The Adam Idah situation took another twist yesterday. He played for Norwich for 30 minutes in a scheduled appearance to gain fitness. The manager, at the end of the match, reiterated his desire to hang onto him. This is a pursuit which looks set to drag on and on and on if we let it, and we seem as if we’re quite willing to do so in spite of how stupid that is.
As I’ve said on this blog already, there is a number that they will accept. We need to find out what that number is and find out whether or not we can match it. If they are saying he’s not for sale then that’s the answer, and we damned well need to pursue other targets. This is an absurd situation getting more absurd by the day.
And yes, it’s starting to look like this board is taking the piss.
We’re in deep July, with one confirmed signing in the door. We’re two weeks out from the start of the season with virtually no chance of being in a stronger position than we were when the last campaign ended. That’s disgusting. That’s indefensible, and people are entitled to tell themselves whatever nonsense they want about how we’re following a plan there but I’m starting to think this window is going to be even more disastrous than last summer.
I keep telling myself that can’t happen, that it won’t happen, and I look at virtually the same cast of characters running things as wrecked Rodgers plans for a rebuild during the John McGinn window. I saw the same foot dragging, the same rash of rumours which ended without agreements and I remember all too well the obvious growing anger of the manager, and you know what the truth of it is?
They don’t care whether he’s happy or not.
They certainly do not care whether we are.
This board refuses to change the way that it does things and Adam Idah and Bernardo on their own would only have gotten us back to last season’s starting team … but that we’ve not even managed to close those feels depressingly familiar. All the early optimism I had about this summer is being steadily eroded.
I am starting to get a very bad feeling about it all.
It suits the board to focus on Idah. It suits them to get it out there that this is the manager’s choice, because it stops them having to do real business. They are happy to wait until the final days of the window, having spent nothing, knowing their apologists will trot out the same discredited guff about how hard it is to bring players to Scotland. Pay them well, promise them fame, fortune and glory and they will come. It is nonsense to say otherwise.
Why do they go to Saudi Arabia, a league of a far worse standard than this one?
Too many people are sleepwalking through this. I can assure you of one thing; the manager is not amongst them. He knows what he’s doing. He looks at a weaker squad than he had last season and he knows the risks being taken, taken with his job of course.
This Idah stuff is boring and it is now nothing but a drag on us. I like the guy. At this point I would prefer that we walked away and moved on to other targets. If there are other targets. Ignore the dysfunctionality of this club as you like.
The boss should not have to work like this.
Shocking situation James, the board as usual dragging their feet with Idah, if we don’t buy him and someone else buys Miovski where are we then,
BR has got to say something about all of this, not a good look for us once again.
Idah no more instagram pics of planes taking off please!
Champions league nights are brilliant an the board dine out on all the plaudits of atmosphere etc.
I think everyone should hold off from buying the home game package and see if that puts a rocket up their butt’s. Because people wont risk loosing their season ticket. But hold back on extra like cups and merch and europe and threaten to boycot sponsors. Might change the managed decline e of our club. And if Idahs not coming time to move on, he’s the next samaras not henrik.
Managed Decline fc.
Hi James.Too late for this year but possibly through guys like yourself a campaign to have the club tell us in advance of season ticket renewals who will be on the board. If PL is still there next season then i,m afraid they will not be seeing any of my hard earned cash. But the odd season ticket holder doing this will change nothing, it needs to be done properly.
I’m totally on board with you on this Tony. Posted yesterday on this point on one of James’s blogs from yesterday.
It is the only way ahead. They want to consider balance sheets, well let’s see the board consider balance sheets when people don’t buy or renew their season tickets. We stop buying merchandise or visiting the club facilities. I’m unfortunately prepared to go that far.
Even if we make a number of signings it looks unprofessional and ill thought out this close to the start of the season.
And yes it may be pointed out that the window doesn’t close until another 6 weeks approx but we knew the surgery required well in advance.
If this is Brendans own doing and waiting for the right players at the the right time after carrying out his own negotiations then fair enough. But if this is because of the Bhoys in blazers then there is no coming back from this!!
And my biggest fear than is the Brendan sees fit to walk again, because I’ll tell you one thing I would and nobody could point the finger at him for doing so.
