Hugh Keevins has cast doubt on Celtic’s European credentials with a blunt assessment of the squad’s current firepower.
The criticism comes as Celtic continue without Nicolas Kuhn and Kyogo Furuhashi.
With no replacements yet signed, the frontline looks noticeably light. Both players were expected to play key roles this season, but their exits have left Brendan Rodgers short of options going into a crucial European tie.
Still, Keevins’ analysis may be painting too bleak a picture. While the squad undoubtedly needs attacking reinforcements before the transfer window closes, there remains enough quality to get the job done against Kairat over two legs.
The likes of Daizen Maeda, and Kieran Tierney should offer more than enough to dominate possession and create chances at Parkhead.
But the message is clear: unless Celtic act in the market, the deeper they go in Europe, the more exposed they’ll become. First, here’s exactly what Keevins had to say about the current state of play.
He said: (Clyde 1 Superscoreboard), “Are you kidding me on?
“Celtic have enough firepower?
“The one area of the side where Celtic are seriously in trouble is up front. They have no firepower.
“I think they will need a very good lead from Celtic Park.”
Keevins’ take won’t go down well, but he’s right to point out Celtic look short up front. With Kuhn and Kyogo both gone, and no clear replacement brought in, Rodgers is light on natural options through the middle. There’s no obvious backup striker, and that leaves little room for error in the final third.
Even so, Celtic should still have enough to get past Kairat. These qualifiers are about results, not perfect performances. With the first leg at home, they should have the control and attacking threat from midfield to take care of the tie.
But Keevins’ comments point to a bigger concern. If Celtic want to go further in Europe this season, they can’t just hope someone steps up. They need new signings. It’s not only about replacing names like Kyogo, it’s about building a squad with proper depth.
Supporters will want to see action in the transfer market, and rightly so. Getting past Kairat would be expected, but if the club has bigger goals, they’ll need more cutting edge to get there.
