Jack Hendry has been speaking about the reasons he left Celtic this summer as we reported on last night. The Scotland international defender, voted the best player in the Belgium league last season, has also been speaking about the rumoured Celtic target Thomas Henry, who the Oostende centre half played against a few times last season.
There seems little doubt that OH Leuven’s French striker is set to leave the club imminently but the notion that Celtic with an apparent £7m bid are in pole position seems fanciful. For a start Celtic would – if they are indeed interested in signing the player – be looking to do any deal after offloading Odsonne Edouard for around £20m and that seems no closer to happening than it has been every day for a number of months now.
And there is a report this morning suggesting that Edouard might be prepared to stay at Celtic this season to run down the final months of his contract before leaving on a free, perhaps to get the move to Leicester City he craved? That particular stick has been used a few times though but the Edouard camp might just think it’s worthy of another re-run as the situation seems to be at a stalemate – Celtic having set a price that interested clubs, knowing that the striker is out of sorts on the park and playing his final season at Celtic, are unwilling to meet.
Unless something changes then there’s little chance that Celtic are somehow in pole position ahead of interested clubs from around Europe to sign Big Tam Henry, as Hoops fans were calling him on social media yesterday. Henry seems somewhat surprised that Celtic are apparently looking at paying £7m for the striker.
“If that’s the fee then it’s a lot of money Celtic are paying,” Jack Hendry told Scottish Sun. “I’ve played against him a couple of times and he didn’t get any joy out of me. I felt I dominated him.
“He’s a good player and he scored a few goals last season. It would be a big transfer fee but I also think that shows the strength of the Belgian top league. Leuven finished tenth or 11th last season. Over here if you’re a good attacking player and score a few goals then you do go for a lot of money.
“I’m up against quality players every week and I’m enjoying it,” the former Celtic man added. “Obviously, Celtic’s recruitment people will have studied him closely and will feel he can do a good job for the team.
“Henry’s a goal-scorer, for sure. He’s not someone who is amazingly quick. I don’t see him as a striker who will run in behind or go down the channels. He will work hard but he hasn’t got lightning pace.
“He’s got good stature, a good physique. I see him as more like an English penalty box striker. For £7m the Celtic fans will be expecting a very good player coming through the doors — and I’d certainly wish him the best.
“He’d be expected to score goals and perform at a very high level. It would be a move I’d watch with real interest.
I’ve had the better of him in games against Leuven. He didn’t cause me much trouble. But I’d like to see him do well for Celtic and prove his value.
“He picks up good areas in the box and plays intelligently with his movement. As a defender you wouldn’t be concerned with a one-v-one. But his hold up play is good and he’s a handful in the box. He can finish. Those are his main attributes.
“If he gets the service, and I’m sure he will with the calibre of players who create chances at Celtic, he can get the goals.”
If Henry’s talent was as big as his ego he wouldn’t be playing for a diddy team in an average league. He needs to shut his mouth and keep his head down after his disastrous contribution to Scotland’s demise at the Euros…