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The blame game is underway at Celtic after a move window that promised a lot but failed to deliver on its promises.
Brendan Rodgers is right about one thing. There’s no point in pointing the finger at Parkhead, because everyone is to blame. But there are other parts of Rodgers’ reasoning that I can’t understand. He said perhaps Celtic deserved to have been braver in the transfer market. I would ask why, weren’t they then? He also says it’s his job to fix it. That’s what I don’t understand. The formula wasn’t right in the first place.
We never heard a peep about struggling to bring in signings in the last couple of seasons under Ange Postecoglou. There was no talk about how hard it was improving the quality or recruiting first. Team ready players. Celtic just went and did it, whether it was Joe Hart, Kyogo, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Jota, Josip Juranovic, Daizen Maeda, Matt O’Riley or any other of the results starters. But somehow now it’s become Mission Impossible. It just doesn’t make sense.
And it’s no wonder enthusiasts are wasting patience. If you think the booing was bad after beating Ross County, just wait for what’s in store for you if the effects start to wear off in the coming weeks.
There is anger in the stands. But worse still, there is also apathy due to what they consider a lack of ambition. If fans are starting to wonder what the point of this is, we also go back to the days of Ronny Deila. , when Celtic had to close the front row.
I just can’t understand how they got to this point. Make no mistake, here they are betting on the name, no matter how you look at the business the Rangers have done.
In the summer they failed to prepare properly for the Champions League and paid the price. Now they are risking even getting to the Champions League as they have left the door wide open for their rivals.
January pictures have started on September 1st. Instead, they hurried on the last day. He was the one who said that this team was missing 3 or 4 quality players. Did he get them in January? We all know the answer.
Nicholas Kuhn came in and although he had a good grounding at youth level, he’s still has a lot to prove. I’ve been accused of filleting Adam Idah – but that is not the case. I do believe he has attributes but you have to be honest and he’s a striker who hasn’t been able to get into a bang average Norwich City side ahead of an ageing Ashley Barnes.
The fact Celtic had to wait until they signed Sydney van Hooijdonk – who was linked with Celtic – until they got him just smacked of desperation. Look, I know what it’s like to be written off and having to prove people wrong. There have been plenty of others at Celtic who have done the same, guys like Ludo Moravcik, and I hope he can do the same.
I really hope he isn’t made a scapegoat for the frustrations of this window. But I understand those frustrations. You look back to last summer when Rodgers returned. It was Celtic making a serious statement after Postecoglou’s departure and looking to take the club to the next level.
Rodgers himself was cool on talk about record signings and whatever – but there has to be a middle ground. Look at his net spend in the two windows – if anything Celtic are in profit. In fact, got back to his first spell and he’s more than balanced the books across seven transfer windows. That’s not brave. It’s bonkers.
The recruitment department has a lot to answer for. Celtic has historically had a list of targets as long as your arm and if one doesn’t land they go to the next. Have they lost the list down the back of the couch?
You can’t seriously tell me in the six months since the summer window there isn’t a left back in the world that can come in and compete with or cover for Greg Taylor. You can’t claim Adah was a long term target and then bring him in on a deal just until the end of the season.
People aren’t stupid. Fans will criticize Peter Lawwell and his son Mark as the culprits of the draft and that would possibly be fair game. Michael Nicholson won plaudits under Ange and as CEO and will now be criticized. But Rodgers is also guilty. He has the final say on transfers and the responsibility for the comings and goings lies with the coach.
I just don’t see the strategy. It’s so confusing. Look at Gustav Lagerbielke. On the way to Lecce, he still returns with doubts due to Cameron Carter-Vickers’ injury. It’s hard for the player, but that’s how it happens. But why then let David Turnbull pass when Reo Hatate will be away for several weeks?
Celtic made money in Cardiff and it seemed like they wanted to leave, but the desires are greater. I’m not saying Turnbull is a world champion, but he has an eye for goal. He is the club’s third leading scorer this season and one of the few at the club who can take a penalty.
None of this makes much sense. Rodgers is now talking about putting things right this summer, but until then it may be too late. And if the name is revealed, it will take a lot of courage to respond to fans.