Former Celts

Celtic’s worst transfer window?

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As transfer windows go January 2010 was a bit of a disaster with the exception of Robbie Keane.

The success of the Irishman however simply highlighted the gulf between Keane and the rest of the Celtic squad.

Tony Mowbray had replaced Gordon Strachan but the man who started the huddle and excited as manager of Hibs was a massive disappointment in the dug out.

He was the victim of some incredible refereeing mistakes but never gave the impression of being happy or comfortable in the job.

By the time that new year came around Celtic were trailing in the title race but not out of it, a 1-1 draw with Rangers (IL) should have been much much better but a ‘goal’ from Marco Fortune was strangely disallowed while Kyle Lafferty got away with an outrageous ‘;tackle’ on Andreas Hinkel.

When that foul went in Mowbray looked to the ground, his successor would have had to be restrained from confronting the referee.

New recruits were brought in on loan from Spurs, Fulham and Bayern Munich but it soon went downhill with few surviving the car crash season.

EDSON BRAAFHEID

What could possibly go wrong signing a Dutch internationalist on loan from Bayern Munich? Almost everything.

Apparently he missed his debut at Kilmarnock after a mix up involving his boots, after that it went downhill more conventionally.

Lee Naylor returned to the side after being overlooked for Danny Fox and Braafheld who then completed his season as a substitute against Spain in the final of the World Cup!

JOS HOOIVELD

Tony Mowbray ought to know a centre-half but the Dutchman managed just one 90 minutes before the former West Brom boss was sent on gardening leave.

He got injured on that fateful night at Rugby Park when Robbie Keane made his debut and the title disappeared.

Neil Lennon gave Hooiveld a couple of chances, it never worked out before he moved on with some success to Southampton.

DIOMANSY KAMARA

Signed on loan from Fulham on Premier League wages.

With Zheng Zhi and Landry N’Guemo around Mowbray really did begin collecting midfielders.

Kamara did all right but it was quickly established that he had no interest in a permanent deal, after just nine appearances he slipped away, barely noticed.

ROBBIE KEANE

Star quality without question. Without his goals the season could have been a complete disaster rather than a relative one.

He carried the goal threat virtually single handedly and looked as if he was despairing at times, this wasn’t the Celtic dream he had imagined.

He scored 16 times in 18 starts, if only Scott McDonald had been kept to partner him rather than sold to make way things could have been very different.

MORTEN RASMUSSEN

Seemed to arrive in a package with Jos Hooiveld but made slightly more impact.

A match winning debut at Hamilton showed promise that a real predator striker had been snapped up.
Whatever plans there were for him seemed dead and buried as Keane arrived, took the jersey and scored endless goals.

Like Stefan Scepovic it would be harsh to group Rasmussen in with the striking horrors we’ve suffered in the last decade.

THOMAS ROGNE

Enjoyed the longest Celtic career of the January 2010 intake but like the others his hoops career left many questions.

A succession of muscle problems, mainly calf and hamstring injuries prevented him from getting the run that he needed. When he played he impressed.

Neil Lennon felt that there was more to come from Rogne but he left for a brief spell at Wigan before returning to Scandinavia where he has been a regular with IFK Gothenburg.

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