Celtic have made a real mess of their striker situation during the past 12 months.
It all started with Kyogo Furuhashi being sold last January, and then in the summer, he was followed by Adam Idah, without adequate replacements being brought in.
It’s one reason why Celtic fans are protesting against the board and why, during the January transfer window, Wilfried Nancy will be searching for that much-needed striker.
Charlie Mulgrew discussed the name of Idah, how he compares to Johnny Kenny, and how he would have fared under the current boss.
Should Celtic have held on to Adam Idah? Let us know in the comments.
Adam Idah under Wilfried Nancy at Celtic
Celtic are playing gung-ho football, as was proven when the Hoops put four goals past Livingston on Saturday in a manic Premiership encounter.
But previously against Aberdeen, Nancy watched his side miss clear-cut chance after clear-cut chance; unfortunately for Kenny, he was at the heart of it all.
That’s why on The Breakdown, Mulgrew, alongside Kevin Thomson, discussed Idah and how he would perform better in this Nancy set-up after Celtic fans ‘weren’t really having him.’
Mulgrew: “For me, a striker who is going to go and score those chances. The big thing that they have is that desire to score goals – when you have that desire, and that instinct (which Kenny doesn’t have), you go and put that in the net.”
Kevin Thomson: “Doesn’t Idah do better in a Nancy team? I know he isn’t there now. That profile of a striker.”
Mulgrew: “I will be honest with you. He can’t do any worse.”
Thomson: “I thought Idah was at his best when he was a bit like Maeda, where they are running towards the opposition’s goal.”
Mulgrew: “Idah scores one of those chances (against Aberdeen).”
Thomson: “Funny when you think of Idah. I know he had a lot of disappointing games, and the Celtic fans weren’t really having him. Another player who didn’t have loads and loads of time.”
Mulgrew: “Sometimes I think, when you are injured, or you are let go, you always become a better player when people look back at him and go, ‘Oh, we miss him or we miss him.’
“I still think Celtic’s forward line would improve with Idah in there. I am not saying Idah was brilliant. You can call that unlucky (against Aberdeen), but what do you call the Dundee United game?
“Nancy said in his interview after, ‘I don’t believe in luck, but we were unlucky.’ Do you believe in luck or don’t you believe in luck?”
You have £20m to spend in the January transfer window. How are you spending it?
Idah’s numbers at Celtic
Idah joined Swansea City in the summer, and he is still finding his feet at the Welsh club, but he did score a last-gasp winner against Wrexham last time out.
In total, the 24-year-old has three goals from 18 matches, but just like in Glasgow, he isn’t starting or playing on a regular basis.
Idah has started just five league matches and has only completed 90 minutes twice with the Championship club, a theme he will be familiar with because it happened at Celtic.
- Idah’s games at Celtic: 76
- Starts: 35
- 90 minutes completed: 4
- Goals: 29
- Assists: 2
- Total minutes: 3,420
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