The myth around the signing of Adam Idah…
Adam Idah was announced as a Celtic player at 10:29pm on transfer deadline day, just an hour before the January window shut. By 10:30pm, twitter replies to Celtic’s post announcing the player were flooded with negativity and frustration, understandably so considering the dire transfer window the club orchestrated in January.
Much of the frustrations were aimed at how Idah was apparently ‘Norwich’s third choice striker’, along with the fact the club had passed up the opportunity to sign Syndey Van Hooijdonk, son of Pierre, in favour of signing the Corkman.
Looking back in hindsight, and with five goals in as many league appearances so far, it is clear that the majority of the Celtic fanbase got it wrong, but the narrative which surrounded Idah and his reputation is another aspect which was wildly inaccurate.
Prior to joining Celtic, despite limited game-time across December and January, Idah was enjoying his most prolific season to date. Six goals (one penalty) in 28 appearances, albeit just 12 of those appearances were starts, Idah was Norwich’s second top scorer behind their current leading goal scorer Jonathan Rowe.
Idah only just turned 23 last month, a sobering fact considering he has already racked up 121 senior appearances, along with 20 international caps. The former College Corinthians man endured an extremely promising underage career, beginning in the u18 Premier League where he scored nine times in fifteen appearances.
His size and elite physical abilities for his age meant he would be rewarded with a first appearance for Norwich’s u21’s at just 16 years of age, and he would go on to score 15 times and register seven assists across 33 appearances at Premier League 2 level.
It is an understatement to say Idah has failed to replicate his prolific goal record at senior level, but injuries haven’t helped either. Idah has struggled with a re-occurring knee-injury throughout his career which has kept him out of 63 games for club and country.
Norwich fans often bemoaned the form of their own academy product, similar to how Celtic fans view Mikey Johnston. Idah needed a new environment and a loving fanbase, both which he has found in the East End of Glasgow.
The boy from Cork has found a new home in Paradise, and the myth around his abilities as been quickly dispelled. It was nothing personal from the Celtic support though, the anger was all directed at the Celtic Board and not the player who is proving himself to be worth of the shirt and the adoration that comes with it.
I watched Idah often with Ireland and to be honest, didn’t think he was worth it for Celtic. However, I keep thinking back to something the great Bertie Auld said when Larson left. With the amount of ball being supplied to the strikers at that time, his replacement, whoever that may be, wil still score a lot of goals. That for me might have been Idah’s problem with both Ireland and Norwich, though I don’t watch Norwich very often. If Celtic keep putting balls up to him and into the area, instead of passing it to death, Celtic might have unearthed a nugget !