Celtic youngster Conor Hazard has stated that he had options to leave Parkhead this summer, but that the club didn’t feel it was the right time for him to leave.
Hazard is currently third-choice in Glasgow’s East End after summer departures for both Craig Gordon and Fraser Forster respectively. Vasilis Barkas was brought in as the Hoops’ new first-choice, with Hazard bumped up the pecking order behind second-choice Scott Bain.
The youngster spent time on loan with Dundee last season before the global health pandemic cut his stint short. He’s also had loan spells with Partick Thistle and Falkirk respectively.
But as he discussed the prospect of potentially making Ian Baraclough’s Northern Ireland senior squad, Hazard reiterated that he needs to be playing regularly.
As quoted by the Belfast Telegraph, Hazard said: “I need to play games for me to be even considered to go to that level. I need to be playing week in, week out to get that exposure to first-team football.
“I had a great spell out on loan last season which I was delighted with but obviously with Covid that got cut short. I was looking to progress on that this year. For Ian to even consider me to be in that senior group, I need to be playing and performing.
“I’ve had quite a lot of places to go but from the club’s perspective with Covid and the lack of numbers it just wasn’t the right time to let me go out.”
In an ideal world, Hazard wouldn’t be here
It’s absolutely vital that Celtic manage to get as many of their most exciting young talents out on loan regularly. Hazard would generally fall into that bracket with his potential – especially considering he’s already had several spells on loan elsewhere.
Ideally, he would be out plying his trade at a rival Premiership club or even down in England. Watching the likes of fellow youngster Ross Doohan being given a chance to get senior minutes with Ross County must frustrate the Northern Ireland under-21 international.
However, at the same time, Hazard is getting the opportunity to train with the Celtic first-team on a daily basis. He’ll be practicing his shot-stopping with the likes of Barkas and Bain, and will surely be a better goalkeeper for the experience.
What is clear, of course, is that Hazard is looking for minutes. That’s something he almost certainly won’t get in Glasgow this season unless our top two goalkeepers pick up injuries at the same time. We can’t pretend that’s ideal, but given the club is in the hunt for 10-in-a-row this season, we can’t take any big risks in goal.
At 22, Hazard has plenty of years ahead of him in the game, particularly considering he’s a goalkeeper. He’ll be given his opportunities to impress at senior level before long.
For now, it’s about doing the job his club have asked of him. There are plenty of plus-points in being Celtic’s third choice goalkeeper, especially for someone so young, and it’s vital he makes the most of it.
In other news, a Celtic-linked target has been backed to rattle home double figures this season.
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