Billy Stark anticipates that when Celtic gets its big guns back and firing for the championship shootout, they will step it up a notch.
After the international break, manager Brendan Rodgers is optimistic that Cameron Carter-Vickers will be well and that captain Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate will return. Stark is aware that the loss of the three stars has had a significant effect, but their return should strengthen the team as they prepare to compete for league and Scottish Cup championships.
“Hate and McGregor make a big difference to the middle of the park, and that’s not disrespectful to the players in there right now because they are good players,” stated the former Celtics star. Teams are expected to carry on as usual, but it can be difficult when important players are lost. You can go back to the time when John Barnes hurt his leg and lost Henrik Larsson. After that, Celtic struggled greatly and lost a great deal. You have to make an effort to cover up the holes left by key players leaving. That is exactly what Celtic has been attempting to do in the cases of Callum and Hatate.
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“It will be a boost when they return, especially Carter-Vickers, who has been a true defensive midfield mainstay. CCV is all about physicality and authority, and they haven’t quite lived up to that. But Celtic will be playing at full strength once all three return.
The largest loss, in Stark’s opinion, has been the absence of captain McGregor. “Callum is a huge miss for Celtic, especially with Brendan wanting to play the way he does,” he continued.
“He is a midfield controller.” He is a major contributor both on and off the field and sets the tone for that squad. As a captain and since he is essential to Celtic’s desired style of play, they are missing him. He is a professional model. He has excellent behavior both on and off the field.
The one benefit of Hatate and McGregor’s absence is that it has allowed Danny Kelly, a young midfielder, to establish himself. Stark thinks the adolescent is a genuine potential who will enter his Scotland Under-19 team with confidence the following week.
“It was great to see young Daniel get that opportunity,” stated the former Scotland U21 manager. “I’m looking forward to him joining up with the Under-19s next week.” His right foot is his swinger, and he used it to score a nice goal against Dundee.
“Daniel is an extremely strong, dedicated, and vivacious individual. We hope he keeps growing the way he has since he possesses many qualities that a top midfielder needs.
Stark is aware that the top two will make for an exciting matchup because only two points separate them. “I don’t think anyone can confidently predict who’s going to win the league because it’s so tight,” he stated. For Scottish football, it’s fantastic.
“We witnessed Celtic losing at Tynecastle and Motherwell defeating Rangers at Ibrox the other week. What matters is how you reset.
Rangers and Celtic have both accomplished that. Their subsequent games were victories.
“You’ll be able to see the finish line once Easter arrives. You need to approach things game by game and try not to give it too much thought. That is the behavior of productive teams.
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