Celtic Transfers 2024

Like last time, we've no genuine idea what's going on behind the scenes... He's possibly being offered (the option of) good players and saying no as they're not to the standard he wants, or he's maybe being offered actual rubbish and rightly saying no, or maybe it's like the fans assume and we're doing * all! There's no way for us to know where all the real blame lies, if any, and to which ratios.

I'm inclined to look at a board who has consistently failed to strengthen over many windows, with multiple managers, and expect more. But I'm not accepting sainthood for anyone at all, without knowing more...

 

Mostly agree with this.

There's no doubt the large majority of the blame for our * transfer dealings falls on the shoulders of Desmond, Lawwell, Nicholson et al. Their outdated, penny pinching, pitiful approach to our club is cancerous.

But I agree and have thought since last Summer that Rodgers isn't all that fussed about it. He'll still win the league and pick up domestic trophies for fun with the current squad. He'll still pocket his £3m a year. He might even get a win or two in Europe, and if he does, the talk will be "look at what Rodgers did with a * squad, imagine if we strengthened" (basically last year's rumblings). And I'm not even denying that might be true. A few good signings could easily elevate us.

But at the end of the day, Rodgers' legacy won't be tarnished one bit. The disaster at the end of Leicester aside, Rodgers is still somewhat rated down there I think. Another year or two of sweeping up domestically and a few half decent performances in Europe, he'll walk into another EPL job, no doubt.

Fans elsewhere will look at it like he had no hope of competing in Europe with us, which isn't really true but that's the perception, even amongst our fans. So in a twisted sort of way it's a win-win for Rodgers. "Everyone flops with Celtic in Europe because they're so far off that level, lack of quality", etc.

But fans have bought into the idea that Rodgers is a helpless bystander puppy who has no say or control over anything. No one at the club listens to him or sanctions his signings, he's just being shafted.

Rodgers isn't a silly man. He knew what it was like last time, he obviously knew what it was going to be like again. To think that Rodgers was duped by the club and is now being held hostage but can't walk out because of what happened last time is fairytale stuff and actually quite insulting to the man's intelligence.

The facts remain true, there's no evidence of him exerting any real pressure on them for signings whatsoever. I honestly think he's just happy to go along with the regime. Getting pretty tired of the poor Brendan no one is sanctioning his signings routine. Apply some pressure, ruffle feathers, boot some arses, do what it takes, be that in private or in public. Do something! Because the longer I hear him toe the party line about "they're working hard in the background" the more annoyed I'm getting.

8 transfer windows now under Rodgers. 7 of which have been a shambles. I'm not blaming him at solely, I want to reiterate that it's mainly those above him. But he is definitely a symptom of these cancerous transfer windows and all that's wrong with them, there's too much evidence now to ignore.

 

For me it boils down to BR wants quality and the board are unable or refuse to provide it.

Anyway.. Monday morning the sun is shining start of a new week, I'm only thinking positive thoughts regarding transfers... 3 weeks to go, we're gonna get quality in the door...

 

Someone has to catch him out in a press conference by asking him how active a part are you playing in trying to get new players in, how often are you speaking to Nicholson/Lawwell whoever, how many meeting and chats have you said. Have you got a list of players you have asked them to work on etc

To see what he says then.

I'd bet he works in a way he takes nothing to do with transfers other than saying "I want a left-back" then they come to him like what about these guys "no"..... "what about these guys"..... "no"

Thats why it always ends up the last days of the window and loans when he is in charge because he snubs everyone until the last minute and then is like "if thats all we can do, bring these guys in on loan then fine we need bodies in".

Then over the years it looks like he never signs anyone and can only loan guys in and everyone thinks "Rodgers has been treated shockingly".

Even though what actually is the case is Rodgers doesn't take any active role in signing anyone, likely as he doesn't want the blame to be on him if he tries to rebuild a team and fails and only ever in the end accepts guys coming in on loan so that way if they are good then he can sign them.

