IF the Celtic board thought the international break could distract from a disappointing summer transfer window – then they thought wrong.
Fans are furious and demanding answers to the lack of transfer activity after deadline day saw only one new arrival in the shape of winger Sebastian Tounekti.
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They missed out on signing targets including Kasper Dolberg, who returned to Ajax from Anderlecht, while striker Adam Idah was allowed to go to Swansea in a deal worth in excess of £6m.
That was despite Brendan Rodgers’ saying previously nobody would leave until another attacker came in.
They were then left to scramble around frantically to try to bring in a new striker, only to see Chelsea’s David Datro Fofana turn them down for Charlton Athletic, before that move collapsed too.
SunSport then told you the Hoops were in for Kelechi Iheanacho hours before he was released from Sevilla.
A day later Brendan Rodgers’ men resorted to scouring the free agent market, and they did end up recruiting Iheanacho who turned them down in January.
And it is safe to say fans were less than impressed.
Supporters groups including the Green Brigade have written an open letter to under-fire club chiefs over the Hoops transfer business and failure to reach the Champions League.
And just when the board thought it was safe to break from cover another target has hit the headlines.
Celtic were linked with former Slovan Bratislava striker David Strelec and had a deadline day bid turned down for him in January.
Middlesbrough were also interested but baulked at the reported £9million asking price.
There was even reports in Slovakia from Strelec’s dad that Celtic could rekindle their interest in him this summer after Bratislava crashed out to ironically Kairat Almaty in the Champions League qualifier.
But instead he completed a move to English Championship side Middlesbrough on deadline day this week in a reported deal of around £6.5million.
And he hasn’t taken long to make an impression with new Boro fans and leave Celtic supporters wondering what might have been after a stunning strike against Germany in their World Cup qualifier.
With his team one up, Strelec picks up the ball around 30 yards out, the 24-year-old drives towards goal, turns Germany defender Antonio Rudiger inside out, before curling a wonderful left-foot effort into the top corner to double his side’s lead.
That goal sealed a 2-0 win for Slovakia to get their World Cup qualifying campaign off to a flyer, with Strelec also assisting for the opener.
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