Carlton Cole was a witness to a time when Celtic was changing for the better.

I always love when the media digs up a former player to have a go at the club, and to be fair here, they haven’t really done that to any great extent in this case; one story has appeared in one hellish online clickbait disgrace, and yet I’m writing this article the night before it’s published, and by the time you read it, that may have changed.

I have a sneaking suspicion this story will gain some wider coverage.

The latest one involves Carlton Cole, who the hacks would have you believe has taken a swipe at the club over his time here, but has actually spoken out about how confusing it was at Parkhead at the time and particularly about two different medical departments giving him conflicting advice.

Cole said that he could not believe that there was a conflict between a Norwegian style medical team and the one from Scotland.

If he had sense, he’d had gone with the Scandanavians.

Let me explain what I mean.

It’s always been obvious to me that the changes Ronny Deila introduced at Celtic laid the groundwork for Brendan Rodgers to come in and quickly transform the team, resulting in the Invincible Treble. Without Ronny, there wouldn’t have been that treble, and this club owes him a huge debt of gratitude.

That’s one reason why this story, which surfaced last night, fascinates me so much.

It highlights something I’ve been banging on about in other articles—the urgent need for us to overhaul the entire club structure and embrace a more continental approach.

Ronny modernised Celtic’s outlook, and I’ve always appreciated him for that. It must have been tough for someone like Carlton Cole, coming from the outside, to witness two conflicting football philosophies clashing at Celtic. But I can assure Cole that it was no less confusing for those who were already here, having to experience it for a whole year beforehand.

In those circumstances, some players thrive, and others fall by the wayside. You’re always going to have some who see the potential in what the new man is trying to do and fully embrace it. Then there are those who don’t. I’m not sure which side Carlton Cole eventually fell on, but I know where Kieran Tierney stood and where Callum McGregor and where Scott Brown and others, who embraced Ronny’s methods, stood, and how it propelled their careers to new heights.

In fact, you could argue that it was Deila and his approach to fitness and professionalism that set the foundation for Tierney and McGregor’s subsequent careers. They were the first of a new breed of Celtic players who saw themselves as professional athletes first, completely buying into what Ronny was trying to implement.

But of course, none of this matters to the media.

It’s irrelevant to them because one outlet spotted an opportunity to criticize the system that was in place back in 2015 – nearly a decade ago. And once again, it’s an example of the media chasing a story, hoping it leads somewhere negative for us.

Carlton Cole is, at best, a footnote in our history. To the best of my memory, he was the last time Celtic flirted with a “bling” signing instead of going out and finding a functional player.

We’d seen plenty of those former Premier League names pass through Celtic Park by then. There was a period when we seemed to rely on signing one every year, especially when we were in a sticky situation and needed a quick fix. We had the Juninho’s, the Gravesens, the Ljungberg’s, the Kazim-Richards of the world. I could count on one hand how many of those signings were genuinely successful, and the trend was becoming a joke.

Sure, we’ve signed players over 30 from England since, but those have been smart, functional signings—guys like Joe Hart, who brought both quality and leadership. Brendan Rodgers brought in Kolo Toure, knowing he’d be a backup defender, but mainly for his experience and presence in the dressing room. It was a move with a method behind it, not madness.

Across the city, the Ibrox club has latched onto this approach, always seeking at least one “statement signing,” even if the only statement they’re making is, “we are absolutely mad and willing to splash cash on any player with a recognisable name.”

I remember when Aaron Ramsey joined them, and I had a discussion with two football colleagues from London who were convinced it was the biggest signing a Scottish club had made in a generation. I argued that Joe Hart was a bigger name and would be a better signing. I’ve been proven right on both counts.

Today there are clownish stories linking them with a January move for Jordan Henderson.

Nothing ever changes over there.

Carlton Cole was a signing we should never have made. He was 32, well past his best, and at a time when we needed someone who could back up Leigh Griffiths and score goals, this was the best we could do? It seemed ridiculous at the time, and it looks even worse in hindsight.

What he represents is the end of an era—the final nail in the coffin for that habit of “bling” signings. It marked a turning point. That era of signing players based purely on their name and reputation is gone, and thank God for that.

The truth is, Ronny provided an invaluable service to Celtic by shaking up our internal philosophy around fitness, professionalism, and how players treated their bodies. Those who embraced his ideas have gone on to have outstanding careers, both at Celtic and elsewhere.

It was the end of an era—the end of a long run of flashy, big-name signings that offered diminishing returns. Every player over 30 we’ve signed since has been brought in with a clear purpose, not just to grab headlines. So, in a way, I’m grateful for Carlton Cole’s comments, because they perfectly illustrate the kind of internal battle Celtic faced back then.

His interview highlights a moment when the direction of the club was at a crossroads. Ronny Deila won that battle, and we’re far better off because of it.

I’ll always be thankful to him for laying the groundwork that allowed another progressive manager like Rodgers to come in and succeed. Brendan may have had the name recognition, but Ronny did the heavy lifting that made it all possible.

So while Carlton Cole may remember his time at Celtic as chaotic, I see it as a period of necessary transition, and in the end, that’s what matters most.