There is not a chance Rodgers is raging and wanting 3/4/5 guys in right now and doing his best and nothing is going on. It's clear the way he always distances himself "they are working hard", "I hope they", "hopefully thats the case", "hopefully theres movement" and then the other day "Hopefully by the end of the window we can reinforce and strengthen the squad."

You can't keep say they are doing it and hopefully something happens, you are the actual manager who's job it is also to get the squad sorted.

Same with O'Riley "I didn't know anything about that until maybe this morning", "i'll continue on until I hear anything", he should really be planning stuff and saying like "Matt's a great player, we're prepared for whatever happens".

Instead he talks like "I don't know whats going on, they don't really tell me, it's nothing to do with me".

You never got that with other managers, Ange, Lennon. They always just got guys signed, wasn't constant talk of needing quality and barely anything happening.

Lennon's first window the last time he spent about £20million on about 10 guys after Rodgers had done hardly anything for years, ended up having to replace Gordon, Lustig, Tierney, Boyata and Sinclair and a back up striker all in one window plus were still looking for a defensive midfielder as Bitton and Koussi were still there and still trying to replace Armstrong, mind Turnbull failed a medical and also signed Soro.

Theres no way Rodgers couldn't have done some business in the previous window or two so that Forster, Jullien, Frimpong, Elhamed, Taylor, Bolingoli, Soro, (Turnbull), Elyounoussi, Klimala wouldn't all need to come in at the same time.

I felt even his last time in charge we probably just started signing guys cause he wouldn't take anybody. Mind Shved, we signed him and Rodgers came out saying he doesn't even know anything about him. Same probably happened with Bayo, mind we signed him and Rodgers only put him on the bench 3 times and brought him on 1 single time in the 90th minute, likely the same with Kouassi and Arzani who he basically snubbed and never used after they joined, maybe even Allan, Hendry, Compper, Mulumbu.

Could be the opposite of what people think and the board themselves are thinking this * murder to work with, we better just sign a few * by ourselves and hope he'll give them a game if they're decent, we canny not sign anycunt.

He could be making the board look bad.

 

I don't think he'd deliberately sabotage recruitment, I just don't think he's constantly in this endless "straight shootout" or war of attrition with the board that for some reason most of you think?

Just feel that Rodgers is happy enough to go along with whatever Desmond and Lawwell wants, for the reasons I've stated above. I simply can't fathom that Rodgers doesn't have any more pull or power than he's showing. I don't believe it.

 

This here I completely agree with, definitely think you're on to something and have thought it for a while myself.

It's pretty calculated stuff from Rodgers. Early doors he was creating that distance between him and the recruitment team and did it last year as well. That's fine, it isn't his job per se but as you've said, he's still the manager of the football club. They're * *, everyone knows they're *, tight, incompetent or lazy, whatever.

But if I was raging or livid like most suggest Rodgers is, I'm intervening NOW surely? You've got to step in or make the calls so that someone else does. For my own personal and professional pride, I'm doing what I can to ensure that we get that LB, LCB, ST at a bear * minimum.

That's why I keep asking where is the pressure? No one knows what is going on behind closed doors but are you telling me Rodgers is doing all he can to convince or tell the board what he needs. Our squad is rank rotten and has been since he arrived when Jota and Starfelt were sold. We've known what we've needed for literally 12-18 months.

Let's assume Rodgers is working tirelessly, he's hounding and calling Nicholson everyday. He's in constant communication with Desmond/Lawwell. He's doing everything in his power to ensure we strengthen the squad.......

But how can anyone realistically think that's true while we sit here, weeks away from the window closing, with NO NEW OUTFIELD players signed? Zilch, nada. Come on man.

The more realistic answer is that Rodgers is just happy to go along with this mental approach to transfers, whilst taking a back seat so that he avoids any potential heat/backlash. Knowing him and how he has operated at every club, it's kinda obvious to me at this point.

