Liam Scales has made Celtic’s biggest recruitment need crystal clear

Add as preferred source on Google

Liam Scales was explaining how Martin O’Neill wants Celtic to attack this season. In doing so, the defender handed the club’s recruitment team a clear job description.

O’Neill’s Celtic was known for an attacking style of football in his first tenure as boss in 2000, but he also wasn’t afraid to play it long when the need arrived.

That has forced O’Neill to make Celtic quicker and less predictable in possession. It also leaves the recruitment team with one obvious profile to find before the window closes in September.

• READ MORE: Martin O’Neill’s Camilo Duran update came with a message Celtic cannot ignore

What do you make of Martin O’Neill’s constant defence of the Celtic board? 🤔🍀

Share us your thoughts, Celtic fans 👇🍀

Comment

Like or Comment

Have your say Sign-in now for free

Liam Scales explains why Celtic must become less predictable

When asked how pre-season is going under O’Neill, Scales said the Celtic boss is not all about going direct and revealed how he wants the team to play.

Scales told The Scottish Sun, “You can’t be one-dimensional. Going direct doesn’t need to be a hoofed ball forward to a big striker.

“It’s noticing there’s space behind teams and putting the ball in behind. We have attacking players who can do that.

“If you can beat that press with one pass into a striker, it’s that too. It’s not about changing things massively. Fast attacking football is what the manager wants.”

O’Neill’s plan required players who have vision, pace and the ability to spot a pass to break a high press.

Celtic need another explosive forward to complete O’Neill’s plan

Celtic’s capture of Camilo Duran gives O’Neill the chance to apply his footballing vision at the club for next season, in part at least.

The Colombian gives Celtic a clear threat through the middle, but O’Neill still needs a wide man to bring strength and pace to the side.

More domestic opponents are now prepared to press Celtic and compete for possession. O’Neill now needs attackers who can punish that aggression before those teams recover their shape.

Scales has effectively told Celtic’s scouting team the type of player O’Neill wants to help try and change that.

Celtic do not need a forward simply to increase the squad numbers. They need someone capable of turning Scales’ description of fast, direct football into something opponents genuinely fear.