Celtic must keep faith with Tony Mowbray until summer at least

By Brian McNally

Published 12:32 05/02/10

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It may seem callously premature to question Tony Mowbray's future as Celtic manager just 23 Scottish Premier League games into his Parkhead tenure.

But defeat in the Scottish Cup at Dunfermline on Sunday would undoubtedly leave Mowbray fighting for survival less than a week after his Robbie Keane-led assault on the transfer market on deadline day.

The "Keane effect" was initially viewed as a panacea to Mowbray's troubled situation, but its immediate impact has been to increase the pressure on the troubled Teessider.

The euphoria and expectation that filled the night air in the east end of Glasgow on Monday as news of Celtic's coup in landing Keane on loan quickly gave way to rancour and reality on Tuesday evening as lowly Kilmarnock effectively demonstrated that one man does not make a football team.

The impressive Keane signing was designed to give Celtic renewed momentum both in terms of their challenge to Rangers in the Scottish Premier League and also in rejuvenating the fans flagging enthusiasm.

But the chance for Celtic to inject fresh optimism into their season both on and off the field was will wilfully squandered as Mowbray's team selection and tactics spectacularly misfired

Far more tellingly than the 1-0 scoreline in Ayrshire, another disjointed, dispirited display has turned the focus sharply on Mowbray's ability or lack of it to motivate the most expensive squad in Scotland.

The sight of the hunched, haunted figure of Mowbray staring blankly into space does nothing to inspire confidence among his troops on the field or the legions of fans in the stands.

Yet for 24 hours the arrival of Keane and his supporting cast inspired the fanciful notion that Celtic's miserable form this season could suddenly be transformed.

The sheer folly of the "now we are going to win the SPL" brigade interviewed outside Celtic Park on Monday night is that Celtic can't even beat relegation fodder

such as Falkirk and Kilmarnock never mind leaders Rangers or third-placed Hibs.

I have defended Mowbray this season arguing that he must be given time to build his own team and stressing the fact that he has been on the end of some outrageous refereeing decisions, particularly, in the two crucial games against Rangers.

Celtic's decline began long before Mowbray arrived at Parkhead. Under Gordon Strachan last term Celtic squandered a seven-point lead to Rangers and played football that was every bit as uninspiring as the fare this season.

The blame for Celtic losing their way should be directed at the board's failure to capitalise on their position of strength in January 2009 when a virtually bankrupt Rangers could have been put to the sword by the quality and quantity of signings that have stunned the football world in the last few days.

The calls for Mowbray's head are inevitable, but I don't think a change of manager will do Celtic any good at this stage of the season. If anything it could be extremely damaging to the morale of the players he has just brought in if he is sacked this month.

Having being allowed to make such radical changes in the dressing room I believe he should be at least given the last 15 SPL games to try and demonstrate that with his own team he can get it right given time.

The league is in my opinion now beyond Celtic. The dramatic surgery that was needed at least a year ago came far too late.

But the Celtic board would be well advised to at least allow Mowbray the time to see if his dressing room revolution shows any sign of arresting Celtic's slump between now and May.

If Celtic continue to under-achieve then I believe the summer would be the right time to make a change.

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