They say that it takes a manager four transfer windows to bring in the players needed to truly put his mark on a football club.
It probably takes roughly the same amount of time to get rid of the deadwood that they inherit.
This month Brendan Rodgers faces many of the problems that he encountered during the summer as he tries to move on players who have no place in his Celtic plans.
Kris Commons has already moved to Hibs on an emergency loan, that deal is likely to be extended through to the end of the season with Celtic continuing to pick up the bulk of the midfielders wages.
Players in the final year of their contract are slightly easier to manage than those with two or more years to run on their deals.
Very few players are going to make a career move that involves a significant cut in wages, they’ve worked hard to get their current contract and are in no rush to return to more ordinary salaries.
Throwing in a pay-off can be a dangerous road to go down with clubs reluctant to reward players while more productive team-mates are providing a return on the park.
Rodgers is unlikely to have any role to play in the departures of players, having identified those surplus to requirements it’s upto the suits to find new employers.