RYAN CHRISTIE took the “soft option” in swapping Celtic for Bournemouth, according to former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan.
The Scotland star got his first 90 minutes as a Cherries player under his belt last night as Bournemouth beat Mark Warburton’s high-flying Queen’s Park Rangers side 2-1.
They leapfrogged their opponents and now sit joint top of the Championship table with West Brom but Jordan reckons his deadline day transfer WASN’T a “footballing decision” or about “advancing oneself”.
Or if he wanted to embrace a challenge, he should have agreed a new contract to stay at Celtic to concentrate on the mammoth task of winning back the Scottish Premiership title from Rangers.
We told you how Christie’s dad Charlie got in touch with SunSport’s Davie Provan to complain when the former Hoops star voiced a similar opinion.
Jordan told talkSPORT: “I think he has taken the soft option.
“Bournemouth are a very nice option, it’s probably a very decent salary because they have a Russian owner who is still enjoying the second year of Premier League parachute payments.
“I think it is a lovely place to live, he will probably get more money playing for Bournemouth than for Celtic.
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“But certainly it is not a footballing decision of advancing oneself.
“If you were going to advance yourself you should be playing for an established Premier League side, which is Burnley.
“Leaving Celtic, who are no doubt a far bigger footballing force than Bournemouth, who have a massive task on their hands with a new manager and a new Rangers who are being re-infused by the finances and Steven Gerrard winning the league, is a hell of a challenge.
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“If he wanted a real challenge then winning that title back rather than maybe getting out of the Championship, for me, is a bigger footballing decision.”
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