Idah starts to win over dubious fans
Ireland striker impresses after controversial transfer
ADAM IDAH marked his Celtic debut with a crucial assist against Aberdeen to help defuse the flak which followed the Irish striker’s arrival on transfer deadline day.
Idah, 22, was introduced with just over half an hour to go at Pittodrie and made an instant impression, as he teed up another newcomer, Nicolas Kuhn, for the equaliser.
The Cork native caused the Dons defence problems thereafter as he allayed fans’ concerns that he might be below the level needed to sustain a Premiership title push.
Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton accused Celtic of ‘gambling with the title’ by signing Idah.
‘You have to be honest and say he’s a striker who hasn’t been able to get into a bang average Norwich City side ahead of an ageing Ashley Barnes,’ said Sutton. Idah’s record of 17 goals in 115 club games and three for Ireland in 22 appearances are a worry for some fans but on-line reaction after yesterday was positive towards him.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers, who is adamant Idah has the qualities to be a success, called on his players to focus on the football and ease the dissent among fans. Celtic ran out to chants of ‘sack the board’ from the visiting fans and a banner reading ‘Celtic board, on your heads be it.’
Supporters were unhappy with a transfer window that saw Kuhn and Idah arrive while David Turnbull and Mikey Johnston departed.
Many supporters believe the failure to further strengthen the squad has risked their Premiership title defence and they resumed their chants of dissent after the game. The name ‘Lawwell’ was central to the noise, after the influence of chairman Peter Lawwell and the record of his son, head of recruitment Mark Lawwell, came under scrutiny in recent days.
Rodgers had called for unity ahead of the game and he said afterwards: ‘I can only concentrate with the players on what we do on the field. You always find that winning games and performing well can ease those situations, and that’s what we aim to do.
‘Supporters pay their money, they have every right to say what they want to say.
‘For us it’s the field, we can only control that. If we can do that, then we will be okay.’
Rodgers, who felt his side lacked aggression in the second half, agreed it was ‘very important’ not to let the complaints become a distraction to his players.
Although the fans were chanting against the board before and after the game, they applauded the players and manager after the final whistle and supported throughout.
‘Whatever goes on outside of the field, you have to be able to deal with that,’ he added.
‘At a club like Celtic, and the biggest clubs, there will always be that pressure there. I don’t need to add
Supporters pay their money, they have every right to have their say
any more pressure to the players. They understand, playing here.
‘My job is to give them the confidence to find the results we need to find. But there’s still so many games and a long, long way to go.’
Aberdeen did not manage a single effort at goal in the first half but Bojan Miovski netted on the counterattack in the 50th minute and the Dons had several opportunities to win the game in the second half.
With Rangers beating Livingston 30, Celtic’s lead is cut to three points over their Glasgow rivals who have a game in hand.