We’ve been looking for a left back since this time last year. That we didn’t get one in the summer was a genuine shocker for some people. That we’re now 26 days into a 31 day transfer window without one is truly abysmal and the buck stops with our head of recruitment.
The news that Greg Taylor will miss several games should be infuriating to Rodgers. Two key positions require a signing, this is one of them, and we’re about to suffer for not getting it done. This isn’t even the worst-case scenario. If something happens to Kyogo the consequences are likely to be far worse if we still don’t have cover. So as bad as this might be, it’s a forerunner of what might be waiting for us not too far in the future.
Honest to God, the people running this club are a joke at times and at others just a disgrace. The manager now has to work out who replaces Greg for the next few matches, and whilst a lot of people are going to suggest Scales, we’re weakening two positions instead of one if we sling him out there and I’d want us to avoid that at all costs.
Besides, the more it looks like we can cover the left flank the less pressure is on the people “running” our club to get their finger out and move it with some signings. They are hanging the manager out to dry here, they really are. They are making a mug of him.
And you know what? If he’s willing to take that that’s his own lookout but the rest of us should be furious because of what this might cost us. The need for cover in this area has been screaming at us for months and here we still are, weeks into this window and the position still wide open and as worried as I am by that, I am ten times more concerned about our problem at the other end of the pitch where an injury to Kyogo will hit us like a sledgehammer.
Think of this as the shot across the bow. This should crystalise thinking somewhat. The next one will not be a warning at all. This board are putting the manager in a dreadful position and gambling with that Champions League cash. There is no other way to look at it.
And with this injury to Taylor, we have been warned.
The only surprise for me is this injury didn’t happen on February 1st. I’ve stopped expecting us to improve the squad on a yearly basis. My pal told me years ago “Celtic NEVER play on a position of strength” and its been proven time and time again. Our board are content with European humiliations as long as we pip The Rangers to the title every year. We have little to no ambition and we just need to accept that’s the way it is with our current board members im afraid. Expect disappointment and you’ll never be disappointed.
@ Jamie S. Know where your comin from, but fuck that mate. If this league is lost without them bringin in adequate cover, then the Celtic support should take severe action. DON’T accept it again. Don’t put any money in. It could mean things could and probably would, get worse before they get better, but this lack of ambition, for what effectively is long term greed imo, needs tae stop and it’s only the support that can dae that. These board members should be made tae realize, they or the lawwells, or Desmonds, aren’t bigger than the club.
The left back position will not be weakened by playing Liam Scales there, in fact it will be considerably improved with a real defender playing in that already weak position.
Good shout.
They are gambling with this title
The question is WHY ?
Aye it’s so blatantly obvious we need cover its ridiculous and when ye think of the league money involved here as well, it’s utterly senseless.
James,as I’ve said on your blog,if there are no new players in by Friday evening it’s time for a mass demonstration at the front door and during the whole game against RC,the time has come to to get these Tory money mad bastards out of Celtic park once and for all.
Puppet masters sending out the Puppet to take the flack when are we going to let this board know that enough is enough
Taylor will be a big miss, especially against a team like Ross County who will have 10 behind the ball, Taylor actually gets to the bye line more than Palma.
Why we let Montgomery go to Motherwell on loan, puzzles me I rated him roughly on a par with Taylor when he played a couple of seasons ago and I think he would have been a good bit of cover, the way Ralston is for Johnston on the right. I know that a lot of the supporters would like a ready made signing to replace Taylor, but in my opinion you’re going to have to spend over 10 million and that’s if anyone good enough was available right now.
This board is definitely gambling future Champions League money and that is disgraceful, considering how healthy the accounts are.
If Celtic don’t win this League I think it would be a bigger failure than the 20/21 season, at least 3 or 4 unhappy players, Covid and no spectators were a bit of an excuse, this season there is no excuse except failures by our scouting system and the board.
@ MMcC. It’s reckless gamblin in the extreme. Disnae make any sense.
Relax Bhoy’s
Kyogo injured and Hart suspended. Think on that scenario for a moment!!
Again lawwell is back as the puppet master pulling all the strings, only his son to fob off regarding signings.
Everyone knows he cost us 10 in a row, he left then under a black cloud but blows back like an ill wind when things improved under Ange .
Back in the driving seat it’s back to normal, they’ve seen the reaction by the fans with the back to back losses.
If the league is lost he’ll have cost this club a fortune and automatic entry to the champions league while drawing an obscene salary.
@ Thats if he really did leave mate. Wouldnae be surprised tae hear he still had a hand in affairs somehow even then.
James ,just read a story about Rodgers saying we can’t spend £10m on a player, the money is there but could not afford the wages. Am I right in thinking that Lawell snr is among the highest paid chairman in uk
If it was just only a matter of losing a league it would be bad enough but it is the difference between THEM going the way their previous tenants at Ibrox went or becoming the most powerful team in Scotland again for a long time to come, Not only that, but the gloating and the “rubbing it in” on an almost hourly basis. Lawell and Desmond need a reminder that this just can`t be allowed to happen, otherwise the only waiting list that they boast about (which is also a pack of lies) will be those waiting on their season ticket money going back into their bank account.
You have hit the nail on the head. It really shows you that they are not true Celtic fans or they would not want the gloating either.
