Celtic are linked with a couple of transfer moves today, but it’s the one in one out saga in the defence that intrigues me; word has it that we’re ready to buy Chris Gunter and get rid of Efe Ambrose. I know the latter would be greeted with something approaching joy from most corners of the Celtic support. Will anyone mourn for the big man?
It sometimes seems to me that always at Celtic Park there’s at least one player who seems to have united the supporters in disbelief and anger that he gets into the team at all. His every appearance is treated with grunts and sighs, sometimes open outbursts of expletive. I was a Samaras fan before it was fashionable, yet there were days when even I couldn’t believe he was being included in the team. He would go weeks without doing anything and pop up in every side.
Of course, Sammi turned out to have more than most thought. Played on the left side of midfield, he showed his real quality, especially in the big European matches, and was a real loss to us when he finally left on freedom of contract. Sammi won over his doubters with some sterling displays, although we will all long mourn the penalty miss at Ibrox which probably cost us the league title. No-one was more gutted than he was about it.
It’s rare to find one of these guys up-front at Celtic. Maybe we’ve been lucky that way, although there have clearly been exceptions of which Sammi was one.
Often you find them toiling away in the engine room of midfield; I remember growing up with Peter Grant coming in for a torrent of abuse most weeks, for reasons I couldn’t comprehend. I heard Neil Lennon get the same treatment from some fans. I now put that down to a simple truth; it’s a position that no-one’s ever going to fully appreciate.
Every misplaced pass is highlighted, but the running, the closing down, the narrowing of angles, the marking … all parts of the game the fans don’t traditionally think about when they are simply involved in watching the game.
But at central defence there is just no hiding place, which is why we seem to have had more of them in that position than just about any other. There have been glaring examples over the years of which Efe is just the latest. Bobo was a favourite with the fans but often prone to rash decisions, which in Seville proved costly. Oliver Tebily was so feared by the Celtic fans that grown men were known to weep at the reading out of his name in the team-sheet. Charlie Mulgrew has had a lot of stick over the years, although many believe it’s his best position.
Efe might be the most egregious example of them all, or maybe it’s just that ten thousand social media experts have made it their business to highlight every example and error. Unfortunately, they’ve had a lot of material to work with.
It never fails with Efe. In every game I’ve ever watched him in there has been a moment – often no more than that – which made you go “OMFG!” They aren’t always costly. Indeed, many times it’s been a simple lapse in concentration easily sorted out by someone else, or rescued by Efe himself. He can occasionally look like a real asset. But it’s always there, hovering at the back of your mind, and so often, so very often, he realises your worst thoughts.
It would be better if he left and if we can get cash for him all the better.
Chris Gunter is a right back. We’ve seen Efe deputise there but without great success. This would be a good deal, and I’d be very surprised if we got him for the fee people are talking about. £1 million? To me that sounds way off. I’d be shocked if that release fee was right. He’s been ever present in the Reading team for the past three seasons and that would represent amazing business on our part. We need cover at right back; Lustig is getting older and although Janko looks fantastic it’s a lot to put on his shoulders.
Ralston looked tremendous yesterday, but we can’t just throw a kid in at the deep end.
In short, I’d take Gunter in a minute. An experienced international, for a song?
If this is accurate then, as far as I’m concerned, Chris Gunter plus £500,000 for Efe Ambrose …
It’s the steal of the century.