Adam Idah

Bump got me hopeful he was off to MLS.

 

Hope he's the ultimate professional in the break..

He needs to come back absolutely flying, if he's going to be a success here.

 

I could not agree more

 

Fresh start for the new season and zero excuses afforded to him now.
He's had more than enough bedding in time, he'll have his excused pre-season (still not buying that, he should have been working his * off last summer in prep for the move, a couple games to get up to speed would be acceptable, but many fans have excused his performances all year due to a lack of apparent pre season).

20 goals, on raw numbers, is a good return for a perceived backup striker. However he had an opportunity after Kyogo left to be the main guy and make that tally more like 25-30 goals. He did not take that opportunity, no matter how many times Rodgers gave him a chance and put Maeda out wide again to fit him in to the squad.
Many of his goals last season also (not always his fault, but indictive of the opponents ability and mind on their game) came when we were smashing teams, or he comes off the bench and scores a goal when already 3 up with 15mins to go. Not to totally belittle the return rate, but more to highlight the biggest issue with Idah - he doesn't impact a game, he doesn't lead the line and encourage the team, doesn't take games by the scruff and influences games. Still we all remember the Killie game during his loan spell, yet to see that sort of impact from Idah since. That's a let down and if he can't bring that to his game week in, week out, then he won't be the main striker.

But, like I said, fresh start, no excuses now, if he wants to be that success, he has the summer to be getting himself right in shape and ready to go, get some more strength to him and mentally be ready to lead the club.

 

A harsh take on Adam Idah imo. For a player who had no pre-season, and a big guy like Idah absolutely needs an intensive pre-season training to get match fit, ask John Hartson he will tell you that, and still score 20 goals, coming on for the last fifteen or twenty minutes in many cases that is a very good return indeed, no matter how hard you try and twist and wriggle it. Idah's goals for in the Champions League were defining for us, in what has been an excellent season, making huge inroads in the Champions League, winning the Double, and almost the Treble bar for Schemeichels' major faux pas. I don't recall you panning Kyogo when he was missing a barrowload of sitters early season and last, and being powder puffed brushed aside trying to lead the line. He was quite rightly transferred by Rodgers, and as we have seen at Rennes, Kyogo is on a downward trajectory in his career.

A major part of the problem for strikers with Celtic is we have no talented creative midfielder to feed the front line, we had it to a certain extent with Rogic, but Hatate over the piece has failed to live up to expectations in that role, and to a great extent, is still living off the back of one singular performance in the 3-0 win over the Huns at Parkhead, that seems like a long time ago go now.

Maybe Nygren will help sort that problem out when signed.

We also suffer badly from not having talented players who can flight free kicks or corners properly for our strikers and even our centre backs to feed off, for more goals at set pieces. Engels is partially good at that, but is in no way consistent enough to contribute to our striker's goal tally.

Give Adam Idah a proper pre-season under his belt, and a reconfigured midfield that actually protects the back line and supplies fresh, regular ammo to our strikers and wingers, then, and only then, will we get a proper chance to assess Idah's capabilities and prowess as the main striker.

 

Considering his attitude last summer, when he should have behaved like the ultimate professional for numerous reasons, I wouldn't hold your breath.

 

Pre-season is what, 6 weeks at best? Did the 9 months of football not make up for that last season? Like I said, he can't have that as an excuse this time - really should only ever have been afforded to him for a few weeks to a month of an excuse last season.

Even in your own words, his goals came from the bench in the last 15 minutes of games, often in those games we are 3 or 4 goals up, so many of his goals come against teams who have near given up and the team as a whole has steam rolled them, rather than Idah coming on to change a game for us and win us a game. Absolutely that Villa game was probably his best last season - but the fact we can pick out just one or two games over the course of a season and a half, is quite telling of how little impact he has actually had.
As for a lack of creativity from the midfield, true, but it also didn't stop Kuhn in the first half bagging goals or Maeda killing it through the middle when he played there. It's not like we had a low scoring season last year, we were high scoring overall.

Kyogo certainly wasn't as impactful in the last year or so, but he still influenced games and made a difference. But this isn't the Kyogo thread, so no point talking and comparing Idah with him, Idah needs to make his own mark.

 

This. I get it wasnt the smoothest of transfer sagas, but he surely knew he was signing for Celtic, yet he came back barely fit and so far off the pace. What did he do during the pre season at Norwich? Even if they chucked him to the youth/reserves during their pre season, he should still have been bursting his * to be ready for the transfer. It's partly why I can overly excuse the no pre season argument, specially after he played 9 months at the club. 9 months of competitive football should get you better prepared than 4-6 weeks of preseason.

 

Like I said Idah has already made his own mark.

His pivotal goals in clinching the League and Cup last year are testament to that.
His outstanding Champions League performances this year speak for themselves.

I don't know what more he can do to please or assuage a poster like yourself.

You are a hard taskmaster.

 

A full pre-season under Rodgers is worth it's weight in gold. I'm expecting big things from Idah and Engels after the summer.

 

The excuses made for him are hilarious. What a load of *.

He was getting intense training the whole season. His first touch was still pish by May. He was still strolling around the pitch most of the time. Half heartedly pressing and running the channels.

Must be getting a wizard in this summer for pre-season.

 

He's been part of the squad a year and a half now, yes he went back to Norwich for a bit in the middle, but I really don't know how much of a difference a few more weeks of pre-season makes at this point, he's had plenty of time to be fully fit and firing and mesh with the squad, and opportunities to show he has what it takes to be the main man, especially after Kyogo was sold, but really Jota getting injured pushing Maeda back out wide is the biggest reason he got starts at the end of the season, he never looked like he was going to make the position his.

 

I think it was more a case of Norwich were being dicks and new manager wanted to * him with view to keeping him so he kinda downed tools to give impression to new manager he wasn't worth keeping.
Pretty sure he missed a bus to an away game and things like that. At the time I viewed his behaviour as someone trying to force a move.
Flip side is ye wasn't as fit when he returned as he was when he left and didn't look as good bcoz of it

 

2 matches out of 72 appearances he has had for Celtic in that time.

 

That presents a couple bad impressions on him though - even if unintentional.
Firstly his attitude, if he was trying to force a move, very poor. Secondly, alright he may want to present to Norwich that he didn't want to be there, but surely he can still keep himself in shape? And if not, then how has it taken the entire season and now in to the new pre season for him to still be lacking because of that? It's an excuse he could get away with for a few weeks when he signed, but that excuse really did wear thin by October.

 

If Osmand hits the ground running I doubt Idah will play as often, for a guy that can bully a defence he rarely does it plus his first touch & link up play is sub standard at best.

 

Aye I agree mate.

Big preseason and coming season ahead for him. Needs to do much more on and off the pitch

 

The Ireland manager had some positive words about him recently. Praised his work rate and said he is growing. Can only be good for us.

Idah had a good first full season with us, especially considering the amount of times he came on as a sub. I think he'll improve on the 20 goal tally next season.