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I need Celtic fans to calm down about Arne Engels as £11m transfer fee’s practically buttons – Chris Sutton
You would think some people would have learned their lesson from last season.
Back then too many Celtic fans were rushing to judgement on Nicholas Kuhn. The winger was almost written off as a no hoper, despite arriving with some fitness issues. Now? Kuhn is arguably the best player in Scotland this term and the same fans who were on his back are hailing him as a £30m asset.
Here we go again though with Arne Engels. It seems some supporters are concerned they are not getting enough bang for their buck with the Belgian. They need to calm down. They also need to ignore the £11m price tag.
Look, it’s a lot of money for a transfer in Scotland. But when you consider the market Celtic are shopping in – it’s practically buttons.
I’m serious. Celtic are trying to be a Champions League team but at that level £11m doesn’t get you a back up left back, never mind a box-to-box midfielder. It would barely buy you a right boot in the English Premier League.
Regardless of the price tag, Engels is still a development player. I get the might be hard for some fans to get their heads around, but it’s the truth. Speaking to people who had watched him in Germany, it was clear Engels has talent and is a huge prospect.
But that is all he is right now – a prospect. He’s just a higher level of prospect than Celtic are perhaps used to. In terms of comparisons, it’s a deal closer to the one that brought Odsonne Edouard to Glasgow for £9m. It’s a lot of money in Scottish terms but it’s still an investment in potential.
I’ve got no doubt Engels will realise that potential at Parkhead as well. It’s not like he’s been hopeless. Far from it. There’s been a lot of good stuff in his first few months at the club. He has really looked the part in some of the European games in particular. He’s already a Belgian full international.
There are still some rough edges – but there are going to be. Engels has just turned 21, he’s a young lad trying to adapt to a new country. I get that he wasn’t great at Kilmarnock or in the first half against Hearts.
But he wasn’t alone. Those were tough, physical and frantic matches that he will not have experienced in Germany or Belgium. I know, because I’ve been there. The different when I arrived at Celtic Park along with other big money signings is that we came with a lot of experience at a high level.
Martin O’Neill was signing proven players. Engels is only at the beginning of his career, so you have to cut him a bit of slack. Forget about the transfer fee.
There is now a clamour to get Paulo Bernardo in the side from some at his expense. But it wasn’t so long ago Bernardo was being dismissed as a dud signing. Now he’s the best thing since sliced bread.
Perhaps supporters should have a bit of patience. It’s not a common trait in the Glasgow gold fish bowl though. Bernardo will get his chance because Engels – and just about everyone else – will get rotated at times during this hectic spell ahead.
It might do him some good, but it will also do him good working with a manager in Brendan Rodgers who has a reputation of developing players.
People just need to chill out and give him room to progress. Everyone wants an instant impact and it if doesn’t come there is instant judgement. That’s not how football works unfortunately. Players need time to find their feet.
Kuhn and Bernardo needed it and now are getting the rewards. Then there is someone like Auston Trusty. He was another one some folk were slaughtering after a couple of games, even though he wasn’t playing in his preferred position on the left side of the centre of the defence.
Yet he’s settled in the side – and in his more comfortable role – and is now looking like an absolute bargain at £6m. Trusty was impressive against Club Brugge the other night and is becoming a big player for Celtic. When it was all a bit chaotic, he was one of the ones who was determined to steady the ship.
It wasn’t the perfect night at Parkhead but I actually think it was an encouraging result. A draw is certainly no disaster given the makeup of the Champions League table but it was more the case Celtic didn’t lose when they were not at their best that impressed me the most.
There’s no doubt for me they would have lost that match 12 months ago. Instead they managed to hang on when it got tough and they figured out a way to make sure if they were not going to win, they certainly were not going to lose.
That suggests they are learning at this level. The goal was a nightmare, of course, but I don’t think anyone should be publicly flogged for it. Yes, Cameron Carter-Vickers should have had a look over his shoulder but you have to give credit to Brugge for their pressing. We are quick to praise Celtic when they force defences into mistakes so it cuts both ways.
I wouldn’t worry about Carter-Vickers either. He’s missed a bit of football and usually tends to take a few games to get himself back up to speed. He’ll be fine – as will Engels if people just have a little patience.
