Now I’m not really one for motivational speakers and the like but it’s somewhat apt today.
Zig Ziglar is one who famously wrote ‘Difficult roads lead to beautiful destinations’.
I’m sending this positive message to every player we have struck down by injury today. The rumours the Celtic superstore is to close temporarily to allow it to be used as a makeshift hospital may well not be true. I’m also convinced the adverts for Temporary Physiotherapists has been written up by Celtic’s HR team and winging it’s way to Indeed.Com. Immediate start required, plenty of over-time.
Let’s look at the list and apologies if I’ve missed any Kouassi, Arzani, Benkovic, Tierney, Edouard, Forrest, Lustig, Ralston, Griffiths, Ntcham, Rogic and Boyata. A full team and a sub for good measure. and Christie is struggling too after that tackle yesterday just before French Eddie got booted.
We better stock up on band aids and Ibuprofen for the currently afflicted and bales of cotton wool need sending to Lennoxtown for full back’s and centre halves to wrap up in this week.
Hopefully with the right amount of professional assistance and old fashioned cod liver oil we’ll have some back sooner rather than later, but the outlook doesn’t look good. For most February is done for and for some the possibility of March being missed is a real danger also.
Thankfully we have beefed up in offensive positions during a fruitful transfer window but defensively we have serious issues arising here and little room for manoeuvre. Our addition of a full back who can play left or right side in Jeremy Toljan is great news and it’s now looking like a wise business move to keep Jack Hendry when the player no doubt was champing at the bit for regular football elsewhere on loan.
The decision not to recruit at Centre half is looking questionable. A full back 4 on the sidelines and the first choice at that shows we may have erred. I’m not the first I know to be asking Brendan to ask if any of his old mates are still in touch with a certain Mr Ambrose and ask if they could send him an SOS message.
We have little room for further injuries or suspensions for that matter. We could therefore have done without Big Ajer’s clouded judgement in getting a red card with a game done and dusted.
Listen I appreciate it’s a natural reaction. If you’ve been skinned and your opponent’s straight through on goal, ending the threat by foul means or fair is all that enters your head, but I can’t have been the only one who had a few internal expletives rattling around the head followed by why, why, why??
I’m hoping Brendan Rodgers and the coaching staff were in early today re-formatting and tailoring training plans and loading cotton wool into lockers. While they are at it I’m also hopeful some space is put aside in everyone’s online diary and a meeting invite is sent to try and get to the root of what has been a season of real concern in terms of injuries.
It may well be luck but it’s possibly not let’s dot some I’s and cross some T’s here. A wee look at training programmes, time in rehab and how we phase the injured back into the team has got to be on the agenda. Marginal gains and all that.
The feeling yesterday with two late goals would be worth a few quid if you could bottle the source. Imagine the return on investment when you secure the ‘Treble Treble’ on the back of the toughest season of all 3?
A difficult road indeed for all those injured but what a beautiful destination it will be on a sunny day on 25 May. Get well soon Bhoys.
Niall J
The Celtic Star welcomes contributions from any Celtic supporter. If you fancy giving it ago, you can write about any Celtic related subject you like. Just email your article to editor@thecelticstar.co.uk and we’ll do the rest.
Read what Scotty Sinclair has to say as he looks ahead to the Hibs game.
‘We go into the Hibs game with the same mentality,’ Scotty Sinclair
Read Timo Weah’s thoughts on yesterday’s win below.
A Dirty War! Celtic’s Band of Brothers, Timo Weah the Screaming Eagle
And if you missed Sandman’s hilarious Matchday Ratings on The Celtic Star late last night, catch up here…
Also on The Celtic Star…
‘I thought we had weathered the storm,’ but Wright was Wrong
The Valencia file (Part 4) – A linesman’s flag prevents Celtic playing a European final at Hampden
Celtic Fans TV – Reactions from Celtic supporters at McDiarmid Park
Boyata Boost – Belgian set for early return against Hibs, Brendan says
‘We’ve got options and we’ve got players coming back,’ Brendan’s relaxed about enforced changes
“Dallas’s work is all in vain, Tim the Tim strikes again!” David Potter
Despite these Referees, Weah Gonna Win the League! Nine Man Celtic go Six Points clear
