There is a debate developing amongst the Celtic support, regarding two strikers who many feel we should sign this summer transfer window. One is already at the club and has performed really well since he joined on a temporary basis at the end of the winter window. The other is playing for a rival club in Scotland and has put us and the blue side of Glasgow to the sword a few times now.
Of course, the two players in question are Adam Idah and Bojan Miovski. The Republic of Ireland star, Idah, has been killing time on a Norwich City career that looks as if it could and should be coming to an end soon.
It’s obvious that things just haven’t went as anybody on either side would have liked; quite reminiscent of the Mikey Johnston scenario at Celtic Park, it should be noted. Some have even asked the question whether or not Johnston could be used as a makeweight in any potential deal to bring his international teammate up north to Paradise soon.
There’s no getting away from the fact that Idah has done himself no harm whatsoever with the way he has played since arriving from Carrow Road. His goals tally and assists so far have been a really strong return and exactly what the Hoops boss, Brendan Rodgers, will have been hoping for when he swooped to nab him in the last few days of the previous transfer window.
It’s not only the amount of goals Adam has scored – mainly from the substitutes bench too – but moreover his wonderful knack of getting important goals, and at crucial times.
The one at Motherwell sticks out in particular as a watershed moment for our season, should we go on and retain our Scottish Premiership title and bag a Scottish Cup into the bargain. He’s injected some fighting Irish spirit into a team that looked to have flatlined and couldn’t find a way to hurt opponents, who’s sole objective was to stifle our forward line and frustrate the supporters as a result.
Then of course his goal at Ibrox that nearly sealed all three points on the day and sent us home in a state of euphoria. How important it was now looking back that he did get on the scoresheet on his Glasgow Derby debut, as they scored a third too.
But there’s been a few others that’s been of value too and that’s why I can see the merit in trying to extend his stay in Glasgow if possible. It’s all dependent on ‘if the price is right’ as they say.
An initial £3 million valuation that was quietly mooted would represent good business on a try-before-you-buy quantity that we now know about. However, suspiciously following that run of form in front of goal, a new valuation of £6 million appeared to be the new figure bandied about. A stretch, there’s no denying. But one that could still see us get our moneys worth nonetheless.
Then there’s his domestic rival who once again showed us what he’s capable of at the national stadium in a highly pressurised situation. Straight off of the bat, Miovski causes Scales and Carter-Vickers problems, as he has done previously this season in a couple of games.
He’s not as big as Idah for sure, but he can still use his body and frame cutely enough to win fouls and drag bigger men out of position and beat them one-on-one. His goal at Hampden was a perfect example of this innate ability to trust himself when up against superior quality.
Having done it to both Celtic and our fierce rivals, he’s did it in European competition too which is always notoriously difficult for players who play in Scotland. Yet, he made a handful of himself in the Europa Conference League group stages against some fairly decent opposition parties.
Having said all this, my only concern with both men is that I keep asking myself this question: will they make us better and more competitive in Europe? Sadly, I think the answer is no, not really.
If we are going to buy Idah or Miovski to be the third-chocie striker, then fair enough. However, don’t waste time trying to convince yourself that either striker will significantly improve Celtic on the continent against some of the best players in the world.
I take the point that Miovski has played – and did well to an extent – in European football this year. That though, was the Europa Conference League group stages and not the UEFA Champions League group stages. Big difference.
Idah, as of yet, hasn’t been tested on that sort of stage but it’s highly doubtful having witnessed what he brings to the table, that he would markedly improve this current Hoops team at that level. I just don’t see it. I would like to be wrong, but something tells me we must aim higher for someone to compete with Kyogo to get better in Europe.
Paul Gillespie
OVER ON CELTIC SHORTS…Three Games from the Verge of Glory for Elena Sadiku’s Celtic side
THE CELTIC RISING
David Potter’s bestseller The Celtic Rising ~ 1965: The Year Jock Stein Changed Everything is completely sold out in print on but is available on Amazon kindle, with all the photographs of the hardback edition, for HALF PRICE at just £3.49…
We can’t afford the striker that will significantly improve Celtic on the continent. Those premium strikers are already on the continent, or in the EPL, on bigge rwages than we stretch to.
Miovski (my preference) or Idah would be a very good fit for Celtic alongside/in tandem with Kyogo. For the money it would take to secure either (6/7mill) they’d be a decent investment, enough to guarantee the SPL and ensure our participation in the new CL.
This could already have been done with Miovski at a discount back in January. If we get away with that criminal lack of investment and win the title, I hope the clown show in charge don’t repeat their January miserliness.
It makes me laugh when we keep saying we need to spend big on players for Europe, Personally I think we need to be extra careful when it comes to spending big bucks….in this day and age teams pay silly money for players who are very average or worse dont live up to the price tag so we have to be prudent on where we spend. Any players need to firstly seamlessly fit in to our team and our way of playing, they have to offer more than the players already there… In defence of my argument, Wolves paid Benfica £35m for Fabio Silva and look how thats turned out?? Big money doesnt always get you quality.!!!!