Agatha Christie In Paradise-The Manager Did It!…

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is seen during the Cinch Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Livingston FC at Celtic Park Stadium on December 23, 2023 (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

I criticised the Celtic board on the conclusion of last year’s summer transfer window when I saw through the veil of deceit. Deceit? Yes, we were promised much but delivered very little in terms of genuine class and talent. The medically-inclined incomers had a paucity of involvement with only Luis Palma and Paolo Bernardo showing genuine resolve in the tilt for the Title.

Celtic v Buckie Thistle – Celtic’s Paulo Bernardo celebrates scoring the opening goal of the game during the Scottish Cup match at Celtic Park on Sunday January 21, 2024. Photo Andrew Milligan

The rest were either injured long-term or deemed to be simply not good enough for a club with the history, tradition and ambition such as Celtic. Players like Odin Holm and Maik Nawrocki may well make the grade – eventually – should they shake off their unfortunate illnesses and injuries, but that is not a given.

Odin Holm scores his team’s second goal during the the Celtic v Buckie Thistle – Scottish Cup match at Celtic Park on January 21, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

They look good on paper, but, as once delightfully ventured by one Brian Clough, the game is played on grass. I do like the look of them and am confident of future success, but the question remains; why spend vital cash on players who are not fully fit?

This current window has been darkly tinted, and, like a good mystery movie, offers no obvious insight into the shock ending which is guaranteed to turn our knuckles white, regardless of the outcome. Just like the wickedly deceptive mind of Agatha Christie, there are a number of red herrings to be pondered and dismissed as Lawwell and Lawwell vie with Brendan Rodgers in terms of cash for product as the fans impatiently await the outcome our sixty-million pound season.

With the European Champions League restructure on the horizon, that’s a lot of money for a Scottish Premiership club to negotiate, but should this wonderous bounty fall into the wrong hands…

The day is becoming darker, and Celtic have until 11:30pm tonight (Brisbane, Australia tonight!) and has bought one player to date.

If the Parkhead beaks are hanging their hats on Nicolas Kuhn delivering the unprecedented pot of gold whilst Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda ply their trade in the next rounds of the Asian Cup, Houston, we may have a problem.

If however, the number 9 and left back positions are adequately strengthened, that problem may well disappear along with the hopes and dreams of a nail-biting Ibrox support.

For my money, Celtic will have a top-class striker and a defender of note to calm our farm, and, in true Agatha Christie style, the Manager did it!

Eddie Murray