Celtic can’t have much to complain about this season.
When Brendan Rodgers first returned to the club, whilst two trophies were delivered in the end, including the title, it was never plain sailing.
The performances, whether that be in the Premiership or the Champions League, just weren’t there and, as a result, the club’s recruitment would take a verbal beating.
There came an instance when Celtic were beaten by Hearts over the winter and there were chants of ‘sack the board’ by the Parkhead faithful.
Eventually, changes were made at the top, with Celtic’s head of scouting and recruitment Mark Lawwell stepping down from his role ahead of the new season.
The issue or complaint at the time was that Celtic were bringing in too many ‘project’ signings and not enough ready-made players.
But fast forward to the present and Gordon Dalziel feels Lawwell has been proven right or justified in his approach.
Celtic’s recruitment under Mark Lawwell, such as Nicolas Kuhn, applauded
Someone like Nicolas Kuhn was perhaps one of the last few players purchased under Lawwell’s transfer umbrella because his exit would be confirmed months later.
But fast forward to the present and Dalziel has pointed out how the high-flying Kuhn has been ‘unbelievable’ for Celtic this season, as he told Open Goal.
The German-born star hasn’t just been ripping it up in the Premiership, but also turning it on in the Champions League, as he proved with his brace against RB Leipzig. This is despite struggling when he first came to the club.
Dalziel also expressed how Hyunjun Yang is beginning to impress him and he is another one who he has been ‘very surprised’ with.
But, once again, he wanted to send flowers towards Lawwell because he was purchased when he was at the club.
“Ahh, unbelievable,” said Dalziel on Celtic’s purchase of Kuhn. “Celtic come in for a lot of criticism for their recruitment.
“You look at Mark Lawwell for instance. Look at the players he has brought in. Kuhn. Johnston. Bernardo.
“And, I will tell you another one. I was very surprised with the other night. Yang. Ahh, all of a sudden, he looks like he has a spring in his step. Once again, we all judge very, very quickly. The recruitment has seen a lot in these guys. Look at the dividends that you are paying now. If Kuhn keeps going the way he is going, and especially in the Champions League, then he will certainly go for big, big dough.”
What Chris Sutton said about Lawwell last season
If you look at the team now, you can’t argue much, in regards to the performances and results this season.
The only performance that was unacceptable was Celtic conceding seven to Borrusia Dortmund, but look how the team has reacted since then.
Perhaps you could see a negative towards Celtic’s 2-2 draw against Aberdeen in the Premiership, but once again, that would be clutching at straws because that very same team was dealt with in the League Cup semi-final.
A big reason why the team is performing so well is because of the recruitment and how everyone is now starting to see the benefits of it.
That’s why Chris Sutton, last November, was so defensive and protective of Lawwell of the work he was doing for the champions, as he wrote in his Daily Record column.
“The problem is not signing prospects – it’s about signing the right prospects,” wrote Sutton. “A lot is made of the ones who didn’t make it but there are plenty who have.
“It’s fashionable among some fans to have a go at Mark Lawwell as they will go against any Lawwell being involved. But this is the same Mark Lawwell who was either directly or indirectly involved in a lot of transfer activity over the years – including the recruitment of Postecoglou himself.”
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