“With Celtic I’ve played 7 games, I’ve 4 clean sheets and am unbeaten in 7,” Hazard in Gloves Warning

Celtic’s Scottish Cup Final hero Conor Hazard has admitted that he might have to leave Celtic if he isn’t going to be the first choice goalkeeper. The Northern Irish international keeper was drafted into Neil Lennon’s side at the end of last year after neither Barkas or Bain did enough to hold onto the gloves in what was a traumatic period for the club.

Third choice Hazard therefore was given his chance with the highlight being the two penalty shoot saves that turned a losing position into Celtic winning the Scottish Cup in December to complete the unprecedented Quadruple Treble.

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Photo: Andrew Milligan

Celtic are now on the hunt for a new manager who when he arrives will have three keepers all having claims for the first team gloves but none with a particular strong argument to win the content. And indeed the new manager might have his own ideas about bringing in someone else, something that many people reckon will indeed happen.

So that would mean departures in the goalkeeping department. There has been talk of the club shipping the big money signing Barkas out on loan, Scott Bain seems happy being at the club and probably expected to be a back-up keeper for a few seasons while the emergence of Hazard has added competition even for that back-up keeper role.

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Photo: William Cherry

Hazard though isn’t content with a place on the bench and wants to start regularly either for Celtic or alternatively elsewhere.

“I think my main focus is I have to get game-time,” the Celtic keeper told Irish News. “That has to be one of the non-negotiables now if I’m going to take the next step in my career.

“With Celtic now the main aim is to get number one and I’ll do everything I can to nail that down. If that doesn’t work then I’ll look at the options in the summer,” Hazard said.

Looking back on his breakthrough season at Celtic he was full of praise for Neil Lennon and goalkeeping coach Steve Woods.

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Photo by Stuart Wallace

“It has been a rollercoaster of a season for me. I wasn’t involved at the start of the season so I wasn’t able to go anywhere and everything was up in the air. I got an opportunity in the Europa League and I have to hold my hands up and thank goalkeeping coach Steve Woods and Neil Lennon as well for giving me that opportunity and then trusting me in the cup final.

“I was over the moon and it was a big, big game and a huge opportunity for me. Then I was out of the team due to other factors and have now signed a new deal. So hopefully that’s a good step moving forward.”

The chances coming at Celtic will inevitably have an unsettling effect on players who will either be fancying a move, especially our infamous whataways, or may end up feeling a little less secure not knowing who the new manager will be and what he will think of them when he does arrive.

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Photo: Andrew Milligan

“I think football is an uncertain sport and things can change very, very quickly. I don’t like to think negatively in that way, that if a new manager comes in he might not like me,” Hazard noted. “I think of it as a new person to prove myself to, that I deserve to be in the team. That’s my mindset, to be positive rather than negative.

“I want to be number one with Northern Ireland and with Celtic. It’s in my personality to keep going until I get what I want.

“I have self-belief and I think I’m proving that with every opportunity I get. With Celtic I’ve played seven games, I’ve four clean sheets and am unbeaten in seven.”

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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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