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Brendan Rodgers claims Celtic’s Lee Congerton doing ‘great job’

Sunderland chairman Ellis Short (C) with Sporting Lee Congerton (L) and manager Gus Poyet (R) during the Barclays U21 Premier League match between ...
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Celtic’s Head of Recruitment is no stranger to criticism from the Hoops fans.

Manager of Celtic Brendan Rodgers celebrates with fans the Betfred Cup Semi-Final at Hampden Park on October 21, 2017 in Glasgow, Scotland.

Brendan Rodgers has claimed to Herald Scotland that Celtic’s Head of Recruitment Lee Congerton is doing a ‘great job’, but admitted that he identifies players who the club cannot sign.

Much has been made over the fact that the Celtic manager admitted in midweek that he didn’t know much about winger Maryan Shved, indicating that he was a Congerton target.

The former Sunderland sporting director has had a hit-and-miss success rate with a number of players since joining the Hoops in March 2017.

In truth, some of his recommendations to Rodgers – who confirmed that he has the final say on transfers – have been dreadful, with much-maligned Marvin Compper the worst of the lot.

But Congerton also spotted the likes of Odsonne Edouard, Celtic’s record £9 million signing [Sky Sports], and Leicester City loanee Filip Benkovic, in addition to numerous other Parkhead successes.

“I’ve never known a head of recruitment get criticised the way he does,” Rodgers told Herald Scotland. “He does a great job with the resources that he works with.

“He obviously has to scour the market and, at this moment in time, in terms of recruitment, it’s probably never been more difficult.

“A lot of the time, he’ll find players we just can’t bring in. His job is to find the players and, in his time here, he’s done that.”

The Scottish Sun reported earlier this month that Congerton could be moving to Belgium to take up a similar role at Anderlecht, under Frank Arnesen.

The Premiership leaders, who have a three-point cushion over third-placed Rangers at the summit, have already signed Timothy Weah, Oliver Burke and Vakoun Issouf Bayo this month.

Sunderland chairman Ellis Short (C) with Sporting Lee Congerton (L) and manager Gus Poyet (R) during the Barclays U21 Premier League match between Sunderland U21 and Liverpool U21 at...