Brendan Rodgers was asked about Moussa Dembele today. Again.
When not a single bid has been submitted for the player. When not one club has contacted our club and asked about his availability. When those clubs which have been linked to him have flatly denied stories on the subject.
Over and over and over again it happens.
It doesn’t matter what Brendan says on this subject.
If he says the player is staying here the media will write about how that might not be his decision, because Dembele might want to go and the board might not want to turn down the money. When Brendan says honestly that things can change that generates headlines by people who read into it what they want.
Not one club in Europe can state, with confidence, that it will retain its best players during any transfer window. The market is mad. Too many clubs are throwing money around like confetti, making offers which are ridiculous.
Too many players have their heads turned by this nonsense.
And most of it is exactly that; nonsense.
Brendan is in a lose-lose whatever he does.
This subject is boring. It is repetitive. It is ridiculous.
I am tired writing about it.
I am certain that Brendan is tired talking about it.
It’s high time that he shut the conversation down once and for all, because whatever he says will be spun.
Better to tell the hacks that he’s not discussing that until there’s something to discuss.
I cannot say this enough times; no-one has submitted a bid for Moussa Dembele.
Until someone does there is literally nothing to talk about. And when someone does – and someone will, eventually, because he’s a top player – the only discussions that matter will be between our board and theirs and then with the player himself.
Hamilton have taken exactly this stand over Greg Docherty.
Today their manager has flatly refused to discuss the issue further unless a deal has been done one way or the other.
I can’t help thinking that’s the way to do it.
When there’s actual news to report, then, and only then, should the media be getting a comment on the record from our club.
In the meantime, they can lie as much as they like and stir the pot to their wee hearts content.
But they should do it without being able to use a single direct quote from inside Celtic Park.
Enough is enough already.