Everyone in the Celtic support knew that this summer would be something of a salvage job, given the prior season’s transfer blunders.
The club missed out on reinforcements in key positions. To that end, there was a scramble for alternatives, and an unbalanced, uneven squad that faltered to the finish line.
To say it was hugely disappointing would be an understatement. And Celtic supporters are right to wonder if there’s a sense of déjà vu this transfer window, given our pursuits of both Aaron Hickey and Ben Davies.
After all, those two specific players were potential transfers that Celtic absolutely bungled. That’s before even taking into account the likes of Ivan Toney.
But, rather than the club being linked with the same old tired names, these specific names would offer freshness and solidity to a back-line that needs help. Instead of Celtic being too proud to admit they got it wrong, they’re going back in for players they wanted.
We were after aggression in the transfer market, and this is it. It’s tenacious. No, it’s not what the club need to be doing long-term, and the potential signing of Erik Sviatchenko is a different issue altogether. For now, though, we know there are good players within our grasp.
We know that, because we were close before.
Admitting to transfer blunders of the past and attempting to rectify them is a solid policy
This isn’t to say that we shouldn’t have our eye on other targets. The fact is, we do; Carl Starfelt of Rubin Kazan, Mario Vuskovic, Cameron Carter-Vickers et al.
All those names would be upgrades at the back for Celtic. However, there’s a combination of a need for reassessment, and excitement in unearthing potential gems. Both are entirely valid pursuits here.
It might look like a regressive step. But why wouldn’t Celtic, knowing the likes of Hickey and Davies are both potentially available and still very decent, try their arm again?
What, because of how it might look? Perhaps in previous eras at the club, but there seems to be a maturity about Ange Postecoglou and Dom McKay that is utterly refreshing.
It’s by no means a permanent transfer policy. Scouting isn’t just reading through old jotters and phoning around. It’s so, so much more than that.
But these moves suggest a humility, an acceptance that actually, we utterly blew it with Davies and Hickey before. So why not swallow our pride and go for them again, knowing they can be impactful, rather than stubbornly writing them off forever because it didn’t work out before.
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