Jordan joins Celtic as Brady clears out his backroom staff

Ian Paul

11 Jun 1993

CELTIC manager Liam Brady yesterday completed a ruthless shake-up of his backroom staff which culminated in the appointment of the double act sacked by Hearts at the end of the season, Joe Jordan and Frank Connor.

But first, those leaving had to be informed.

Out go chief scout John Kelman, first team coach Mick Martin, reserve team coach Bobby Lennox and youth coach Benny Rooney.

In, as well as Jordan and Connor, comes another former Celtic player Tom McAdam who has just been released by Airdrie.

He becomes youth team coach.

Current assistant manager Tommy Craig, who is with the Scotland Under-21 side in Toulon, is being given a new post in charge of youth development.

The extent of the upheaval will cause a stir, but, inevitably, it is the capture of Jordan as Brady's assistant manager which will astonish fans of Celtic, not to mention those of Hearts.

The former Scottish World Cup striker was sacked by the Tynecastle club a couple of weeks before the season was over -- although he had intended leaving anyway -- and it was presumed his future would be in England where he had been a successful manager with Bristol City.

The fact that he had been receiving a salary in the £100,000-a-year region at Tynecastle seemed to rule out his staying in this country.

However, he and Brady had much in common as players, with English and Italian league backgrounds, as well as sound international track records, and Brady, who himself signed a new two-year contract yesterday clearly believes the combination of their extensive experience will benefit Celtic.

Said Brady: "This is much more than simply a change in personnel.

I want a different approach.

The people I have appointed will give me exactly that.

On one hand, I see it maximising our chances of success next season.

Also, it is aimed at securing the club's long-term future.

"Joe Jordan's credentials speak for themselves.

He did a terrific job for Bristol City and Hearts.

I am delighted he has come to work with me."

Brady said he wanted Connor to take the reserves because of his vast experience.

"He and Tom McAdam have been at the club before and will help instil the traditions and standards Celtic expect."

He added that the post taken by Craig, head of youth development, is, in his view, the most important for the long term.

"Tommy will be responsible for the recruitment, development and coaching of the boys who we hope will be Celtic stars of the future."

Chairman Kevin Kelly said the board backed the manager fully in his reshuffle and added: "These far-reaching changes are the manager's formula for success.

To indicate the confidence we have in Liam, we have concluded a new two-year contract with him."

Jordan had been on full salary from Hearts and that would have continued until September when his contract was due to end but will be superseded by his new job.

He joined the Edinburgh club almost three years ago when Hearts had to pay £75,000 compensation to Bristol after a tribunal hearing.

The man who played for a succession of clubs, Morton, Leeds United, Manchester United, AC Milan, Verona and Southampton, was at one time the target of Aston Villa as a replacement for Graham Taylor but his three years at Tynecastle did not produce the bonus of a trophy which Hearts so desperately wanted.

He had been one of many names bandied about as a possible Celtic manager when Billy McNeill was dismissed two years ago before Liam Brady was appointed.

Connor, who was a goalkeeper for Celtic, has been at Parkhead twice before on the backroom staff, but in his last stint was dimissed by manager David Hay.

He then proved a success as the manager of Raith Rovers from where he was persuaded to join Jordan in the new regime which chairman Wallace Mercer formed to take over from Alex MacDonald.

McAdam, the striker who was turned into a defender by Jock Stein, was working as a carpet fitter when he heard Brady wanted him as youth coach.

He said: "I still can't believe I'm going back to Celtic.

I was really disappointed at being let go by Airdrie but I'm a carpet fitter to trade and I managed to get work three days after I was freed and I've been busy since."

The four men dismissed were treated to one paragraph in the official Celtic news release.

It concluded: "As chairman, Kevin Kelly, on behalf of the club, thanks them for the contributions they have made."

The sacking of Martin may be the most unexpected, considering that he and Brady have been friends since childhood.

Martin was Brady's first appointment when he was put in charge at Parkhead.

The departure of Lennox signals the final severance with the Lisbon Lions as he was the last of the team that won the European Cup in 1967 still working in a full-time capacity at the park.

Rooney, former manager of Morton and Partick Thistle, was brought to Parkhead by Billy McNeill to supervise the young players, while Kelman has been in charge of scouting for the club for 15 years.

Taken from the Herald