Ange Postecoglou has confirmed Christopher Jullien will be in his Celtic squad for this Sunday’s match against Raith Rovers, but stopped short of suggesting he’ll be in the starting eleven.
Jullien has missed 14 months of football after suffering a devastating knee injury against Dundee United in December 2020.
Asked about him today, Postecoglou told a press conference [Celtic YouTube]: “I get the level of anticipation with Chris because it’s a long-term injury and a significant player for this club and people are really keen.
“My assessment of those things is that with every player we look to give them an opportunity when we think the time is right, to give themselves the best chance to play.
“Chris has been training really well in terms of consistently being out there without any issues, which is important, that’s the first thing. The second thing is when does he get his opportunity?
“Look he’ll be involved in the squad, definitely, on Sunday. Whether he gets any game time that depends on how I think the starting eleven will look or, if he’s not in the starting eleven, what changes I can make during the game.
“He’s just got to keep doing what he’s doing. I don’t think anyone here hasn’t got their opportunity, he’ll get his opportunity and then it’ll be up to him.”
Reading between the lines, it sounds more like Jullien will be on the bench this weekend, rather than starting the fixture.
That may be the sensible way to play given he has missed so much football. It will be about building up his exposure to first-team football gradually. It’s not as if we have a desperate need for him.
Cameron Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt have a solid partnership and even if Jullien was fully match ready he might not be able to disrupt that.
Nonetheless, it’s good to have him as an option and for his sake as much as anything I hope we see the Frenchman on the pitch this Sunday, whether it’s from the start or the bench.
In other news, Celtic’s Greg Taylor apparently shut down the 15th ‘most exciting teenager in world football’ last week.
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