So It Turns Out the Grass Isn’t Greener…

By: JT | August 2nd, 2007

Earlier this summer it was reported that prodigal son Shaun Maloney was unsettled in Birmingham and looking to return to Celtic from Aston Villa. Cold water was poured on the rumors, but now it looks like he really is coming back to Celtic Park for the very same £1m that he was sold for at the end of the transfer window this January. Its being said that discussions are at an advanced stage, and the striker/midfielder is asking friends how he’ll be received by the supporters if he were to return. Why is that even in question, you ask? Let’s take a trip in the wayback machine:

This is what Maloney did in 2005/06 when he was named both Young Player and Player of the Year in Scotland:

Pretty impressive, right?

Last fall, he was begining the final year of his contract and went into discussions with the club, which turned acrimonious. Both sides kept on trying to work out a deal but none materialized, though it seemed that the club was making a greater effort than the player. Rather than lose him on a free in the summer, and have him announce his destination while the season was in progress, he was sold to Villa seconds before the clock struck 12 on the winter transfer window.

Supporters were pissed at the club and the player. They felt the club didn’t do what was required to keep a homegrown talent in Glasgow. They were angered by Maloney’s intransigence and lack of loyalty to a club that gave him a platform to shine. In addition, most, including myself, felt that Maloney still needed some development with Celtic before moving to the EPL which was obviously in his future anyway. At least another 18 months I thought.

So now we’ve come full circle. Villa has some serious attacking talent, but none of which are that much better than Maloney when he’s right. So something must be up. If and when he returns to Celtic Park, he will face some nasty chants, but they won’t last long. Once he starts doing his thing on the pitch, all the bad feelings will be consigned to history and it’ll be like he never left. Bank on it.

So what does that mean for Stephen Naismith? Killie’s motor-mouth manager Jim Jefferies has seen fit to take the transfer of his star striker to the press yet again. He claims Celtic got permission to talk to Naismith on Monday when the clubs agreed on a £2m fee, but have yet to do so. Interesting. In my mind that lends even more weight to the Maloney rumors. If the Bhoys are close to signing Maloney up, there is no need for Naismith right now. Or maybe its just gamesmanship. The Celts do play Killie this weekend after all.

Gravesen’s agent says that the baldy wants to stay and fight for his place. The best quote: “As a player you have to accept the manager’s decision, but the manager has also got to accept when a player wants to stay and fight for his place.” Ha Ha Ha! When you are the highest wage earner on the team by a country mile and you refuse to play within the system, thus relegating yourself to a spectator role, the manager doesn’t have to accept anything. Other than a respectable fee for your departure.