I’ve really no sympathy for the manager either,he knew exactly the people he was getting into bed with,why doesn’t he phone his big mate desmond and tell him that pistol Pete is up to his old tricks and he’s got his useless son backing him up ,but desmond doesn’t give a toss about the manager he sees liewell as the man who makes and keeps more money to line their greedy pockets,and until this board is ousted nothing will ever change,I sometimes think I would like sevco to win the league and that would put a rocket up liewells arse and incite the fans to finally take action to oust this lot.where is the bunnet when we need him.
Liam scales left back
I’ve seen milk turn quicker.he will get ripped to shreds at left back
Hello james
Ive been following the celtic for over 60 years all over the world .I love to read anything about the celts bu could you please write something positive all your writeing seems to have a go at the board the media rangers rangers fans which is ok to a point .but id like to see you writeong some good happy stuff about tge celtic apart from lisbon this is the most successfull period in our history .what are you gonna write about if we go through a bad time .its win lose or draw for me allways optimistic .the best thing about being a celtic supporter is not winning although winning makes you very happy for me the best thing is being among celtic people all 9ver tge world singing and partying ..i dnt me to have a go at a fellow tim you write what you think but plrase a really positive celtic story would be good now and again hail hail
GOOD NEWS: Cameron Carter-Vickers has signed a new five-and-a-half-year contract which will see him remain at the club until 2029.
I have no idea, as plenty have suggested whether things like transfer budgets etc comes down to the Lawell’s. I would think that if Brendan wanted to fill a gap he would have enough at his disposal to do so.
I can’t see Brendan being TOLD there is no money to add quality, I think January window is just a lot harder to find the players you need. I will judge in the summer window.
I’d like to see a keeper come in Summertime and I’d like to see a midfielder replace Turnbull when he goes, someone a little more dynamic that can play in a system without a systemic having to play around the player like Turnbull.
Owen Beck looked like a good investment, good age, maturity, commitment and ability, he may be a good investment at £5-6m. With Klopp going maybe the new guy will have his own ideas. Most likely in the Summer though.
We have a big enough and good enough squad to win the league and cup.
I’m sure Rodger’s is full aware of this situation months ago..£3.M per year. It’s his responsibility the
Duk is All His No One Else.
5 days is life time in football.
For all we know, Sevco and Celtic might be the same company registred as the “Old Firm” in the Cayman Islands with a pretend separation for Companies House as they seems to compliment each other rather than compete.
Even with the 15 strong team ( inc officials) Sevco put out each week , Celtic with a decent board should have left them behind long ago.
Identify your weeknesses ( Goalkeeper and left back), board’s remedy? Buy another winger.
Play to your strengths, remedy? play McGregor as far back as you can and if I remember correctly, he was once played at left back in a defeat against Sevco. Shape of things to come since Taylor is injured?
It’s the obligatory dereliction of duty from the board during key transfer windows- the endemic rank parsimony borders on corporate negligence- their austerity regime is so extreme its like a sort of avarice in itself. The problem is we have one of the most dysfunctional football neighbours in world football as our main rivals across the city- this gives the board an excuse and justification for this systemic frugality; the boards old McVities biscuit tin has been replaced by a fancy dan Cartwright & Butler tin, but its still a fecking biscuit tin! The Orcs know they are within spitting distance of the title and will do anything to maximise their chances of winning it. They will find cash, dodgy or otherwise (as if the SFA will scrutinize it anyway) for Clement. Although after seeing that Hibs debacle the other night and the capitulation of Hearts in surrendering Shankland to the Orcs on a silver platter do they really need additions- as you say James all they need to do is beat the rest of the SPFL fodder. With the injury of Taylor are in big trouble- even if we move Scales to LB- as Lagierbielke is being forced out of the club. That is us left with an injury prone Welsh and Nawricki, just back from a series of injuries, to deputise alongside the occasionally injured Carter Vickers. What happens if Hart is injured? Kyogo is not fully fit and if he does get injured what are we left with?
Why didn’t the board sign Quentin Merlin for the 7m Euros that was quoted at the time- now he’s valued higher than that. Its the Roman Perruad scenario all over again. Tiago Araújo was quoted as 4m Euro’s and Josh Doig also at 4m- this is loose change for a club the size of Celtic with a reputed 70 million surplus in the bank. Such penny pinching is crazy, especially when everyone knows the stakes this season. For once you would expect a 60 million Champions League carrot to entice the board our of its carapace of miserliness- but no it really doesn’t seem to make any difference such is the depth of their ossification in corporate prudence. Can we not at the very least have a few loan signings just in case? If they won’t pay the 5m for Miovski or 4m for a LB then why not bring in a few mid-level Prem/SerieA/Ligue1/Bundesliga/La Liga loans so as to side on the err of caution considering the stakes involved? I know the board think they are being prudent and cautious but this is beyond that into perilous negligence.
James – the people running the club are not a joke at times, they are a joke at all times.
One wee word makes all the difference.
It certainly looks like the board are gambling with the mob across the river not being able to get enough quality in to Win the League so playing the odds in the hope that Celtic have enough to do the Business . Unfortunately it may be the same next Season if Celtic pull it off this time . Brendan Rodgers looks to have the majority of the fans backing this time around . Of course that depends what he has asked the head of Recruitment to do during this window, it does look like we are not going to get what we need. So is Brendan following along and taking a chance the same as some other people seem be . Or is there just not enough players out there in this window with the quality he wants.