FORMER Celtic star Kris Commons has questioned Ange Postecoglou’s handling of the Giorgos Giakoumakis situation.
And the one-time Scotland international midfielder believes there is “huge pressure” on the manager as he seeks an adequate replacement for the Greek striker.
Giakoumakis, who has missed the Hoops’ last two games against St Mirren and Morton in which Kyogo Furuhashi has scored four goals, will almost certainly be heading through the Parkhead exit before the transfer window closes a week tomorrow.
FALL-GUY…Giorgos Giakoumakis is flat out after just missing the target.
Commons wonders if the Hoops will be struggling to bring in an other frontman of similar stature to replace the 28-year-old powerhouse who has claimed 26 goals since joining from Dutch minnows VVV-Venlo in a £2.5million switch in August 2021.
The ex-Celtic playmaker reckons Postecoglou should have rotated Kyogo and Giakoumakis to keep both attack-leaders satisfied.
Twenty-one-year-old South Korean marksman Oh Hyeon-gyu is on his way to replace Giakoumakis after his K-League outfit Suwon Bluewing agreed a £2.5million bid for the player who scored 14 goals last season, as CQN reported earlier today.
However, Commons said: “Celtic’s record with signing forwards in the last decade has been patchy at best.
NET PROFITS…Giorgos Giakoumakis races away after scoring the stoppage-time winner against St Johnstone in Perth in October while Kyogo Furuhashi celebrates in similar fashion after hitting the opener in the 5-0 win over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park in August.
“For every Gary Hooper, there have been several like Mo Bangura and Stefan Scepovic. Even talented players like Teemu Pukki never showed their best in a green and white jersey.
“So, I can understand the concern among supporters when a success story like Giorgos Giakoumakis seems set to leave the club when there are no guarantees if the players who’ve been suggested as replacements will fill his boots.
“Listen, I’m also a fan of the Greek. He only really played half a season last year and he ended up as the Premiership’s joint top scorer.
“Give him a run in the team and his confidence would grow to the point where he’d easily score 25 goals a season.
“His only problem is that he’s not Kyogo Furuhashi, the player who Ange Postecoglou clearly sees as his No 1 striker.
“And no matter what Giakoumakis does, it’s clear that he’s always going to be playing second fiddle to the Japanese forward. I’m sure money does come into it, but, at 28, Giakoumakis will feel he should be starting every week.”
RESOLUTE…Ange Postecoglou is focused on bringing success to Celtic.
Commons, writing in his Daily Mail column, added: “Quite why Postecoglou doesn’t rotate a bit more the way Brendan Rodgers used to only he could explain, but that’s his prerogative.
“Assuming Giakoumakis does leave for Japan this week, there’s a huge pressure on the manager to recruit an adequate replacement.
“Everything he’s done in the transfer market since coming to Glasgow suggests he’ll do just that.
“But I can still appreciate fans being anxious until they see Giakoumakis’ replacement in the flesh.”
