THE four Celtic stars at the World Cup have all performed admirably as far as I have seen.
Dedryck Boyata could even come back from Russia with a winner’s medal as Belgium must be in the running to win the tournament – there doesn’t seem to be one outstanding side that are odds on to lift football’s greatest prize.
Would he be the first ever Celtic player to win a World Cup winners medal while playing for the club?
He has a chance and the population of Belgium will be feeling increasingly excited that their team of so many superstars – and Boyata who they knew very little about before this competition started – can at last live up to their huge potential and deliver a major prize.
Holland, or more accurately, The Netherlands, have come close a few times and maybe should have been World Champions at least once.
Spain, for so long international also rans – despite having Real Madrid and Barcelona stars to choose – turned that reputation around in recent times and in some style.
So Belgium could win it and you’d have to say so could England if they start to take their chances.
Anyway it is wide open but Belgium are in with a shout. What is he going on about, you are asking yourself? Clickbait.
The top Celtic story on the leading news aggregator site today is from the Football Fancast site – they gather half a dozen quotes from social media with the same theme – and make it into a story. This one targets Dedryck Boyata and the theme is that he is a weak link in this star studded Belgium side.
Well, he is a stand in for the often injured Vincent Company who may or may not be fit enough to face England in the group decider next week (assuming England beat Panama).
It stands to reason that a stand-in for the skipper is going to be a possible weakness so England fans have every right to point this out.No complaints there.
But that story is at the top of the news aggregator site on the Celtic page because it has been read more than all the other ones published recently.
Celtic fans should be proud of our players at the World Cup.
Tom Rogic is starting to shine, Mikael Lustig agonisingly came within a few seconds of knocking out the World Champions, even Cristian Gamboa looked like a player that we should be interested in signing if he wasn’t already a Celtic player.
Brendan Rodgers is a football geek – he will be watching every single game at this tournament and will maybe think he’s made a mistake in excluding the Costa Rican full back from his plans.
Gamboa’s World Cup will end at the Group Stages. Boyata is already through to the knock-out rounds and both Rogic and Lustig have it all to play for in their third group match.
Best of luck to the four Bhoys for their remaining games in Russia…
Listen to Part 2 of The Jimmy Johnstone Academy with A Celtic State of Mind below and if you missed part one that is a little further down. This is emotional stuff so don’t be surprised if you shed a tear or two while listening.
