Yes, for all the stick he gets they wouldn't have won the title the season before last without him. Since he signed permanently it's been a lot poorer. I think teams in Scotland figured out fairly quickly how to deal with him - just play a low block and he can't function at all. Swansea a lot less likely to come up against that kind of approach in the Championship. Presumably Alan Sheehan thinks he can bring on his game.
Idah made a valuable contribution to Celtic's season when he joined on loan but in no way was he key to that 2023/24 league title win, as in they wouldn't have won it without him, that's patent nonsense.
However he did win the cup that year for them (single-handedly) against Rangers. Idah contributed to 2 league title wins but just did not kick on from his early promise, considering he has the height, failed miserably as threat with his head and could not tack down the nr. 1 strikers role when given a host of chances to do so. He is being transferred onward at a financial loss for Celtic of some millions, that's not a success story, that means he's being given another chance to make the grade elsewhere that he has shown promise for in spurts.
I'm not that sure that it's him not functioning but as much the team not functioning or not functioning to maximise his qualities. I remember seeing a game last season that Celtic won probably 2 or 3-0, it was relatively comfortable. But the whole game he made great run after great run, was creating space for the midfielders to exploit by dragging both CBs with him - and it seemed like any opportunity he got to receive it, his teammates instead tried a more intricate pass to Engels instead.Originally Posted by Eirambler
In general, it's something I've seen a good bit with Idah, in games with a low block or 11 men behind the ball, he's very useful, he just doesn't end up with the goals to show from it...
It's not patent nonsense - it was widely acknowledged at the time that his goals in the second half of the season were the difference between winning the league and not winning it. Probably long since forgotten about by Celtic fans though, as they can't stand him now.
That's not saying his transfer was a success though - his best form was during the loan move. Since the permanent transfer he has been disappointing, with one or two notable exceptions such as the Villa game where he had more space to operate because Villa weren't sitting back like most teams Celtic play against.
Sky Sports saying he's undergoing a medical at Swansea today, so this seems to be going ahead.
£7m seems a lot for a player who's been going backwards the last year or so and who Celtic seem keen to offload to bring in a replacement.
Not sure where you are getting the going backwards. He scored 20 goals for Celtic last season, finishing the season strongly with 5 goals in the last 5 games. Has started this season poorly as have many of his teammates. As for the fee, all is relative. Kasey McAteer went to Ipswich for £12 million. That's a lot imo. £7 million for Idah seems a good deal relative to that fee.
Ah anyone will tell you last season wasn't as good as his loan spell, and this season has been worse again. That's going backwards in anyone's language.
In the loan spell he was at least knocking in key goals from the off (against Hibs and Motherwell in his first three games, plus against Rangers in the league and the Cup final). He didn't have close to that impact once he signed permanently - instead he drew regular criticism for his ineffectiveness and too many of his goals were when the game was already won (I think he scored the opening goal in one, maybe two games). His scoring rate dropped off too.
This season has been a disaster so far, and he's not the only one in that camp of course.
There will generally be some demand for strikers with a bit of height and a bit of pace - I lost count of how many teams (including Celtic) took a punt on Oliver Burke, often for sizeable transfer fees, without success. He's big, he's quick, but he lacks a footballing brain.
Idah seems to be similar, between his inability to make the best use of his attributes on the field, throwing up in a taxi and shushing supporters after scoring a goal, he doesn't seem like the brightest tool in the shed. Hopefully Swansea can get a tune out of him and he can turn things around.
He was drawing criticism before even signed for Celtic so take it with a pinch of salt, the criticism has rarely been balanced or fair.
Fact is he scored 20 goals last season. That’s a good return. He has never scored that many goals in one season before. And he “only” scored three less league goals than Maeda – who was on fire last season (and played 800 league minutes more than Idah!). And goals is just one aspect. With their current squad, Celtic function better with Idah in the team as a pivot/ focus for the attack imo. And as poor as he has been this season, Celtic played better when he came onto the pitch against Kairat. That game was a difficult watch for a neutral as myself, but it was 50:50 up until Idah came on. Celtic were on top for the remainder of the game with a couple of good goal chances, and I do recall Celtic missing an excellent goal chance from Idah’s good play.
I’m not sure there will be a goal scoring improvement with the move to Swansea. Probably would be better to get away from Britland and start afresh from the noise.
He was drawing criticism before going to Celtic, sure. I think it was generally deserved because, let's be honest, he flattered to deceive at Norwich, and for Ireland at the same time.
