Not like me to be negative about my club Celtic FC, but I think something has gone seriously wrong with our signing of players this window. Everything seemed to be fine until just before we played Ajax on 24 July. Many think we had signed at least 4 players; at worse squad players, but at least 2 of them first team starters. However, after Shin came in it appears there are no one else likely to join us.
To me, this window died after Brendan Rodgers (BR) came out so publicly placing blame on our Board. This is the bit I don’t understand; both BR and the Board knew what each other are like, they didn’t have a proper working relationship when BR was with us last time when he walked out mid season, so why a repeat?
It looks as though he won’t walk out this time, but there isn’t much difference this time. Now we, the supporters are left with a minimum of 2-3 positions on the team not being filled adequately. BR seems not fully interested in the job as he has his agent and contacts watching what is coming up. And the Board feels very aggrieved with the disagreement between BR and the Board becoming public.
I think what may have happened is that BR caught the Board by surprise, claiming publicly that he had the final say on signings. The recruitment team are claiming BR has changed the targets as he had turned down a number of players that they had recruited and who matched perfectly with what they had been asked to supply.
The Recruitment team would readily admit that BR is a brilliant coach and developer of players, but i think they feel that is his strongest point and his weakest part of the role is identifying the type of player he wants . They claim that the Board bent over backwards last season and bid higher and higher for Idah, Trusty and Engels, who they say the Board shouldn’t have paid so much for, but BR wanted these players and the Board felt they had to get them for BR.
Now this season, BR has rejected all those players that were recruited and now BR is pointing the finger at the Board and the recruitment team. Dermot Desmond doesn’t know who to please and who to disappoint, and that is why there are allegedly half a dozen players waiting for him to give the go ahead or to reject .
If this is true, it’s certainly a possibility Celtic fc is in a terrible situation for our supporters to be in, Celtic men trying to exert themselves over other Celtic men. For what it’s worth, I believe BR is a great manager, coach and developer, but not necessarily a good eye for players. He is arrogant and this may be part of the trouble when picking players.
Our Board operates without giving much or anything away and it may have hurt them, who probably without having much reason, think they are doing a good job.
Sunday showed us a full stadium getting behind the team with plenty of support and encouragement. Please don’t let us lose that, as without the supporters we are nothing.