Chris Sutton At It Again: Celtics have their own questions to answer before SFA war as 4 bewildering calls just don’t make sense.
Brendan Rodgers and Celtic have gone to war on the SFA this week after some questionable decisions from the officials at Tynecastle.
They know a thing or two about questionable decisions – they’ve been making them all season. I understand Rodgers’ frustration after the Hearts defeat.
There were some ropey calls. But the Celtic manager will need to take responsibility for some of his own in recent months that have been equally bewildering.
There was another one this week. Why the heck have Celtic allowed Alexandro Bernabei to leave? It just doesn’t make sense to me.
Listen, the Argentinian is no world beater. But he’s a left back. And it might have gone unnoticed at Celtic Park but that is a problem position for them.
They only have Greg Taylor now and while he’s been a consistent performer, he’s had some injury problems – and no wonder after being flogged for about three years.
Celtic are now in a title run in with no cover. It’s madness. If Taylor gets injured or suspended it’ll mean Anthony Ralston – a right back – would need to play, or Liam Scales would need to move across, meaning one of the two centre backs who have not been deemed good enough all season coming in. God help them if Cameron Carter-Vickers pulls up again.
I get Liel Abada’s departure. It’s unfortunate and a hugely disappointing turn of events that have cost Celtic one of their most effective players.
But allowing Bernabei to go after the abject failure of bringing in a replacement in January just makes no sense whatsoever.
It’s a common theme this season. At Tynecastle on Sunday Celtic were up against it, down to 10 men and needing to find a way back. Rodgers sent on youngster Daniel Kelly.
No harm to the lad, as he could be the future of the club. But that was no environment for an 18-year-old.
Perhaps it was another message to the board – especially when £2m midfielder Odin Thiago Holm was left on the bench – but surely we are beyond that stage now?
got me was the fact Nicholas Kuhn wasn’t there. This is a player who was keeping Reo Hatate out of the team at the start of the season but was then bombed out completely. Again, I’m not saying he’s world class but he can affect a game when you are looking for a goal. But no, gone in January with no replacement signed. It’s just bizarre.
You could say Nicholas Kuhn came in for Abada but he’s another one that can’t get a game at the moment. And it makes it all the more galling for Celtic fans to see Mikey Johnston scoring stunners every week for West Brom, especially after they practically hounded him out.