Kelechi Iheanacho (28) fills the Adam Idah shaped hole in the squad a day after agreeing to terminate his Sevilla contract. The striker left Leicester City last summer after seven years but endured a torrid time there (11 appearances, no goals), then on loan at Middlesborough (15 appearances, one goal) for the second half of last season.
Brendan Rodgers worked with Kelechi for four of the strikers best years and managed him through his most productive period. The manager has a clear preference for experience and for footballers who have played at the highest level, he will know better than me what he can get out of Kelechi.
From a strategic position, it’s not on the plan I thought we were following. Squad and first team places are scarce and (with few exceptions) should be occupied by players with potential to develop to a Champions League level, be sold and release funds to be reinvested.
This increasingly has the look of a transition season. A paltry £13m spent with only Callum Osmand (19) under the age of 23 is a strategy that will not deliver sustainable development. This has the look of a ‘one season and out’ project.
Welcome to Celtic, Kelechi.
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The articles aren’t even spell-checked nowadays 😁. Strategy 🤔 . We don’t have a strategy.
James Forrest
I don’t think it is a simple as that, although I do recognise that we are far too slow in getting deals done. However, I don’t think Celtic are in a position to tempt established players from teams who have champions league football. We are not operating at that level and this is part of the problem.
For a player to develop into a champions league player , surely that player needs to gain experience of champions league , otherwise how will we know if they can compete in that company ? Since we don’t recruit the standard of player needed to qualify for the champions league , doesn’t that kind of defeat the purpose ?
The only way this is going to work is by having enough champions league ready players to help nurture those with champions league potential through both qualifiers and CL group games.
I don’t get invested in the people at the club anymore. You can thank BR for that after he skyed it first time round.
Football managers typically last less than 3 years at Celtic. If BR completes the season he will have outstayed the average. I expect we’ll have a new manager this time next year irrespective of how matters play out between now and then.
I’m as invested in the manager of the team as I am in the Head of Catering. They’re simply professionals doing a job and should be assessed on that basis. On current evidence, both have considerable room to improve. Ditto the executive and the board.
It’s not personal, Sonny.
“…..should be occupied by players with potential to develop to a Champions League level, be sold and release fund to be reinvested.”
Eh? Haven’t seen a lot of reinvestment. These accountants won’t reinvest, they will hoard funds for a rainy day in the Atacama desert…
Reinvestment? LOL
It was interesting that Brendan mentioned Brugge as an example of a club that gets their business done early. I think he may have actually named a winger who looked good against the Huns.
This Summer signed 19, 19, 20, 21 and 25 year olds for 8, 7, 5, 5 and 5m quid. The 19 year old was from serie a, the rest from the lower reaches of the Bundesliga, Ajax and Ligue 2 and Bundesliga 2. Brugge do have the advantage of Belgium bordering the Netherlands, France and Germany and Amsterdam and Reims being a 3 hour drive away.
Theyve made a profit of €45m in the Summer and still managed to score 9 over two legs against a team that we didn’t look like we’d ever score against.
We tried to spend €10m on a 27 year old from the same league as Brugge and didn’t manage it. They spent €9m on a 19 year old midfielder who was an instant hit against the Huns.
They seem to have for their short and medium term transfer business right. We’ve done anything but
Ignoring the contrast when it’s staring us in the face, especially when it’s been highlighted by our own manager would be plain stubbornness.
TBB…”Football managers typically last less than 3 years at Celtic. If BR completes the season he will have outstayed the average. I expect we’ll have a new manager this time next year irrespective of how matters play out between now and then.”
I agree wholeheartedly but wouldn’t it be equally worthwhile to freshen up board members every now and again? New blood, new ideas…
I don’t think Celtic are in a position to tempt established players from teams who have champions league football. We are not operating at that level and this is part of the problem.
—
but we play against teams in europe who could be considered ‘smaller’ clubs in terms of their income, fan base and, more importantly, wages paid.
and many of those clubs seem to have players seemingly perfectly suited to european football in terms of their mix of skill, pace and strength.
i find it hard to believe we couldnt attract some of those players even if it is for the basest of reasons – that we can offer them much higher wages
James Forrest – laughed at your blog yesterday about the 2.58 am pick up. Sent it to my best mate over in California who was my wing man on a few of those last chance manoeuvres in our Edinburgh days.
