Gordon Strachan has blasted back at Jota’s critics over his big money move to Saudi Arabia and insisted "they would all do the same!’
Alan Brazil launched a blistering live radio attack on the Portuguese winger, branding him a “mercenary”, and Record Sport columnist and former Celtic strike hero Chris Sutton accused him throwing away his top level football career. But ex Hoops gaffer Strachan, who managed Sutton during his time in charge at Parkhead, defended Jota over his move and says EVERY player in Britain will be hoping for a Saudi Pro League switch to earn the big bucks.
Strachan said: “It's easy for people to question the players' desire, but once that money is presented to you, it becomes hard to turn down. And I bet the pundits that are criticising him would all do exactly the same thing if they were offered the chance to.
“I would challenge anyone to turn down an offer of fifteen times their wages. You have to remember that the player will have a family that he will want to look after and there is no doubt about it that that kind of backing can take care of that. Even if he were to join the club for a period of three years, and then he can move on and do what he wants after that. I see absolutely no problem with any player making that decision.
“Let’s not forget that he’ll be playing alongside the likes of Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante, which will be a real learning curve for him. I see no problem with it and its also going to make the club a lot of money. I think every player in Britain now is sat by their phone waiting for the Saudi telephone code to flash up. When that call comes in, players will start singing and dancing.”
And Strachan, whose son Gavin has been a key member of the Celtic coaching team for three years now, said the Hoops will cary on - pointing out to a recent time when the Treble winners opted to push the boat out to keep all their big players only to end the season trophyless. He told Genting Casino: “The funny thing about this is, when Celtic were going for ten in a row two years ago, everyone said they must keep (Kris) Ajer. They must keep (Odsonne) Edouard. They must keep (Olivier) Ntcham.
“The club went above and beyond their wage ceiling to keep those players by giving them huge wages and they didn’t win the league. These players will be remembered, but when Celtic were playing wonderful football last season, beating teams 3-0, if you asked the fans about them, some of them would have said, ‘Who?’. There are always new heroes in football. Celtic will always find new heroes. Where they come from, nobody knows.”
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