BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - JANUARY 28: Celtic Manager Brendan Rodgers during a Celtic press conference ahead of their UEFA Champions League match against Aston Villa at Villa Park , on January 28, 2025, in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Brendan Rodgers has admitted that the Celtic squad is weaker than the one that went into 2025.
It was a frustrating transfer window for Celtic supporters with the decision to sell Kyogo Furuhashi coming as a shock.
Within an hour of the final whistle blowing in the 1-0 win over YB Bern there were firm reports from France that a £10m deal had been agreed to sell the striker to Rennes.
Celtic fans expected a replacement to be quickly announced, they waited and waited, watched their side lose at Aston Villa in the Champions League and wondered what the rush was to cash in on Kyogo.
? LISTEN: “There’s no doubt the squad is lighter… I don’t want a negative narrative.”
? Brendan Rodgers says he can understand Celtic fans’ frustration after the club failed to sign a striker but insists transfer inactivity will not ‘kill his joy’. ?? pic.twitter.com/HqVw8fwvPH
— Clyde 1 Superscoreboard (@ClydeSSB) February 4, 2025
We done some really good business in the window, one or two things didn’t drop for us that we would have liked but however it ends you know the squad that you have and fundamentally we’re here to develop the players that are here for the rest of the season.
Now there is no doubt that the squad is lighter, I said clearly what we wanted to do, we wanted to have that support at the top end of the field. We didn’t manage to do that, it is a fair enough thing to say.
You could say that you get them in the door before you let them go but there was a situation with that player (Kyogo) that meant that wasn’t the case.
Later Rodgers added:
Yes, 100%, I said it myself, we wanted another striker, we’re not hiding behind anything, absolutely. The supporters will look and see a top striker going out, legendary striker and we haven’t replaced him. So, I understand that, could we have done better? Yeah, we could have, however we work with the players that are here now.
Could we have done better? Yeah, we could. However, as I said, we have to work with the players that are here now. I think that is the focus, I don’t really want to be looking back. I’m not going to become frustrated now and kill my joy of working here every day at the club by thinking what could’ve been as we cant affect that now.
Celtic beat Motherwell 3-1 on Sunday, Rodgers hinted afterwards about signing a striker on loan but Deadline Day passed with only utility man Jeffrey Schlupp added to the squad leaving Adam Idah as the only natural striker with first team experience.
Signing Jota clearly strengthens Celtic’s options on the wing but with four months left in the season even the manager admits that he is short on strikers with a double header against Bayern Munich to be faced in the next fortnight.
THANK YOU BRENDAN FOR YOUR HONESTY !
As for these old useless bastards in grey suits…
Please just FUCK OFF ANYWHERE –
Just not to The Highlands !
No one held Gun to Rodger’s Head.
He is responsible for players
As previously Said Selling Kyogo
Utter insanity..
He will pay the price..
This is solely on the board ted
Listen Kyogo you recently signed New
Improved contract..
Rodger’s is his Boss..
This is the story. Kyogo We are going for a Treble and still in CF..
In 4 months time come back see me..
Story ended.
Totally and utter scunered that we never bought a striker in. This board keep telling us that we’re a well run club, total garbage. A well run club doesn’t let one of their main player’s leave without a replacement lined up. This board are so out their depth when it comes to concluding transfer deals even AP said they were too slow in his first transfer window. We had to bring in at least three player’s in that window to have a fighting chance against Bayern Munich.
Brendan disappoints me in this interview, towing the party line. He’s sold out here
Bollocks Brendan feeding us same old party line same on him
Brendan shat the bed here, sold out, shows he has no clout in this club
That sounds a bit negative / defeatist from BR?
In many areas our club is well run: transfer windows are not one of them…
Another window..another shit show..As for BR and his statement..??…Total bullshit…Support been shafted again…KER ..CHING.
I’ve stated many a time that Rodgers doesn’t have a say in matters concerning players,he will get them if liewell thinks he can make a profit later on but if liewell doesn’t fancy the player or the cost of said player , Rodgers can go and do one and this has happened many times before with this board and the manager,I thought when he agreed to come back he would have more clout but I think Desmond and liewell have played him like a fiddle
Well you had a whole fckn month as you said Kyogo told you. You push to get what you need but obviously you didn’t even give them a nudge. Let’s hope for your sake this doesn’t go tits up. Had a chance to maybe get to next phase of champions league with a couple of good signings. Even the boy Miller could’ve been bought and loaned back for remainder of season. Fckn usual and acceptance from all .
I doubt that Celtic is significantly weaker now than pre-January Transfer Window. We could be potentially stronger.
Jota is here. Adam Idah has hit his straps. BR brought Johnny Kenny back. A great player in the making, who scored 19 goals for Shamrock Rovers in 59 games as a Striker. Under BR he will improve in “leaps and bounds”. Johnny has played
6 UEFA Conference League matches against well Euro ranked teams and scored 5 goals. Teams and UEFA ranking were:
Celje 150, Paok 48, Apoel 95, Chelsea 9, Molde 67, Borac 30. SPFL teams; Celtic 57, Rangers 27, Hearts 135 and the rest from 217 to 226. Shamrock Rovers 94. These rankings are Coefficient based for UEFA purposes only.
Greg Taylor is still with the team. That’s a positive. His 6 assists this season have been superb.
The loanee Jeffrey Schlupp will set Stadiums alight, if he connects with the Celt Players.
There is a lot to look forward to. It going to be fascinating.
Still puzzling.
It’s either BR sanctioned the Kyogo sale – and he now looks daft,
or
Kyogo was sold without BR’s approval – and he now looks impotent.
Whilst I moan about the Board like everyone else,
this transfer window hasn’t been good for BR – personally?
To quote someone from across the city: I’m disappointed.