When Celtic’s Lee O’Connor joined Partick Thistle on loan in the January transfer window, it seemed like a good move. The player would get to play a decent standard of first-team football on a regular basis, something that he hasn’t managed to do at Celtic.
However, so far, the move hasn’t really worked out for the player. Whilst he may be getting game time, Partick are on a very poor run of form.
O’Connor has played four games for the Championship side so far, and they haven’t won any of them, with three losses and a defeat.
Missed out on a final
The latest of those came on Friday night, where O’Connor was part of a Thistle side which lost 2-1 to League One Raith Rovers in the semi-final of the Challenge Cup Final.
That loss must have been particularly disappointing for the player, as had Thistle won, they could have faced Rangers under 19 side in what would no doubt have been a very high-profile final, which would have been a good test for the player.
A good way of looking at the loan move is that O’Connor is getting game time. With Celtic having a raft of full-backs, that was not going to happen for him at the Hoops this season.
Tough start could be good in long run
Therefore, a move to a team where he would play regular football would no doubt have appealed to the player. Perhaps it will make O’Connor a better player in the long-term, and Celtic will see the benefit.
The chances of the Hoops going for a four game winless streak don’t seem very realistic. That is something that just doesn’t happen to Celtic.
Therefore, it could be good for the player to face this kind of adversary at the early stage of his career, instead of when he plays for the Hoops.
O’Connor’s loan move might not have started well, but it could have a happy ending for the player when he returns to Celtic, if he manages to get in the first-team.
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