Stephen McGowan has told Brendan Rodgers to get a grip on recruitment and to start earning his ‘big bucks’.
The Irishman quit Celtic in February 2019, less than a month after his infamous ‘million wingers’ quote when he was asked about the signing of Marian Shved.
Celtic signed the winger from Karpaty Lviv and instantly loaned him back to the Ukrainian club, two uneventful years later Shved left Celtic to little fanfare.
During the same window Celtic recruited Vakoun Bayo, Timo Weah, Oli Burke, Manny Perez, Andrew Gutman and Jeremy Toljan with none of them making much of an impact, or staying around.
Recruitment has been a running soar for Celtic with two outstanding windows under Ange Postecoglou the exception rather than the rule.
Mark Lawwell has headed up Recruitment and Scouting over the last three windows with only Alistair Johnston, Oh Hyeon-gyu and Luis Palma making an impression at first team level.
Returning to Celtic in June Rodgers highlighted the brilliant work of the Chairman’s son, unfortunately there is little evidence of that in the team sheet with reinforcements badly needed in January.
Summarising a number of issues in the Daily Mail McGowan claims:
A win over Rangers and four new signings would lift the mood no end. Defeat and another ropey window would gift wrap the title and Champions League football to their oldest rivals and squander a position of financial dominance.
While most fingers of blame would be pointed at the board of directors, Rodgers could do with getting a grip on the club’s recruitment. It’s time to show why he earns the big bucks.
McGowan has a long established track record of reading the signs of what is going on among the Celtic hierarchy.
In August Rodgers explained that he had a minor role in recruitment, his task was to coach the players that the club provided him with but by the time of the Celtic AGM he told shareholders that he had the final say.
January promises to shine a light on Celtic’s recruitment and the role that Rodgers plays, from Monday new signings can be registered with the SFA with the manager making it clear that he needs those ready to go straight into the first team rather than more projects.
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