As Celtic prepare to head down to Wales for their pre-season training camp today, the supporters will hopefully see the beginning of two renaissance stories.
Pre-season is always a time for freshness. A time for a new start where players are able to discard previous setbacks and look ahead to the future.
A massive part of having a successful campaign is indeed having a solid pre-season in which you’ve had a chance to get used to the manager’s way of playing and get some sharpness into your team.
In fairness to Vasilis Barkas and Albian Ajeti, they were given neither last season.
The struggling Celtic duo arrived at Parkhead without having experienced pre-season with the Hoops. A failure to hit the ground running then led to everything blowing up in front of them. Both men, despite costing a considerable amount, just couldn’t build up any momentum last season.
But both will head to Wales this week a major part of Ange Postecoglou’s plans. As things stand, for example, Barkas should be the number one. He ended last season with back-to-back clean sheets and hasn’t proven to be any worse than Scott Bain. Postecoglou will surely see more in the big Greek stopper moving forward, and he’ll have a glorious chance to prove himself over the course of the next nine days in Wales.
Celtic hopefully set for two big success stories in Wales – time for Barkas and Ajeti to step up
Throughout that period, Celtic will play two matches. The first kicks off in two days against Sheffield Wednesday. Three days later we’ll face Charlton Athletic. Barkas, for all of his faults last season, will be given a chance to show he’s in a better frame of mind this term. A couple of clean sheets and he’ll undoubtedly be getting talked up by supporters and indeed his own manager.
Let’s not forget the Greek stopper still managed 11 shutouts in 22 appearances last term [Transfermarkt]. He has both title-winning and Champions League experience to his name too. This isn’t a poor player, but we need the right manager to get the best out of him. Hopefully Postecoglou proves to be that man.
As for Ajeti, fans are already noticing a difference in him. He seems intent on trying to get used to Postecoglou’s style of play. Coming off a season in which he only bagged six goals, we need massive improvements from him this season.
With Odsonne Edouard’s future up for debate and Patryk Klimala well gone, there’s a massive area for opportunity when it comes to the Swiss forward. He’ll get extensive game-time in Wales, and all it will take is a goal or two to reannounce himself at the football club.
Fans take notice of these things. Players who impress in pre-season? Supporters demand to see them regularly. Postecoglou also doesn’t seem like the kind of manager that will allow hard work go unrewarded.
Ajeti has scored against a better calibre of opponent than Sheffield Wednesday and Charlton. He’ll strongly fancy his chances of shining under the new man as he looks to ramp up his training performances.
Come the end of the Wales camp, some players are going to surprise whilst others will struggle. But with a new era dawning at Celtic, there’s so much riding on this for Barkas and Ajeti. Expect both to shine and push themselves into the reckoning for Midjylland by the time the Wales camp ends on July 14th.
In other news, the Celtic supporters have been split by the club’s Monday morning announcement.
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