The signing yesterday of Kasper Schmeichel might have been received better on this blog if we looked as if we were going to do more business. As it is, I’m decidedly underwhelmed by everything relating to the club right now. We’re playing our first American tour game in the early hours of the morning, and I don’t even know if I can be bothered watching it although I’m always up in the wee small hours working on something or other.
For all that, I read the player’s comments and I read the manager’s comments too and I was impressed by both of them.
Schmeichel talks about the size of Celtic and the lure of this club, and people should bear those things in mind when the apologists for this shameful transfer policy of ours defend it on the grounds that “good players won’t come here.” It’s rubbish. Celtic is still a draw. Celtic is a giant club constrained only by the league we’re in.
I found the manager’s thoughts the most interesting. This is a Rodgers signing for absolute certain, he has gotten his wish on this one. He has brought in a player he knows well. The key word that he used was “trust.” And this is where perhaps there is hope.
Trust is everything in football. A manager building a new team has to have a core of players on whom he knows he can absolutely rely. He has that to an extent at Celtic already, especially in Callum McGregor. But you can never have too many of these guys.
Schmeichel and the boss have worked together for an age. They know each other implicitly. Not only will Schmeichel bring a lot to the club as a player, but he will be a dressing room leader who can, in that regard, fill the rather big shoes (as well as gloves) of Joe Hart.
“He is a guy I trust and someone who knows how to win,” the boss said. “He lives for football and he is coming to a club where he will feel the same passion that he has for the game.”
So, trust … ah yes, Rodgers is not using that word for nothing. He knows full well now that the biggest mistake he made last season was in letting someone else pick the players who would come here. Rodgers wants players he knows he can depend on; this is why he has put experience at the top of his list of attributes. He will never make that mistake again.
What does trust mean to Rodgers? A lot of things. It’s a complicated word. Assume that at least one of our summer departures – Haksabanovic – has been exited because he took his concerns outside the club, and told tales out of class. That’s a breach of trust. Assume too that it lies at the heart of why Daniel Kelly is not in the squad; Rodgers gave him his debut and offered him a pathway as a first team player, which he has rejected. That’s a huge issue and it’s important to note that Rodgers is taking the Don Corleone attitude to that; “he never asks a second favour after he’s been refused the first.” It is hard to see how there’s going back from that.
Obviously, it means trust on the pitch, and this is the biggest lesson for those at the club right now, and a message to guys like Holm who the manager does not yet believe meet his standards. Trust has to be earned too, and it won’t be by those who won’t follow his instructions or give him 100%. This is why, when he talks about people at the club who still have a lot to learn they are advised to listen, and Hell mend those who do not.
Hell mend everyone at Celtic Park who is not listening to the boss when he uses the word trust, because it encompasses more than just his relationship with the team. It goes both upwards and downward from the boot-room to the boardroom. Trust is a precious commodity, and if the manager and the board don’t have that they have nothing at all.
He is the only reason – the only reason – they have not spend the summer on the end of a barrage of criticism for throwing away the last campaign. Rodgers performed a minor miracle to secure the double, and they owe him big time. Not to repay that … well it would be the biggest breach of trust of them all, and one with major consequences.
We Celtic fans all loved Joe Hart, he endeared himself to all of us, but he was not an outstanding keeper during his time at our club. His replacement is not filling his boots, he is making them bigger, for Kasper will be a better goalie for us than Joe was. No disrespect to Joe, for he forged a place in all our hearts for various reasons, but to be honest, he bowed out at the right time and we have now upgraded.
Absolutely spot on. And this is where another concern lies. Whilst Brendan is in the States, is he getting to speak with other potential signings that he trusts?
I just dont understand the “happy clappers” on here…telling all and sundry to trust the board…yea, just like we did last summer and the following winter…?…yea they played a blinder didnt they….these are probably the same caliber of people who would have rooted for the kellys in the early 90’s….we have every right to be very susicious of this lawwell led band of puppets along with the incredibly anonymous nicholson…just how does nickolson cope with big pete’s arm up his arse???…..remember,it was BR who won the league last season..WITH ZERO HELP FROM LAWWELL AND HIS BAND OF SPINELESS PUPPETS…
There could be an underlyin message, aimed also at the board there. There’s no way BR should be put in the position to walk away again, due to broken assurances by this board. Which imo he will and naebody in their right mind could blame him. Absolute disgrace if that happens and if it does, the people culpable should be the ones forced out the door.
Our manager always speaks well, and is a class act, regardless of how his return was perceived by some, last year.
He has validated the trust of the majority of our fanbase that welcomed his return, and hopefully regained the trust of those that poured scorn on it.
He eventually managed to get the double over the line, despite the numerous obstacles that appeared, throughout a nervous season.
The tardy nature of our transfer dealings, ( yet again, has led to a lot of nervousness & anger ( yet again,) from the majority of our fanbase. It is, as you say, pretty underwhelming up to now.
We definitely still require a left back, centre half, striker(s) & a quality wide player. That’s before we might even countenance the thought of losing 1 or 2 more of our present squad.
I’ve wondered at the length of time we take in transfer windows, aside from the usual finger pointing at PL & board.
Especially after winning a double, which should have cemented the trust in BR from all at our club.
Our manager wants Idah…
Norwich’s new manager wanted to look at him !
That’s been done and now it should be straightforward!
Pay the requisite sum or move on, with alternative targets spoken to !
If our manager is holding all the aces and he wants the quality that will enhance this squad, then it’s reasonable to think that these players may take a bit longer to bring in, if there are offers from more lucrative leagues.
Despite all these mitigating circumstances, we should NOW be at the stage of seeing real quality brought in, announced and integrated into our squad…not waiting firstly, for any more of our players to be sold.
So Celtic board, we’ve been patient and waited for the manager’s list of quality players to be announced. Let’s get it done and not left to the last minute ! Over to you !!!!
David Low has up a piece today stating it is not good for Celtic to be so massively ahead of the other teams in Scotland financially including Sevco. He compared us in the SPFL to Mike Tyson fighting Barry McGuigan, a match up that would not do anyone any favours or make them better. Is this the reason we do not improve the team now, are we too far ahead? This means we cannot progress in Europe though.