I was surprised – horribly surprised – to read that we have allowed the big defender Osaze Urhoghide to join the Belgians at Oostende with an option to buy.
It is a ridiculous decision, and one that it does not take great imagination to see could come back to haunt us.
Have we not learned lessons from this?
Aren’t we following the rage and frustration at Benfica as they watch Jota become the kind of footballer they’d have wanted on the books?
Yes, they might still be able to win him back to their side, as we might offer this big guy a chance to perform yet as a Celtic player … but equally, he might just decide he prefers it there as Jota might well decide he wants to pursue his career options at Parkhead.
Honest to God, this is a decision which will be really hard to defend and I fully intend to raise this with the manager when I get the chance to speak to him as I’m pencilled in to do in mid-February.
I am seriously flabbergasted by this decision.
Osaze Urhoghide hasn’t made much of an impact on the first team, but I’ve liked the look of him every time I’ve watched him play.
It might be that he’s not Ange’s “type” of player, and that’s fair enough, but I’d like to hear that from his own mouth because otherwise this makes not one bit of sense to me.
If the guy goes over there and is a big hit there is no question they’ll pay the loan fee, and if it was a case of us or them and we gave him guarantees, then sure he might fancy Celtic more … but if they’ve got a buyer lined up already, as was the case with Hendry, there’s no guarantee he won’t fancy that club and that opportunity and thus wave us farewell.
To me this is ridiculously short-sighted and lacking in strategic thinking.
Just when you thought that this club was deftly handling everything right … they go and do something that is so stone stupid that it actually makes you want to slap yourself awake.
Poor, poor decision Celtic, and one that somebody needs to explain to us.
I think, like McCarthy, he’s not Ange’s player and doesn’t really fancy him. No offence James but Ill trust Ange’s judgement over yours in this any day of the week.
Guys a DUD like Widden Legs McCarthy!
I agree with you. In the very limited game time he had I thought he looked very good indeed. Looked like he could also cover right centre back. I wonder how much the option to buy is
I am not sure. I think the strategy with Celtic has seen a focus change. Developing “project players” can be expensive especially when you can bring in the ready made product from Japan at knockdown prices. If you have the right man at the helm to attract that sort of player from abroad (as we do) then you have an advantage over teams who do not.
Obvious Ange Didn’t fancy him… so be it
will stand on the judgement of our manager
there seems to be some confusion over whether there is an option to buy
Seems a decent decision to me. He looked bad. In the game against Betis, his stats were around the worst for any player playing in the competition in that round of fixtures.
Nope, wouldn’t say this is a mistake. If the loaning team improve him and he wants to stay there and the deal is built in to the loan, then quite right too.
The Belgian club made Jack Hendry better. They deserved the money. He was an awful Celtic player.
DR saying no option to buy.
Don’t know where you’re coming from on this one James.Ange has obviously looked at this boy and has decided he isn’t up to it at the moment> He’s been a pretty good judge of players so far and I would back him all day long. After all he sees him every day
A bit over the top on this one. Played against Betis (reserves) and had a decent game but hardly sensational – unlike this article.
Ange in control of football side clearly has doubts. He’s not even making the bench.
Looks to me like you’ve overhyped this on