Just briefly, when he scored his stunning debut goal for Beveren, some Celtic supporters wondered if they had been too quick to write off Amido Balde.
Thirteen months and two clubs later the ‘striker’ is still waiting for the follow up goal.
It didn’t take Ronny Deila long to assess the striker who signed from Vitoria Guimares in the summer of 2013 for a fee reportedly somewhere between £1-2m.
More damagingly was the four year contract agreed with the striker earmarked to replace Gary Hooper who was in the final year of his hoops deal and seemed certain to move on.
Not long after the Scottish Cup was won against Hibs at Hampden Balde was on his way to Glasgow with hopes high that he’d add a fresh dimension to the successful partnership formed between Hooper and Anthony Stokes.
Those hopes were quickly dashed with Balde’s early appearances seeing him reclassified as a project or one for the future.
Two goals away to Kilmarnock and Partick Thistle were wildly celebrated but almost every supporter knew that the ‘striker’ wasn’t going to make the grade even if he did score the only goal of the game in a high profile friendly against Liverpool. Not long after the Dublin Decider it was time up for Balde.
After ten starts and five substitute appearances with Beveren he was on the move again with Hapoel Tel Aviv returning similar stats but without a wonder goal.
Halfway through his contract contract Balde came to an agreement to terminate his Celtic deal with French Second Division side Metz pinning their faith in the 24-year-old.
After five starts and three substitute appearances a familiar pattern is emerging with the former Celt still goal-less despite Metz sitting in second place in the table.
It looks unlikely that Balde’s stay at Metz will be lengthy but it’s hard to imagine that there will be any club looking for a striker with three first team goals in two and a half years when the January transfer window opens.
