After a defeat in Europe, it’s very easy to get the scattergun out and try and find someone to blame.
It happens all the time in football. But what is refreshing to see is that is something I am not seeing today in the aftermath of Celtic’s eventual collapse in Rotterdam.
the 2-0 defeat to Feyenoord, although it is a sore one, has been in the main met with a balanced view from the pundits and Celtic supporters.
But there has been one shining light to come out of the defeat to the Dutch champions and that is Irish defender, Liam Scales.
The 25-year-old was praised to the hilt by the Celtic fans last night. You can find that in TBR Celtic’s archives here.
But it was also great to see the Celtic manager, Brendan Rodgers, single Scales out for some special praise last night and BBC pundit, James McFadden, said that the 25-year-old defender was ‘outstanding’ for the Hoops in De Kuip.
McFadden said [BBC Sportsound], “I think he [Rodgers] was right to single out Liam Scales. I thought he was excellent. I think he has been because you go into the Rangers game and it’s Liam Scales and [Gustaf] Lagerbielke.
“And I said this before the game, they can’t start the first Champions League game with those two. And Liam Scales, in particular, I thought he was outstanding.
“Lagerbielke has made the mistakes and ultimately it’s cost them. But I think Liam Scales had an excellent game in there’s certainly far more positives from tonight’s game than negatives.”
Scales has been superb for Celtic this season. When you consider he was almost on his way out to Aberdeen, it looks like he has found a new lease of life under Brendan Rodgers.
Obviously, it must be pointed out that had it not been for the injury crisis Celtic currently have, Scales would be nowhere near the Celtic first eleven, but you have to commend him for grasping the opportunity when it was presented to him.
Undoubtedly the Celtic fans are going to see a lot more of Scales over the next few weeks. Would it be too much of a stretch to suggest that Maik Nawrocki is going to find it difficult to get his place back beside Cameron Carter-Vickers when he returns from injury?
I would suggest not.
In other news, ‘He should not’: Martin O’Neill spots a glaring error that cost Celtic against Feyenoord last night