Jack Hendry has outlined why he left Celtic this summer in a permanent transfer to Oostende. The player bemoaned the lack of communication from Celtic as well as the Belgians’ willingness to sign him urged him to commit to a long-term deal with Oostende.
Hendry, who joined in January 2018, had loan spells with Melbourne and Oostende as he struggled to make an impact on the first team at Celtic but he sealed a deal this summer to play his football in Belgium, after impressing last season. Speaking to the Scots Abroad Podcast, Hendry admitted that the uncertainty around who the new manager would be as well as knowing Oostende wanted him made him commit to the Belgian club.
“It was within the first couple of games that I knew they wanted to activate it. Conversations were had.
“Oostende were clever with their business by putting that clause within the deal – they were very keen on doing that when drawing up the loan agreement.
“I knew it was in place right from the start. I think from them seeing me first hand in games, they knew the value of me, so getting me for a short fee they knew that I could add real value to the team with their model of bringing younger players through, but also getting a player that is undervalued.
“That happened with Celtic. Obviously, I depreciated in value and it was a very frustrating time for myself seeing that happening and not being able to go out on a pitch to show what I was made of and what I can truly do. It’s frustrating because I’m probably two or three years behind where I should be.
“Celtic’s in the past now. They obviously knew about the clause and how keen Oostende were. There was just such a severe lack of communication on their side.
“I thought ‘Do I want to put myself in a position where the club I’d be going back to doesn’t have a manager, there’s no real communication and on the other hand I’ve got a club out here who are desperate to sign me and put really good personal terms in front of me’.
“It would’ve been really difficult to turn down as I had a club back home where there wasn’t much going on.
“It was a shame because at the end of the day Celtic are a massive club and I feel I could’ve had a really good impact there, especially this year with the way it’s panned out.
“But, the club didn’t have a manager in place and I feel they didn’t have a structure. I didn’t want to go back to where I was before I left Celtic.
“I put myself in a really good position last year by getting my head down and working hard – I didn’t want to potentially put all that to waste.
“There was just so much uncertainty at Celtic and I couldn’t put myself in that position.
“I’ve got a team here who really want me, I’ve been captain and it’s very transparent with Oostende out here so I’m happy I made the decision and I’m really looking forward to the future.”
The comments about the lack of structure are particularly damning for Peter Lawwell, Nicky Hammond and Neil Lennon. Hopefully, new boss Ange Postecoglou and new CEO Dom McKay can improve this situation so that no other players walk away from a club like Celtic.
Hendry represents a disappointment in the club’s transfer business. He arrived for a high fee from Dundee, which would have added extra pressure to the youngster. It might have been due to his turn of pace, height or insistence to pass the ball that Celtic signed him but in truth, he never really settled. Rodgers appeared content asking him to play at right-back as well as at the heart of defence but he struggled to break into the side with Ajer, Boyata and Simunovic ahead of him in the pecking order. The new season may have increased opportunities for Hendry but he struggled to justify the price tag – often copping flak when thrown in at the deep end by Rodgers. AEK Athens and Salzburg away act as examples of Hendry being put in the deep end and judged harshly after a few games.
Neil Lennon clearly didn’t fancy Hendry and offered him limited game time but injuries hampered his chances to really make a mark. It is ironic that the one season Hendry enjoyed a prolonged run in the team, Celtic’s defence was utterly decimated. Ange Postecoglou has signed Carl Starfelt and will want another central defender brought in so it was probably in the best interest of all that Hendry moved on.
I think Hendry is kidding himself here. Never in a million years should he have been at Celtic.
He was a very poor signing. As for him thinking he was sold at an undervalued rate, well, had he had that belief while at Celtic he may just have made the bench more often.
No disrespect and I wish him well. But he was in over his head.
One of a few Rodgers errors.
The main reason is because he is shite