Scott McDonald confident Celtic can add more firepower as Ange Postecoglou begins striker hunt

Scott McDonald reckons Celtic should be looking to add more firepower to their striking options for the second half of the season and has backed manager Ange Postecoglou’s plan to identify a new No9.

With Hoops frontman Giorgos Giakoumakis stalling over a new deal and heading for a shock exit, Postecoglou has launched his search for a possible replacement with South Korea international Cho Gue-Sung linked with a move to Parkhead in January.

Japanese star Kyogo Furuhashi has been Celtic’s first-choice striker this season but McDonald knows he can’t be left to carry the goal scoring burden on his own and believes another prolific talisman should be a priority when the transfer window opens next month.

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors frontman Gue-Sung, who is currently starring at the World Cup for his country, is the latest name to have been touted with a move to Glasgow. The 6ft 2in attacker continues to attract a lot of European interest with Celtic competing against Borussia Dortmund and Ferencvaros for his signature.

McDonald said: “The results against Sydney and Everton may not have gone Celtic’s way, but it wasn’t really about that, and the performance against Everton was very good. It was actually similar to some of the European matches, the way they dominated but missed chances.

“Is it concerning? Not particularly. Europe has gone but Celtic are nine points clear in the league, and have scored a ton of goals. They have more than enough to keep scoring, too. But at the same time, I wouldn’t be surprised if Ange is looking to bring in a No9 in January.

“The two he has right now are different types, they bring very different attributes. Kyogo is an excellent player with an incredible work ethic. Does he score every time he gets the chance? Perhaps not. He did last year, but this time around he’s not quite getting the break of the ball.

“Time will tell if it was last season that was a bit out of the ordinary or that’s his usual game. He’ll be fully fit after the break so we’ll find out. Giakoumakis has been in and out all of the time, and it will be interesting to see how that unfolds the rest of the season.

“I know he’s had some injury problems, but he’s shown he’s capable of scoring goals when he’s played. Celtic are more than capacle of scoring goals, but it might need an out-an-out scorer with a presence up front - although finding one isn’t easy in world football today.

“It’s about having someone who might not need four or five chances a game to put the ball in the net. They only need one, that’s the difference at European level.

“There’s a lot of talent in this Celtic team. It’s just about making the small adjustments to keep improving, and for me, that would be another No9. The team are in good shape, though, and in a strong position in the league. I’m sure they will come back with a lot of energy for the second half of the season.”

Reflecting on Celtic’s trip to Australia last month, the former Hoops hero admitted he was thrilled to see the club’s Sydney Super Cup tour generate a lot of postive publicity.

Gold Coast Knights head coach McDonald added: “The trip was a huge success. It was great for the fans here to see the team in the flesh. I know it’s something Ange touched on, the supporters in Australia are used to getting up through the night to watch the side, so it’s great to give them the chance to see them up close.

“We know how important it is from a marketing perspective too. It’s all about the brand and being a global name. Sydney was packed with Celtic fans all week. If you took a walk around Darling Harbour at any time, there were green and white hoops everywhere. It was great to see, I enjoyed being in and around it as well.

“There were a lot of events and the Q&A in the city was good fun. I got to be on the other side and be the one asking the questions, which was a bit of a new experience. I even got some of the warmth from Ange that guys are used to getting on the other side of the microphone!

“He was top class, though. There were a lot of demands on his times out there and he put a lot into it. People don’t quite realise how tough it can be. It’s a long trip, you touch down and all of a sudden you have to meet hundreds of people and prepare for games, but Ange put himself out there.”