 

I think you’re seriously over thinking this mate. Go have a cup of tea.

Rodgers will want to work with the best players possible, it’s that simple.

 

Is clear he does fuckall I think actually.

He seems to even enjoy throwing signings under the bus as well, rather than take things into his own hands and have a bigger say he'd rather sit back like "lol Nawrocki and Lagerbielke yous made a * of those signings didn't you, now get me big Phillips in" "Tilio and Kwon jesus * christ i'd rather have signed my son and nephew, get them to *".

He should be preventing these guys from signing by having other guys he actually wants in instead.

I bet he never liked Bernardo either, probably thought for months even "Bernardo what a big dumpling, we were better with Turnbull" before ending up realising he should have been playing the whole time.

He started Bernardo in only 2 out of the first 18 League games he could have played, only played him in the CL last 4 games because Turnbull had no legs and was too weak defensively but he even played Holm in the League over Bernardo for months.

 

Going off the deep end in here.

 

He will but he won't try and get the best players possible, he'll leave that up to others so it's nothing to do with him.

He reacts to signings probably the same as the fans "who is this guy, hopefully he's good".

 

Who this "procession of left backs who have been failures." Bernabei is the last to come in, before that it was Greg Taylor & before that Tierney. Except for these it's be youngsters.

We need a first team LB to either take over from GT or to be pushing him for his place at least.

 

When Rodgers talks about getting in players with quality, I think he defines that as having played in the EPL or having been in the academy of a bigger EPL team or big European team.

 

Some of the takes in here are * wild. Proper tin hat stuff.

 

The club have been the same with recruitment for quite some time ... since before BR came back ... and likely will still be once he leaves

 

Think the board are extremely lucky that we had a good pre season and started the season off with 2 wins. Can you imagine if we had dropped points? Jesus christ
Again, another week where we really need to see some movement happening

 

I was surprised the other day to find out that Benfica and Salzburg have couped the most money in the last 10 years in tx fees.
Now, it was said on here last week that Celtic cant comand the big fees for players that other leagues get becuase of our leagues standing.
Well, Im sorry but living out here in Austria, let me tell you, the overall standard of the Austrian teams is rubbish. Yet Salzburg still get big fees year in year out.
They bring in youngsters 18/19 either put them out to their local feeder teal leefering, under dual registration and bring them in when necessary. They did that on Saturday with a Danish guy Mellberg.
With us we just dont seem to have a proper pathway for our development/youth players, and are constantly looking externally for the players that are going to improve the 1st team every window.
No wonder the Doaks/Kellys of this world move on. Absolutely Zero reason why they dont get a chance to develop playing games in the PL when we are 3 or 4 up as a minimum

 

We have 18 days left to get players in and out we know what we need. Will we get what we need highly unlikely.

Out - loans or sales not fussed

Lagerbielke
Nawrocki
Yuki
Shaw
Yang
Kwon
Mikey J
Matt (inevitable)

Incoming

Striker x2
Midfield x 2
Left back
Left centre back
Winger

That's what this squad needs in terms of outs and ins, anything other than that is gross negligence so come 31st August it will either be gross negligence or they have done it. Window closes 23:30 on 30th August 2024 the board need to back the manager or as auld keevins (*) said "the celtic fans and celtic board are on course for a head on collision after all the fans back the team to the tune of tens of millions this summer again"

 

There's a lot of work to be done, which now won't be completed because of time.

It's unacceptable as we've had a about seven windows to address some areas of the park and we haven't. We've also had the window so far to be stronger than we went into it and we've potentially upgraded Hart with Schmeichel but then lost Idah. The squad is weaker for it overall.

 

Resigned myself to expect very little if anything like groundhog day.

Go into every transfer window with hope and excitement this is the one that will be different.

At this rate we will come unstuck and gift them a title due to our lack of action.