Colby Donovan has now started back-to-back games for Celtic.
The teenage defender, who was set to leave the side on loan before squad injuries cleared his path to first-team action, has been trusted by Brendan Rodgers to step in at right-back.
First-choice right-back Alistair Johnston suffered a long-term injury in the first half of the Hoops’ Champions League qualifier against Kairat Almaty, with Anthony Ralston initially replacing him.
However, an injury sustained by Ralston in the second leg forced him to pull out of Scotland’s recent international qualifiers, making Donovan the only natural option.
After two wins in two starts for the 19-year-old, the Hoops boss has now discussed his readiness to make the step up to Europe.
Brendan Rodgers on Celtic’s Colby Donovan
Ralston is back training having recovered from his injury, but has not travelled with the Hoops squad to face Red Star Belgrade.
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This leaves Donovan in a position where he is ready to start in Europe for the first time. But does the Hoops boss think he is ready?
Asked about whether he has any qualms about throwing Donovan in for the match in Belgrade, Rodgers said: “No, not at all.
“It’s one of the things I really like about him as a young player – I think he has big personality, I’ve seen that over my few years that I’ve been at Celtic.
“I really like his mindset, and his ability to not worry about making a mistake. He just has a real strong mentality to his game, and he’s improving physically. He’s understanding the football really well. And I’d have no hesitation in putting him in.”
Questions firmly answered then – Donovan is ready to go.
Will Colby Donovan keep his place in the Celtic side long-term?
You can only have one right-back on the pitch at a time, and whilst having three options can be a nice problem to have, it can also make it difficult to give them all adequate game time.
Rodgers’ trust in Ralston and Johnston has been shown by his unwillingness to go searching for replacements in transfer windows.
So Donovan faces a tough battle to earn his spot in the side. Should he start in Belgrade, his performance will go a long way to securing his place in the team.
And judging from Rodgers’ comments, the door is certainly open.
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