SENTINELCELTS

Jeez, just look at that fixture list. As a man who likes to break the season down into blocks with separate expecting, the upcoming period isn’t just a block, it’s generally the defining period. Being there or thereabouts in March was Fergie’s philosophy,,well the Christmas and the New Year schedule afford that opportunity.

It’s a squad game, and when the fixtures come thick and fast is the cue to begin thinking of freshness and rotation,,surely the first choice 11 won’t start all 3 SPL games in quick fire succession then be expected to be at their best and carry our hopes and dreams into Crotia. Logic tells us resting players for specific games is about to occur, logic also tells us the replacements contribution determines their immediate future. On that thought I would start MacCowan today, even if playing Ross County away I would start him,, if he was signed as SPL cover with license to impress then surely the hour has cometh especially being at home today.

It’s unusual for any Celtic manager to come out and defend a player, so Brendan’s comments on Engles are significant. For what it’s worth here’s my thoughts,,,he’s a proper footballer that needs a bit of time, just like the gaffer said.

Valle is another proper footballer, he’s shown that much. I don’t envy Brendan’s position here, two left backs that (at this moment) look likely to depart come June,,,but I’ll say this. Should we nab a leftback in January he would have the requisite six months of Brodge-ball training under the belt,,any new guy bought won’t play much but start in earnest come next season. On that vein, I’m chillaxed with Lennon Miller being snapped up yet spending the rest of the season ‘at home’. Even with one departure from the midfield unit come summer there’s enough upto speed until he grabs it, he would be good CL qualifiers backup, and heaven knows the next domestic star coveted elsewhere. I do harbour a slight fear of an Italian club outbidding us, strange to type, but they’ve developed a penchant for good Scottish players recently and by all accounts he fits that would.

As for Valle, he’s gotta know by now he’s at a big club, and now we all know Barca have said ‘no thanks’ twice now. He must know if he transfers fulltime he’s the starter (assuming GT goes),
and he won’t break the bank to purchase outright. I personally would start him beginning today, to help gauge his consistency and sweeten him on the move.

As supporters we all love the festive period, as a manager decisions need made, as a player I’m sure they prefer the opportunity of (what must feel like) constant gametime. A single defeat to a heavily fancied team in their own stadium, many teams would bite your hand off for such a record at this stage of the season, but ‘we’ aren’t the average fans with ‘average’ attendance nor ‘average’ levels of support. Nor ‘average’ levels of expectation. It’s a credit to my fellow Ulsterman that his latest version of Glasgow Celtic have not been beaten by all infront of them bar one. May that streak continue today, and I’m confident it will.

By Mahe sentinelcelts@gmail.com