FORMER goal hero Chris Sutton reckons questions must be asked of Celtic after a massive failure in the transfer window.
The one-time Hoops frontman revealed his worries over the lack of an adequate replacement for Kyogo Furuhashi as the Japanese talisman was spirited off to French outfit Rennes in a £10million move.
Adam Idah, the £9.5million recruit from Norwich City in the summer, is now the club’s solitary recognised main attack-leader with young Irishman Johnny Kenny, still to claim a competitive goal, as back-up.
It’s a situaion that puzzles Sutton as he expressed concerns with the Champions League play-off first leg encounter against Bayern Munich coming up at Parkhead on Wednesday evening.
INS AND OUTS AT CELTIC…Filipe Jota and Kyogo Furuhashi.
The one-time England international forward said: “Celtic fans seemed happy enough the other night as their team was demolishing Dundee.
“Jota was back in full flow like he’d never been away, Adam Idah was bang in form and back in the goals and Daizen Maeda was doing his best Henrik Larsson impression.
“It was like the supporters had forgotten all about Kyogo. That’s fair enough – but I can’t help but feel the failure to replace him is a major disappointment.
“Listen, Celtic are 13 points clear in the Premiership with 13 games to go. I don’t think it’s done yet, but I can see why plenty of people do.
“The Scottish Cup is there to be won, too, and I’m looking at the Bayern Munich game and wondering why Celtic haven’t given themselves the best possible chance of a result.
“We know they’re up against it. Celtic could have signed a £25million striker and still got battered. But that’s not the point. By failing to build from a position of strength, they’ve hampered chances of causing an upset rather than improving them.”
Sutton, speaking to the Daily Record, continued: “It’s yet another transfer window where fans are left wondering what went wrong. Brendan Rodgers said he knew Kyogo wanted to go for months and he wanted a replacement.
ON TARGET…powerhouse Adam Idah celebrates his fourth goal in three games after his thunderous drive in Celtic’s 6-0 romp against Dundee at Parkhead.
“This wasn’t like Moussa Dembele dropping a bombshell on deadline day. Celtic had plenty of time to prepare for his departure.
“It defies belief they allowed Kyogo to go without having a new man lined up.
“If Celtic were not sure of getting a replacement, Kyogo should have been told to hold fire.
“I get there was big money involved, but it’s not as if money is tight at Parkhead. By letting him leave Celtic completely showed their hand. Clubs knew they badly needed a striker and would be desperate.
“No wonder the prices shot up. It’s rookie stuff when it comes to negotiations.”
The media pundit added: “Now Celtic are going to be sweating on the fitness of Idah until the end of the season – while putting a huge burden on Maeda.
“The latter will be a huge loss for the Bayern game and just underlines how mystifying the window turned out. There are questions to be asked about the recruitment process at Parkhead.
“Celtic have left it late a few times now and it’s finally caught up with them.
UP FOR THE CUP…Kieran Tierney celebrates Celtic’s 2-0 Scottish Cup Final success over Motherwell at Hampden in May 2018.
“It would be handy to know what football doctor Paul Tisdale brought to the table. It’s not like he unearthed Jota, Tierney or Jeffrey Schlupp – who says he only got a call at 2pm on deadline day.
“Is the issue chief executive Michael Nicholson getting deals over the line?
“Why did Rodgers approve Kyogo’s sale if there were no guarantees over who was coming in?
“There seems to be an admittance things have not been quite right in that department, but no apportioning of blame’s happened.
“Either way, it’s left Rodgers short. I know he’s been diplomatic in public, but he surely can’t be happy. In the past this kind of situation might have had him looking to the exit.
“This time he is talking about getting on with it, but it’s not a great look for the club.
“Rodgers has said before he is a dreamer when it comes to what his side can achieve. I’ve always been the same. You have to aim high.
“But you also have to give yourself the best realistic chance and Celtic haven’t done that. Look, I’m not being negative. There’s a lot to like about the team right now.
“They have hit form in recent weeks and they’ve made real progress in Europe. This is now about as tough as it gets. They could have done with Maeda not being banned and Kyogo on board, but that won’t be the case.”
Celtic’s focus will be on the Scottish Cup tonight when they host Championship side Raith Rovers in the last-16 tie and Idah will get the opportunity to add to his four goals in three games since Kyogo left the club.
*DON’T miss the unbeatable match report from Celtic v Raith Rovers this evening – only in your champion CQN.
