Brendan Rodgers has called on the Celtic board to be courageous.
Delivering the package to sign Odsonne Edouard on a permanent deal certainly showed courage but that was delivered on the back of raising £7m from selling Stuart Armstrong and putting £30m in the bank account.
Rodgers could easily have raised millions by selling Dedryck Boyata, Olivier Ntcham, Kieran Tierney or Moussa Dembele to an English club but has ambitions to reach the group phase of the Champions League.
The demise and liquidation of Rangers is a warning of how badly things can go wrong but Celtic’s transfer business this summer suggests that the club has taken caution to the extremes.
Rodgers has made mistakes in the transfer market but they could be wiped out overnight by one transfer with the Irishman urging his bosses tnto relax a little and trust his judgement.
“You have to be courageous as a club,” Rodgers told The Scotsman. “It’s a joy to work here. I love my life here and enjoy being the manager here but it’s no good if I just sit back and get comfortable. Being comfortable is the enemy of progress.
“I never allow it in my own life or professional life. You see it in sports and in industry. The minute you think you’re doing okay it can quickly disappear, and that’s in the greatest institutions.
“You have to be mindful of that and keep getting stronger and stronger. Dermot, Peter and Ian all want what’s best for Celtic.?Critically, they are major shareholders and run the club. I have to respect that, and I do.”
With three weeks to go in the transfer window Celtic’s business will be watched closer than ever, Emilio Izaguirre and Daniel Arzani won’t be the courageous signings to drive further success where it matters- in the Champions League.
