Short-term fix for staple Euro strategy

There’s always a bit of reticence signing a player who has been away from his previous club for four months. Carlton Cole hasn’t played since starting West Ham’s final games of last season, and presumably has only trained in isolation since then.

Expectations of a quick return, should Celtic offer him a contract, have to be tempered with the realisation that he’ll be at least a month away from full fitness, but by then we will be set to face Molde away.

One aspect of our play that will concern Ronny Deila is that we’re short of attacking variation. The high ball forward to Samaras, so long our staple on the road in Europe, is not an option. This will be the reason why Carlton is training at Lennoxtown this week.

I’d expect a short-term deal to be concluded between now and January, to give both sides a chance to check out the fit.