CROFTCELT on 3RD SEPTEMBER 2025 12:52 PM
Everything you say there is correct. However, every club has a pool they recruit from. By now, our scouts, recruitment team, data analysts should know what our market is and recruit accordingly and in time for the CL qualifier.
Scrambling around for unattached players after the window closes is inexcusable.
Celts in overweight striker storm
Paul 67
What larks
P67
The funds from transferring our best players have not been reinvested in the first team and haven’t been for several seasons hence our massive bank balance, have you no comment on that? What in your opinion is the purpose for this huge bank balance as the CEO won’t tell anyone.
Other clubs transition far more effectively when needed, but they will have football and business people aligned in their purpose, not so us, and BR has said that. If our board don’t recognise that Celtic plc is there to support Celtic FC then we are going to be in turmoil regularly, do the fans turn out to watch the Plc?
What happened to yesterday’s final paragraph: “Lots to say about the Kasper Dolberg fiasco tomorrow. He encapsulates our poorly conceived window and why we ended up as we did”?
Today’s missive has a “business as usual” tone to it.
I get “the strategy”, but it explains neither why Khun was sold early with no replacement nor the striker fiasco over the past few days.
I also get the reality of our (poor) governance: nothing will change so long as DD’s concert party give him de facto ownership of the club and that Michael Nickleson et.al. will remain in situ so long as they have the confidence of DD.
Having said that, it doesn’t take an oracle to see most of our support are seriously pissed off to an extent not seen for years (yes, more than “the Covid season”!!).
Time will tell, but I don’t think the anger/frustration/bitterness will abate any time soon and feel we’ve reached a tipping point. It would be naive for those in charge to think otherwise and not plan accordingly.
I can remember people saying we shouldn’t be signing Dixie Deans.
WBC – I had actually written something along the same lines but deleted it to prevent the main point from being diluted.
Also, we’ve actually had a few board changes recently. Not that it’s made a blind bit of difference.
An dun
BR got what he wanted from the window.
He is just waiting for the cash to drop.
Not sure DD will really comply though.
We all suffer from 2 egos and an invisible and totally not empowered CEO who is taking it in as an administrator whose salary would make dear old Campbell Ogilvies eyes water.
To be clear we are about the same in terms of squad strength and value as prior. Perhaps as strong as we were a year ago.
Some players need to step up and show their worth eg Engels and Bernardo and new KT.
Some have exceeded this past year eg Scales and AJ when fit.
Jury out as it was with Kuhn 12 months ago for the new wingers, Shin and Nygren.
The new forward plus Boca LB and Man C CB should give us the help to transition.
Hopefully Rodger’s desire to leave on a high will drive him forward to get us over the line v transitional domestic rivals and maybe a wee run in Europa. Although if the right move comes up then he will be off.
Personally I would be getting him moving now but it is not my £2 or £3M.
As for the greatest manager since Stein. That is hilarious. 4 league wins against no one and not once even reaching last 16 in Europe. Playing hideous football to watch.
A transition season?
After finishing multiple points ahead in the league and literally 10 mins away from a treble alongside the biggest cash surplus in our account in history?
Nobody is buying this Paul, your PR on behalf of the club no longer works.
You don’t believe this nonsense either, you’re just riling up a fan base to get hits on your site, another Ewan Cameron.
Wow. I just found out that I’ve been wrong to complain about a lack any strategic plan at Celtic regardless of who the manager was. P67 has confirmed there is a plan but it’s been kept a secret just in case anyone finds our secret sauce.
What a load of shite.
Still defending the board after years of this garbage, is it Stockholm syndrome?
TBB…
“Also, we’ve actually had a few board changes recently…”
I didn’t know that. Perhaps demonstrates the lack of communication with pleb fans.
“Not that it’s made a blind bit of difference.”
Hard to disagree. 😊
Playing hideous football to watch.
am i the only person who enjoyed our winning football last season ?
