Brendan Rodgers has called a halt to Celtic signing project players.
During the summer with the club needing three first team starters to progress Mark Lawwell went on a worldwide spending spree with projects coming in from Korea, Norway, Australia and Sweden.
After last season’s return to the Champions League it was clear that the first team squad needed selective quality but with Jota, Carl Starfelt and Aaron Mooy no longer available this season’s squad is weaker than last season’s version.
Three summer signings never even made it into the Champions League squad with Marco Tilio and Kwon Hyeok-kyu still waiting to make their debuts.
With no form of Reserve League there is no platform other than training for players to develop with players now stagnating due to lack of playing time.
Looking towards January and beyond, Rodgers told The Sun:
The squad is a lot bigger than I would want. I think there will be more players who will look to go out and get game time. Of course, over the coming windows we can look to improve the quality of the squad.
We have enough development players. I love that. It is what I have done all my life, work with those players, but you need ones that can come in. So it is genuine quality we hope we can bring in across the coming windows.
The ball is now in Mark Lawwell’s court to prove that he can sign up quality players at the same rate as he can scoop up projects from Korea and Australia.
And so it comes to it.
At the end of January we will be told “no one wants to sell their best players in January” for the umpteenth window.
Another couple of projects will arrive as a sop to the fans and we’ll still have the best part of £60M in the bank.
It’s at this point that we’ll start to see a repeat of five years ago.
I was reading the other week that the Barrowfield redevelopment will no longer include the small stand due to access issues. This means the ladies team won’t be playing their home games there. So there will be no savings to be made from this.
You would think that lawell would get the message now that experienced players are required over development. BR is now outright saying so and if the rumour mill is true then why not go for the guy from Aberdeen. He has a proven goal scoring record and doesn’t need to be chucked in at the deep end of Scottish football he’s already seen it and done it. Maybe not the high profile striker that many crave but the January transfer window is not great with many players unavailable or willing to move at that time. Yep, get him in it’s a start in the right direction and maybe we will get our high profile footballer/s in the summer as the natives are becoming restless.
Nothing wrong with identifying Scottish based players…I know my suggestion is a Sevco fan apparently…but I think he’s a decent player…Shankland.
Nothing wrong with that mate. Our greatest ever manager and many of our greatest players supported the DeidCo before seeing the light. Thank God we never had their self-harming, bigoted recruitment policies. Shankland is a decent shout. Wasted at Hearts.
The Scottish game is corrupt!
The Celtic Board know it. And who is funding it?
The Celtic supporters, who are being taken for mugs by the Board and Scottish Football in general!
This one isn’t…Proud to have told them to shove it.
Yes and by circumstance, me too!
A Celtic supporter also: they can’t take that from me!
But I don’t buy into that falsehood of pay your ticket and you are therefore a good Celtic supporter!
The Scottish game is corrupt and the UCL as well!
Waken up!
By continuing to fund this charade, you are yourself a part of the problem!
I’m in the same boat as well (8 years now)…
I still buy merchandise to strut about and show that I’m a Celtic fan –
But I get beautiful Celtic garments for that and the valuable pleasure of showing off that I’m a Hoops fan and that I’ve got something for my money…
I was getting ROBBED by having a season ticket for a bent and farcical ‘sport’ that remains corrupt to this day and will forevermore –
No regrets from me on relinquishing what was my pride and joy !
I was a Celtic fan all my life. And this Board told me go to Hell . For no reason ( other than for – singing TBOTOB with the Green Brigade in the South stand while under the OBA)
Dirty filthy corrupt Celtic Board! Worse that the Families!
They at least stood for the right to wave the Tri-colour!
This current Board have no spine, no moral compass. They don’t stand for anything except themselves.
Shame on them!
Rodgers is not greater than the Board who appointed him.
If you think Rodgers is a saviour, then think again!
We won’t qualify for the UEL, because we will finish last in the Group.
We will then be in a dog-fight with sevco and the Scottish Football establishment for the League Title!
But Lawwell has previous in these circumstances – and he lost!
Do not think it will irk him much, to lose again, with his salary for the job of £3.2M plus a 62% increase as well!
Surprised,but pleased. that others on here gave up their ST as well…I thought I was the only one…The Board is not fit for purpose…