Does Celtic’s “Other Striker” Question Have Its Answer In The SPFL?

As I was putting together a piece last night, someone sent me Aiden McGeady’s comments on the excellent return to the Hibs team, and return to form, of Kevin Nisbet.

McGeady thinks we should be looking at him, or certainly that he would do a job for us.

It’s an interesting idea, but not in the way McGeady has suggested.

Nisbet is definitely a good player, but just not good enough to challenge either Kyogo or Giakoumakis for a starting berth. With the big Greek going out the door that would seem to open up a possibility … but let’s be honest here, we’re going to replace him with a better footballer if our Korean interest gets the result that we are all hoping for.

Which would appear to leave Nisbet as a player who wouldn’t have a place in the squad at all.

Yet that’s not quite true, not if we’re interested in adding a third striker.

This is a debate which a lot of us have gone back and forth over. I recognise that there is Maeda, Haksabanovic, Abada and Forrest who, along with Jota at a push, are all capable of playing through the middle.

But aside from Maeda none is a natural.

The question as to whether we should sign another striker – even with two vying for the one starting slot – has been had and had and will be had again until we do it … and there is another consideration, of course, which few have contemplated.

Kyogo and Maeda will almost certainly be in the running for Asian Cup games and other international fixtures outside of the normal calendar. If we sign Cho Gue-Sung then he will be away at the same time as those guys are, along with others in the team.

Where does that leave our forward line? Short, that’s where. Along with our midfield. This is something we’ve not run into to any great extent yet but we will. It just makes good sense that we should have a plan in reserve for that just in case.

Is Nisbet necessarily the answer?

I think he’s a much better footballer than the other option available to us here at home, Lawrence Shankland. Nisbet is a player I’d have taken a couple of years ago and whilst we’re significantly past the point where he’d command a first pick slot he is certainly good enough to be a domestic backup and Champions League squad player.

But it doesn’t immediately stand out as a major bit of business, and so I am not recommending it or necessarily agreeing with McGeady who evidently thinks he’s good enough to come in and challenge for a place. I very much doubt that.

If we’re looking for a third striker though then we basically are looking for someone who knows that and accepts it and waits for his chance to make a splash.

That limits the quality available to you right out of the starting gate, and we need to acknowledge that.

Which is why people at Celtic might – just might – give something like this consideration. Just to be sure. Just to cover all the bases.