Like passing ships, Celtic FC Women’s returned to training yesterday, as the men’s team headed home.
As Kyogo Furuhashi et al took some time to recharge their batteries and check if Amazon could send replacement hamstrings, delivered straight to the door, Fran Alonso was about to start putting his charges through their paces as turkey, pigs in blankets and Christmas pudding takes some shifting. Meanwhile Ange Postecoglou’s team had the feet up and the selection boxes were soon being ransacked.
Alonso, much like Postecoglou, has a League Cup winning team to manage in the New Year and they start competitive action one more in the Scottish Cup on 9 January.
The Celts will be up against Edinburgh City in a game that shouldn’t in theory test a side of Celtic’s capabilities in normal circumstances, but with a period of time off – though not a lot – Alonso will be keen to ensure any residual effects of the time spent in winter hibernation are sweated out over the next few days, before fine tuning his team ready to challenge for a second domestic cup competition.
On the horizon however will also be a tough test to restart a league campaign they return to lying five points off theRangers and three behind Glasgow City in the SWPL1 title race, as the Hoops travel to face Hibernian, probably the toughest opponent outside the main title rivals on 16 January.
Prior to the winter break, Fran Alonso had stated his satisfaction with the squad available to him and the trust he had in those players to challenge for the league title in the months ahead. It is of course difficult to gauge whether this was indeed the case or if it was the utterances of a head coach who had already been told that no further additions were forthcoming and instead intended to play his hand as well as he could in the circumstances, or if he simply didn’t wish to give anything away.
You can be certain both theRangers and Glasgow City will invest in the transfer window, as adding to your squad in every available window keeps players on their toes and avoids stagnation, and history show both those sides always build from a position of strength.
For Celtic there may also be a need to consider revisiting their own transfer plans, and if they do it will be a sign the promises and encouragement offered under previous CEO Dom McKay, are to continue under Michael Nicholson.
There are rumours at present that the interest shown in developing the Women’s team has gone from gushing encouragement of future planes to less than a trickle of late. And it would be an appalling lack of judgement from the club if they didn’t build on Alonso’s League Cup success and back him to add a league title to that first domestic trophy in a decade, and the access to the Champions League funds that would assist this Celtic team not only to be self-sustainable but also profitable.
Since Fran Alonso stated his satisfaction with the squad available to him, young striker London Pollard has moved to Motherwell, surprisingly on a permanent deal rather than a loan agreement, and both the experienced Kathleen McGovern, again a striker, and the pacey Rachel Donaldson, a right sided attacker yet also capable of deputising centrally, have left the club.
Whilst Pollard always seemed one for the future, and game time was limited, both McGovern and Donaldson had to good effect been used as part of Alonso’s squad rotation. Three attacking players having now left the club, means Celtic look a little light in terms of options up front, and with the number of goals scored against the lower ranked teams being an acute need of any title challenging team in SWPL1, now would be a good time to address those concerns.
There is no denying the outstanding form of Charlie Wellings means regular game time as a striker in Alonso’s side is far from guaranteed, however it would be foolish not to consider injury to such a player may occur, or that an over reliance lessens the player’s impact or may result in a dropping of standards, without suitable competition to encourage the player to produce the goods. The loss of three attacking players means therefore a revisiting of those transfer plans is required.
One look to the numbers in the squads of our nearest rivals, and this is ahead of any further additions being made, sees theRangers currently operate with a first team squad of 25 players Glasgow City 23 meanwhile Celtic now have 20.
Fran Alonso has worked wonders so far. Last season saw the league title taken to the last day of the season and Champions League football was gained. This season Alonso has now added silverware to further bolster his credentials.
Now with a five-point deficit in the title race and with goal difference so key in the Women’s game in particular, the least our Head Coach deserves is a puncher’s chance at taking the title fight to opponents who will not stand still in this transfer window.
With the losses suffered in attacking areas it is time to back the manager and strengthen his hand ahead of what should be a genuine title challenge. It would also encourage those sweating off the excess of Christmas on the training field, if they saw the club had the same belief in their boss that they do.
And there’s also the Scottish Cup to lift.
Niall J
Back to work in the morning 🤩🤟 pic.twitter.com/6XM7RYvhBE
— Celtic FC Women (@CelticFCWomen) December 27, 2021
When you don't think this can get anymore wholesome but then you overhear a @rachjohnstone_ declaration of love…but for which Chloe? 👀🤔 pic.twitter.com/WNZlM6NcN2
— Celtic FC Women (@CelticFCWomen) December 28, 2021
