The scout and the manager have worked together before re-uniting at Celtic.
It won’t please Rangers supporters to learn that Celtic have appointed a new Head of Recruitment before their city rivals completed their search for a Director of Football, according to the Daily Record.
At the moment, The Bhoys seem to be a few steps ahead in every department. And, make no mistake, hiring Lee Congerton is a progressive decision despite the transfer guru’s previous struggles at Sunderland.
Celtic supporters may be concerned by the fact that many of his signings at the North East club ranged from the disastrous to the anonymous, former Hoops right-back Adam Matthews just one of many who failed to make the grade at the Stadium of Light, but there’s a reason Congerton held such lofty positions at clubs like Chelsea and Hamburg.
He is a very canny operator and an excellent identifier of talent who, along with Brendan Rodgers’ penchant for improving individual players, could help Celtic progress further via an astute use of the transfer market.
“It is great news that we have been able to bring someone of Lee’s calibre to Celtic,” Rodgers said in quotes reported by the Daily Record.
“He brings knowledge, experience and excellence to such an important area of our work and I know he will add real value to the club.
And there’s one man in Celtic’s squad who will be able to vouch for Congerton’s credentials first hand.
During his time as chief scout at Chelsea, Congerton worked alongside Rodgers, who was then reserve team manager, to bring in a whole host of talented youngsters who would go on to make their mark in the game including current Celtic winger Scott Sinclair.
The 27-year-old was once viewed as one of the most talented young players in England and much of that was down to Congerton bringing him to London from Bristol Rovers and Rodgers unleashing his precocious talent.
It seems the manager and the scout are quite the double act.
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