James McFadden has said exactly what fans are thinking — this squad doesn’t need “numbers”, it needs REAL starters.
Yes, there’s been disruption behind the scenes. Wilfried Nancy was sacked right at the start of the month, and whenever a manager leaves, plans naturally change. It’s normal for recruitment ideas to be scrapped or delayed when a new boss comes in. Fans understand that part. What they are struggling to accept, though, is how thin and exposed the squad looks especially when these problems have been obvious for a long time.
That frustration is no longer just coming from supporters either. Former Celtic striker James McFadden has now spoken out, echoing what many fans have been saying for months Celtic need proper reinforcements, not excuses.
McFadden questions Celtic’s transfer thinking
Celtic got the job done against Falkirk on Wednesday night under Martin O’Neill. On paper, it was a routine win. But once again, the performance itself raised concerns. It wasn’t convincing, it wasn’t sharp, and it felt like another game where Celtic did the bare minimum rather than showing real quality.
Speaking on Open Goal, McFadden explained that he keeps hearing the same message coming from around the club that Celtic only need a couple of players to “add depth” to the squad. In simple terms, that means bringing in backup options. McFadden made it clear he thinks that mindset is completely wrong.
For him, this is not about having more bodies on the bench. It’s about improving the team that actually starts games.
“They need players. They need strengthening,” he said bluntly.
Si Ferry pointed out that Celtic’s starting XI should already be much better than a team like Falkirk. McFadden didn’t disagree with that but he added an important point.
“Yes, on their day they are,” he said. “But you keep asking the same players to play every week, over and over again. That catches up with you. They still need players.”
McFadden was especially critical of how people describe Celtic’s transfer needs.
“I keep hearing ‘supplement the squad’,” he said. “The squad doesn’t need supplementing. The team needs strengthening. This isn’t about signing squad players. It’s about bringing in players who walk straight into the starting XI.”
In other words, Celtic don’t need bench warmers. They need players who immediately raise the level of the team.
Where Celtic need to improve urgently
The biggest issue is up front, and it’s not exactly a secret. Fans, pundits, and even Martin O’Neill himself have openly talked about Celtic needing a striker. Plenty of names have been linked, but so far, nothing has happened.
McFadden believes signing just one striker won’t be enough.
“They need a striker probably two,” he said. “Iheanacho is due back soon, but how long will that take? You can’t rely on that. You still need another option.”
He also mentioned the right-wing position. While McFadden praised Yang for his recent performances, he still feels Celtic could and should do better.
“Yang has done well, no doubt about that,” he said. “But you still need someone you can bring in who genuinely strengthens that position. There’s nothing wrong with improving an area, even if someone is doing okay.”
Perhaps the most worrying part of McFadden’s comments is that none of this is new.
“We’ve been saying this for a year, ever since Kyogo left,” he said. “Why let him go if you don’t already have a replacement lined up? Then you don’t replace him at all.
“Idah wasn’t trusted to start every game, he leaves too, and again there’s no replacement.”
That’s what really annoys fans. These problems didn’t appear overnight. They’ve been obvious for a long time, yet Celtic still seem to be in the same position.
For many supporters, McFadden has simply said out loud what they’ve been shouting from the stands and online for months. Now the big question remains — will Celtic finally act before the transfer window shuts, or will the same gaps be ignored yet again, leaving fans to watch the same issues repeat themselves?
