Adam Idah has been given the nod once more in Norwich City’s starting lineup, as they appear resolute in keeping the Irish striker in their plans, much to the chagrin of Celtic and their manager, Brendan Rodgers.
The Hoops supporters would love to see the Republic of Ireland striker back in Glasgow after a stellar loan spell last season. However, it’s shaping up to be a tough transfer saga, with Norwich’s new gaffer, Johannes Hoff Thorup, keen to assess the player during pre-season.
In a recent friendly against Club Brugge, Idah was handed a starting role but was subbed off after just thirty minutes. Thorup was quick to clarify that this was a premeditated move, emphasising the importance of easing Idah back into competitive action. His post-match comments left no doubt about his plans for the striker, sending a clear signal to Celtic.
“Like I said at the beginning of pre-season, we consider Adam an important player for us. That’s why he got 30 minutes today—it was crucial for him to start getting back into the rhythm, nice and easy. He’s had roughly a week of full training, so we knew it would only be a half-hour outing today,” Thorup explained.
“Hopefully, on Saturday, we can extend his playtime a bit more. From what I’ve seen of his qualities, he’s poised to be a significant player for us. Considering this was his first 30 minutes in quite some time, he’s bound to improve. But I think he showed glimpses of what he can bring to the table. We had him chesting down passes, holding up play, and providing lay-offs to push the game forward. He performed well in those aspects, though we could have involved him more offensively. That will come with time. From my perspective, it’s just a matter of patience.”
Today, Idah takes up the mantle again as Norwich faces Standard Liege in another pre-season clash. All eyes will be on the Adam to see how he continues to integrate into Thorup’s plans and what that might mean for Celtic’s hopes of a reunion.
The bhoys are currently in the USA preparing to take on DC United with only one recognised striker.