Rodgers needs to come out and state he is unhappy with the transfers and pass pressure onto the board. When we start playing in earnest it is Rodgers who will be under the spotlight. The board are made of teflon, no matter what we as fans say about them. They. Do. Not. Care.
Total disgrace!!
Giving it the big I am with the doe in the bank, penny pinching all over the place, demanding 30 plus m for Matt and wont pay a fair price for Adam, fast becoming the laughing stock of Scottish football
I don’t know why anybody is surprised by this window so far. Granted we have time left but Celtic NEVER, with the exception of the Ange years (when Lawwell wasn’t apparently hanging around) get signings in early and have a prepared squad. I fully expect Idah and Bernardo to sign but even if they do, like you pointed out, that only brings us back to last seasons squad which everybody said wasn’t good enough. This window is heading the way I thought it would. Utter disappointment. Again. We will loan someone in on deadline day to replace ORiley and Mikey Johnston will be made out to be ‘like a new signing’ as an excuse not to spend.
We won’t get idah for less than 8 million. I don’t think he’s worth that. The club won’t pay that amount. It could all go away if the manager says enough is enough and moves onto other targets. He obviously hasn’t reached that point yet. I’m not blaming Rogers for this debacle, far from it. Why has it taken so long to sign a free agent? Bernardo should’nt’ve taken this amount of time either. Sick of this state of affairs, but what can we do?
Drop interest, maybe go back next year.
Che Adams now free, he would do well in SPFL.
Miovski proven quality, pay the price for him.
Jim, miovski is a no brainer even if idah signs. Che Adams, sorry mate, even if he was signed for free and took no wages would still be a sret backwards
Miovski for me all day long.
Getting more convinced our signings take into consideration where the other mob are. They are in a mess so we have another crap window to protect the bloody o** f*** shit. Are we watching a stage managed league? Who knows. It is depressingly familiar
Totally agree. Even if Smicheal, Idah and Bernado come in today we’re at best the same as last season. Left back? Not even a whiff of one talked about. We have CCV and 5 other CHs none of who are the ideal partner for CCV. It’s also takes time for Folk to settle in especially if they come from overseas. If we Sell O’riley then we’re absolutely weaker then last season. There is simply no excuse for any of this now. I don’t think Idah happen and Oh is gone so we’re probably going to end up taking someone who was never first choice. Celtic support deserve so much better.
I think we all know why they go to Saudi, and it’s for something we have no chance of offering them. I’ve said from before the window opened that I would only believe it was going to be a good one when the raft of new signings had been paraded on the pitch. Until then i reserved the right to have absolutely no faith in this board getting it right. As it stands it looks like the board are going to monumentally fek it up again. Season after season they readily demonstrate they have absolutely no wish to improve our standing in the CL. Yet again we’ll be going into it with a squad woefully inadequate and even if we get players in, we’ve failed to give them a realistic time to bed in before the competitive games begin. Yet again BR working with one hand tied behind his back. Can we really blame him if he bailed out again? Although I genuinely think he wants to rebuild his legacy at Celtic, I think there are individuals on this board who are doing everything in their power to make that a near impossible task!!
This board are one trick ponies when it comes to doing transfer business.Make lowball bids,hope the player makes his intention to leave his current club clear to come here,then sit back and hope selling club don’t want an unhappy player on their books.Thats why I took a certain amount of satisfaction in a twisted way when the John Mcginn fiasco blew up in Lawell face.
If these 2 weeks go by and its clear that theyve done this again, takin callous, contemptous and shockin advantage of our supporters loyalty. Ah would urge the Celtic support not to buy any European ticket packages, or club merchandise and that’s just the start.
It is something of a horrible deja vu feeling. I would hope, although I am not confident, that Celtic have said to Norwich that they have until the end of their current Summer tour for the new boss to assess Idah. After that (as in immediately after) they announce either a) they are keeping him. Or b) he can go for £x. We cannot afford to allow this to lumber on into the final week of the window, still wondering, is he coming? Is he not? I would hope, although again not confidently, that other, alternative targets have been identified.
If he played he aint coming. No risk with injury would be permitted. Its all a big fuckin laugh on us the fans who are paying season tickets for a weaker team. Bain is first team whilst the newbie works his ticket.
Could end up like like summer 2018 all over again – BRodge wanted McGinn, got Mulumbu. This time round it could be wanted Idah, got Shankland – or Nisbet, on loan, probably…..