Celtic made the decision to keep Jack Hendry during January, but that decision now looks a tad unnecessary.
The former Dundee stopper was linked with loan moves over the course of the transfer window last month. In the end, Brendan Rodgers suggested after an injury to Filip Benkovic that it changed plans for Hendry.
What Rodgers meant was surely that he needed his defender there for cover. And at the time it made some sense considering Nir Bitton hadn’t yet returned from injury. Dedryck Boyata was available, but even he got injured for a brief period before returning against Hibernian last night.
But, since then, Rodgers will now be able to look at his defensive selections and nod with some satisfaction.
Boyata, Jozo Simunovic, Kristoffer Ajer, and Bitton are all available for the run-in as it stands. That’s two for each position.
Meanwhile, Hendry hasn’t been in a single match squad since the window slammed shut. Given the fact that Mikael Lustig can also play centre-back if worse comes to worst, it’s not a definite that Hendry would even play ahead of him.
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Hendry should’ve ultimately been given a move
Considering Benkovic could also be back in time for the run-in, you have to now question the denial of Hendry’s move. It’s already proving to be a decision that’s come back to bite the club, and negatively effect Hendry himself.
The player, at this stage of his career, needs to be playing first-team football. At 23-years of age, he could do with being tested down south or at another club in Scotland.
At the moment, he’s simply rotting on the sidelines and being starved of game-time. Given the options Rodgers now has in his defensive pack too, you have to wonder whether we made a mistake in January regarding him.
It’s probably not a decision Rodgers or Celtic regret. After all, Celtic were right at the time not to risk it, but it’s turned out to be a bit of a blunder for the player.
Game-time for him at Parkhead looks non-existent this season. How better it would’ve been for him to go elsewhere in search of it.