Soccer Football - Scottish Premiership - Kilmarnock v Celtic - Rugby Park, Kilmarnock, Scotland, Britain - April 16, 2023 Celtic non-executive Chairman Peter Lawwell in the stands before the match REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
Celtic are apparently in contact with a number of free agents to cover up for their failures in the summer transfer window with the squad seriously weakened.
After selling Kyogo Furuhashi in January Michael Nicholson doubled down during the summer window by selling Nicolas Kuhn and then in the final hour of the window Adam Idah was announced as a Swansea player.
Last season Celtic scored 14 goals in the Champions League, the departed trio contributed half of those goals.
Brendan Rodgers has spent much of his recent media conferences flagging up the loss of goals and assists from his side, as the transfer window came to a close on Monday night Seb Tounekti arrived from Hammerby after all of Nicholson’s other deals fell through.
Even by the low expectations of the Celtic support it was a horrific transfer window, fans are used to missing out on signing targets but to have actively gone out to weaken the striking options all the way through to the final hours of the window was a new low for a club driven by hitting financial goals.
The social media reaction was horrific, a variety of plans were aired to reduce the income streams that earn Nicholson his bonus, with no home matches until September 27 the board has time to come up with some gimmicks to win back the trust of Season Ticket holders wondering if there is any point to splashing out on Europa League tickets on top of the additional payments made for the matches against Newcastle, Falkirk and Kairat Almaty.
Linking the club with free agents is a tried and tested way of deflecting from the real issues such as the repeated failings in the transfer market and five successive exits through the Champions League qualifying route.
Early on in Tuesday afternoon Stephen McGowan of Newsquest, publishers of the Herald and Celtic Way had some good news to share:
Celtic have made contact with former Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford over a potential move to Glasgow.
The Parkhead club sold Adam Idah to Swansea on deadline day, with a move for Anderlecht’s Kasper Dolberg scuppered by a late intervention from Ajax.
Left short in attacking areas the Scottish champions have tried to land former Leicester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho after Sevilla ripped up the Nigerian’s contract.
With the Europa League squad deadline looming at 11pm tonight, however, it’s understood that they have also been in touch with former England international Bamford after he ended his seven year stint at Leeds by mutual consent last week.
How happy are you with Celtic's summer 2025 transfer business?
Wonderful- great business completed
Horrific- changes must now be made
Iheanacho was signed before 11pm last night and will be available for inclusion in Celtic’s Europa League squad with the campaign opening away to Red Star Belgrade on September 24.
There are strong reasons why Bamford, Emmanuel Dennis and others are free agents.
Their clubs last season didn’t see enough to justify offering a new contract with others steering clear even as free agents.
Without pre-season training Bamford and the rest will be fighting a losing battle to get fit, earn playing time and get match fit.
Uncertainty over who is making decisions at Celtic isn’t likely to attract players to the SPFL champions where there is little sign of harmony between the manager, the board of directors and the fans.
You think all those repeated questions that BR faces over a number of weeks querying whether he was staying or not was the suits media lackies testing his resolve?
And when he continued to confirm he made a promise he would see the 3 years out, all of a sudden the carpet is pulled from under him in spectacular style?
Has all the hallmarks of a deliberate undermining to force him to walk.
Maybe that’s how the suits see themselves saving face.
Well this season went tits up cos the manager, who promises he’s stay, walked instead….there you Maloney, steady the ship till the end of the season, then no matter who applies next year your a shoe in.
Compliant & cheap, luvvly jubbly as the suits rub their hands in glee.
It’s a bit like selling all your good clothes on eBay, Vinted or Depop, then realising you have nothing to wear and chancing your arm dipping the local clothes donation bank in the middle of the night…..
You might pull out a top Armani suit. It’s a feckin’ long shot though. You’re more likely to find yourself dressed like a street beggar or someone just released from a long stretch in prison.
Nothing wrong with alternative suppliers for your clobber Captain. I remember getting kitted out from the army surplus stores a few years back. It certainly toughened me up going to school dressed as a Japanese Admiral. Worst of all, I was the headmaster at the time.
C’mon the Hoops
That’s some funny sh*t, right there or whatever the young people are saying these days.
Yes, there will be attempts to try and soothe the furious fans,
but ultimately nothing will significantly change,
if both DD and the second largest shareholder
– Lindsell Train at 18% –
are happy with the financials?
Together they control >50% of the shares, so that’s about it?
Only interested in stock piling cash. The Celtic fanbase have had enough of this. The fans have kept their side of the bargain by buying merchandise with their hard earned cash. I don’t think the board are up to the challenge to keep us there. Your time is up, now move over and let some people with vigour take charge of our club.
We need a complete change in how these people get into power.
It should be no longer than say 4 maybe 5yrs tops and you step aside.
That’s plenty of time to implement your plan, if it isn’t, your not the man for the job.
Fan groups as well as share holders should have candidates presented to them, they get to sell their vision and get voted in.
If your shite, you’re removed.
This old boys network needs completely eradicated.
We see this in politics all the time, they stay too long, get far too comfortable, live off past successes and either don’t bother or no longer have the energy or motivation to move forward.
One thing and only one thing will force them out is starve them of money and start now Stop giving them your money if you want to end up like Manchester United keep being compliant
Here’s me thinking that any properly run football club stays ahead of the game by buying new recruits early for the new season , or if a certain player gets sold then he will be replaced by someone of the same ilk in quality ? Training , getting fit , playing friendlies and then the squad coming together as one unit , better than last season …that’s what pre season is all about , isn’t it ? Togetherness ! Preparation ! Some of that happened but with a heavy dose of disruption and neglect from ‘ the greys ‘ on the board ! It has been an unnecessary ,self inflicted wound perpetrated by the very people who are responsible for keeping Celtic FC as great as it can be from the driving seat in the boardroom . It never happened ! There will be excuses obviously , but no one is remotely interested as we’ve all heard them many times before .
CRISIS.
THE ONLY THING MISSING NOW IS A PHOTO OF THE CREST BROKEN IN HALF.
Billy the fish might be available or they could try Roy of the rovers, think they might be passed their best though, just like this fkn useless board .
I’ve just seen a photo of our latest signing.
Just one question, does he come with his own milking machine or is that an optional extra for our miserly board to consider buying?
A Michael Nicholson response to an AGM question about transfers.
Transfers? We ain’t got no transfers! We don’t need no transfers! I don’t have to show you any stinking transfers!
Con,does he release a long winded fart as he takes his seat after he’s given his answer ?
Yep!