He dropped a level to move to Celtic, started well and was the Cup Final hero, then last year wasn't as good and by now Celtic fans seem actively to want him out of the club. That's going backwards.
Maeda was only on fire for the second half of last season, and still scored 13 more than Idah in all competitions (league only seems unnecessarily selective). Idah's 20 is an ok haul, but Celtic scored 159 last season so there were clearly goals to be had, especially when someone else has done the donkey work to break down initial resistance and open the scoring. Fact is, though, he scored 9 in 801 minutes in his loan spell, compared to 20 in 2372 last season - so from a goal every 89 minutes to one every 119 minutes. Going backwards.
Then last year there was attitude issues surfacing last season too as Eirambler notes (skipping pre-season training at Norwich to force through his move could be added)
Celtic improved when Idah went off against Kairat at home btw, so there's swings and roundabouts to that argument. The highlights of the away game don't show the chance you mention - which isn't to say it didn't happen - but they do show him failing to follow in on up McCowan's shot until the keeper has parried it, which means the defender gets past him to clear. (I think he was offside anyway, which is another habit of his)
He scored five goals in the last five league games last season – i.e. he finished the season strongly with a forward, positive momentum. These goals were in the top six split so against strong(er) opposition and equated to a goal every 58.6 minutes played. If you also include the cup semi-final and final games, he scored 6 goals in 422 minutes played. This equates to a goal every 70 minutes in the last 7 games to finish off the season. In total, he scored a total of 20 goals last season, which is the highest number of goals he has scored in a single season. The most he scored in a single season for Norwich was 7, his last full season with them. This was the player Celtic signed. Fact is, last season was his highest goal tally to date - which should have exceeded Celtic's expectations given his previous goal scoring record, and he finished the season strongly with a goal scoring purple patch. That’s not going backwards.
Seriously lad
Hatate had a great chance to score in the first half of extra time, which came from Idah getting to the byline and picking him out with a ball across the box. That did happen. :-)
Again, that's very selective use of stats. A purple patch over a few weeks when the league was already won? Or comparing stats season on season? I know which I'm happier to judge a player and his direction on.
Last edited by pineapple stu; 29/08/2025 at 2:03 PM.
He was playing opposition of a far lower level last season than he had previously in any season in his career. 20 goals for Celtic is nothing special, Anto Stokes managed more than that in three separate seasons in Scotland - two with Celtic and one with Hibs, as well as scoring 16 in 18 another season - and yet when it came to international football and the top two divisions in England he was miles off it.
You are setting the tone here ... 800 minutes of loan time.
Not really.
I'm comparing the 23/24 v 24/25 v 25/26 seasons. Simples.
No. He played half a season at Norwich in 23/24. He scored a goal every 138 minutes in 23/ 24 and a goal every 118 minutes in 24/ 25. You have selectively chosen a purple patch in the 23/ 24 season to state he has gone backwards in 24/25 when his goals per minute played on a per season basis has actually gone down. Simples.
Well of course he scored less frequently once you add in his time in a stronger league.
I'm not sure what point you think you're making there - you're comparing apples and oranges now.
Last edited by pineapple stu; 29/08/2025 at 9:59 PM.
I think its a little offside to argue against a statistic that is as simple as 20 goals in a season. That's a significant achievement, SPL Old Firm team or not. His loan spell was also a success, statistically and in terms of what his goals contributed to their honours that year. All that said, looking beyond the stats there is something that doesn't feel right. Whether it is him (reports of his extracurricular activities are worrying), the manager (not setting up around his strengths) or the fans (who are weird, lets be honest) or a combination of all three, it seems that time is right to move on for all parties. I just dont think its an argument where his stats (including only 6 games into 25/26) can be used as a good reason to support it.
The fans also hate Scales...for no good reason. They tend to adopt the non-negotiable hero/villain mindset.
I like high energy football. A little bit rock and roll. Many finishes instead of waiting for the perfect one.
Just for clarity, I agree - and it's not what I'm arguing. I'm saying his loan down was decent, last season wasn't as good with various cracks starting to show, and this season has been worse so far. Hence going backwards - that's all
Though equally it's valid to point out Stokes scored 20+ multiple times in Scotland and was never a serious international player
Last edited by pineapple stu; 30/08/2025 at 11:07 AM.
Was Stokes more talented than Idah? He was never a serious international player because he was an idiot, but he was a brilliant player when he was in the mood
Its really not that complicated!!!
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