BRENDAN RODGERS agrees Celtic could have been “a little braver” in the January transfer market.
However, the Hoops gaffer is quick to deflect flak from the anxious fans who are clearly not impressed with just two new recruits at a crucial stage of the campaign.
German winger Nicolas Kuhn arrived in a £3million switch from Rapid Vienna in the middle of the month and Republic of Ireland international striker Adam Idah joined in a deadline day-beating loan move from Norwich City.
At the same time. midfielder David Turnbull was sold to Cardiff City for £2million and wingers Marco Tilio and Mikey Johnston were on their way on temporary transfers to Melbourne City and West Brom respectively.
Reflecting on the work in the window with a lot of scathing comments directed at the behind-the-scenes operators, Rodgers said: “The recruitment team clearly has a job to do, like we all have a job to do. But this is a collective responsibility.
“Yeah, I would go with the supporters thinking we maybe could be a little braver in terms of bringing in another level of player.
“But that’s something that’s up to me to try and fix over the course of the my time here. Listen, you look up the strategy here at the club and you have to be careful because in some ways it has worked.
“You bring in players for a minimal fee and then they go out and they make the club a lot of money.”
Rodgers, speaking to Celtic TV, added: “What I want to hopefully try and balance in my time here, is that we could still do that because that has been important part of the modern game, bringing in a player that has growth left in them.
“But we also want to be brave enough to to hang our hat on a player who is ready-made.
“So, I totally understand the support and where that’s coming from. It’s and like I said before, we’ve got to be really careful here because I get a sense of looking for someone to blame.
“And that’s not what this club’s about. This club is about being together.
“The minute there is a separation, then it’s a difficult club. We can’t look to blame anyone. As a manager, I will always demand the best possible players we can get.
“What we are looking to do here is find the balance.”
Rodgers will be hoping for unity on and off the field tomorrow when the champions take on Aberdeen in a must-win occasion at Pittodrie.
The Hoops can ease eight points ahead in their 12.30pm kick-off with their nearest challengers facing Livingston at Ibrox later in the afternoon.
