Ange Postecoglou is clearly determined to keep driving Celtic forward. When it comes to having top players and excellent options, it’s my view that you just can’t have enough. Interest in Sead Haksabanovic has brought some interesting commentary in the past 48 hours as regards the situation within the Celtic squad.
The Montenegro international is noted mainly as a left winger and perhaps the wide positions are an area where the squad is well stocked. If you consider that Jota, Liel Abada, Daizen Maeda and James Forrest can all operate there, there are already options and choices.
But, if you want two to start and two to come off the bench on any given day to freshen things up in games, that means Celtic are still in a position where one injury leaves them short and unable to do that. Postecoglou has already gone on record to say that Mikey Johnston is not going to get regular opportunities this term and he wants him out and playing on loan, so, realistically, they currently have four.
Haksabanovic can play off the right hand side as well according to what I’ve heard and also in a central position. Right now, there is only really Matt O’Riley there for that area just behind the central striker after the departure of Tom Rogic and one man is not enough. Especially if the club is going to be playing another 50-odd games this season and the Danish Under-21 cap is going to have regular international commitments, potentially even a World Cup in Qatar with Kasper Hjulmand’s senior squad.
Brendan Rodgers once moaned about having a million wingers and it’s true that stockpiling average guys isn’t a great scenario if some of them just aren’t good enough for the side. However, if Postecoglou is adding individuals of quality who can go straight into the side at the drop of a hat without the standards dropping, then the more the merrier, in my eyes.
There are two things to consider here. The first thing and most-pressing aspect is ensuring that the strength of the team is not diluted during the fixtures when the schedule gets crammed. Champions League group stage matches are going to take an awful lot out of players and I can tell you from experience that there is a natural drop off when you return for the next domestic outing. It’s not easy to lift it time and again.
Postecoglou knows the title race is going to be tight and he simply can’t have a weekend where the players might have an off day. He needs a fresh and vibrant team every time he picks one. Look at how quickly things can happen. Much is being said about the fact that Celtic only have one game a week at the moment and that it’s making it easier on the squad.
Nonetheless, Reo Hatate took a couple of knocks on day one against Aberdeen and, although he’s back tomorrow, he hasn’t been able to play since. The only reason it wasn’t an issue is because there is quality there in David Turnbull to step into the role and make the transition seamless. That’s what is going to be needed across the park on a weekly basis.
Here’s another key thing. Succession planning is a crucial part of any club recruitment drive. When you sense that you have big players who might be moving on, you have to be ready to replace, or even better still, have the replacements already there and bedded into the unit.
In January, Postecoglou went into the market and signed Maeda, O’Riley, Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi. Yes it was to give the squad an immediate boost, especially midfield with Turnbull sidelined for the long term. But, even though we on the outside of the dressing room didn’t know it, you have to think the boss may have already had an inkling that Rogic and Nir Bitton were destined for the exit door in the summer and he was ahead of the game in terms of replacing them.
No panic scrambling around this summer trying to get them covered. He’d already done it. I’m not suggesting for one minute that any of the current Celtic wide men, other than Johnston, are going to be departing in the next fortnight. But what if Jota or Abada are absolutely sensational in the Champions League group stages? Clubs will be queuing up looking to sign them for megabucks next summer and you have to be ahead of the game when it comes to the market these days.
Put it this way, Josip Juranovic is a first-pick Croatian international who is going to a World Cup after playing in a Champions League. He’s already got admirers. What is the list going to be like if he excels in those two tournaments? Celtic will know this and I’d be absolutely shocked if the scouting team isn’t already scouring for a right-back. Not for right now, but for a later date, so they are ready to move if they have super offers for Juranovic in a year’s time.
Moritz Jenz is an example. Celtic had been on his case for over a year before he eventually signed. You need to plan ahead. For now and for later. Postecoglou might have a few wingers, but whether it’s Haksabanovic or another one which has been sourced, I believe any quality addition to the squad is a bonus. It’s not about having too many. To me, there are simply no negatives to adding more talent to your squad.
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