Sheffield Wednesday owner Dejphon Chansiri has responded to angry complaints regarding the Liam Shaw to Celtic deal.
Shaw signed a pre-contract with the Hoops several weeks ago back when Neil Lennon was in charge. Indeed, it was the former Celtic boss who confirmed the deal too [Scottish Sun].
The signing didn’t go down too well with fans of the Championship club. Accusations were aimed in the direction of the club’s board and indeed the player himself. Shaw has only played 16 times for his boyhood club – with some feeling he could’ve shown some loyalty. However, the move to Celtic was too enticing for him to turn down.
Chansiri has been discussing the transfer today, and pointed his finger at Shaw’s agent for how the contract negotiations were handled.
“We tried”
Speaking to Yorkshire Live, he said: “I thought he was going to go to Celtic because of the agent talking to Celtic. When he had a chance to play for the first team, he did quite well and we tried to keep him. We talked to them for quite a long time but they just asked to wait and we know why they asked to wait because maybe they try to find another club.
“I heard from my people, they told me some fans say ‘why didn’t we try to sign him last year or before’. I believe no-one last year or before in the summer no-on talked about Luke Shaw. They just tried to talk about him when he is in the first XI and he is doing okay.
“We tried to extend his contract but the agent asked to wait and wait. We knew something was wrong and it’s normal in football. When a player tries to be good, then they already try to find another club. It doesn’t mean Celtic looked at him for a long time.”
Liam Shaw to Celtic looks a fine move for the player on paper
It’s difficult to know how anyone could’ve have a pop at Shaw for the move. Even if he’s only managed a handful of appearances for the Yorkshire club.
Sheffield Wednesday fans have to respect the situation. Their club are six points from safety and looking more and more like a League One-bound football club. Shaw could have that or he could potentially be part of a major rebuild at one of Europe’s most iconic clubs.
He could be operating in England’s third-tier or playing European football. Playing alongside, with all due respect, Josh Windass and Barry Bannan, or Callum McGregor and Scott Brown. It’s a no-brainer for his own development, and it would’ve been something he forever regretted if he knocked it back.
Why Wednesday didn’t have him tied down before now is another matter. If they believed that Shaw was capable of making a breakthrough this season, they should’ve sorted this out long ago. Having a prospect break into the team whilst entering the final few months of their contract is always back news.
This time, it’s come back to bite them on the backside. But they can only truly blame themselves for some terrible mismanagement over the player’s contract.
As Celtic fans, we should know how that feels like.
In other news, a report has shed light on this Celtic star’s long-term future.
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