I thought his attitude was good in all the games he played, even those where it wasn’t going for him. But it may be that’s easier on a short term loan when you’re trying to put yourself in the shop window. I hadn’t been impressed with him previously but maybe he’s learned how to be more effective.
A left back, a centre back and a winger/attacking midfielder still needed and that’s without losing MOR. I don’t expect we’ll get all of those (of sufficient quality) but if we don’t go close it’s a big risk on winning domestically and just surrendering in Europe really.
I’m the same on idah. He looks an athlete and a right handful, he looks a cut above a player not starting for Norwich which I find odd. Hopefully he’s just grown up and settled.
I can actually understand Celtic not wanting to spend silly money on the wrong players as well, but I dunno, there would appear to my ignorant eye that there’s a line somewhere and we are a little on the wrong side of it. There’s not as much coming through the academy who can do a job at European level as there should be either for a club if Celtic stature. Football should be pragmatism mixed with stardust, and its all pragmatism.
Academy players being poached by English clubs & continental sorts too before they’ve done anything at/for Celtic is complicating things on that score, like Doak going to Liverpool. Rodgers hasn’t involved Daniel Kelly with the first team squad in pre season because he refused Celtic’s contract extension - he’s linked with Bayer Leverkusen. Even lads a rung below like Rocco Vata have left. Celtic don’t seem to be willing to pay wages over the odds for youngsters, even the promising ones who are commanding interest. But I see a young chap from Ardoyne in Belfast called Francis Turley signed a new 4-year deal this week - Rodgers apparently impressed with him in pre season & he got minutes on the US tour.
He is bigger, stronger and quicker than the average SPL centreback and has always had good technique and a decent work ethic in fairness to him. He could be a thirty goal SPL striker next season. I think playing in a slower league probably suits him, tearing around like a blue arsed fly in the EPL and Championship isn’t for everyone. Be interesting to see if Evan Ferguson is the same mould. Top strikers like Shevchenko, Crespo, Morientes literally couldn’t be fucked with it. The fella Lacuezette is after having a great year in France after looking bollixed at Arsenal. EPL teams are obsessed with pressing.
He looks like one. He looks up for big games also. There are strikers who have played spl who are plenty good enough for the EPL, I was surprised how good he looked, but something wasn’t right at Norwich is all, and it’s hard to fathom what because he looks strong aggressive and skilful
I’m surprised Lawal didn’t make it looking at the lack of athleticism I’ve seen in so many Celtic teams in Europe. The kid is a warrior based off that 21s match I saw.
No young player gets a chance, money wasted on cheap muck that never make it. The squad has gone stale, bar Schmeichel who actually starts from the last few windows? Do we have to go as far back as Johnston.
More money was paid on corporation tax last year than a single player
He looked a long way off it in pre-season. Passing was very erratic (as it was when he played pre-season last year) and Rodgers called out his attitude.
Will wait and see but he certainly has the physical attributes but there’s much more to it than that.
Idah deal done according to McGowan in Scottish Daily Mail and Jane “good girl” Lewis from BBC Scotland initially. Picked up since by Sky Sports News & the other places. Fee said to be somewhere between £7mn & £8.5mn with add ons bringing it to £9mn ish potentially.
Lawal signed for Stoke today, as expected.
Atalanta said to be preparing a 5th bid for O’Riley.
Idah & Bernardo returning on permanent deals & Schmeichel replacing the retired Hart gets Celtic back to where they finished last season. Now it’s time to actually add to it.
Indeed. But that’s the way of the football world now. They paid £6mn each for Sutton & Hartson nearly 25 years ago & have been scratching around in the £2mn-£4mn market with very limited success for the past decade or so. You need to loosen the veritable purse strings & compete. I still think Idah has a lot of improving to do but he was crucial to winning the double last season, the manager clearly wants him & the club has vast sums of cash in the bank. Get it sorted & move onto the next one.
In a market that allows you to receive the guts of £3m for Lawal and £4m for Oh, I think £9m for Idah is fair enough given his impressive loan. Its not Norwich’s fault we didn’t agree a fee with the loan.
The worrying thing as alluded to by @Bandage is that we are two weeks into the new season and all we have done is purchase two of last seasons loan players and replace our two departing keepers. All which should have been done by June. We haven’t kicked on at all and MO’R is definitely off this window