Dorus de Vries told to look elsewhere for first team football

DORUS DE VRIES has been told that he is NOT part of the Celtic plans for the new season. The Dutch goalkeeper who had a disaster in the away game against Zenit St Petersburg in the Europa League was sensationally dropped ahead of the crunch match against Rangers at Ibrox in March – with Scott Bain being brought into the side by Brendan Rodgers, as was exclusively revealed on The Celtic Star.

Bain kept his place until Craig Gordon returned to fitness and the two are now regarded as Celtic’s first and second choice keepers.

Last night we noted that De Vries was not part of the pre-season preparation for goalkeepers in Austria – see HERE.

Well the matter has been cleared up Brendan Rodgers has spoken to the veteran keeper, who signed a contract extension at Celtic last autumn, and advised him that he is not in the plans for the new campaign and he should look elsewhere for a club if he is looking for first team football.

As a keeper Dorus was never convincing at Celtic yet he joined the club from Nottingham Forest where he had just won their player of the year award!

De Vries tried to explain his error in St Petersburg by blameing the ball rather than himself:

“‘I have seen it back and it is called a knuckle ball,” De Vries said.

“There is no spin on the ball and a couple of those guys have the ability to do that.

“It moves to my right which is why I am stepping to my right, but it doesn’t keep on the original path, a couple of yards before that it shifts to the left and those are so difficult for a goalkeeper to adjust to.

“Unfortunately, it happened last night which is really disappointing because you are hoping you can get a full hand on it.

“If the knuckle ball stays in the direction you are moving you can adjust, but once it goes the opposite way there is almost no chance. It was disappointing. We gave ourselves a good chance to progress in the first leg and in the end we didn’t.”

And last night Brendan Rodgers admitted that De Vries’ time is up at Celtic.

“I have spoken about his situation. There are other goalkeepers ahead of him just now,” Brendan said.

Hopefully he will get a move back to England where he can play for a few more years at a high level. We will all wish him well.

About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor, who has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

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