Will Brendan ring the changes for tomorrow’s game against Kilmarnock?
Celtic’s Northern Ireland coach Brendan Rodgers after the UEFA Champions League group E football match between Celtic and Lazio at Celtic Park on October 4, 2023. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP)
After the frustration and disappointment of the midweek defeat to Lazio in the Champions League all thoughts now turn to the visit of Kilmarnock to Celtic Park tomorrow afternoon as Celtic look to widen the gap on nearest rivals St Mirren to seven points.
Will Brendan be looking at changing a few things and rest a couple of players after the energy draining effort in midweek? Also bearing in mind an international break is coming up and so many of our players will be away with their respective countries, it could well be the case.
Players like Kyogo and Daizen Maeda could well do with a rest giving Oh and Luis Palma a starting slot. Tony Ralston could also come in for Alistair Johnston and maybe we could see a starting berth for either Tomoki Iwata, Paulo Bernardo or Odin Thiago Holm?
I doubt all will feature from the start but we could see a couple of so-called fringe players get a chance to stake a claim for a starting place. Celtic has a big squad of players who will fancy their chances of staking a claim for a starting place and will be all looking to impress Brendan if they are given the nod.
We could well get to see several of them being given the opportunity to try just that tomorrow afternoon. After what happened on Wednesday night the Celtic support needs lifting. That was gut wrenching and is probably the moment we’ll all look back on at the end of the campaign, thinking it would have been different had that offside call not happened.
Celtic players after the UEFA Champions League group E football match between Celtic and Lazio at Celtic Park on October 4, 2023. ( (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)
The players will need lifting too so the crowd has to be at our best – for a home game against Kilmarnock – and show the team support from the start. Maybe we’ll even sing YNWA uninterrupted, stranger things have happened this week!
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
Join The Celtic Star at the Kerrydale on Thursday 19 October when we celebrate the launch of Matt Corr’s new book Majic, Stan and the King of Japan which tells the story of Gordon Strachan’s first season as Celtic manager. We’ll have the trophies that the Celtic team won that season plus well delighted welcome our special guests John Hartson and Stephen McManus, both stars of that Celtic team.
And we have other guests to be announced later this week plus there’s live music from the wonderful Boolavogue. Tickets are selling fast for what is sure to be a wonderful night of Celtic conversation and music and you can order below…
