Source: Team_Talk
Boyd: Big-name signing unnecessary
Tom Boyd thinks stay-away Hoops fans should return to Parkhead next season even if Neil Lennon does not produce a so-called 'marquee' signing.[LNB] Even before Lennon was confirmed as Celtic manager yesterday, following a spell as interim boss, the Irishman had been looking at new recruits for the forthcoming campaign.[LNB]Sol Campbell, Jimmy Bullard, Liam Lawrence and Joe Ledley are among a vast array of names linked with the club with the former admitting he had spoken to Lennon about a possible move to Glasgow.[LNB]Reports claim the former Leicester midfielder also wants to bring back Robbie Keane and Craig Bellamy, both of whom have had short loan spells in the east end of Glasgow.[LNB]Celtic fans stayed away in their thousands last season when the campaign unravelled under Tony Mowbray leaving Old Firm rivals Rangers to capture their second successive Clydesdale Bank Premier League title.[LNB]However, Boyd, speaking at Hampden, where he was publicising Glasgow's Mile-a-thon, an event involving 13,000 schoolchildren which celebrates the 2500th anniversary of the first marathon, dismissed the idea a big name is needed to bring back the disaffected supporters.[LNB]"I don't think that should be an issue to entice fans back," he said.[LNB]"Certain supporters do need that bit of attraction and it helps the marketing side certainly.[LNB]"But for me, if you are a supporter of the club you go through thick and thin."[LNB]Boyd believes 35-year-old Campbell would still have plenty to offer but is confident with Stephen McManus set to return from his loan spell at Middlesbrough, there is already enough central defenders at Celtic Park at the moment.[LNB]"That (age) is not an issue," the former Scotland skipper said.[LNB]"I played on until I was 37 and you look across the road to Davie Weir and he is a good bit older.[LNB]"Did he not get player of the year last year?[LNB]"It makes no difference.[LNB]"If Sol Campbell is a target, his vast experience at the back would certainly help, I think it would have helped last year.[LNB]"But Tony bought a couple of centre backs last season (Thomas Rogne and Jos Hooiveld) and unfortunately they were injured early on and didn't get the chance to bed in.[LNB]"You would hope that they would be fully fit for the start of the campaign and it would be like two new signings and you possibly have Stephen McManus coming back with his experience."[LNB]Lennon confirmed he had been handed a one-year contract, as opposed to the one-year rolling contract popular with the Parkhead board previously, but Boyd is confident his former team-mate will extend his tenure as Celtic manager beyond next summer.[LNB]"I'm sure Neil will prove that he will be worthy of a further contract," he said.[LNB]"I just think that's the nature of things.[LNB]"The board picked Tony Mowbray and it didn't work out and previous regimes with inexperienced managers haven't worked out too well.[LNB]"But having played with him I certainly know his attitude and I'm sure that during the campaign that (contract situation) will change.[LNB]"It was a great appointment and I think it was the popular choice with most of the supporters.[LNB]"There will be some who won't be happy with it but what he did towards the end of last season, he certainly deserves his shot at it.[LNB]"I like the way he is speaking. He speaks as though he is trying to get the enthusiasm back, both within the team and within the fans.[LNB]"That is certainly something that has been missing.[LNB]"I think he is trying to get that back and that will certainly help the whole club."
