Lee Congerton, former head scout for Celtic, has recently spoken out about his time at the club, emphasising the financial constraints he faced while in Glasgow, yet his retrospective does not fully align with the record of signings during his tenure.
Congerton, who followed Brendan Rodgers from Celtic to Leicester City back in the day, left behind an array of below-par squad players. Brendan’s first stint in charge known more for his ability to coach and get the best out of players already on the books, rather than incredible recruitment.
“At Celtic, we had no money,” Congerton claimed, pointing to the club’s fiscal limitations which, according to him, hindered high-profile acquisitions. He spoke highly of the targets Celtic aimed for under his guidance, including Moussa Diaby and Christopher Nkunku when they were young and making their way in the game, who have since flourished in the English Premier League. However, Congerton’s attempts to distance himself from less successful signings have not gone unnoticed. “There were several players I didn’t want to be anywhere near them, and that is why I left. Peter knows that, and so did Brendan,” he told the Telegraph, suggesting that certain recruitment decisions were out of his hands.
This stance, however, sits uncomfortably with the fact that under Congerton’s watch, Celtic made some of their most expensive signings since the post-Martin O’Neill era. Odsonne Edouard, signing for a club-record fee of £9 million, stands out as someone who was backed when the club could really push the boat out.
I would argue that Congerton is trying to rewrite history by deflecting blame for some of the less impactful signings like Marvin Compper, Jack Henry, Eboue Kouassi and the likes. Players again and again who would fail to make significant contributions to the team. Such discrepancies in his account suggest that, while financial prudence is clearly evident under Peter Lawwell’s administration, Congerton had ample opportunity and resources to shape the squad effectively. He just didn’t have the appetite to work under constraints.
Back when he was still employed by Celtic, we were told the talent spotter would hit the club with unattainable targets, low hanging fruit that Celtic just couldn’t afford to bank roll. It was akin to taking your child to the toy shop with ten pounds to spend and they point straight to a PlayStation 5.
We can always argue what Celtic could do better and certainly debate a the frequency on the times Celtic do put larger amounts down or push the boat out, but having no money? Lee, come on.
As Congerton reflects on his tenure, it is clear that his narrative is part of a broader attempt to absolve himself of blame for what went wrong at Celtic Park. While he highlights the structural challenges at Celtic, the record of signings and the substantial investment in players like Edouard depict a more complex scenario. Congerton’s legacy at Celtic, therefore, remains a topic of debate—a talent spotter who had the means but perhaps not the impact that was expected of him.
