Hands off our Bayo, Hoops
Hyballa vows to keep Bayo for title bid as Slovaks play hardball
DUNAJSKA STREDA boss Peter Hyballa has vowed to fight to keep Vakoun Issouf Bayo from Celtic’s clutches so the striker can fire his side to a historic Slovakian league title.
Celts have had a £1.75million offer rejected for the 21-year-old
Ivorian and Record Sport revealed yesterday his club have put a £2.7m price tag on his head.
Sporting director Jan van Daele conceded it will be difficult to hold on to the in-demand frontman, with Parma and Rapid Vienna having tabled bids in excess of Celtic’s.
But German manager Hyballa wants Bayo to stay for the rest of the season with Dunajska Streda locked in a title fight with Slovan Bratislava.
Bayo’s 10 goals have helped fire his young side into second place in the Slovak Super Liga, eight points behind Bratislava, with the sides set for a top-of-the-table showdown next month.
Former Sturm Graz and NEC Nijmegen gaffer Hyballa knows the Hoops are a huge attraction but is hopeful of hanging on to his star with Celtic’s opening bid kicked out.
Hyballa, 43, told Record Sport: “If Celtic are serious and make a serious offer then it is something to consider because they are a wonderful club.
“I’d need to talk with the player but every coach in the world – and I’m sure Brendan Rodgers will be the same – wants the best for his team.
“I’m the coach of Dunajska Streda and that is my only interest and we must also look after ourselves. Bayo is a very good striker and I hope he stays with us.
“I don’t know what kind of money is on offer. And it’s not my job to put a price tag on his head because I’m the coach and not the sporting director or an agent.
“But purely from a football point of view we have the chance to be champions for the first time in the history of the club and we already have a record points total. We are eight points behind Slovan Bratislava – the big capital club – but we have a chance to finish first or second and we play Slovan on February 16.
“We have a new stadium with a capacity of 12,750 and we have the best supporters in Slovakia so we want to achieve big things – and Bayo is crucial to that.
“I worked for many big clubs in Europe and there are up to 35 scouts, including from Britain, at our games every week. Scouts even come to our training sessions because that’s football these days – it’s crazy.”
Brendan Rodgers is determined to bolster his attack with Leigh Griffiths out for an indefinite period and Odsonne Edouard having struggled recently with injuries.
But despite his two caps for the Ivory Coast, Hyballa insists Bayo is a raw talent.
He said: “Bayo is a development player and Celtic are on a different level but there is no doubt in my mind he would be a long-term success.
“But you have to work very hard with him on an individual basis because he doesn’t have the technique of players from big academies in Europe.”
“I told our general manager I want to work with him at least until the end of the season but I’m not surprised Celtic are well aware of him because big clubs have so many scouts.