Anthony Ralston is a player that the majority of Celtic fans know can be relied upon whenever called on by Brendan Rodgers at Celtic.
Ralston is under no illusion that the Celtic boss has Alistair Johnston as his first-choice right back and the Scotland defender has no problem with it.
It’s the same situation with Scotland for the Hoops defender. Ralston is also well aware that Steve Clarke has other options ahead of him but that doesn’t stop him from giving his club side and the national team 100% effort and commitment.
Which is why Peter Grant was fuming when speaking about the Celtic defender before Scotland took on Croatia last night.
Peter Grant ‘not being funny’ after hearing Celtic defender Anthony Ralston’s Scotland criticism
Grant was talking up Ralston and his importance to Scotland right now and after hearing someone saying the Celtic defender should be replaced by Jack Hendry, the Hoops hero was having none of it.
Grant told The Go Radio Football Show, “I’ve got to say, I thought even in the Euros he’d done well when he was getting a lot of criticism. I’m not being funny. You could be Danny McGrain playing right back but if you have nobody to play the ball forward to, you’ve only one place you’re going to play the ball, is back the way.
When asked why he thought Ralston was always being criticised, Grant said, “Because one he’s not playing as often, he’s a substitute, people say he’s no good enough, he’s no international, he can’t get in the Celtic team.
“And that’s typical Scotland. If they turn around and say, right, who’s going to play before him? I heard somebody saying yesterday, I think it was on the show, actually, somebody was saying they would play Jack Hendry right back.
“How can you play Jack Hendry right back before Tony Ralston? I just cannot see that for the life of me. And I know Jack’s played there, but never in a million years should Jack Hendry be playing there before Tony Ralston.”
Grant says Celtic defender Anthony Ralston has ‘all the assets’ to play for Scotland
“See if you were a winger, I wouldn’t like playing against him,” continued Grant, “Why? Because he’s really aggressive with you and we don’t see that now.
“You know you’re in a game against Tony Ralston. He gets tight, he’s sometimes too tight at times.
“He doesn’t give silly free kicks away. But he’s really aggressive with you and he’s as strong as a bull. You know what I mean?
“And all these things are positive. He’s very, very light crosses on his box. All these things are as important as a fullback.
“And I think he’s got all the assets. I’m not saying it because I’m Celtic or whatever. I’d be perfectly honest with you why I’d be saying it. But he deserves his place.
“If there’s he’s the only right back here, he deserves to be playing, not playing a centre back at right back.
“For me, that would be ridiculous.”
Ralston earned media plaudits for his Scotland performance in the win over Croatia last night with many outlets agreeing that he had a solid 90 minutes for Steve Clarke’s side.
The Celtic defender hardly put a foot wrong and even showed some crisp passing during the Nations League win at Hampden.
Next up for Ralston is a trip to Poland where he will be hoping to earn his 13th international cap and help get a win against a Polish team that got absolutely trounced 5-1 by Portugal in the Estadio do Dragao, in Porto last night.
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