Celtic were knocked out of the Champions League before they could reach the league phase when they lost on penalties to Kairat on Tuesday night.
The Hoops needed to win on the night after a 0-0 draw at Parkhead last week, but they were unable to break the deadlock before it went down to penalties.
Adam Idah was one of the players who missed from the spot, alongside Daizen Maeda and Luke McCowan, to continue his disappointing start to the season.
The Ireland international started the first two games of the Scottish Premiership season and failed to register a goal or an assist for the reigning champions.
As you can see in the graphic above, the former Norwich City centre-forward missed three ‘big chances’ in the opening day clash with St Mirren, which shows that his lack of goals has not been through a lack of service.
The penalty miss against Kairat would have done little to help his confidence or the feeling that he may not be ready to be the main man for the Hoops.
Why Adam Idah should not be a starter for Celtic
Looking at Idah’s form in the Premiership last season, Brendan Rodgers may have to utilise him as a substitute option more often than not to get the best out of him.
The 24-year-old centre-forward ended the 2024/25 Premiership campaign with a return of 13 goals in 19 starts, which is a very decent return on face value.
Idah’s underlying statistics in the division, though, show that he was not prolific enough as a starter when Rodgers called upon him as the main number nine for the Scottish giants.
Appearances
19
16
Minutes
1,352
357
Goals
6
7
Minutes per goal
225
51
Assists
0
1
As you can see in the table above, the 6 foot 3 marksman took around 170 more minutes to score a goal in each start in comparison to his strike rate off the bench.
This suggests that he is more effective coming off the bench as a substitute against tired defenders. That may be because he has great physical attributes, as a strong runner and a physical and aerial presence, but he is not always the smoothest player technically.
As a starter, his lack of technical quality can shine through a bit more because he is against fresh defenders who do not allow him to gain an advantage through his physicality.
This is why Rodgers should not use Idah as a starter on a regular basis this season, unless, of course, he turns his form around and proves that he can be a consistent performer from the start.
However, the Ireland international may not get that chance to prove himself for the Scottish giants this season, as the club are looking at bringing another striker in.
Veteran striker is keen on Celtic transfer
According to Football Insider, veteran free agent Jamie Vardy is open to a move to Parkhead to sign for Celtic to bolster their options in the final third.
The 38-year-old centre-forward has been a free agent since he decided to move on from Leicester City at the end of his contract earlier this summer, and this means that the Hoops have a chance to snap him up for nothing.
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Vardy is said to be taking his time before making a decision on his next club, but the report claims that he is open to moving up to Scotland to play for Celtic.
Football Insider adds that he has a number of options to pick from, with plenty of clubs showing interest in him, which means that it will not be an easy deal for the Scottish giants to get over the line.
Knowing that Vardy is open to a move to Glasgow, it is now down to Rodgers and Celtic to convince him to turn down his other offers to make the move to Scotland.
Why this is awful news for Adam Idah
This update will come as awful news for Idah because the arrival of Vardy could mean that the Ireland international does not get the chance to prove himself as a starter.
The former Norwich forward, as aforementioned, has not done enough as a starter for Celtic and needs to deliver consistently as a striker for a prolonged period of time before he can be deemed a reliable first XI player.
Unfortunately, for him, the signing of Vardy could mean that he does not have a chance to put a run of games together as a starter, because the former England international could be the main number nine for Celtic.
The experienced marksman, who has 145 Premier League goals and almost 200 goal contributions under his belt, may be heading towards his 40s, but he is still a lethal centre-forward.
Vardy scored nine goals in 35 games in the Premier League last season, per Sofascore, whilst Idah never scored more than one goal in a top-flight campaign during his time with Norwich City.
The English star also caught the eye as a regular goalscorer when he last played for a team that was in a title race, as he led the line for the Foxes in the Championship in the 2023/24 campaign.
Appearances
35
xG
17.07
Goals
18
Minutes per goal
99
Conversion rate
31%
Assists
2
As you can see in the table above, Vardy was a prolific scorer in the second tier to help his side to the title that season, outperforming his xG and enjoying a 31% conversion rate in front of goal.
The free agent forward was once described as a “proven goalscorer” by former Premier League winger Jermaine Pennant, and his statistics back up that claim.
Vardy has over 100 Premier League goals, scored 18 goals in his last Championship season, and scored nine goals in the top-flight last term despite being in a side that got relegated.
This is why his arrival would be bad news for Idah, who has struggled to score goals as a starter, because the former Leicester star could be that focal point up front for Rodgers, as he was during their time together at the King Power, and leave the Irishman without a chance to prove himself from the start.
