Toljan’s green boots, Weah’s wish, Burke’s happy, Benkovic coming back?

THE CELTIC STAR’S article in the week before the Glasgow Derby that suggested that Neil Lennon was ‘set to bench the loan stars’ signed by our former manager, caused us a wee bit of bother.

On the bench against the Rangers were Toljan, Weah and Burke with Benkovic not making it as his ankle injury flared up in the days before the game, so given that it was written almost a week before the game, it was just about bang on.

On the morning of the match we published the team news for the game and got it spot on too. At the start of this week it was reported that Marvin Compper could be in the squad for the game at St Mirren and by Wednesday afternoon there were numerous reports that he’d be playing.

The Celtic Star did write about Compper starting but ONLY before the Morton game in the Scottish Cup last year, and it was something of an exclusive too. We didn’t say he’d be involved at St Mirren.

Compper wasn’t in the team or on the bench on Wednesday night, a fact that hopefully has been noted.

Anyway, with all the other controversies from the St Mirren game, one thing that no-one has mentioned was that unused substitute Jerry Toljan, after coming off the bench in the Glasgow Derby, has ditched those blue boots in favour of a pair of green ones, and he was wearing these on Wednesday night. Here’s the photograph we took from behind the goals – the Bhoy seems to be getting Celtic.

No-one of course mentioned the fact that he’d been running around in a pair of blue boots since arriving from Borussia Dortmund but his decision to swap them for a green pair might even be a wee hint that he’s enjoying his time at Celtic?

Timo Weah certainly is. The Celtic Star broke the story that he was coming to Celtic on Christmas Eve and there was then a delay as Paris St Germain worked on extending his contract for another year. This will allow Weah to stay on at Celtic for next season if all parties are happy.

Rodgers leaving could have put a spanner in the works, so it was significant that Weah got a start – and a goal – at St Mirren on Wednesday night.

Yesterday he spoke about the possibility of hanging around at Celtic for the 9IAR season.

“I feel like it’s a possibility. It’s something me and my family have to go over at the end of the season,” Timo said to the media.

“I am loving it here so far so we just have to see what happens. I’m really positive about the situation, happy to be at the club and making the most of these opportunities.

‘When I do get game time I just try to help the team and be positive, and I try to get a goal and help the team when I can.

“‘That’s been my mentality from the start and it’s going to be my mentality until the end of the season.

“I am really happy and just blessed to get the opportunities I’ve got so far.”

Weah also referred to the departure of Rodgers, who in the dead of night, bolted down the M74 to Leicester City without saying his goodbyes to his players.

“It was kind of disappointing to see Brendan leave, but he has to do what he has to do for his career and we respect it.

“We got back into training the next day as if nothing had changed. The staff stayed the same, the players stayed positive and we’ve continued our winning ways.

“I knew we were in good hands. The gaffer has really wanted to keep everything as Brendan left it because he doesn’t want to change too much.

“He just told me to stay focused, continue doing what I’m doing and it’s been great so far. He has just been really positive and it’s feeding the team and you can see it in the way we play.

“We are happy at the moment.”

Oli Burke’s interview a week ago made it very clear that he wants to sign for Celtic if a deal can be worked out with West Brom in the summer and Filip Benkovic may also be back next season, with the suggestion that he could be going back out on loan for another season.

Rodgers may decide that another season at Celtic would be good for the player and go some way to repairing the damage to his reputation that his sudden departure caused. We’ll see. With Dedryck Boyata’s season now over and no sign of him being interested in signing a new deal, then he is off as a free agent. Bringing back Benkovic for another season would be an ideal replacement.

Of course Neil Lennon, if as expected he gets the job, will have a big say in all of this from a Celtic point of view. And he’s had an excellent chance to see all four loan stars in training and in matches to decide for himself which ones are worth keeping, if it’s possible to do so.

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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