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Celtic: Frank McAvennie reveals Peter Lawwell’s ‘biggest mistake’
Former Celtic icon Frank McAvennie identified the “biggest mistake” that chief executive Peter Lawwell has made in recent years.
Lawwell’s fatal error
The 61-year-old recently announced that he will be retiring after an 18-year stay in Glasgo – he took over the position back in 2003.
Lawwell has received heavy criticism from the Green Brigade following the club’s woeful 2020/21 campaign, which has seen them fall way behind arch-rivals Rangers and the controversy surrounding their trip to Dubai didn’t help matters either.
For most of that period, Neil Lennon has been in the hot seat. Martin O’Neill, Gordon Strachan, Tomy Mowbray, Ronny Delia and Brandan Rodgers also served short stints. (via Soccerbase).
Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie highlighted the key area which could end in Lawwell receiving further scrutiny.
“Listen, Peter Lawwell is a strong character,” he said. “The biggest mistake he made for me was not giving Lenny his own backroom staff. That has been a huge problem this year.
“If he had his own backroom staff in there I think they could have sorted it out. They were talking about John Hartson going in and he could have spoken with the players. He could have got the boys on their side.
“If he had done that and we went on to win the 10, Peter would have been lauded as one of the best chief executives ever. It is a strange one though because they have faired so badly this year, I think Peter will get slaughtered.”
Transfer Tavern Verdict
McAvennie is right. The old saying goes, ‘you are only as good as your last performance’. Because of this, Lawwell will often be remembered for what happened during the 2020/21 campaign, despite all of the other success during his tenure.
If they did manage to go on and win 10-in-a-row this season, as McAvennie says, the praise for Lawwell would have been sung from the rooftops.
But as it stands, that looks hugely unlikely, albeit not impossible. However, Lawwell’s tenure, for some, will be recognised for all the wrong reasons.
In other news, Celtic board member singled out and lambasted over Bhoys’ 2020/21 demise.
