Title paradise is lost at Celtic as coach departs in acrimony. Jansen: I almost quit after 3 weeks

He also revealed that within two to three weeks of taking over at Celtic Park last summer, he had offered his resignation because he had realised that early, that his ambitions for the club were not matched by the men in control.

Jansen also stressed that there had been a breakdown in communications between himself and the general manager, Jock Brown - something which was denied by Brown when The Herald broke the story at the start of the year.

Jansen has kept his own counsel for many months, but yesterday in the Palacio Hotel, in Estoril, the same hotel used by Celtic before they won the European Cup in l967, the Dutchman unburdened himself at last.

He told how he had fought to keep the Italian, Paolo di Canio, at the club but had been stopped from doing so. He told how he had not been allowed to bring in certain players when he thought that the side should be strengthened.

He told how a ''dislike'' of general manager Jock Brown had caused him problems in the way he handled his job. He also told how he was unhappy at the way the club was controlled.

Jansen was relaxed as he talked, although he did admit that his meeting with the players had been emotional. His view, however, was that his decision had to be taken in isolation. He had to make up his mind without the thoughts of the players or the fans being allowed to intervene.

He explained: ''It would have been wrong for me to be influenced by the result on Saturday. I did not allow my problems to influence my thinking about the championship because I knew what that meant to the club and to the supporters. Always I was focused on that, on winning the title.

''Now we have done that, I cannot change my ideas. It would be wrong to stay when I do not share the views of the people in charge of the club. It is not the right thing to do.''

When he was asked about his attitude to the club policy, he referred to the official statement which had been issued and which, at times, suggested that his appoint- ment and his period in charge had little to do with the team's successes in the season which has just ended. Celtic won the Coca-Cola Cup and they also landed the title and the coach has only ''played a part'' in this historic achievement.

The statement from club owner Fergus McCann also said: ''The decision Wim has taken is best for the club.''

Adding later: ''Wim has played a part and no-one should deny that, but so have many others. The players deserve a large slice of credit, as do the supporters who have made the dream become a reality.

''As for the future, there are exciting times ahead, and in August we will have a full Celtic Park to celebrate the flag coming home. The nature of football now sees players and coaches changing clubs more frequently than in the past. We must all accept and embrace change as an exciting challenge and ensure that it also results in progress.

''Finally I want to emphasise an important point: All of this was not the result of the efforts of only one season, of one man. Individuals will always come and go but the legend that is Celtic continues.''

Less than fine words about the man who did win the title for the club. The same man general manager, Brown, insisted that major clubs in Europe would want to sign up after his three-year spell at Parkhead. Now, after less than a year, he walks.

Jansen, an essentially honest man, explained most of his reasons yesterday in Estoril.

On his early disenchantment he explained: ''I wanted to keep Paolo di Canio. I thought he was a player the club needed but it was taken out of my hands. I could not make that decision, even though it was about the playing side. That was nothing to do with me, and when it was suggested that I wanted to deal with the player then that was wrong. I wanted to keep him but was not allowed to do so.

''After two or three weeks in the job I suggested that I should resign. I told this to Fergus McCann and he would not accept it but, back then, I know that things were not right.''

On his relationship with Jock Brown, Jansen said: ''We disliked each other. Early on in the job we did not get on and in the last few weeks we rarely spoke to each other. We were not thinking the same way about the club.''

On the sacking of David Hay, he added: ''I did not want that to happen. It was wrong for the club because he was doing a good job and I relied on him and I thought he was important for Celtic.''

On his ambitions for the club he stated: ''I wanted to bring in new players and that was stopped by the people in charge. Celtic are a big, big club and I thought that they should think that way. They did not do so. My ambitions for the club were different from those who are in control. I cannot say why. You must ask them what they think. But I know what the team needs and I would have bought more players if that was possible. But it was not.''

Then, when he was asked about his own importance in the Celtic title triumph, he pointed out: ''It is not important what I have done. Jock Brown might think he is important and Fergus McCann might think he is important, but it is the club and the players and the supporters who are important.''

Jansen has no job offers in the pipeline despite the black propaganda which has been put about. He will go home to Holland and await offers while he relaxes with his family.

He would like to see his assistant, Murdo MacLeod, take his place - ''we think the same way,'' he said. ''It is like one person when we make plans. He would carry on the job the way I would have done so.''

MacLeod was as devastated by the news as the players when they left for training last night to prepare for the Sporting game. ''The lads are upset,'' said MacLeod. ''When Wim announced that he was leaving, there was silence. I know there had been talk but they still felt so bad.''

The decision on who takes over will be made by the men who made Jansen's job untenable. Privately, Jansen despairs the direction the club is taking at the moment.

Why, oh why, do Celtic keep doing this?