I COULD never have forecast Kyogo Furuhashi knocking back the opportunity to rejoin Celtic.
Nor could I have envisaged Kasper Schmeichel being jeered by an element of the home support.
And I could not have predicted Johnny Kenny being a virtual shoo-in as the champions’ main striker at such a critically important stage of a topsy-turvy campaign where a fifth successive title is in jeopardy of being wrenched from the grasp of the Parkhead club.
We might as well throw the hapless Wilfried Nancy into the mix as a Celtic manager who lasted all of 33 days after bringing chaos and confusion to the place.
Shows you how much I know, doesn’t it?
FAREWELL TO A WINNER…Kyogo Furuhashi proudly displays his ninth – and final – medal after Celtic’s Premier Sports League Cup Final penalty-kick triumph at Hampden on December 15 2024.
The Kyogo rejection is more than a tad puzzling. Does the former fans’ favourite really prefer warming the bench at Birmingham City and hoping for the odd substitute’s appearance than the possibility of a guaranteed first-team place at his old club?
He sat among the stand-by squad for the Championship side’s home match against Coventry City on Sunday until getting the nod to go on for the last 18 minutes. If that’s the measure of ambition of our ex-player, then thank goodness we missed out.
Kyogo is on a reported £35,000-per-week at the Midlands club who are currently sitting in 14th place in a 24-club division. He has yet to score a solitary league goal and there are no indications of an upsurge in form in a side going through the motions.
We are informed, though, he is content to stay where he is and I can only wonder if he has worked out the subsequent consequences if circumstances remain unaltered.
Kyogo celebrates his 31st birthday a week on Tuesday and must realise he will not get too many opportunities to play in a future World Cup Finals.
It was difficult enough for the once-prolific hitman to gatecrash Hajime Moriyasu’s Japanese squad when he was knocking in goals on a regular basis at a Celtic team dominating Scotland.
What chance has he got of catching the eye of his country’s international supremo while being routinely overlooked by his second-tier club side? I would fit his hopes in between zilch and none.
ON THE BALL…Kasper Schmeichel in control.
At Celtic, he would have been given the opportunity to step back into the spotlight with Martin O’Neill craving much-needed firepower.
If Kyogo needs to blame someone for missing out on being involved in the glittering global tournament in USA, Canada and Mexico in the summer he just needs to look in a mirror.
At the other end of the pitch, Schmeichel may yet captain Denmark in the competition if his nation can navigate a play-off path with North Macedonia standing in the way of a final confrontation against either Republic or Ireland or the Czech Republic.
Hands up again, I never saw the Danish legend losing four goals against Scotland at Hampden, either, in the group encounter in November. And, while we’re at this owning-up business, I wouldn’t have put a penny on Kieran Tierney being among the Scots’ goalscorers.
It’s regrettable that Schmeichel has struggled for form in recent club games and was culpable for Motherwell’s second and killer goal at Fir Park last month. He blundered, too, when he allowed Mikey Moore’s low shot to evade his right hand to trigger a mini-exodus of fed-up followers as the team headed for a depressing home derby defeat last weekend.
The only positive that can be derived following a dire second-half show against Ibrox opposition is that it brought to an end the French farce that descended upon the east end of Glasgow on Wednesday December 3 with the arrival of Nancy and his three-man entourage from the MLS.
HAPPIER TIMES…Johnny Kenny celebrates the first of his double in Celtic’s 4-0 win over Falkirk at Parkhead on October 29, Martin O’Neill’s debut game in his first time-around spell as interim manager.
But Celtic fans booing their own player? That’s a massive no-no. I’ve been watching the team for over six decades and I have witnessed a lot more duds than most, but I have never felt the need to barrack one of our own.
So, please give the guy a break when he lines up against Dundee United this afternoon. An extra cheer may be welcomed by an excellent professional who, at 39, just happens to be suffering from the same malfunction that affects every single sportsman at some stage of their career.
Up front. Kenny, too, needs encouragement. Martin O’Neill left the Republic of Ireland forward on the substitutes’ bench in his last three games in interim charge first time around.
That’s where the 22-year-old raider may start this afternoon with Daizen Maeda leading the line.
Whether he is in for the kick-off or makes an appearance off the bench, Kenny, who is clearly low on confidence, will require your support.
It’s an afternoon for Celtic to be united, on and off the pitch.
ALEX GORDON
*DON’T miss the unbeatable match report from Celtic v Dundee United this afternoon – only in your champion CQN.
WANT TO KNOW A SECRET? Celtic Confidential is the stunning new book that brings the exclusive inside stories behind the headlines. Alex Gordon’s sixteenth Celtic book is available NOW. Order a copy and get £5 OFF the cover price of £25. All is revealed in a sensational new publication. Just click SHOP HERE and your book will be on its way. Happy reading!
