DAVID MARSHALL was Scotland’s hero on penalties after the Derby County keeper leapt to his left to deny Mitrovic’s penalty to end Scotland’s 22-year hiatus from a major tournament. The 35-year-old was impressive between the sticks throughout the 120 minutes and produced a couple of impressive stops. Celtic fans will be wondering why the usually shrewd Peter Lawwell didn’t pull the trigger and bring the Scotland No.1 back to Celtic Park.
Marshall was one of the names linked with the Celtic Park goalkeeping vacancy over the summer. However, the Derby County and Scotland No.1 has admitted that a move to his boyhood club ‘wasn’t close’. Marshall was a free agent after Wigan Athletic were relegated and a link to his first club, Celtic, appeared to be written in the stars.
Vasilis Barkas was signed instead and since his £4.5m move from AEK Athens has been shaky and Scott Bain has been forced to step in as a makeshift Number One. Fraser Forster was the first choice in the summer but that wasn’t achievable but with Marshall confessing thathe would love to return to Celtic, no deal was ever done. The performances of Marshall in a Scotland jersey will surely have been noticed, not least by Scotland and Celtic goalie coach Stevie Woods as well as the rest of the Celtic staff. Hopefully they do not regret the decision not to pursue Marshall and Greek internationalist Barkas comes good.
Although, earlier in the week Marshall said to the Scottish Sun that a deal to bring him back to Paradise never came into fruition allowing him to sign for The Rams.
“I spoke to Terry Gennoe not that long ago, he only stays about an hour from me in Derby. I think it was Terry who brought Woodsy [Stevie Woods] into Celtic and I have always got on great with him.
“A return to Celtic was never close. I joined Derby, signed for a couple of years and I am really delighted with that.”
