Recruitment of strong characters a priority for Celtic, admits Johan Mjallby

While Charlie Mulgrew and Cha Du-Ri, who both joined last week, are under 30, in Mulgrew's case comfortably so, there is some alarm at the prospect of Sol Campbell and George Boateng treating a move to Celtic as a last pay-day in careers that have reached a twilight stage.

While neither player has committed himself to Celtic yet, Mjallby believes such experienced, strong characters are what the side missed last season. Without a strong backbone to the side, Celtic were picked off too easily, particularly away from home. They lost six games on their travels and only one at Celtic Park, and manager Neil Lennon identified a lack of steel in the side on taking over from the sacked Tony Mowbray. His predecessor had aimed to play attractive football but his side were too often left exposed at the back.

Although the club also hope to persuade the 23-year-old Cardiff City midfielder Joe Ledley that his future lies at Celtic, Lennon is not restricting his signing strategy to those who have the majority of their career still ahead of them. Indeed, according to Mjallby, hunger is just as likely to be present in a veteran intent on bowing out with a flourish. Celtic can offer even someone as experienced as Campbell an attractive stage to perform on.

"You have the chance to play European football, and possibly the Champions League," pointed out Mjallby, who himself had to judge the positives when joining Celtic from AIK Stockholm in 1998. "I thought it was brilliant to have a chance to play in Europe more or less every year, if not the Champions League then the Uefa Cup."

For someone such as Ledley, the lure is also strong. Although he remains wanted by clubs in the English Premier League, his presence in Glasgow this week indicates a desire to consider a move to Scotland. "Have we a chance of signing Joe? I hope so," said Mjallby. "Joe hasn't signed for anyone yet but he is a good, good player and it would be great for us if he would decide to sign for us. We can only try to sell the club to him as best we can and hopefully we have done a good job of that."

Efforts to wrestle back the league championship from Rangers will be launched on a sturdier platform than last season, although Boateng is far from certain to join. However, the 34-year-old is a step nearer to signing up than Campbell, 35. Boateng has agreed to train with the first-team squad at Lennoxtown until tomorrow at least, as both parties continue to weigh up a move.

"I was very happy with George on Monday," said Mjallby. "He did more running than anything else as the first few days are about trying to build up fitness.

Hopefully he will stay on for a couple of days so we can get the ball out and have a better look at him football-wise.

"The football ability is more important than the fitness but the hunger is most important of all. Hunger is the perfect word.

"We have great hunger to succeed here," continued Mjallby, who has a formed a new-looking coaching team at Celtic alongside Lennon, Alan Thompson and Garry Parker. "It is very important for Neil and I that the same attitude is in the players if we are going to be successful. I'm quite sure the scouting department and all of us are really looking into that as we are trying to bring in new players. First of all, George needs to be good enough. Then we can sit down and have a chat.

"It's important for him to understand how big Celtic is as a football club. Some people coming from down south just don't understand. We missed a wee bit of experience last season, but I'd say we most missed character. It's not always an older head who has more character than a younger player but we did miss some steel in the squad last term.

"That is something we've thought about and we're trying to get players in, those who we know are winners and have that mental strength. There is a pressure in Scotland. You have to understand you need to win every game when you wear a Celtic jersey."

With the squad due to depart for the United States next week, time is already against Celtic. Their first Champions League qualifying assignment follows soon after.

Mjallby is confident the current squad could deal with the obstacles which lie ahead in the near future, but knows further reinforcements are required as Celtic look to hit the ground running in the new league season.

"We've definitely got enough players but it's always been clear we're looking to strengthen the squad and the team," he said. "Hopefully we can do that or else we just have to focus and work hard with the group we've got." z