Apart from Calum the players I enjoyed watching last season are either no longer at the club or Injured.
So far this season we have been dire to watch.
DESSYBHOY on 3RD SEPTEMBER 2025 1:16
“Other clubs transition far more effectively when needed, but they will have football and business people aligned in their purpose”
I think the purpose is roughly aligned, or at least is enough for the club to succeed, but the strategy to achieve the goals isnt, which you won’t find at other successful clubs.
Or perhaps they are aligned and everyone is happy what passes for the recruitment strategy we’ve got these days.
We did hear two years ago that Brendan was happy with our model and was happy to wrk with with it, then months later he was agitating for a change.
Whatever, our transfer business has left us with a worse squad than two years ago and a summer overhaul after Brendan goes
Saint Stivs on 3rd September 2025 1:34 pm
Winning yes, style of play absolutely not.
149 goals in a season.
spread of scorers, 7 in double figures.
i enjoyed it, but i like possession football more than ange ball, there i said it.
I’ve been ignoring our resident Blantyre mini man for months but as hard as it is to believe his current manifestations are even more mentally ill than before.
To think I once got a ban for using a wee sweary.
WBC – recently being the last couple of years…
SAINT STIVS on 3RD SEPTEMBER 2025 1:34 PM
Playing hideous football to watch.
am i the only person who enjoyed our winning football last season ?
….
Last season was really good , some cracking goals , the odd game during the winter was a bit grim ( what’s new) , we had the league in the bag early ,sort of let the foot off the metal and stumbled in the last 2 domestic games.
Keeping the ball is fine , we just need to move it quicker , less touches etc etc and spaces will open up. Early season can be a bit of a phoney war but hopefully we can push on …. If the Hun can reach the last 8 Europa League by hitting on the break , then we should be aiming for better to get us ready for CL qualification and progression next season.
HH
ziggydoc1 on 3rd September 2025 12:46 pm
…”release fund to be reinvested.” 🤣🤣
ZIGGY, that’s exactly what caught my eye as well. Irony, or what?
Ave Ave
Welcome to Celtic Kelechi .
You are only here because Celtic have a shambolic transfer policy .
Every other Celtic site or podcast can see that we are an unambitious , stale football club with an absentee landlord who calls the shots . He calls them late and usually wrong at the most important time.
Why can’t you address where the dis function starts , and who exactly is accountable.
BR said earlier this year that there’s people in the building who don’t like him .
It’s all looking now as if this window is a deliberate attempt at sabotage .
The ego’s have landed , but hey ho the glorious balance sheet will still show a healthy profit .
Who gives a Bombay duck ?
The atmosphere will be toxic for the foreseeable future
Burnley78
You want Brendan out NOW
Who do you want in NOW ?
I’d have said BR would have been over the moon buying a 9 million player from Italy and a 6 million winger from Ajax ..( 800k more than winger from Hammerby ) …both young ..midfielder 19…looked class …..we would absolutely baulk at it …what he isn’t happy about is buying….1.5 dross
Pretty sure most of us accept developing players and then selling on, but there comes a point when the team looks on the cusp of really delivering in Europe.
That looked a real possibility this season , all we were shouting for was two or three at the top end of our budget and maybe we’d get one of those memorable seasons.
If it didn’t work out we would have accepted the sort of window we’ve had this season next year.
It’s European football that really makes us tic(k) as fans.
one of the unforeseen consequences of shrinkflation that companies have conned us with in recent years, is that if you want to throw a mars bar at some organisations crooked board members these days, then said projectile is nothing like the size it was in the good old days so the effect will be less.
but the principle is still solid.
P67
You have a derogatory phrase for anyone who moans about your beloved board. You patronisingly call them bedwetters.
So
Bedwetter here.
Six weeks now of urine soaked sheets,
How do I get them dry.
HOOP HOOP HOORAYIf a non exec director is not allowed to be involved in the day to day operations of a business according to the companies act, why does our minority 34% shareholder have so much influence. Why does our football managers meet with him each window. Why has this never been challenged at an AGM
In what planet does twice a year equate to “day to day operations”?