Failure to address the left back situation is alarming, but the window is now shut, let’s get behind the team…
The transfer window is now closed (praise the lord) and we can all now take a huge breath and focus on what happens on the field, starting at Pittodrie tomorrow lunchtime. At the start of the window Brendan targeted three new faces, but ultimately only two arrived with four heading out the door.
David Turnbull joined Cardiff City in a £2m deal.
Mikey Johnston, Marco Tilio and Kwon all headed out on loan, while David Turnbull of course joined Cardiff City on a permanent deal. None of those three loanees look like they are going to have a future at Celtic and two were data driven summer signings outwith the remit of the then incoming manager Brendan Rodgers.
Another summer signing – Gustaf Lagerbielke – was also deemed surplus to requirements after Rodgers got a chance to see the player – and would have been loaned to Italian side Lecce, had it not been for another injury to Cameron Carter-Vickers.
Gustaf Lagerbielke of Celtic FC during the UEFA Champions League match between Feyenoord and Celtic FC at Feyenoord Stadion de Kuip on September 19, 2023 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Photo VI ANP Sport Jeroen Putmans
The decision to retain Lagerbielke against his wishes to cover for injury but to let David Turnbull leave while news of Reo Hatate’s latest injury was known, tells its own story. We wish David well at Cardiff but are glad that he’s away, if for no other reason than he had become a ‘want-away’ and we know from bitter experience that ends badly.
For that same reason it may have been better to allow Lagerbielke to go to Italy and bring back Bosun Lawal who is having a decent season on loan at Fleetwood and is up to speed in more ways than one – he faster and he’s match fit.
Celtic’s new number 9…
Nicolas Kuhn and Adam Idah were the only two recruits brought in, and it’s safe to say their names haven’t exactly thrilled the Celtic supporters. Both players however should receive the full backing of the supporters, we haven’t even seen them play properly so we are in no position to judge. Here’s hoping both are a success and both are targets that the manager asked for and got.
A major concern however was the failure to address the left back situation. It was one of the areas that Brendan had wanted strengthened, and of course we failed to rectify that a time when Greg Taylor is injured. Apparently, according to reports, Mitchel Frame is also injured so we have Alexandro Bernabei with the option of Liam Scales playing there less likely due to the CCV injury.
That is alarming indeed. We had an entire month to pursue targets for that position and yet again we we ended up empty handed after scrambling frantically at the last minute yet again.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is seen during the Cinch Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Livingston FC at Celtic Park Stadium on December 23, 2023 (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Without sounding like a broken record, it’s not good enough from those in charge, and they must be held accountable. Much is being made of Brendan not having a quote included last night in the club’s official announcement of the Adam Idah signing. Brendan had plenty to say in the club’s announcement of Nicolas Kuhn.
And Peter Lawwell’s favourite mouthpiece has been busy the last few days calling the Celtic support ‘bed-wetters’ for being concerned about the club’s lack of activity in the window and remarkably yesterday attacking Brendan Rodgers (again) for wanting to see players play rather than rely on the data analyst and recruitment team which no doubt can be discussed at various family dinners – the Lawwells, Strachans and Desmonds.
From Craig Strachan’s CV as posted on soclal media this week.
Brendan came in back in June and was happy to work with the squad he’d been given. It’s reasonable to assume that he is less than impressed with what that amounts yet very little was done by the club to provide the manager with the quality he said was needed.
It’s as if we are back in the unhappy days of 2018 and into 2019 when Rodgers wasn’t trusted to spend the club’s money. In fact it’s worse because now he doesn’t appear to rate the alternative that the club has put in place. It might have worked under Ange Postecoglou – with a number of his signings coming from Asian markets he knew. It was clearly Ange who asked for Kyogo, Reo and Daizen for example.
But for now our focus at this moment must be to support the team in the next upcoming games that could make or break our season. Celtic traded in this window – at a slight profit – the squad has been rotated marginally but there has not been any dent on the Celtic PLC bank account.
Kyogo Furuhashi celebrates scoring his team’s third goal during the the Celtic v Buckie Thistle – Scottish Cup match at Celtic Park on January 21, 2024 (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
The gamble with the Champions League cash bonanza that is coming the way of the Scottish Premiership winners this season, is risky to say the least. Celtic could and should have increased our chances in the January window but that hasn’t happened. Now it’s up to Brendan to work with the squad he has and for us to give him and the team our full support.
Come May we’ll be standing outside Celtic Park, one way or the other.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
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