Martin O’Neill rang the changes for Celtic’s Scottish Cup clash against Auchinleck Talbot on Sunday.
One of the players who made a rare start for Celtic was Michel-Ange Balikwisha, the DR Congo star, having recently returned from Africa Cup of Nations duty, earned his first start under O’Neill.
Even though Celtic beat Auchinleck Talbot, as they should, and progress to the next round of the Scottish Cup, the performance wasn’t one to shout about.
Balikwisha was at the heart of that criticism, as he played a number ten role at Rugby Park, and Peter Grant didn’t hold back on what he thought about the player.
- READ MORE: Five things we learned as Celtic disappoint again despite narrow win vs Auchinleck Talbot
My Celtic man of the match against Auchinleck is…
Peter Grant critical of Michel-Ange Balikwisha as Celtic beat Auchinleck Talbot
Remember, this is a sixth-tier side, yet Balikwisha couldn’t even put in a performance to add some much-needed confidence into his veins.
Speaking on Sportscene, Grant touched upon the former Royal Antwerp star playing as a winger when he first joined, and ‘everybody saying he is going to be a number ten.’
Yet, when Balikwisha is put in that ten role, he doesn’t perform, and he leaves O’Neill ‘disappointed’ because he can no longer knock on his door demanding more minutes.
“You put people in positions, and it’s up to them to go and do their jobs,” said Grant. “I look at Balikwisha. People say, ‘he is a wide player.’
“Now they put him in as a number ten because everybody is saying, ‘he is going to be a number ten.’ I never saw that, and this is Auchinleck Talbot you are playing against.
“So, you have to find that space. You have to show that. You have to give the manager a problem, and I didn’t see that.
“Sometimes, you have to look at the players as well. The manager wants them to go out there and perform. This was an opportunity for some of them, but he will be disappointed in some.”
Michel-Ange Balikwisha: flop or unfairly treated?
Callum McGregor is an example to all
One man who never seems to get a rest is Callum McGregor, and he was one of the regular starters to keep his place in the XI.
Grant used Celtic’s skipper as an example for the likes of Balikwisha, and how he continues to produce performance after performance.
“Callum McGregor is out there churning performance after performance consistently for many, many years,” added Grant.
“But other guys know you have to grab it. When you get an opportunity at clubs like Celtic or Rangers, you have to take that opportunity, and I don’t think he (Balikwisha) did that. And that gives Martin a problem.”
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
