HE might have missed out on re-signing Victor Wanyama last night but Neil Lennon, who today picked up the first Manager of the Month Award of the season from the league’s sponsors for August, declared himself happy with the way the transfer window panned out for Celtic.
“I think it’s a very good window,” the Celtic manager said today to the media as reported by FourFourTwo.
“Very pleased to get Mo (Mohamed Elyounoussi) in, another attacking option. Greg (Taylor) was a little bit prolonged but we got the deal done, and the two young lads, Lee (O’Connor) and Jeremie (Frimpong), will be ones for the future. But with the talent they have, they could make an impact this season. So we are very pleased with the business we have done.
“The club is united, let’s get that right. There’s been a lot of sniping but we stayed very strong on it and composed and knew what we wanted to do.
“These things take time but the window has closed and I am very happy with the quality of the squad, the players we have brought in and the players we already had.”
Greg Taylor will immediately provide stiff competition to Bolingoli for the left back position in Lennon’s team. The 21 year old Scotland international is very experienced in the Scottish Premiership and with the Belgian, who signed in July for £3million from Rapid Vienna, finding his feet in a Celtic jersey, Lennon seems to have plenty of options at left back in the post-Kieran Tierney era. The Celtic manager has been impressed by Taylor and had him high on his list of summer targets.
“He is hungry to be here, you could see that in his interview,” the Celtic manager said.
“In the last couple of seasons he has been one of the most consistent players in the country and we are delighted to get him on board.”
Celtic also seem to have been putting an increased emphasis on improving the standard of player in the Development squad. Yesterday’s captures from the two big Manchester clubs certainly seem to show ambition.
Man Utd losing Lee O’Connor (21) has certainly upset the Old Trafford fans and Frimpong (18) is well grounded and was highly rated at Man City. They join Irish youth internationals Luca O’Connell and Jonathan Afolabi who had already arrived in this window.
“It’s important that we try and find these players earlier with the way the market is now,” Lennon explained.
“It’s certainly changed since I was last here. We are just trying to be a little bit ahead of the curve if we can.
“It’s very difficult to get the level of player for the money that we have but if these four come in and develop and progress the way we want them to, then we think we’ve got real talent.”
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The Celtic manager also praised Nicky Hammond who has been working at Celtic on a temporary summer contract under the overall control of the de facto Director of Football and CEO Peter Lawwell. Hammond’s either leave because he’s not been offered a job or doesn’t fancy the remit and the structure or he comes in on permanent contract as Head of Recruitment.
Ideally though, as Niall J has argued on The Celtic Star this evening – Luca O’Connell and Jonathan Afolabi, see HERE – Hammond should be recruited as the Director of Football with a clear remit and responsibility, reporting back to the CEO.
Why this is controversial is something of a mystery to many supporters, especially those who attended or watched the match against Cluj or read the Celtic Underground article last month that shone a light into the workings of the Celtic scouting department this year.
The Celtic manager today praised Hammond for his “absolutely huge” role he has played over the past two months.
“He has worked tirelessly, he has been here, there and everywhere, he has been around Europe looking at players, meeting agents, club representatives, talking to people on the phone constantly. He is so diligent.
“I have enjoyed working with him the last few weeks and we have had a good week and everything starts to look even more promising. The players we brought in, a lot of it is down to his hard work.”
The Celtic manager also suggested that there were enquires for some of his players that were dismissed but one player he wanted to send out on loan – Jack Hendry – never got a move though so will presumably be out in the cold barring emergency until the January window opens.
“There were other parties that might have intervened or interrupted the process.
“We will work away with Jack and get him up to speed, he has been out for a long time with injury. It’s going to be difficult for him but it’s down to him to take it head on,” the Celtic manager said.
Hendry knocked back a chance to go out to Kilmarnock on loan with team-mate Calvin Miller also rejecting a move to Rugby Park. This resulted in Celtic having to pay £2.2million for Taylor on the last day of the window.
You know, with a Director of Football in place, Celtic could have secured the services of Taylor on the FIRST day of the transfer window for the same sum paid yesterday and he’d have been available for the Champions League qualifiers, you know this games that the club tells us are among the most important of the season yet we are continually ill-prepared.
A Director of Football’s remit is to make sure that this never happens again.
ALSO ON THE CELTIC STAR TODAY…
‘Give Celtic a Director of Football, Mr Lawwell and Neil Lennon will deliver,’ Niall J…see HERE.
‘Spooked us from the beginning,’ Rangers fans grudging admiration for how Celtic Kicked-off Beautiful Sunday…see HERE.
‘Appenin’ Bitton – Nir’s long overdue appreciation and why he deserves a new deal…see HERE.
Celtic’s Eventual Summer Transfer Window Reviewed – Board, Management, Players and Fans…see HERE.