da cassino online： It was one of the busiest transfer windows ever – and confirmed why it’s best to keep January dealings to a minimum.
da cassino： Earlier in the season Tony Mowbray suggested that he’d be looking for 11 January signings as he undermined even further the dressing room confidence.
There was little doubt about how Mowbray rated the squad that he had inherited from Gordon Strachan, spending Saturday afternoons with your head staring down at your shoes is usually a big give away.
Marc-Antoine Fortune and Danny Fox had been the main summer signings with Landry N’Guemo brought in on a season long loan.
Mowbray was clearly looking to overhaul the squad with the clock ticking down slowly to the opening of the January transfer window. Out went Gary Caldwell, Stephen McManus, Barry Robson, Willo Flood and Scott McDonald with Middlesboro, managed by Gordon Strachan, a popular destination.
In November Peter Lawwell travelled to South Korea to complete the signing of Ki Sung Yeung but the main business was soon to get underway- leaving the Celtic dressing room almost unrecognisable
So here’s a reminder of Mowbray’s January arrivals…
ROBBIE KEANE
Right at the death of the window, with the English deadline closing at 5pm the wheels went into motion to bring Robbie Keane to Celtic Park.
Having already signed Morten Rasmussen the move for Keane saw Scott McDonald on his way to Middlesboro as the crowds gathered outside of Celtic Park for the arrival of the Irish striker.
Towards 11pm Keane popped his head outside the front door to an enormous cheers, playing a low key arrival in the arrival was manager Mowbray.
The following night at Kilmarnock the ‘revival’ was over, a few months later it was also all over for Mowbray with Player of the Season Keane also departing the minute his loan deal was completed.
JOS HOOIVELD
Bringing in a defender from AIK Solna prompted memories of Johan Mjallby with a £1.8m fee dispatched for the talkative Dutchman.
His second appearance was in the 1-0 defeat at Kilmarnock during which he picked up an injury that ended his season.
Neil Lennon didn’t give Hooiveld a second thought with a low cost deal arranged with Southampton after a loan to FC Copenhagen. At Southampton Hooiveld gained promotion to the Premier League where he made 23 Premier League appearances.
Jos is now back at AIK Solna.
MORTEN RASMUSSEN
Seemed to fit the bill as a regular scorer for Brondby where he earned the nickname of Duncan, apparently after Duncan Ferguson.
After coming on as a substitute and scoring on his Celtic debut at Hamilton things went downhill with Robbie Keane installed as the main striker.
Loan spells at Mainz, Allborg and Sivasspor followed before a deal was arranged with Midtjylland for ‘an undisclosed fee’. Currently on the books of Aarhus.
DIOMANSY KAMARA
Slipped quietly into Celtic from Fulham in the shadow of Robbie Keane in another unusual deal.
There never seemed to be any likelihood of a permanent deal being struck with both player and club happy to see out the season then go on their separate ways.
The Senegal internationalist spent part of the following season on loan at Leicester and is still going strong with NorthEast United in India.
EDSON BRAFFHEID
It seemed too good to be true- solving the problem left-back position with a Dutch internationalist on loan from Bayern Munich. It was.
Braffheid made next to no impact in a dozen Celtic appearances with the mystery completed when he appeared as a substitute in the World Cup Final as Holland lost to Spain in South Africa.
Hoffenheim and FC Twente were next on Edson’s list of clubs followed by Lazio, he is currently on the books of FC Utrecht.
KI SUNG YUENG
The signing from FC Seoul was arranged in November with an eye on commercial opportunities as well as footballing matters.
Despite starting just five SPL matches the young midfielder made it into South Korea’s World Cup squad for South Africa.
Ki flourished under Neil Lennon and earned his dream move to the Premier League when Swansea came in with a £6m fee.
THOMAS ROGNE
Was pressed into action earlier than intended when Hooiveld got injured soon after arriving to replace Gary Caldwell.
The 20-year-old Norwegian looked the part but a run of muscle injuries prevented him from putting together a meaningful run.
Neil Lennon kept the faith but after another two injury interrupted seasons he moved to Wigan on a Bosman deal and is now back in Scandinavia playing for IFK Gothenburg.