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If you're going to slate Adam Idah's Celtic transfer fee then you need to remember Kuhn and Hatate's
Adam Idah isn’t able to play his part for Ireland this week.
But he’s still doing his bit for Celtic. And, when forming judgments around his displays since making the switch from Norwich permanent, it seems unjust if the starting point is his sizeable £9million transfer fee. Brendan Rodgers has spoken long and loud about the importance of options.
Not just purely in terms of personnel but in approach for certain matches and Idah has a big role to play in that flexibility. Celtic had to pay what many considered to be over the odds to get their man at the end of a long-running saga. Once Rodgers made it clear he wanted the striker, who pulled out of the Republic squad this week, the Norfolk club held the cards and that’s just how it works in the market. When assessing Idah’s work, it’s too easy to factor his transfer fee into the equation as opposed to merely his output. That’s fair enough if he cost £90m. But not really when it’s £9m. And it cuts both ways with transfers.
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If critics say Idah is not playing like a £9m man, then the same has to apply for Nicolas Kuhn because he’s certainly not playing like a £3m man. You wonder how Rapid Vienna must be feeling now seeing the German worth about nine times more than they sold him for less than a year ago.
Ditto Alistair Johnston for around the same price. Reo Hatate for less, same for Daizen Maeda. Rapid must have watched Kuhn’s double against RB Leipzig in the Champions League and felt robbed. Or any one of his other eight goals and 10 assists this term.
Celtic got Matt O’Riley for £1.5m from MK Dons and cashed a cheque for him from Brighton that could amount to 20 times that. The Dane didn’t just score on his Premier League debut to sink Manchester City.
At the same time, the midfielder delivered more concrete proof that players graduating from Parkhead are already the full package and worthy of Celtic demanding hefty fees for their stars. It’s natural that some deals are bargains and there are others where clubs have to pay a little over to get what you want or need.
Celtic fans saw Idah in full flight as he ripped it up for the second half of last campaign and added a crucial dimension. His thunderous header into the Motherwell net sparked a Fir Park fightback that was absolutely pivotal in the title race.
So was his vital strike against Rangers at Ibrox and no Parkhead supporter needs reminding of what he did from the bench in the Scottish Cup Final. Idah was no gamble. He’d been there, seen it and done it, so there were no concerns over settling or handling the pressure of Celtic.
That, on its own, is worth a couple of extra bob given the way some players have sunk when crushed by the club’s expectations. Rodgers could not go with Kyogo Furuhashi on his own and, at the same time, Idah can’t be judged against his brilliant colleague.
The whole reason he was signed in the first place was not to be like his team-mate. He’s got his own style and quality traits and he’s shown them in both spells. Five goals so far this term is a reasonable figure.
In the right place in front of the sticks to knock home the equaliser against Falkirk and then the timing and power to burst through the Bairns defence to score. The rapid swoop to the near post to rifle home a strike at Motherwell, a tidy finish at St Johnstone and, of course, the timing of run and composure to run in behind the Slovan Bratislava defence and knock home on his Champions League debut.
Idah wasn’t able to reach Callum McGregor’s cross at Rugby Park last weekend. But he’s still the reason the ball ended up in the net for the priceless breakthrough.
The striker’s clever movement back onside and then off the back off the defender left Kilmarnock keeper Robby McCrorie unable to properly address the Celtic skipper’s delivery and the Hoops were ahead in a game in which they were second best.
Idah had his nose burst within five minutes in Ayrshire and took the buffeting from the defenders. He kept at it. That’s an asset.
Intriguingly, Idah has only started five games this season for his five goals. Considering his tally for the loan spell last term was nine, it’s hardly a weak ratio. In context, Kyogo has started 12 games this term and has only one more goal than Idah with six.
The differing option provided by the Irishman also gave Rodgers an alternative to utilise away from home in the Champions League. Idah was not able to bully or muscle Atalanta defender Isak Hien but his presence allowed Celtic to adjust their approach in Bergamo.
An adjustment that helped them earn a precious point and also get over half a million more out of the UEFA prize pot. Price tags can haunt players. It’s been seen for years.
But within reason, the best way to value any individual within a squad is to judge his worth to the manager and his team-mates. And, if Idah keeps contributing, Kyogo keeps fresh and firing and Celtic keeps winning trophies, it’s money well spent.
