Celtic’s recruitment has been pretty remarkable over the last 15 years, for both good and bad reasons.
This summer was a prime example of why the Celtic board are unfit to serve because they made a complete and utter horlicks of trying to improve Brendan Rodgers’ squad.
But over the years, Celtic have secured the services of some top, top players, including Virgil van Dijk, Victor Wanyama and Matt O’Rielly to name a few.
However, there is one man who will forever be talked about as Celtic’s biggest missed opportunity – John McGinn, and he is someone who still gets under Alan Brazil’s skin today.
- READ MORE: Alan Brazil thinks English-based coach was ‘the one’ for Celtic amid Wilfried Nancy’s start
You have £20m to spend in the January transfer window. How are you spending it?
John McGinn would have ‘chopped his arm off’ to join Celtic
McGinn is now thriving at Aston Villa, the captain, heading towards the knockout stages of the Europa League and pushing for the Premier League title under Unai Emery.
But when Brazil was talking about the mess Celtic currently find themselves in, Ray Parlour asked whether ‘any players are coming through?’
That’s when Brazil brought up McGinn’s name, and how it’s an ‘absolute joke’ the champions of Scotland never signed him when they had the chance in 2018.
At that time, Villa were in England’s second-tier, but fast forward to the present and the Midlands side are sitting third in the Premier League table, three points behind leaders Arsenal.
Parlour: “Where are the academies. Are there any players coming through?”
Brazil: “People keep asking me where are the young Scottish kids coming down to England, to the Premiership. It’s not happening.”
Parlour: “You still have to have that core of players who come through the academies and get into the first team.”
Brazil: “There is a player we missed. He would have chopped his arm off. Yes, to Celtic. Villa took a chance and they said, ‘no, come here.’
“Celtic dilly-dallied. We could have got John McGinn. Absolute joke.”
What’s ‘really annoying’ about Celtic in Europe
Despite Celtic’s defeat to AS Roma in the Europa League last time out, Wilfried Nancy’s side are still in charge of their own fate when it comes to qualifying for the play-off stages.
But Brazil wanted to express his frustration at the state of Scottish football, and Celtic’s performances in Europe.
Scotland has been taking some seriously bad hits when it comes to coefficient, and it is actually getting worse.
Brazil: “What really annoys me. If we come away from the domestic and into European football.
“We have had our odd night that has been great, but overall, we really struggle in Europe. Celtic and Rangers. We really struggle.”
Shebahn Aherne: “So poor. I mean, the last time Celtic got out of the group stages of the Champions League was 2012-13. A long, long time ago, as we know, Rangers have gone on a run in the Europa League in the past.
“But when you look at Scottish football, as a whole, the UEFA coefficient rankings show that the Scottish league is behind the Austrian and Cyprus League.”
Brazil: “I am sorry, that can’t be right. Skiing, yeah, with Austria. But dear oh dear. Cyprus. Good luck, Cyprus is a great country. Strong people.
“But they can’t have a better standard than we have got. Surely not?!”
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