Celtic-linked striker David Strelec’s father, Milan Strelec, has revealed his disappointment that his son’s move to Glasgow fell through during the January transfer window.
Strelec Sr., who played for Slovan Bratislava during his own career—the club his son currently represents—has been outspoken about his son’s career. However, in recent days, he has taken his openness to a new level, detailing exactly what has been happening between Celtic and Slovan in recent months.
Slovan faced Celtic at Celtic Park in September in the Champions League, where the Hoops cruised to a convincing 5-1 win. Strelec Jr. started the match and played 85 minutes, with his father in attendance that night.
The former Slovan star is a big admirer of Celtic but raised doubts about the competitiveness of the Scottish Premiership. While his comments were complimentary towards the Hoops, they also suggested that he and his son view a potential move to Glasgow as more of a stepping stone than a significant milestone.
He said: (RecordSport) “You know, when I heard about Celtic’s interest, I was thrilled. I was there at Slovan’s first match in the Champions League, whole families were sitting there, old and young, amazing atmosphere. I would have loved to see him there. He has made great progress since the Euro, he is doing well, he is scoring goals. But the decision about his transfer was made higher up.
“Celtic’s bid of 9.5m Euros? [£7.9m] That didn’t help either. Unfortunately, that’s how it is. But none of us knows the exact details of the contract or how the installments or bonuses were set. Maybe Slovan wanted to get it all at once, that’s why the club decided against it. It’s probably pointless to get into it.
“I watched the Celtic game over the weekend, everyone knows that the Scottish competition is about two clubs, but it could have been a good intermediate step for David. But there are things you simply can’t influence. It turned out the way it turned out. We’ll see what happens in the summer. My son will continue to perform well, I’m sure of that.
“It was beyond my control. They have invested a lot in David over the years, although some would say he’s already paid it back. I guess they know what they’re doing. My son will continue to perform well and be professional and in the summer… who knows?”
It’s yet another example of a player’s father speaking on their behalf. While it can be helpful at times, Strelec Sr.’s comments won’t sit well with either Slovan or Celtic.
It raises questions over whether, if Strelec were to join Celtic in the summer, his father would cause problems if the move didn’t start well immediately—potentially leading to similar interviews that could create issues.
Strelec appears to be just one of several options for Celtic, and it remains to be seen whether he will join the Hoops in the summer. However, one thing is clear—his father’s interview won’t help facilitate a move. If anything, it may impact negotiations negatively between Celtic and Slovan when the transfer window opens.
Strelec is undoubtedly a talented striker who has performed well for Slovan both domestically and in the Champions League this season. However, it’s probably best for him to let his performances on the pitch do the talking.
Whether he actually wanted his father to speak out like this is open to debate, but one thing is clear: the pair are looking to move on from Slovan and take the next step in his career.
