Celtic-bound Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Liam Shaw is said to have been left “devastated” after his sending off yesterday against Birmingham City.
The Owls went into the game level on points with their relegation candidates at the bottom of the Championship. It was a crucial game for either side, with a victory hauling the winners out of the bottom three.
Wednesday had a real foothold in the game, before a strong challenge from Shaw saw him red-carded. The English midfielder, who signed a pre-contract with Celtic last week [Scottish Sun], would be forced to watch on as his boyhood club lost 1-0 and stayed in the bottom three.
It was controversial to say the least given Shaw managed to get the ball first. However, the follow-through was deemed strong enough to be identified as dangerous play. And it’s fair to say his current manager, Neil Thompson, couldn’t help but sympathise with him.
“The lad’s devastated”
As quoted by the Star, Thompson said: “When you’re on a yellow, you run the risk. Years ago it’s a tackle and a Birmingham thrown-in. You can’t leave the ground. He’s only a little bit off the ground but you’re deemed out of control. The lad’s devastated that he’s been sent off and it impacts as to how we play as a team.
“But it’s part of football, when you make a mistake – whether it’s with the ball or whether you get sent off – you’ve got learn from it and I’m sure he will. He’s only a young lad.
“It was just his enthusiasm to go and win the ball. He might have to be a little bit more disciplined in what he does, but at the end of the day you don’t want to take that tenacity out of anybody. If there’s a player who enjoys the physical challenge and that tackling side of the game, you don’t have to knock it out of him you just have to be a bit more calculated.”
Incoming Celtic arrival Liam Shaw sounds a lot like a current Hoops star in his younger days
First off – make your own mind up on it. You can see the challenge for yourself by clicking here, with Sheffield Wednesday’s official YouTube account publishing the highlights.
You can see why it was given, but it’s nothing to be overly-concern about for either the player or the Celtic supporters. It wasn’t a lack of discipline that got Shaw sent off. He clearly believes the ball is there to be won and went in to do that. His shock at being sent off is also a clear giveaway.
What he’ll have to learn, especially in Scotland, is when to time his challenges better as well as how he flies in for the ball. That was a tackle reminiscent of a younger Scott Brown. Too often would the Celtic legend take unnecessary risks in areas of the pitch that weren’t dangerous, at least in his earlier years.
In Broony, Shaw will have superb guidance on how to adapt his tackling for different situations. This is something Brown is now a master of. Whilst the Hoops captain is slowing up due to him getting older, he’s only had two red cards over the last four campaigns. That’s incredible form.
Regardless, the effect Shaw’s red will have had on his team won’t be lost on him either. When he leaves Yorkshire, he’ll want to do so having left the parting gift of avoiding relegation. Yesterday’s red didn’t help in that regard.
But there’s plenty of time yet to put things right for him. With another eight rounds of fixtures still to play and only three points behind safety, Shaw will have plenty of opportunities to put things right.
In other news, it’s time for Neil Lennon to give a run of games to this exciting Celtic youngster.
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