Kelechi Ihenacho arrived as a free agent after the transfer window closed last summer and across a limited number of cameo appearances made a pivotal contribution to Celtic winning the league and a substantial impact in the Scottish Cup semifinal.
The player is only 29-years-old, but failed to attain the fitness levels demanded by Martin O’Neill to command a consistent starting place – and remember, Martin started John Hartson over 100 times. Kelechi is by far the most skilful striker in Scotland and we may have finished third without him. Despite that, wherever he ends up next season, it will be because that club have failed to land a player who can contribute more regularly.
The priority for Celtic is to sign players who will start every game, improve and appreciate in value. Bleeding the last drop out of an illustrious career on peak wages, while performances decline, is a movie Martin lived through once before. Hartson, Sutton, Lambert, Lennon each earned north of £30k/week 20 years ago and left for a combined total of £1.5m.
The fan in me wants Kelechi, the ambitious fan in me wants someone who will kick us on.
178 Comments- Pages:
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- »
HH
Does the ambitious fan know who will be finding such players?
Double winners…should have been treble.
Reluctantly agree. Love the big man’s personality.
I’m not all-in on the current pile on the Board for the lack of activity/ progress. Too soon to condemn.
However, I have zero faith in them to meet the moment, so will reserve judgement but with the deepest scepticism that tweedledum Nicholson and tweedledee McKay will deliver what we need.
Here’s to them proving me wrong.
Surely if anyone thinks we are a serious club,yes,some do,the Sarrachi episode should knock that for 10.If ever there was an easy transfer to try and placate the majority,not the Clappers,then this was it.Open goal tap in,but no.Dithering,we really are world class at this.Also,Aurajo.Not a word.Not a stick on like the Sarrachi one,but a loan to buy would probably land him.Have we even tried?.
I am not surprised,just disgusted at the state we have got ourselves into once again.We are World Class at feking up success,nothing else.
They are beyond parody.
TheOriginalSadiesBhoy @ 11:22 am,
“ChairBhoy
Who is this Brownie of whom you speak?
Brooniecsc”
Not my fault….
Sometime back, BSR mentioned how annoying he found Brendan Rodgers referring to Broonie as Brownie…
So it kinda had to be done;))
ItWouldBeRudeNotToCSC
Aff oot again…
Hail Hail
Hmmm…..for me it’s a question for the medics – could his stamina and aerobic fitness improve sufficiently with some weight loss and a proper pre-season or is he (for whatever reason) physiologically incapable of playing more than an hour.
I would keep him if he was capable of regularly playing 60-70 minutes, we’ll recruit none better.
Paul67
Brendan’s signing of Kelechi who is by far the most skilful striker in Scotland and we may have finished third without him.
Sorted that for you
Gene on 24th June 2026 12:37 pm
Paul67
Brendan’s signing of Kelechi who is by far the most skilful striker in Scotland and we may have finished third without him.
Beat me to it Gene.
Kelechi ? Hell yeah.
I blame Brownie 👍
So who is are these players we will sign cheap punts you know it so do I. This season is shaping up to be worse than last, this leadership/ownership is going to destroy Celtic, Desmond looks like he wants to spend like Shamrock Rovers but expects a CL/EL team and income, it is pathetic gut wrenching and soul destroying and totally unnecessary.
“The priority for Celtic is to sign players who will start every game”
There’s the problem with Kele, its five years since he started more than 6 games in a row.
He’s a particular sort of player, suited to the team playing in a particular way. Unless we sign a similar sort of striker, Kele being in and out of the starting line up means different tactics almost every week. Forget about a big press, its not what he does. An impact sub maybe but same as Paul, I’d rather see someone a couple of dvellpoemnt players get game time instead of relying on Kele and his hamstrings to dig us out of holes.
My overriding concern is for stability the coming season, there was far too much drama and uncertainty around the whole team last year. Senior players need to have the right mentality and be reliable, there will be enough risks with the younger guys we should be putting into the squad
DESSYBHOY on 24TH JUNE 2026 1:31 PM
If your guts really are wrenching you need to relax a bit, you’re not doing yourself any good.
high press not big press
Ah yes , Keletchi Iheanacho a ‘free agent’ that followed our blundering board beyond another deadline day debacle.
Ironic he played such a part in MON’s miracle , his defensive block on Cammy Devlin broke many Hearts, and led directly to a goal that will never be forgotten.
Thanks Brendan and the Big Guy CSC
“The fan in me wants Kelechi, the ambitious fan in me wants someone who will kick us on.”
Ah the mirth of it all.
The reality is that, after yet another failed transfer window, Kelechi was the best we could get, and let’s be honest the only reason we got him was because “Honda Civic” man had his number.
We all want someone who will kick us on but with this Board we’re more likely to get a kick in the nuts.
