I don’t care what anyone says. John Kennedy gets a raw deal from a large section of the Celtic support. Or maybe it’s not large. Maybe it’s a noisy minority but there is absolutely no doubt that when the chips are down, the ‘defence coach’ gets it in the neck.
Bad defensive display? Whats John Kennedy doing?
Team lose a game? Why is John Kennedy sitting with his arms folded?
It’s raining outside? Why is John Kennedy not sorting that out?
Ok, the last one is a stretch, but you get where I am going.
Funnily enough, when the team were romping to 6-0 wins and playing fantastic football, not one of the fans that rip Kennedy apart when we concede, come out and say, ‘Brilliant again from Kennedy. Another clean sheet.’
And don’t get me started on Gavin Strachan, who some fans (disrespectfully) refer to as ‘laptop boy’ or ‘Ipad boy’ or whatever inane and childish comment it is.
So it’s about time someone stuck up for them right?
Well that’s exactly what Joe Hart did when he was speaking to the media about Ange Postecoglou’s playing style and current results.
Whilst Hart admitted that results are not good enough, he recognises the work that not only the manager puts in but also how key his coaching team are, “Look, we would love to not have the short-term pain. We’re going to have to make it as short term as possible because it’s no fun losing games.
“But we believe in the process and we’re behind what he is doing, his qualities as a manager, his qualities as a coach and what he asks of us. He defends us.
“Yes it’s a risky way of playing football if you like. But when you really, really break it down, which he does for us, he doesn’t expect us to just walk out there and play total football, ‘Go on lads, off you go’.
“Ultimately, a lot of the time it’s 10 to 15-yard passes. We need to believe and be calm and be clear in our minds of those 10 to 15 yard passes.
“Yes it’s a different way of playing to maybe how other teams are doing things but we have got a top coach with a good coaching team behind him who also believe in what they’re doing. It’s why we play football.
“Personally I love it.”
A man of Hart’s experience recognises good coaches when he see’s them. After all, he has worked under some of the best in the business.
But what do I know? Apart from Kennedy and Strachan not being defensive coaches………….