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Photo credit should read BERTRAND LANGLOIS/AFP/Getty Images
Celtic fans must realise club are now project buyers
Celtic fans must come to the realisation that the club are only looking at projects.
Fans want the tried and tested names, but the market has changed.
“Projects” synonymous being tight-fisted. The player developing model needs to take a back seat. Our squad is screaming for at least two proven starters. HH
— Jock Stein CSC (@DBestseventy2) January 1, 2019
Furthermore, the Chief Scout Lee Congerton is probably the worst man to meet that criteria.
The Hoops fans shouldn’t get their hopes up for the current window.
The world Celtic play in is different
Celtic had become familiar with buying players with reputation, no matter how little.
Projects were still in the periscope over the years but they were never the main targets.
Moussa Dembele had a reputation that current project targets do not have. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Even up until Moussa Dembele’s purchase, he was a well-known French youngster at Fulham – it was a coup for Celtic.
At present, Celtic are in the market for two strikers, as Brendan Rodgers looks to improve his options in Leigh Griffiths’ absence.
Linked heavily is Vakoun Issouf Bayo, who The Bhoys have lodged a £2 million+ bid for according to the Herald.
Fans are already torn over his potential purchase with some even bizarrely comparing him with former flop Amido Baldé.
It’s a worry mate that we need an out and out striker but we’re going to sign a guy that’s got an Amido Balde look about him and Timothy Weah on a 6 month loan who’s more of a winger than a striker, it’s a gamble.
— Griff (@MildooWolf) January 1, 2019
Current target Vakoun Issouf Bayo is being unfairly compared to flop Amido Baldé by some fans on social media. (Photo by Okan Ozer/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
The latter was a failed project but The Hoops were able to easily cut their losses.
The same can’t be said for Bayo if he was to fail, as £2 million is a considerable amount in the current climate.
Congerton not the man for project buying
Head of Recruitment Congerton is arguably a man in the wrong position right now for more reasons than one.
The Englishman has been subject to criticism for his performance in recent windows. However, the reason Congerton is best placed elsewhere in this regard is he is in uncharted territory.
The 45-year-old has only been at clubs with massive financial resources where the scope of scouting could arguably be currently higher than Celtic’s.
Anderlecht are tracking Celtic’s Head of Recruitment Lee Congerton. (Photo by Ian Horrocks – Sunderland AFC/Getty Images)
Congerton has been with German heavyweights Hamburg as well as Chelsea and Sunderland, where he arguably had greater resources including more scouts and higher player profiles.
With Belgian giants Anderlecht snooping, Congerton could be heading to Europe and away from Celtic quicker than anyone thought.
Rodgers must do better with his next Head of Recruitment if Congerton leaves.
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