3 days ago
Adam Idah at a Celtic crossroads season as Martin O'Neill admits he only saw teen powerhouse going in one direction
Big striker continues to split opinion among supporters despite 20 goals last term as former boss admits the time has come to change minds
Martin O'Neill cast an eye over a 17-year-old Adam Idah in his final months as Ireland manager and saw a youngster blessed by a raw power he was sure would see his career motor.
The former Celtic boss was fuelled with hope by the sight of Idah and Troy Parrott leading the Irish attack at the 2018 UEFA Under 17 Championships in England.
But five years on from the Green Army's charge to the quarter finals of that competition, O'Neill feared Idah's footballing journey was grinding to a halt.
A bit part player at Norwich, the player himself has since admitted his career was stalling in Norfolk.
So when last year's move to Celtic came about O'Neill admits he had doubts over the frontman's chances of getting back on track in the Parkhead fast lane.
Twenty goals including three in the Champions League is a fair return in his first full season after ending his loan stint as a Scottish Cup Final hero.
Yet a section of the Hoops support remain unsure of the Irishman who, despite his goal haul, has never truly convinced he's ready to command the number nine shirt.
It means the 24-year-old is at a crossroads with the new season off a running and Brendan Rodgers in the market for another striker.
O'Neill just hopes the 6ft 3in frontman can make the most of the attributes that made him a standout in that U17 competition at Loughborough and St George's.
He recalled: 'He was an underage player at the same time as Troy Parrott. Roy Keane and I went to Loughborough, it was the under-17s who were playing in an international tournament.
'He was outstanding at the time. He was big, he was strong, very, very strong. Sometimes you'd think to yourself 'well, there's no more growth in him so maybe when other people get a wee bit stronger…'
'But no, definitely, you could see he had plenty of talent.
'I did watch his career, but it was grinding to a bit of a halt at Norwich, not getting into the side.
'I thought that stepping up to Celtic might be too much for him. I thought it was. So well done to him.
'He's got a lot to live up to if he's going to lead the line at Celtic this season, and that's big.
'As a centre forward, you're expected to score goals, expected to score a lot of goals as well.
'And you're expected to be able to beat players, hold it up, run down the channels, do everything.
'Brendan should be able to teach him the game. He's improved since Norwich. He's made that step up.
'He's gone from there, where he wasn't playing regularly in a Championship side, and there he is at Celtic.
'But this is a big season for him. If he's going to start, this is a really big season.'
Idah's form int he last campaign fluctuated from a 14-game goal draught to ending that run with a deadly double in a Champions League blockbuster at Villa Park.
The inconsistency led to criticism from punters, pundits and ex-players.
But O'Neill said: 'That's the nature of the game. I just think you have to cut 'the noise'. Whatever that noise is. I hate that word as much as I hate the word 'transition'.
'The noise is there. It's there every single week, and you think you can be doing really well for a period of three months, then you might go four games without scoring a goal, and whoaaaa.. those three months suddenly disappear completely.
'That's called playing for the Old Firm. You've got to deal with it.
'I went to the game at Villa Park and he scored twice. You're talking about a team flying high in the Premier League. So if you can't get confidence from that, you'll never get it.'
Idah drew a blank as Celtic squeezed past St Mirren 1-0 on the opening day of the season ahead of this afternoon's trip to face Aberdeen leading to more flak from punters.
With just 10 days until the Champions League play off against either Kairat Almaty or Slovan Bratislava, the clock is ticking on Rodgers adding to his ranks ahead of the Euro campaign.
And O'Neill remembers all to well the feeling of anxiety growing as the end of the transfer window edged closer.
The man who led the Hoops to the 2003 UEFA Cup Final said: 'I'm hoping that Celtic get a few players in.
'I've been in the same situation as a manager when we haven't done business early on.
'Brendan wants to improve the team. I would be astonished if the board and Dermot didn't want to improve the team.
'Each day that counts down, I suppose, you get worried. I was exactly the same.
'As a manager, you're definitely looking to try and improve the team.
'You would say that at this minute, if Celtic are going to maintain last season's form, particularly in the Champions League, then you would think that you would need a bit of help.'
Twenty four years ago O'Neill's Hoops were blazing past Ajax via a 3-1 first leg win in Amsterdam on their way to the Champions League group stages where they dumped Porto, Rosenborg and famously Juventus in Glasgow but still bowed out after losing all three games away from home.
The 73-year-old still remembers that night in the Amsterdam ArenA like it was yesterday - and insists that should still be the benchmark for the current Hoops side.
He said: 'Amazing, honestly. Bobby Petta, Didier Agathe, and Chris Sutton scored.
'This is what Celtic and Rangers should be talking about. They should be plying their trade in the big leagues.
'The precedent was set years and years ago, certainly for Celtic with Jock Stein. And every manager that steps in.
'That seems as if it's a million miles away, and it probably is at this minute.
'It doesn't mean that you shouldn't be aspiring to that. You have to go for it.
'If you're in the Europa League, that's fine, but your aspirations should be the Champions League. I'm sure that's what Rangers are aiming for now.'
* Martin O'Neill was promoting Premier Sports' coverage of Scottish football including over 80 matches from the Scottish Premiership, Premier Sports Cup, Scottish Cup and KDM Evolution Trophy. Fans can watch an entire season of football for only £99 using promo code PSCUP25.
