Ciftci: A Celtic Target With Some Bite

Before I start, let me just say that I like Nadir Ciftci.

I think he has the makings of a damned fine footballer, and he’s only 23.

He has all the time in the world to prove it.

Under other circumstances, I might be chuffed that we were trying to sign this kid.

For one thing, he played well last season, looking the big rough hard SOB that our forward line has been lacking for years.

He scored 16 goals, 14 of them in the league, which made him joint second top goal scorer alongside our own Leigh Griffiths.

Adam Rooney, with 18, might look, on the surface of it, to be a better finisher, but the Turk from Tannadice is a better all-round player.

Nadir has many impressive qualities which make me think that this signing is a no-brainer if the price is right.

His record at Dundee Utd was excellent, better than it looks in fact as he played the early part of his time there (indeed, the early part of his career) as a wide man … from the moment he arrived in Scotland his talents began to grow though.

For all that, I’d have issues with this one, as I suspect most of us would.

Let’s start with this one.

It doesn’t show much imagination, does it?

I mean, Deila clearly has some doubts about the value of our “scouting system”, as was revealed last year in the number of loans he brought in, and the way he switched focus to players he’d actually watched in the flesh.

But three players from Dundee United in half a season?

Come on. Is this where we are?

You and I could have scouted this guy, just from games on the telly.

Is this how it’s going to be from now?

Cause I would have reservations about that.

And can we really be contemplating heading into the Champions League with a forward line that scored 28 goals last season in the SPL?

I mean, dear God …

For all that, my bigger problem with him is clearly more pressing.

This incident with the biting …

It’s bad enough that he might actually have done it, but right now whether he did or didn’t concerns me less than the impending SFA investigation into the incident.

Because if we sign this guy before that hearing (indeed if we sign him after it; they know he’s on our radar) that boy is going to get the punishment of a lifetime from our governing body.

Oh yeah, and the media is going to have a field day.

Both have already branded Alexander Tonev a racist on absolutely zero evidence.

This would be all their Christmases come early, for Celtic to sign a footballer at the centre of a biting controversy.

Oh I know it happened months ago, but there’s nothing guaranteed to send them back on a rant about it all than putting this guy in a Celtic strip.

There will be a lot of moralising and grandstanding, and most of the time I would be content to ignore that.

Leigh Griffiths arrived at Celtic Park with a less than sterling reputation and I’ve never been anything but hugely impressed by his conduct since.

But biting … this is a bad one.

And certain people won’t let us forget it.

To me, this seems like a lot of hassle for a guy who performed well in the SPL last year.

Not spectacularly.

Not a guy who you could say with total surety – as with Armstrong, for example – that he has the makings of an absolutely top drawer player.

No, he’s a good player with a lot of potential.

Harnessed right, that aggression of his can be a serious asset to any team and if there’s anyone who could do it then it’s Ronny.

Yet there’s always that “But …” in a situation like this.

And there are other options.

Hell, there had better be other options, or what in God’s name are we paying our scouting system for?

Would I take this guy?

Sure I would. Of course.

If he signs I’ll write a glowing welcome to him on this very site, because, like I said, there are things I like about him, and I actually see where Ronny might fancy him, playing as one of our wide front men in the mould of Stokes.

Like I said, he’s impressed in that position, as well as up front, and would slot right in there.

So yes, I would be happy enough if he signed.

On the other hand …

Would I be cheesed off if Dundee United accepted the reported bid from Middlesbrough and we didn’t want to match it, and he ended up there?

Hell, no.

This isn’t a signing worth starting an auction over.

Signs of life from Celtic Park though.

Just not the ambitious ones we were hoping for.

Issue 2 of Glasgow Scooped is out now.

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