In what may be regarded as a veiled message to his board of directors, Neil Lennon has reiterated a desire to augment his Celtic squad with experience when the transfer window opens. Lennon has been thwarted in attempts to sign Sol Campbell, Jimmy Bullard, David James and Craig Bellamy since taking charge at Celtic Park. Only recently, Bolo Zenden failed to agree terms after an apparently successful trial period.
"I will do, yes," the Celtic manager says, when asked if he will continue his pursuit of more seasoned professionals. "We want a couple of ready-made players who can you can just say 'bang' and in they go. That's the route we're trying to go down at the minute.
"The squad is young, there's no doubt about that. Sometimes there's an inconsistency there which you have to understand. I certainly do as a coach. I think back to when I was that age – I was playing in [the equivalent of] League Two with Crewe."
Lennon highlights Adam Matthews, Ki Sung-yueng, James Forrest, Gary Hooper and Anthony Stokes as key players in his team, whose youthfulness is often overlooked.
"I wouldn't use it as an excuse because we are trying to build a team," Lennon says. "Not by my own choice, I would like more experienced players in around the club, a couple of kings on the pitch to bring these kids on. But they cost money and they cost wages. What we have is a good core of very talented, young players who have really excelled themselves this year.
"They have had good experience in their careers but they are still at a young age. They are learning the game as they go along and learning it very well.
"If you look at the young players Sir Alex Ferguson produced like David Beckham, he had a Schmeichel, maybe a Bruce, Pallister or a Cantona. Even a Mark Hughes to bring these kids on. We lack one or two of that age or that ilk, but they're hard to find and cost money."
An extended Europa League run may increase Celtic's financial clout, as well as making the club more attractive to potential recruits. Atlético Madrid visit Glasgow on Wednesday evening for what is, on paper, an attractive fixture. It is also one from which Celtic will realistically need to emerge successful if they are to progress from Group I.
"We hope for a big crowd, I think it's a real plum attraction," Lennon says. "It should be a really good game of football. We're at home and our home form has been decent of late in Europe. It's a game that realistically we have to win, so we will be going out to be as positive as we can without, hopefully, being caught on the counterattack.
"European games are a marker for where you are as a team and where you are as individuals. You are playing against better-quality opposition.
"This has been a really tough group: Rennes are up there in the French league, Udinese are near the top of Serie A and Atlético spent a lot of money in the summer. I know they lost [Diego] Forlán, [Sergio] Agüero and players of that ilk but they brought in Falcao, Diego has come in as well and these guys are class players. I think it's brilliant for our young players to sample this so early in their careers."
Lennon hopes that he will be able to call once again upon his captain, Scott Brown, who has recovered from his latest ankle problems. "That's a big boost for us," Lennon insists. "He feels great, the ankle feels as good as it has ever done."
The manager remains confident, moreover, that a contract impasse involving Brown will be resolved. With Celtic in dispute over a fee to an agent, the midfielder has been linked with Newcastle United. "There was a bit of trouble-mongering going on last week regarding Scott," Lennon says, in relation to a tabloid report. "The words were he was being 'forced out', which is complete nonsense."
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