Procrastination FC have got our money for another year.
Have the new recruitment specialist/s recruited the new players we need so that the new coaching team can get cracking with them ?
Oh ,sorry , I forgot .
Its only four and half weeks since we won the double, our tenth straight win on the trot. everything seemed fine back then.
We rescued the season after the self-harm of the first four months. That wont happen again
Whats changed since then? nothing much. I’m pretty confident we can do better than what we saw from Engels over the course of the whole season, and Daizen from the first half. Two months to go.
It will all be OK, it always is.
Good afternoon all.
From the moment he volunteered and scored that penalty it was clear he was a man of some pollockshaws 🤣👍
Pens apart Kele scored twice and contributed no assists over the whole season. He started against Dundee in the third game when we got beat 2-0 at home and then was hardly seen in a Celtic shirt for 5 months.
A huge part of the problem of last season was that the manager couldnt pick Kele because he was half fit when he signed and never got match fit . Brendan sold Idah and replaced him with someone who started 5 games all season.
It took Martins miracle to sort out the problem.
You could just as easily argue that Cvancara’s assist against Hearts at Tyncastle and against Killie won us the league.
We were promised 30 goals from Idah, Brendan chose to sell him and replaced him with someone who scored 2
Not exactly elite squad management.
I still dont get why he did it.
Why is this question being framed as either, or???
The actual answer is to take him on a free and buy a first choice regular starting striker.
We need two anyway…
CELTIC40ME
Idah scored 20 goals and was sanctioned and sold by the board two days before deadline day
Ask Alexa to switch off your Brendan hating lamp
SYCAMORE on 24TH JUNE 2026 2:14 PM
Why is this question being framed as either, or???
Than answer is in the article
“The priority for Celtic is to sign players who will start every game, improve and appreciate in value. ”
Either he’s a guaranteed starter or he needs to have development and an increase in value in him, otherwise he’s blocking another player of the sort we need to be bringing on.
We cant just give lip service to a modern progressive development strategy, after the last three years its imperative we commit to it fully
A genuine question here given the polar views people take.
If keeping Daizen was Brendan’s choice – why was selling Idah nothing to do with Brendan?
I think there is plenty of blame and shame to go around for last seasons shambles – but I just don’t get the BR fan club.
Incidentally, I dont get the board sycophants either.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 24TH JUNE 2026 2:18 PM
Idah scored 20 goals
Idah told us he’d get 30 goals, Brendan told us he’d score a load that season
“and was sanctioned and sold by the board two days before deadline day”
I dont think thats right. They no doubt sanctioned it but I doubt very much they sold him against Brendan’s wishes.
“There’s interest in Adam but, obviously, no one can leave here unless we get players in to replace,” he said.
“It’s as simple as that. There’s been negotiations and chatter around it, but I have to have players in here before I can consider letting anyone go.
Idah didnt want to go himself. Looks like Brendan encouraged him to go though
“But Swansea have a great project and I know some of the staff there. What they think I can bring to the team is something I want to go and do. I spoke with the staff at Celtic and it seemed right. I’m really looking forward to going to Swansea.”
Didn’t Brendan Rodgers sanction all the transfers out ?
I was also under the impression thsat he blocked the transfers of Yang and Maeda because he felt we couldn’t get adequate replacements.
CELTIC40ME, get with the program – “the Board” were chomping at the bit to sell the number one target from 12 months earlier for £3m less than they paid.
Brendan blamers reporting for duty …….Saahhh🫡
Given the circumstances I’m not sure I agree with the article, Paul.
“The fan in me wants Kelechi, the ambitious fan in me wants someone who will kick us on”
——–
The practical fan in me also wants him to stay on the basis that
– the someone who will kick us on might not be available this year
– someone in da house already might kick us on a wee bit. That someone is Callum Osmand who could learn a lot from Kelechi on a year.
There’s his additional value over and above scant, but productive, minutes on the pitch.
BSR
Have they got their own WhatsApp group, suspiciously all arrive in mass 🤣😂😅
CELTIC40ME
Slaughtered for wanting Idah slaughtered for sanctioning his move at a slight loss.
He was promised a deadline day striker not another ‘mistakes were made ‘ we’re sorry.
Ajeti bought for £5M sold for 500k 👍
PRESTONPANS BHOYS
Available exclusively on CQN not a single ticket between them. 👍
This is the season of Deja Vu. Can it get any worse? Probably.
The awkward moment when losing 33% on your money is considered “a slight loss”.
mafsCSC
BACK TO BASICS – GLASS HALF FULL on 24TH JUNE 2026 2:52 PM
Maybe he is the sort of character to inspire the younger players, maybe not, but if he’s in the treatment room for 5 months out of 8 he’s not teaching anyone.