Celtic boss Martin O'Neill got a little prickly when being asked about the timing of the club's transfers this summer. The Bhoys had to rush to get five late deals done in the final 48 hours of the window despite having more than two months to do their business.
The delay likely cost Celtic a place in the Champions League, with their lack of depth, particularly in the midfield, proving key to their collapse in the second leg of their Champions League qualifier.
O'Neill has previously blamed agents and the state of modern football for failing to do early business, but it is becoming something of a Celtic trademark, to stumble through a transfer window.
Some good signings were made, but late in the window, it did look as though the Bhoys switched their focus from bringing in true quality to signing cheap bodies to fill their squad. That's not to disrespect those signed, and we wish them nothing but success, but it's not possible to truthfully say there wasn't a clear difference between some of the quality targets that Celtic did not get and some of the players they ended up signing.
The Champions League disaster played a part in that, but it was due to the Bhoys being reluctant to meet asking prices.
O'Neill issues frosty response
On Friday, O'Neill was asked what he thought of the timing of Celtic's business. He replied: "How many times are you going to ask me that? We started this in July, so yeah, I'm pleased with the players that we've got here.
"I just genuinely want to get on with it now. So, ideally, it would be great to have got players in early to get them bedded in. It doesn't matter. I'd be really happy to have the players that we have."
Pressed on the pattern of Celtic's business that left them rushing late on and relying on loan deals, O'Neill added: "Right, OK, that's a good point.
"I sometimes concern myself about loan players coming in and maybe not having the club that they're going to, seeing them as the club that they really want to play for.
"But I've also had loans of players who have loved the football club. For instance, Julian Araujo took the club to heart last season and that was great. Honestly, he would have done anything for the club.
"So, from that viewpoint, you're never sure. I think some of the lads that we brought in have careers right ahead of them and this is a great start for them. I think they're ready for what they want to do and I think they think that if you show some real belief in them that they will respond to it. So, that's how I view it. Loans are sometimes a bit of a concern. It depends on the player."
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