Kasper Hogh is a very welcome addition to the Celtic squad in light of the loss of Daizen Maeda.
At just 25 years old the six foot Dane is exactly the type of player we fans have been crying out for – young but with a proven track record in the Champions League.
But make no mistake, the first team squad remains light on both quantity and quality.
Daizen out, Hogh in – still many positions to be filled.
And that’s not taking into account any more players moving on.
Hogh could have been added to the squad for day one of pre-season training.
But despite the club having at least £70 million in the bank it appears his recruitment was depended on the sale of Maeda to Ipswich.
Which would signal that the current board aren’t willing at this point to dip into that “rainy day” fund.
Maeda’s departure has been on the cards at least all summer, arguably for a year now.
And yet the Hogh signing wasn’t agreed until the very same hour that Maeda’s departure was confirmed – that’s not a coincidence.
The pressure on the board was building to a level not seen for many a year before Saturday’s deal with Bodo Glimp was leaked to favoured messengers.
CROWDS DISAPPEAR- LAZY MEDIA CALL IT A CELTIC BOYCOTT BUT IT IS DEEPER THAT THAT
The attendance at the home friendly against Middlesborough was so low that the media were referring to the game as a boycott.
Not that anyone called for a boycott but the attendance at the game demonstrated exactly how disillusioned the vast majority of fans were feeling.
Across both fan media and social media it was clear that supporters patience had worn very thin with yet another summer transfer window encompassing many sales and only one purchase.
Rumours were rife on Friday that Martin O’Neill was at the very least unhappy with the lack of support he was receiving.
Against this backdrop the departure of Maeda may well have proven to be a tipping point for many fans.
And so the Hogh purchase was confirmed. Well leaked, on the back of Ipswich announcing the signing of last season’s title winner.
IS O’NEILL NOW DEMANDING AND DRIVING EMERGENCY RECRUITMENT?
We may never know if O’Neill was making his feelings know to the board but it shouldn’t take that, along with fan apathy and the impending loss of our talismanic striker from last season to green light an ambitious signing.
And don’t forget that our captain is watching to see if the club’s ambition matches his own. So far Callum McGregor has been kept back from media conferences.
The danger now is that the board feel this one signing has bolstered the first team enough to quell the fans unrest and convince Callum McGregor to stay on.
Kieran Tierney needs support at left back. Why Marcello Sarachi wasn’t given that role remains a mystery given that the manager wanted him and the fans were overwhelmingly onboard too.
Losing Alistair Johnston would be a huge blow and would require the board to make another statement signing to replace his quality.
Similarly the midfield requires reinforcements and that’s before even considering letting either Arne Engels or McGregor leave.
Quality is also needed on both wings given that both of last summers signings, Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Sebastian Toutetki, have yet to make the grade.
The jury may still be out on Tounetki but time must surely be up now for Balikwisha after his non existent impact last season.
These players are needed now. Pre-season has been and gone and the league campaign starts this weekend. Champions League qualification is less than a month away.
HOGH HAS TO BE THE TURNING POINT AT CELTIC- NO GOING BACK NOW
The Hogh deal is not the redemption of the current Celtic board and executives.
This is a signing that should have been made in January last year when Kyogo was sold and we had a knock out Champions League tie on the horizon.
Failing that a statement signing like this should have been made last summer when Brendan Rodgers was crying out for a quality striker to build on that Champions League run.
Instead he got Shin Yamada, fostered upon him by Paul Tisdale and we all know what happened next.
The Hogh signing is a welcome step forward but it comes after the current board have taken many, many steps backward over the past 18 months.
Ultimately though, we need a board and executive at the club that don’t need to be pressured into being ambitious.
The Celtic board are keen to downgrade any hopes of progress or ambition. Supporters can never allow that to happen with the spotlight on Nicholson and his next move. Prove yourself Mikey!
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