Celtic's head coach Brendan Rodgers attends a press conference on the eve of the UEFA Champions League Knockout round play-off second Leg match against Bayern Munich on February 17, 2025 in in Munich. (Photo by Tobias Schwarz / AFP) (Photo by TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP via Getty Images)
Chris Sutton hasn’t held back in a scathing article over the lack of transfer activity at Celtic.
At the end of last season there was an expectation that some serious funds would be used to strengthen the champions over the summer months.
Brendan Rodgers has always set high standards, just last week he issued a reminder that he’s not your man for continuity with progress in Europe the benchmark to excite the Irishman.
Last season Rodgers laid the groundwork to make Celtic a capable side in Europe with the expectation that steps forward will be taken.
Less than a fortnight before facing a Champions League Play Off Celtic are in a weaker position than they were at the start of last season or at the turn off the year.
The sales of Kyogo Furuhashi and Nicolas Kuhn have bolstered the bank balance but left Rodgers with much reduced options in attack.
There seems no sign of urgency inside Celtic to strengthen the squad with Sutton sounding as frustrated as the fans that have taken to social media with their concerns.
In the Daily Record the former Celtic striker explained:
Rodgers said last weekend he was fed up talking about transfers.
Listening to the Celtic supporters I have come across in recent weeks, they are feeling just the same. I find the entire situation, at best, bizarre. At worst, it is just ridiculous at this stage of the window.
Now, I’m going to caveat my next statements with two things.
One: Rodgers has made it clear that no-one really and truly knows what he is thinking inside apart from himself.
And two: Celtic still have time to make enough quality signings to satisfy the manager’s wishes before the deadline on September 1.
But, as I look at this from the outside, I can only see one outcome if this transfer situation isn’t properly addressed quickly.
If Celtic aren’t going to show the ambition to match the manager before this window closes, I’d say you needn’t bother talking about extending contracts because it’ll be done. All over. Terminado.
All I can do is try and put myself into Rodgers’ shoes. If it was me, I know I’d be absolutely sickened at how this is all going.
Seriously, he returned to the club with the aim and the challenge of maintaining domestic dominance and restoring the club’s pride and standing in the Champions League. I don’t think you can argue that he has achieved both. Four out of six trophies is fair enough and the progress through the league phase of Europe’s elite competition earns pass marks.
Rodgers said before last term ended that he wanted to take it further. He’s said recently he’s not even here to maintain things. Yet, right now, it’s not even that because the squad quality has regressed.
There are just over three weeks until the close of this transfer window. But, perhaps even more crucially, I believe there are only five more days before the first deadline is reached for the play-off stage of the Champions League.
It seems you can add a couple prior to the tie after the August 14 cut-off, but it’s bad enough bringing a player into the squad the week before the two-legged affair, never mind one or two days. As it stands, Rodgers is going into these do-or-die matches with a squad that is weaker than the one that finished last season. That’s an outrageous state of affairs.
Sutton will be on duty for Sky Sports at Aberdeen tomorrow with Rodgers providing pre and post match interviews with transfer activity certain to be discussed.
Sutton’s right, it’s a ridiculous state of affairs.
Someone needs to tell the chairman what’s going on because if your chairman I don’t think you have anything to do with transfers.
I think if PL knew the situation he would quite rightly do something about it and give the ones responsible a rocket if not their jotters.
God knows what DD would say if he was aware, someone should tell him that the man he chased twice cos he was the best we could get, is being made a cnut of by them that does the transfers.
Anyway, enough of the comedy, you know, we all laughed at Sevco and their self harming and eventual death, what this board are doing isn’t any different, letting the squad weaken when they can easily afford not to and letting a damn good manager walk when they don’t have to.
All self harming behaviour for reasons we can only assume is egotistical and vindictive.
Nothing else explains 100m in the bank and making things worse.
Contracts can be up to 5 years and lets face it BR won’t be here next year and that is the problem as the board are thinking why let him pick the new players.
Perhaps the best solution while the window is open is that Rodgers resigns and the board can find someone they can back.
Rodgers defence of McGregor in the interview proves he can’t really identify a good player and is solely responsible for the endless, innocuous passing game which will continue into the new season.
On a lighter note, I wonder if Sevco have agreed not to challenge for the league if Celtic don’t spend lots, don’t get too far ahead and humiliate them and allow them a couple of victories. League results would tend to back this up.
Celtic’s performances against them would tend to point to this.
The Two-way agreement.
Maybe they could bring in Martin O’Neil as an adviser and interim manager while looking for someone to fill the position permanently.
Why would losing Rodgers be the best solution?
Do you genuinely believe the bullshit you post?
Or is it just attention seeking?
It would be the best solution as the board does not want Rodgers deciding which players will be given 5 year contracts as he won’t be here next year,
Because he plays chancers like Hatate, MacGregor and Scales.
Because he doesn’t have a plan ‘B’ but puts out the same team and tactics every week and sits back and rakes in the money.
I would like a Rodger’s supporter to detail what makes him an “elite” manager?
So far no-one has come forward except to claim he is.
Feel free.
I thought I was the only one that considered McGregor to be well past his best.
Having watched him last season and this season, his general movement has slowed right down and he has lost possession more.
We need the younger players in but there is little chance of that under Rodgers.
There are a few of us but can’t be heard over the media’s hype.
The sad thing is the next manager will also buy into it. Funny how he has never been a target for transfer.
If the Irish miser wants the huns to win the league he had better get Hatate and Maeda sold. That’s what he needs to do to get us down to their level.
His beloved huns are in a shocking state.
Against everyone bar Celtic they’re in a shocking state KC67…
Well in 2025 anyway !
No-one would buy Hatate as around 90% of his passes are uncompleted.
Lawwell’s business partners the Boo-Gers are not keeping up their end of the bargain by dropping points at the current rate. No wonder Lawwell and Desmond are trying to force Rogers put the door.
Seriously, we need these guys gone.
Based on the previous comments it’s easy to see who is to blame for this predicament but unfortunately the loyal fans can’t do much about it because the board control the voting rights if we tried to remove them.
As an owner Dermot Desmond has done very little to improve Celtic under his tenure and now seems intent on giving the Huns a reasonable chance of taking our title.
Hope I am wrong but the current squad is definitely weaker than last season and could result in missing out on the CL group stages.