|
Post by masterson on Sept 11, 2010 10:07:57 GMT
Neil Lennon anticipates more new arrivals at Celtic in Januray
11 Sep 2010
Neil Lennon has revealed he hopes to make further additions to his squad during the January transfer window.
The Northern Irishman signed 11 new players over the summer in an attempt to breathe fresh life into a Celtic side that had finished trophyless for the first time in seven years. Fifteen players also left the club, either permanently or on loan deals.
The closure of the transfer window on August 31 means most transfer business is now suspended until the end of the year, but Lennon already has his sights set on recruiting reinforcements in January, albeit on a much smaller scale than before.
“If we’re in a position of power we’ll look to strengthen again and try to keep improving the squad,” he said. “And even if we’re not going so well, we’ll probably still look to strengthen. But there won’t be the shift change we had this summer because we are pretty happy with the squad we’ve got now. We just felt it needed a bit of rejigging. A lot of players have gone out the door as well.”
This was Lennon’s first taste of the transfer window from a manager’s perspective and he confessed he found it a rather draining experience. “There were a lot of phone calls and deals done in the summer – and there were the ones that got away as well. There was a lot of work involved.
“I always remember Gordon Strachan saying he was glad when the window shut and I can understand that now. There is no more speculation and you can work with a settled squad.”
It is not completely finished, however. Free agents can be taken on at any time, and Celtic are hoping to persuade Danny Shittu to come north to Glasgow for talks and a trial. The Nigerian defender is without a club after being released by Bolton Wanderers at the start of the month.
“We are hoping to bring him up and have a look,” Lennon confirmed. “I’m just worried about squad congestion as well, so we are talking about that at the minute. If he comes up here, then we will have a look at him and that’s great. If not, then we will go with what we have.
“We would like to see him, to see his level of fitness. But he has been playing for Nigeria, and was at the World Cup as well, so I don’t think that will be a major issue. We’ll talk to his representatives over the next few days and see where we go with that.”
Celtic currently have on trial Shahdon Winchester, an 18-year-old from Trinidad and Tobago, but Lennon stressed the player was unlikely to feature in the first team immediately were he to sign. “He has trained with the youth team and been given good reports,” he said. “He’ll be training with us next week and we’ll have a look at him. But he is probably one for the future.”
‘If Shittu comes up we will have a look at him. If not, we will go with what we have’
|
|
|
Post by jasbhoy on Sept 11, 2010 11:24:38 GMT
I think he has the funds available should he feel the need to freshen things up, personally I don't think he'll need to.
|
|
vinny25
New Member
[M:10000]
Posts: 16
|
Post by vinny25 on Sept 11, 2010 13:00:52 GMT
He better have funds available after the summer's prfits.
|
|
|
Post by prairiebhoy on Sept 11, 2010 13:05:06 GMT
Why even talk about it. Mowbray did and it unsettled his team. If he has targets going into January then he should go about getting them but keep his cards close to the vest.
|
|
|
Post by gerry on Sept 11, 2010 13:18:19 GMT
How can he anticipate new signings in January when it's so early in the season. Wouldn't it be better to see how this team does before he thinks about changing things. It's good that he has the option, but that doesnt mean he has to take it.
|
|
bogle
Full Member
[F4:Bogleshake]
Posts: 228
|
Post by bogle on Sept 11, 2010 13:22:12 GMT
To be honest I think we are very light on the striker front but hopefully the likes of Murphy will get a chance to get on the goal trail even though he was hardly prolific at his previous clubs. Hopefully young Spence will get a chance as well as last I heard he was banging in the goals for fun.
|
|
|
Post by gerry on Sept 11, 2010 13:23:58 GMT
Hooper and Stokes haven't even had a chance to show what they can do.
|
|