Republican News · Thursday 23 July 1998

[An Phoblacht]

Doctor Who? lands in Paradise

Finally Celtic have appointed a head coach after weeks of chasing such names as Swedan's Tommy Svensson to Norway's Olsen and Frances Phillippe Troussier, all of whom, apparantly, showed little interest in joining Celtic.

McCann and Brown's antics are obviously well-known in the footballing world. Jock Brown insisted on Tuesday he never apporoached French coach Houllier, and he was never offered the job of coach. Brown has said he is ``personally hurt'' by the criticism of fans. Maybe you should get the hell out, Jock!

yway, four weeks to the start of the season and they've finally persuaded Jozef Venglos to come to the club. Recent training sessions have been headed by a Rab Thompson, a sports sales rep. Celtic have gone from Rab Who? to Doctor Who?

62-year-old Dr Jozef Venglos has Celtic fans wondering just who is the man McCann and Brown have appointed to succeed Wim Jansen. Venglos was a player with Slovan Bratislava, began his coaching career as Australian national coach, moved to his playing club were he won the league twice, then went on the lead Czechoslovakia to the European Championship title in 1976, defeating West Germany. He's held various posts with FIFA and other clubs since, leading Czechoslovakia to the quarter finals again in 1990. It is his recent record Celtic fans will be putting under scrutiny. Venglos was manager of Aston Villa in 1990-'91. He was described then as the man who cared too much. Aston Villa finished 17th in the old First Division. I suppose consternation abounded when Wim Jansen was appointed last season, so we'll just have to wait and see and give him a chance to prove himself...

On the ongoing power struggle Brian Dempsey has used the internet to vet his anger at McCann and Co. His comments on McCann included: ``It was a mistake [McCann coming to the club] The simple fact is that he changed and it became increasingly clear that his God was money.'' On McCann's Bhoys Against Bigotry Campaign he said: ``It was the PR stunt of PR stunts to appeal to the stock market in London and show that Celtic was not an Irish Catholic club. I am against that... That doesn't mean to say I am a bigot or intolerant.''

Championship

Derry and Donegal didn't serve up the most interesting or thrilling of matches at Clones during the Ulster Football Final. There was little to excite during the game, until injury time when Joe Brolly cropped up to steal the game, of which a draw seemed the fairest of outcomes. Donegal folk can certainly feel aggrieved.

Galway's victory was a much more entertaining affair, played in terrible conditions. Galway's litany of wides didn't help them repell the Roscommon onslaught of the second half and can count themselves lucky to have lived to fight another day, especially after some of the referee's decision not going in their favour.

Kildare were another team which failed to ignite, with Laois looking very capable of beating the Lily whites. Two goals in the second half however saw off the challenge of the Laois men and Kildare go into the Leinster Final against the Meathmen.

BY CIARAN HEAPHEY


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