Celtic’s Scottish Cup final loss to Aberdeen brought up some interesting reactions and debates, including one involving Paulo Bernardo and Luke McCowan.
On the one hand, you can’t be too harsh on Celtic, at the end of the day, you are being critical about a team missing out on the Treble on the back of a few spot kicks.
Added to that, Celtic did secure the double this season, including their fourth title in a row and 55th Premiership crown overall. It should be applauded.
But there is a reason why Brendan Rodgers sets such high standards at the champions of Scotland, and it’s why this club has made winning Trebles look so easy.
Two men who understand that more than anyone else are Bernardo and McCowan, with Rodgers starting the former against the Dons following Reo Hatate’s injury.
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Why did Paulo Bernardo start ahead of Luke McCowan for Celtic’s Scottish Cup final’s loss to Aberdeen?
After the hour mark, Rodgers was making his changes, as Arne Engels, Adam Idah and Nicolas Kuhn were the men who made way at Hampden.
Michael Stewart admitted that he expected Bernardo to be the one who would be subbed off rather than Celtic’s club-record transfer.
Speaking to Premier Sports, Stewart explained how he is ‘surprised’ that McCowan, who was signed in the summer from Dundee, isn’t starting ahead of someone like Bernardo.
“Perhaps the fact that the league was wrapped up a while ago,” explained Stewart, on why Celtic were off it against Aberdeen.
“The intensity wasn’t there. They were missing some key players like Jota and Hatate, in particular.
“I still find it surprising that Bernardo plays ahead of McCowan. I said on commentary that I was predicting the three subs, but I thought Bernardo would have come off instead of Engels, but all of those things are in hindsight.”
Celtic losing to Aberdeen is ‘better for Scottish football’
Celtic have dominated Scottish football like nobody before, including a mouthwatering 42 trophies since 2000. The next best is Rangers at 18.
But Stewart thinks, with Aberdeen winning over the weekend, it’s ‘better for Scottish football’, as he lauded the man in Celtic’s dugout as a ‘hugely successful manager’.
“With Celtic, you can look, you can criticise and almost micro-manage what’s happened,” added Stewart.
“Brendan Rodgers is a hugely successful manager. He has done incrdible things in the past, and I am sure he will in the future. It is hugely disappointing for Celtic, but the day goes to Aberdeen.
“For Scottish football, I think it is better that happens. Jimmy Thelin didn’t have to justify anything that happened because the result dictates that what he did was correct.”
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