THE January transfer window rarely brings much joy into the lives of supporters up and down the country who’re hoping for something to lift the winter blues.
Just like the high streets, business tends to be low.
For Celtic fans especially, though, the month now has an impending sense of dread to it.
No one disputes the difficulty in prizing coveted players from the grasp of sides who are reluctant to do business in mid-season. By the same token, the Parkhead club’s ongoing failure to address pressing matters at this juncture is becoming bewildering.
One year ago, the side’s need for multiple reinforcements at this stage of the campaign had long been apparent.
By the time the window closed, an underweight Nicolas Kuhn and a loan deal for Adam Idah was the sum total of the incomings.
Celtic failed to bring in a replacement for striker Furuhashi, who has joined French club Rennes
Japanese striker Kyogo Furuhashi left Celtic for Rennes in a deal worth £10m
Clearly irked at an unwillingness to pay the going rate for first-team ready players, Brendan Rodgers called on his board to be ‘braver’ in the transfer market.
A few weeks later, chairman Peter Lawwell acknowledged that the manager and the supporters had been sold short by a club then with £67.3million in the bank.
‘The Board recognises the inherent inefficiencies of holding excess cash, and, in conjunction with other cash commitments, the importance of investing in strengthening the team to deliver football success,’ he said.
‘The Board shares the frustrations of the supporters regarding the less than anticipated activity in the recent transfer window.
‘The Board’s commitment is to strengthen and improve the playing squad in every transfer window and although resources were available, we were unable to further add to the squad due to the unavailability of identified targets.
‘This was disappointing to us all and never the intention.’
The story in the second half of the season was that of a twin dynamic. As Rangers imploded, Rodgers leant on his experience to get his side over the line. But they won the title despite the January window. Not because of it.
Come the summer, it felt like the manager’s point on ambition had been accepted. Celtic twice broke their own transfer record to sign Idah permanently then Arne Engels even if those deals were offset by the sale of Matt O’Riley to Brighton.
With more emphasis on quality and less on quantity, Rodgers’ side enjoyed a fine Champions League campaign.
In gathering 12 points from eight matches to finish 21st of 36 clubs, there was demonstrable evidence of progress.
The reward was a tie with Bayern Munich. The natural expectation was Celtic would pull out all the stops to spring a surprise against the German giants.
Yet, a curveball came on the night Rodgers’ men defeated Young Boys to confirm qualification.
The manager had only just left the media room when word leaked out that a fee had been agreed with Rennes for the talismanic Kyogo Furuhashi.
Celtic brought winger Jota back to the club from Rennes as part of the Furuhashi deal
Utility player Jeffrey Schlupp has joined Celtic on loan from Crystal Palace
The timing felt strange, but it was also telling. The £10m deal had been pre-agreed with the French club. Now that Celtic were through, it was green for go.
The comfort for supporters was this was January 22. There were still 12 days to get a suitable replacement.
Surely, Celtic already had someone lined up? They wouldn’t possibly leave themselves so exposed? Would they?
While the sight of Jota moving in the opposite direction to the Japanese was warmly welcomed, the void in Celtic’s forward position remained.
With Brondby putting a £14m valuation on Mathias Kvistgaarden, Celtic began to resemble the person who sells their house only to find all desirable properties out with their reach.
Celtic were keen on £14m-rated Brondby striker Mathias Kvistgaarden
As the final hours of the window approached, Rodgers stressed that the acquisition of another forward wasn’t just desirable. It was non-negotiable.
‘I don’t need to fall out with anyone over it,’ he said after the win at Motherwell. ‘Everyone knows what it is we want to do at the club and that’s us all. I’m hopeful that we can do that.’
Long before the close of play, it was clear that he was to be sorely disappointed.
Jeffrey Schlupp did come in from Crystal Palace. In theory, he can play in Furuhashi’s position. He’s done so 11 times throughout his career.
He’s also played 119 times at left-midfield, 83 times in central midfield, 75 times as a left-back, 17 times as a left-winger, 10 times as a right-midfielder and even once filled in at centre half.
The Ghanaian is a fine player and should be a good asset for Celtic. But not in a month of Sundays is he Furuhashi’s direct replacement.
Nor, for that matter, is it realistic to expect Daniel Cummings or Johnny Kenny to step up to the plate.
Daizen Maeda can be utilised there as he has been frequently for Japan. But he’s needed on the left flank. In any event, he’s suspended for the first leg against Munich.
Celtic knew this in advance yet still didn’t get a deal across the line. They’ll no doubt stress again how hard it is to get your top targets at this time of the year and there’s no doubt that is the case.
But Furuhashi told them one year ago that he wanted out. So, why didn’t they sign his replacement in the summer so the baton could be seamlessly handed over? Where was the succession planning?
The optics in all of this just aren’t good. At last count, the club had £77.2m in the bank. It’s a lot easier to stockpile money when you find spending it so inordinately difficult.
With a pre-contract agreed for Kieran Tierney to return from Arsenal in the summer now agreed and Jota back on board, January has had its positive moments.
Yet with Furuhashi’s shadow still lingering over the club, it’s tough to argue that they have emerged from the window stronger.
Given the side will restore a 13-point lead at the top of the table if they beat Dundee on Wednesday, they’re unlikely to have gambled with the title on this occasion.
Striker Adam Idah has stepped up to the plate in the absence of Furuhashi
But the sense of anger and dejection among supporters currently being asked to shell out £46 for another Champions League match is just as palpable as it was 12 months back.
If Rodgers plays Idah in Saturday’s Scottish Cup tie against Raith Rovers, he runs the risk of losing him for the first leg against Munich next Wednesday. What exactly would happen then?
Celtic can talk of the challenges of recruitment at this time of year all they want. They can let it be known how close they came to some clinching certain deals and how outrageous the demands of some rival clubs were. They might well have a point.
But the fact is that they have again failed to do what was required of them.
After 12 years of working towards another glamorous knockout tie in the Champions League, it simply feels like they’ve waved the white flag before a ball is even kicked.