Celtic are keen to secure a sensational return for former goalkeeper Fraser Forster, according to reports.
The Scottish Sun have confirmed a lot of fans’ hopes (and fears) as they reported that Neil Lennon was keen on the 31-year-old following the news of Scott Bain’s injury.
The current Celtic number one could be out for up to two months after he damaged ligaments in his hand during the midweek defeat to CFR Cluj. On Friday, Lennon played down those reports and suggested that Bain would only be out for a week or so.
“He had a scan and he’s getting a splint fitted,” Lennon told the BBC.
But the Northern Irishman didn’t comment on Forster – who’s now third choice at Southampton. It’s also not clear whether the reported move for the former England goalkeeper would be a permanent or a loan deal.
Celtic moving for Forster would be so predictable
A move for Forster may excite some fans because of what he did in his previous spell at the club. But we really should separate the Forster of yesterday from the one of today.
Today’s keeper has played just 90 minutes of football in the past 16 months. Forster’s only outing for the Saints last season came in an end-of-season dead rubber which his side lost 3-0. He wasn’t seen before or after that point and has dropped to being third choice at the south-coast club.
Furthermore, Celtic’s decision to bring him back seems like one hell of a knee-jerk reaction. The injury to Bain was unforeseen but surely you would still expect the club to have a list of potential replacements drawn up. We could have found an emerging goalkeeper down south or someone who has proven themselves in the Scottish Premiership.
The recruitment department are literally paid to deal with this kind of stuff. Yet we end up just chasing a player we only know because he used to play for us. Izaguirre last year, Forster this. Who’s next year’s surprise signing? Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink?
It smacks of desperation and more amateur decision making. Sadly the word amateur could go a long way to describing our club at the moment.
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