Celtic’s Strategy Should Continue To Include Loaning Players To Scottish Sides.

There were howls of anger across the city the other day when we loaned Liam Shaw to Motherwell.

Their fans seemed to think it was part of a deliberate strategy to strengthen the teams who have to play them. There was even some suggestion that we had used it to “buy votes” for the early shutdown of the SPFL.

Let’s not even debate that idiotic point.

Instead let’s focus on the issue of strategy. I say if it’s not part of our thinking then it should be.

And why not? Because it makes nothing but good sense.

I’d like to see more of our players loaned out to SPFL teams, and especially those in the top flight.

We are, after all, bringing these boys home some day and it’s no coincidence that of those who’ve gone out down through the years that we’ve had the most success from those who played for clubs right on our doorstep, like Christie and Ajer.

It gives them a chance to play, every week, against the very teams they will face every week if they break into the Celtic first teams squad. That can only let us find out what we need to know, and if they are successful then, yes, there’s a chance that it will give us a slight advantage when they come up against the club from Ibrox.

As I said, I’ve stopped looking for favours from others.

Nobody is going to do them for us.

We have to do them for ourselves.

This would be a good example of that.

There are a number of our players who could be sent out to do their bit for teams in our league, foremost amongst them, I think, the big defender Osaze Urhoghide. He is linked with a move today to lowly Morecambe; what good does that do us?

He would be a better bet for a Hibs or Aberdeen, a team where he’d be a starter and could showcase his skills.

One of my concerns at the start of last season – and it was borne out over the course – was that the virus and the restrictions had severely weakened every other team in the league bar us and the one across the city; a little parity has been restored with the way sides have strengthened prior to the start of this one, but we can help certain teams be even better.

And this is what we should be doing.

We should be calling clubs right here at home and asking if there’s anyone on our loan list who piques their interest. Let’s see what answers we get. Let’s see where we can send these guys.