ALEX’S ANGLE: EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES: OVER TO YOU, BRENDAN
If Brendan Rodgers values unselfish effort and professionalism, then Celtic will have more than £30 million in talent resting on the bench during their match against Hearts at Parkhead later today.
Without a doubt, Arne Engels, Adam Idah, Auston Trusty, Luke McCowan, and Luis Palma – who collectively have transfer fees totaling £31 million in a little over a year – can only expect to watch from the sidelines as the game begins.
Of course, I don't know the specific plans and tactics the manager is working on for the upcoming match. However, I can't imagine Liam Scales, Paulo Bernardo, or Kyogo Furuhashi not being ready and on the field when the referee blows the whistle to start the game today.
This could be a disappointing situation for Trusty, who is excited to make his first appearance, as well as for record signing Engels and Idah, who is still looking for his first goal as a permanent player for the team he has always admired.
CALL TO ACTION... Brendan Rodgers is striving for greater achievements.
However, the players mentioned—Scales, Bernardo, and Kyogo—performed exceptionally well in the recent 3-0 victory against Philippe Clement’s team, who struggled to find their footing at a lively Celtic Park less than two weeks ago.
They should have a clear advantage over the Edinburgh team, no matter how much the champions have had to tap into their financial resources to assemble a group of players ready to face the challenges of both domestic and European tournaments.
It feels like just yesterday, right around the transfer deadline day at the end of last month, when anxious fans were ready to hit the panic button. Mr. Angry from Row E and his fellow frustrated supporters were gearing up to unleash their anger on the club's decision-makers.
Chairman Peter Lawwell met with a few fans prior to the 3-0 win against St Mirren in Paisley. One enthusiastic supporter, feeling quite passionate, urged him to "spend the money already."
NEW SIGNING…£11 million acquisition Arne Engels is eager to get started.
The free advice from this financial expert was clearly heeded, and thankfully, things have settled down on that issue. At least for now.
A glance at today's reserve team reveals a wealth of talent available. Initially, it seemed like there was a shortage of skilled players, but some impressive maneuvering in a challenging market has changed that.
The financial cycle will stay unchanged until 2025 comes around.
The responsibility now lies with the manager. Brendan earns a significant salary for piecing everything together for each match.
Rodgers now faces the challenge of managing various expectations. He needs to acknowledge the aspirations of some players, offer reassurance to others, and soothe those who may have temporarily fallen out of the main lineup.
I’m not sure these issues will trouble the sharp-minded Irishman in the least.
Rodgers requested additional support and had at least one ally in Paisley who was just as passionate, urging the club’s management to “spend the money already.”
Not long ago, we caught a brief look at what the future might hold while facing a Govan club that seemed vulnerable and ripe for the picking.
WELCOME BACK… Brendan Rodgers welcomes Paulo Bernardo, a £3.5 million signing.
We'll be facing a struggling Tynecastle team that has been overwhelmed by hardship since the season began.
For reasons that are hard to understand, Steven Naismith's team managed to be one of just two clubs—along with a late-surging Lazio—to defeat Celtic at Parkhead last season. I don't think we'll see a repeat of that this time.
Next, we can focus on the Champions League as the prestigious tournament begins with Slovan Bratislava visiting on Wednesday.
This is our prime chance to really make a difference at this level. If we don’t succeed in overcoming our previous shortcomings, there won’t be any justifications for it.
Staying optimistic, we should trust that the manager has put together a group of skilled and capable players who can go all the way until the last whistle blows against Aston Villa in the Midlands at about 10 PM on January 29 next year.
A single glance at the substitutes' bench this afternoon will undoubtedly highlight this reality.
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