Amid the demands to spend, O'Riley to Brighton is exactly how it's supposed to work Get the latest Celtic news sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter We have more newsletters Get the latest Celtic news sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter We have more newsletters The mobile phone going off in the SMiSA press room broke the Brendan Rodgers flow just when he was holding court and trying to explain Celtic’s summer of stumbling in the transfer market. “Is that Michael on the phone..
. ‘shut him up’” Rodgers joked, quick as a flash. It was a tongue in cheek quip from the Celtic boss about chief exec Michael Nicholson .
But the message from the manager had already been long delivered by that point. Rodgers admitting Celtic ’s late shopping spree was a stress the club should have avoided was an eye-opener. As was the talk about supporters deserving to see the Parkhead piggy bank cracked open in the next few days.
It was almost – almost – lost in the wash the fact one of Celtic’s top assets was already on his way out. There is a mixture of pride and pain at losing Matt O’Riley to Brighton for a record fee that could reach £30m. The playmaker’s departure will leave a huge hole in the side but it’s the Celtic model working in spectacular fashion.
Rodgers won’t grudge O’Riley earning his move to the big time – and the journey the player was on at Parkhead will be a handy selling point for any potential new recruits this week..