The news isn’t great at the moment. In fact, there’s no news.
There are now less than seven hours to go and we’re where this website and a few others feared we would be with the business being left so late; watching the clock and racing against it instead of sitting pretty with everything in hand.
In spite of what some people might think, there is nothing fun or exciting about last day business. It’s just stupid. This should be just another day for our club, not one fraught with tension and which almost always ends in extreme disappointment. The idea that it’s hard to get business done early is ridiculous. It’s much harder to get it done right now.
Clubs and agents know where you are going into the last day. When every newspaper and blog in this country was screaming about our need for a striker and a left back you can bet your bottom dollar that any club we approached would have known it too.
Clubs who at the start of the window might have been willing to sell for a reasonable fee know that in the closing stages they can chisel even more money out of you because the stink of desperation is wafting off you. It is certainly come off Celtic in waves.
Nobody can think this is a good way to run a club. These aren’t throwaway priorities; these are critical parts of the squad which we had to sign in this window and the failure to bring in quality of the sort we needed is deplorable.
We’ve already accepted the utter mediocrity of the striker choice – not the player, we don’t know about the player, but the amateurishness of waiting this long to bring a Norwich academy player on a loan without an option to buy – and most of us fear the worst on the left back, if we can even get one in. But the clock is ticking and optimism is fading with it.
The news that we’re also chasing a midfielder now should fill me with a bit of pleasure because I did say this morning that with Turnbull leaving, we need one, but when you leave it this long there is very little chance that you are going to be able to bring in quality.
I have no confidence that we will because the striker and left back positions were critical and we aren’t bringing in quality there. The midfielder will probably be another loan; another problem to fix this summer. We’re setting ourselves up for a huge job then, and based on our way of doing things it will probably be transfer revenue neutral if we’re lucky … in short, depending on selling at least one key player to fund it in spite of the financial position we’re in.
It’s just left five. There are six and a half hours left, and this unseemly scrambling makes us look ridiculous and sums up the complete lunacy of our approach.
At a total loss as to try and understand the thought process of Rodgers during this window?
Don’t get me wrong James, I still believe we have more than enough within the squad to secure this title, but a very dangerous game has been played from all the powers to be within the club, all the same imo?
If we were playing well as a team this season ,this window wouldn’t have been much of a issue, as far as I’m concerned.
But we haven’t been within far to many matches for my liking to date?
Reducing the squad in the manner that we have, without strengthening in areas that needed addressing, is arguably one of the strongest decision making, I can ever recall ourselves doing during a transfer window?
Extra pressure has been placed upon ourselves now and only a couple of poor results for a total revolt in the making from the support imo?
Couldn’t care less now as to where the potential blame game is applied, but the question remains as to whether heads should still role even if a double was achieved?
Playing Russian roulette with our club when so much is at stake, is a ridiculous and scandalous way for our club to be operating all the same imo?
Rodgers has to get improved performance levels now with better results following suit until the end of this season, and making sure success is achieved?
Actually thought that squad building was taking place, but doesn’t look like the case now, and even more confusing now, than before the window opened?
The feel good factor hasn’t been achieved in January, and increased pressure applied especially with the next 3 games coming up also?
God knows what the summer is going to be like, but an awful lot can happen before then, and hardly confident it will be all in a positive manner for ourselves either imo?
Don’t even see Rodgers as an inspirational figure any longer, and can’t help but think all is not well behind the scenes, which can usually transpire out onto the pitch in return?
To potentially cause friction within our support is a scandalous act to be taken by the decision makers, and only good performances and results will quiet down the levels of discontent currently, not overly confident that it will be achieved for ourselves presently?
One of the biggest gambles I can ever recall the club taking, and sadly got no idea as to WHY?
Especially when there wasn’t a need to either?
This transfer window epitomises the ongoing situation that has transpired since Lawwell & his desperately unqualified son returned to the Club. It has been patently obvious that neither of them are anywhere near to the requirements expected of the remits of their highly-paid positions. They both need to leave ASAP. To be taking a 3rd choice striker from Norwich on loan *only*, whilst the very same Championship (!!) club trump us and sign Sydney Van Hooijdonk on a loan *to buy* deal… THAT to me is the final damning indictment of this Board’s complete myopic lack of vision, unwillingness to spend any serious money on quality additions to the 1st team squad, business-sense, and the total lack of respect for all of us who, basically, pay their wages… i.e., We, the Celtic SUPPORTERS.
Is Brendan Rodgers now just a stooge for the Lawwell’s?
Was all his talk of “getting quality players in during the January transfer window”, that we’ve heard for MONTHS now, just him trying to keep things ‘positive’, only for him to then be forced to back down and allow the Lawwells to run the show over this window?
This upcoming presser is going to be *very* interesting, i.e., How will Brendan Rodgers attempt to explain this absolute farce?
Every Celtic supporter and their dug has known for well over a year that we desperately needed proven *QUALITY* back-up players for at least 3 key positions re; Left-Back, Striker, and Keeper – plus possibly a couple more proven *QUALITY* players coming in as back-up for the defensive & midfield positions… Every last supporter…
And where do we stand, 1st team squad-wise, now that the window is closed? In the same sorry state it was before the window opened.
An absolute disgrace & a damning indictment of the Board’s complete lack of vision and business sense, coupled with a complete disregard for the faithful supporters who shell-out their hard-earned money every year to support the club by way of Season-Ticket renewals.