs Craig Whyte? In to do the unsavoury business? For us you couldn’t get more unsavoury than we got. But for them, that would be a bed of roses compared to pile of manure that’s to be dumped on McKays doorstep. He needs to end the separate entity lie, apologise and compensate the victims and start a full independent enquiry to identify every beast and get the victims justice.

 

[Brant Hurley]

A rare moment of clarity for 'Peace Process'. Must've taken a call from Dave King...

 

[BlueBearette]

Davie Provan:

“I trust Steven Gerrard has the savvy to recognise he’s already on a fool’s errand at Ibrox. The Rangers job is only going to damage his reputation. The trick for him now is to get out while he’s ahead.”

:shh:

Prk I bet he wishes he never said that

 

[Talktalk]

Provan is that cvnt who arrives late to the party and tells everyone stuff they already know!!

He also wrote that Gerrard should get out of Rangers to avoid damaging his reputation as a manager as he wouldn’t win anything with the multi millions Celtic have stacked away.fir players

 

[warfieldranger]

Delicious!

 

[Bluethruandthru]

Liewell , lemon and all the rest of the mentally challenged casualties are but a bi product of our Managers success.

Not for one nano second has Gerrard considered any outside influence since his arrival at Rangers. That is a hallmark of his tenure here to date.

He's taken his time and learned from our shortcomings but never once wavered in the single minded determination to be the best. That's what defined him as a player and thankfully for us he has evidently carried the same traits into management.

So let them all fall by the wayside. Let them all wallow in what could have been but don't ever doubt this sea change has nothing to do with the characters across the city. Steven Gerrard was the right man for Rangers as we were the right club for him at this time. Success was inevitable , it was always about going for 55 and never had anything to do with "stoping the ten"

 

[noucamp72]

" the worthless pursuit of The Ten "
There you go he knows it and they all know it.
The quad treb is the biggest turd polishing in sporting history.

 

[Family bam]

That wee jump the dyke c.unt has changed his tune.

Lie down and grunt you little wank.

 

[Cpfbear]

All about money. Liewell departure from resignation has payout in contract and same with Tabasco cruncher waiting to be sacked.

 

[skiprat]

F**k Liewell, the man has been a poisonous cancer on Scottish football since the day he arrived. A bully, a ponce, a charlatan, a horrible bitter individual who I despise with every breath I take.
No one, and I mean no one, will ever change my mind that him, that other disgusting scumbag Reid, Manus Fullerton and Brian Wilson + various other reptiles aided by a complicit media weren’t behind the demise of Rangers. Well, they didn’t reckon on the resolve of the people and it’s came back to haunt them.
F**k each and every one of them. WATP.

Amen to that