LIAM SCALES reckons Celtic’s new Bhoys will speed up their learning process as the season develops.
The champions have been stuttering and stumbling through a distinctly average campaign and it hasn’t been easy for the summer recruits to settle into such an inconsistent and under-performing unit.
Benjamin Nygren, Michel-Ange Balikwisha, Sebastian Tounekti, Kelechi Iheanacho and Marcelo Saracchi arrived in the summer, but the fans are still waiting for the spark that will help pull everything together.
The lack of co-ordination in Brendan Rodgers’ line-up has been obvious since the crusade kicked off and the early exit from the Champions League against Kazakhstan’s Kairat Almaty set off the distress flares.
The team travel to the capital to face Hearts at Tynecastle in the noon kick-off on Sunday in the knowledge a defeat will see them slip eight points behind the Edinburgh team at the Premiership pinnacle after only nine games.
ON THE BALL…Liam Scales is in control.
Following the abject showing in the 2-0 flop against Dundee at Dens Park at the weekend, the Hoops players will now turn their attention their Europa League meeting with the Austrians of Sturm Graz at Parkhead this evening.
It’s Celtic’s fifth Euro encounter of the season – and they are still waiting for a win after three draws and a loss.
Reflecting on the lack of immediate impact from the summer signings or the proper support they would have required, Scales said: “Maybe some players who aren’t used to the league and the level of the opposition, maybe they expect it to be different.
“But they’ll learn. They probably have learned a lot over the last few weeks and it’s now time for everyone, not just the new lads, everyone to really up our game and take it to the next level.
“Because there’s enough experience in the dressing room and there’s enough players with experience in the league to pull us through and win games like that.
“So, it can’t be all down to new players not bedding in as quickly as maybe people want them to because there’s still so much experience around. It’s a collective thing at the moment.”
The Republic of Ireland international defender admitted the players were not upset by Rodgers’ Honda Civic and Ferrari comparison after the loss on Tayside and, speaking to Celtic TV, continued: “Obviously, there was disappointment about losing the game.
CELEBRATIONS…Liam Scales is congratulated by Benjamin Nygren after the defender’s goal in the 4-0 Premier Sports League Cup win over Partick Thistle at Firhill.
“But there wasn’t any bad blood at all. The manager knows we’re all good players.
“We all know that there’s really good quality in the dressing room. We get that message day to day.
“The coaches know, the manager knows. He shows that day in day out on the training ground.
“He gives us confidence. There’s no real issues there.”
Scales added: “The players we’ve signed, you’ve seen the quality they’ve brought in patches.
“They’re really good players, it’s just going to take maybe a little bit of time for them to kick into top gear.
“Look at Nicolas Kuhn. When he came he struggled for the first six months. After that he was brilliant, teams couldn’t handle him.
“So, sometimes it just takes a bit of time for new players to come in and get that confidence. But the quality is definitely there.”
And Scales and his team-mates, old and new, will get the opportunity to show that against the Austrians tonight when they stride into the Euro spotlight once again.
*DON’T miss the unbeatable match report from Celtic v Sturm Graz thi evening – only in your champion CQN.
