Today, if all the reports are accurate. Sevco will “unveil” their two Mexican players, taking their total number of signings to eight. Their fans are over the moon about this, and what it means for the season, although none of them actually knows enough about them to predict that. Instead, there’s a presumption that these guys will be better than the players they already have. My warning to them would be simply this; don’t bet on that.
There are clearly good reason why these two haven’t already been signed by European teams, who will certainly have scouted them. We’ll see in due course.
Celtic, in the meantime, goes about its business behind the scenes. I know of one deal being worked on, and the press is throwing names about like confetti. Some of the interest they report is ridiculous. Some of it is very real. Our scouts are going to watch the Serbia – Spain game in the Euro Under 20 Championships; the player they are going to see is, of course, Srdjan Plavsic, the winger who’s been nicknamed The Atomic Ant for his size and strength on the ball.
So that interest is real anyway and today there’s talk of a young Chelsea striker on loan; I am not crazy about that idea, because I generally don’t hold with loan deals anyway, in spite of the success of Patrick Roberts and a handful of others. Who knows if that story has a shred of truth to it; it might well be another ridiculous Scottish media transfer rumour.
Certainly, there have been plenty of those.
In the meantime, we have confirmed one deal, that of Jonny Hayes, and when you consider that Roberts has gone back to City there’s an argument for saying that, actually, we’re weaker than we were when the season ended.
That state of play will not last.
There’s a sizeable pot available to spend, and Brendan will not be shy about putting it to good use. He knows what he wants and what the squad needs and I fully expect there to be good business done. We won’t get everything we want – we never actually do; Celtic is notorious for its failure to press an advantage – but the squad will be markedly stronger than it is now.
In many ways, we’ve victims of last season’s success.
Sevco is bringing in players because, frankly, they have no other option. They are desperate to stop us and they’re taking one almighty gamble in the hope it pays off. Hell mend them when it goes wrong and they have to find the money for it.
We, on the other hand, have just come out of an incredible season where we didn’t lose a single domestic match. In terms of strengthening for Scotland it’s difficult to see, isn’t it? Adding more quality to this team is simply over-kill. But it will happen regardless, because it has to. Everyone will be trying extra hard this season, to be the team that stopped the Invincibles. Good luck with that. I don’t fancy their chances, even with our current squad.
It’s Europe we’ll be spending, and building, for … but part of me is tantalised by the idea that perhaps this team has grown enough that radical surgery isn’t necessary there either. Oh don’t worry, I expect it and I will be pretty pissed off if Brendan doesn’t get the backing he wants and which he’s due, but the idea nags at me … could this team make a better fist of it, right now, than those of years gone by?
I’m convinced that they can. Convinced.
Brendan has found another level in these players, and as the performances against City and away in Germany proved, we can hold our own.
For all that, our fans are watching for signs of life.
There’s definitely stuff happening.
Now it’s just a matter of being patient and waiting for results.
They’re coming.