BRENDAN RODGERS knew exactly what he was doing when he publicly stated that Adam Idah was a priority signing as he planned for the new season.
With those words, the manager put a hypothetical gun to the head of the Celtic powerbrokers.
In doing so, he inadvertently drove up the price of the Republic of Ireland international striker. Norwich City bosses realised there was pressure on their Parkhead counterparts to deliver and they were prepared to play a game of bluff.
There is no argument Idah, at only 23, is an excellent addition to the squad and emphasised his potential with nine goals in 19 appearances on loan in the second half of last season, including two strikes against this afternoon’s opponents.
The powerfully-built frontman whipped in a low drive to make it 3-2 for the visitors in enemy territory on April 7.
Hopes, though, of a third successive all-Glasgow victory were derailed in stoppage-time when some alarmingly lackadaisical defending allowed Rabbi Matondo to perform his one trick to cut in from the left and drive a scorching right-foot effort wide of the stranded Joe Hart.
THAT’S MY BHOY…Brendan Rodgers celebrates with Scottish Cup winner Adam Idah.
Idah, though, took centre stage at Hampden the following month when he pounced to fire the last-gasp Scottish Cup winner beyond the flapping Jack Butland.
In a heartbeat, the strapping Cork-born forward dispelled any doubts about his qualities as he sealed a welcome league and Cup double.
Rodgers backed the board into a corner with his vigorous seal of approval and very public endorsement of Idah. It was fairly evident the money men had to deliver at any cost. Or face the consequences.
The player duly arrived last month, but he was most certainly over-priced at £9.5million. Remember, please, he had been a mere bit-part player at the second-tier Norfolk club who were more than happy for him to take up temporary residence in the east end of Glasgow.
At that stage, the relatively-unknown performer had been valued in the £3million bracket. That estimation went through the roof with his exploits at Celtic. The manager had been loud in his appraisal of the player.
Magnanimously, Rodgers thanked the board for getting the deal over the line.
But the Irishman, as astute as they come in this business, took the opportunity to remind everyone there was still much work to be done in the transfer market, especially in the aftermath of Matt O’Riley’s near-£30million shift to Brighton.
“As a football club, we want to develop, we want to improve,” said Rodgers, as reported by CQN during the week.
“We can’t be happy just to make our money and build our pot because the bottom line is on the pitch.”
The words were eerily similar to a sentiment expressed by the gaffer in August 2018.
NINE OUT OF TEN…Brendan Rodgers with the Scottish Cup at Hampden on May 25.
Back then, at a press conference, he was asked if it would be over at Celtic if he stopped pushing to take the team forward, Rodgers replied: “Yeah. My job is done then. Terminado. Gone.
“I love my life here and enjoy being the manager here. But it’s no good if I just sit back and get comfortable. Being comfortable is the enemy of progress.”
In February the following year, Rodgers was gone in rather abrupt fashion to take over the managerial post at Leicester City.
Before the hasty exit, the team chief had denied there had been a rift with the Parkhead board. During that summer, though, he had expressed frustration at a perceived lack of investment in the playing squad.
Sound familiar, dear reader?
There is nothing in the rule book that insists harmony must exist between a manager and his board. Maybe in that mythical world of Utopia, but not in the real life.
Jock Stein didn’t have it. To my certain knowledge, neither did Liam Brady, Tommy Burns, Wim Jansen, Davie Hay or Billy McNeill.
Please allow me to give you a quick insight into the world of newspapers. I spent almost three decades in the inky trade, fortunate enough to be the chief sports sub-editor at the Daily Record at the age of 23 and sports editor at the Sunday Mail at 35.
I worked with five editors over that time span; four were approachable and amenable while, alas, one failed to come anywhere near that standard.
However, they all had a few things in common, one being their professional desire to ensure their titles remained marketleaders. That suited me.
They were united in their obsession for the newspapers to outsell every competitior on the newsstands on a daily basis. Again, fair enough.
Another mutual ambition was for the work force to continually achieve these goals without the newspapers’ bank account taking too much of a pounding in the process.
GREEN FOR GO…£11million record signing Arne Engels.
On the other hand, money was no object when Rupert Murdoch arrived on the scene in the early seventies to completely transform The Sun, a tired and staid broadsheet into the all-singing, all-dancing tabloid production we have today.
The News of the World also benefited enormously from the wealthy Australian’s largesse. Chequebook journalism had arrived.
The Mirror Group owners at the time had no intention of following suit and engaging rivals in financial fisticuffs. Robert Maxwell pitched up and was more concerned on self-publicity and a blatant £1million giveaway than putting any hard cash into the journals he had just acquired. No-one had an inkling the old fraud was skint at the time.
So, there were occasions when the Record and Sunday Mail may have been priced out of a story when agents appeared from under every rock to hold auctions for their clients.
Yes, it was annoying and frustrating, but all we could do to make sure we were the No.1 seller was to rely on good old-fashioned journalism and dexterous use of the contacts book that had helped to build up trust with individuals in the past.
We had a job to do and, speaking personally, I wasn’t about to spit out my dummy and throw a hissy fit.
I wonder at some of the stuff I read today that hints Rodgers may be on his bike for a second time if the board don’t match his ambition. Someone who should know better even went into print saying the manager might be looking for the exit if the team lost to St Mirren in the Scottish Cup in Paisley in February.
That reeked of mischief. And, of course, there have been similar echoes over the past few days as the clock ticked towards Friday’s transfer deadline.
The champions spent £18million in whirlwind fashion to welcome Arne Engels, Auston Trusty and Luke McCowan and we have to hope they prove to be purchases which match the canniness of their new manager.
I am not a gambling man, but I would bet my last penny on Rodgers seeing out his contract at Celtic. It is due to come to a halt in June 2026 and I am convinced there will be no unexpected u-turns this time around.
WELCOME BACK…chairman Peter Lawwell and manager Brendan Rodgers in June 2023.
I met and had a most enjoyable one-on-one lengthy interview with the Irishman during his first incarnation at the club.
Rodgers is the possessor of a warm, charming, welcoming persona, but you know there is a shrewd brain at work.
He will be more than aware his credibility will be shot to hell and back if he walked away for a second time from the club he loves, as he never tires of telling anyone within earshot.
Rodgers needs Celtic as much as Celtic need Rodgers.
There may well be some grinding in the background, some muscle-flexing between individuals, but if it is for the greater good of the club then no-one will complain.
Rodgers has won nine of the ten domestic honours available to him in his two stints at Parkhead.
Leaving aside Europe for the moment, this ambitious individual will have his focus on his third treble of domestic silverware as Celtic manager by the time the curtain comes down on this campaign.
And, of course, there is the little matter of putting Philippe Clement and Co in their place this afternoon.
After all, the bottom line is on the pitch, as the manager stresses.
ALEX GORDON
