It will be full team ahead for the next Celtic gaffer
Donnelly warns Hoops face complete rebuild just like Wim Jansen did in 1997
They hoped it would be a summer of rejoicing. Instead, Celtic will be rebuilding.
And after the collapse of their historic 10-in-a-row tilt, most Celtic fans now want serious renovation work.
Neil Lennon talked about it before he lost his job as gaffer. With their prized Premiership title gone he admit ted that an overhaul was required.
After a decade of dominance the Parkhead club are gearing up for a complete reboot.
Peter Lawwell is gone, along with Lennon. New chief executive Dominic McKay doesn’t start until June, with appointing a manager top of his to-do list.
And, of course, where do the new men in charge start with a squad that is now imbalanced, fragmented and woefully short of confidence and quality?
When Celtic stopped Rangers’ bid for 10-in-a-row 23 years ago, it forced the Ibrox club into a clear- out.
Walter Smith left to be replaced by Dick Advocaat, while club legends Andy Goram, Stuart McCall, Richard Gough and Ally McCoist departed.
Now the roles are reversed.
And it’s the Hoops who are set for radical alterations this summer.
When they stopped the 10 in 1997/98, new boss Wim Jansen made wholesale changes to the playing squad.
And Simon Donnelly, who was part of that group, reckons the club face a similarly huge task.
When Jansen took over from Tommy Burns, he signed 10 new players.
Iconic figures such as Paolo Di Canio, Jorge Cadete, Andreas Thom and Peter Grant were gone.
And major players such as Henrik Larsson, Marc Rieper, Paul Lambert and Craig Burley were brought in.
They face that type of turnover again with doubts over the future of big-name stars Odsonne Edouard, Kristoffer Ajer and Ryan Christie.
Loan players Shane Duffy, Diego Laxalt and Jonjoe Kenny will return to parent clubs and veteran skipper Scott Brown is being linked with a playercoach role at Aberdeen.
Donnelly believes any new Celtic gaffer must act quickly with the recruitment of ready-made first-team players a clear priority.
Because he fears if the Hoops don’t hit the ground running at the start of next season, new champions Rangers could be out of sight.
Donnelly said: “This will be as big an upheaval at Celtic as it was in 1997.
“It was a revolving door. A lot of players went away and Wim came in at a late stage.
“I certainly wouldn’t like it to be left as late this time.
“Celtic have to decide what structure they’re going with and get it done as quickly as possible.
“But in terms of the rebuild it’s going to be something similar. There are players in the last year of their contracts so the club’s hand will be forced to capitalise on them.
“There are other players coming towards the end of their career. And there are some who haven’t exactly set the place on fire. Does a new manager actually want to persevere with those guys?
“Unfortunately for them, they had no time to settle because it was such an important season for Celtic.
“These are situations and issues that need to be addressed quickly by the team coming in.
“I say team because it could be a new manager, a director of football along with a new chief executive.
“When you look at the recruitment in ‘98, top players came in – boys who went straight into the first team.
“It took us time to gel at the start. But look at Lambert and Burley in the middle of the park. Henrik speaks for himself, Rieper at the back.
“There were others like Jonathan Gould in goal, Darren Jackson who was a Scotland international.
“Then Harald Bratbakk came in halfway through and got the all-important goal to win the title.
“It’s a huge task for Celtic because Rangers have got up a head of steam. It’s an almighty challenge.”
At every club now, recruitment is key. Gers got it spot on last summer while Celtic’s new boys – David Turnbull apart – were found badly wanting.
Donnelly knows it will be tough to get every acquisition right, especially with so many positions to fill.
If Edouard goes, they must spend any cash wisely to have a chance of reclaiming the league flag.
He said: “The recruitment for this season didn’t improve the team at all. So they have to sign players capable of coming straight into the first XI and put pressure on the guys already there.
“I do see it as a major upheaval. But in the middle of March you’d like to think it has started already and there is work going on in the background.
“The goalkeeping situation is one that has to be addressed. But you can look right through the team.
“They could lose Ajer. Full- backs Laxalt, Kenny, Hatem Elhamed and Jeremie Frimpong are away. So Greg Taylor will be their only one left in that position. It has to be addressed.
“If they can get as much money as possible for Edouard they must spend it wisely.
“They need players who will hit the ground running – that was the case in 1997.
“Burley got 16 goals,
Lambert was a stalwart in midfield, Larsson got 19 goals and Rieper was a big presence for us at the back.
“It’s going to take something similar again this summer.”
Donnelly expected a challenge from Rangers this season.
But he couldn’t have predicted the Ibrox club being crowned champions by March 7.
The former Parkhead star said: “Everything was great for Celtic for nine years but it’s now turned on its head. “Rangers have come back to win the league – and I think they’ll only get stronger.
“I thought there would be a proper challenge this season, a real title race. But it hasn’t worked out that way.
“So Celtic are up against it. They have to recruit well and start the next campaign strongly.”
It’s a major upheaval .. but you like to think it has started already