Hoops need to take ambition on board

CELTIC: Rodgers wants window shopping to produce the goods

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is optimisticthatcontinuedcommunication with the board can help avoid another frustrating transfer window.

Rodgers expressed dissatisfaction during the summer after missing out on key targets such as John McGinn, although Celtic broke their transfer record to keep loan signing Odsonne Edouard at Parkhead.

Another loan signing, Leicester’s Filio Benkovic, has impressed in central defence, arriving shortly before the deadline, but Celtic were left with a striker shortage after Moussa Dembele departed at a late hour.

Both chief executive Peter Lawwell and Rodgers admitted they had their frustrations when quizzed at the club’s annual meeting on Wednesday, but the Celtic boss has put those behind him after his side moved top of the Ladbrokes Premiership before the winter break.

“It was a frustration and I think that was well-documented,” he said ahead of today’s trip to face Hamilton.

“I’m not one that can hide it very well. I have to say I was not hiding it very well at all. So there was a natural frustration there because, of course as the manager and leader of the team, you want to continue pushing the team forward.

“But of course it’s constant and in January we hope that we can improve the squad if players are available. January, in my experiences up here, is always an important window to strengthen.”

Celtic have Olivier Ntcham back in their squad after a hamstring injury. Goalkeeper Craig Gordon is fit again while Leigh Griffiths and Scott Brown are also back in training and will be assessed before the Accies clash.

Kieran Tierney (hamstring) and Tom Rogic (knee) will be assessed after sitting out international games.

Kristoffer Ajer (fractured eye socket) drops out.

Hamilton have announced the signing of former World Cup goalkeeper Jan Mucha on a short-term deal.

The former Everton player has 46 caps for Slovakia and played in four World Cup finals matches for his country in 2010.

The 35-year-old was most recently with Nieciecza in Poland before moving to Scotland.

Frustrated in Paradise as Brendan Rodgers seeks the financial backing to take Celtic to the next level.