An interesting subplot takes place tomorrow as it could mark Olivier Ntcham’s first start since his summer saga.
Ntcham’s comments to L’Equipe about being too good for Scottish football didn’t go down well with supporters. But Neil Lennon has revealed that crunch talks have taken place, and everything has apparently been ironed out (Celtic TV).
It’s now time to look ahead according to the Celtic manager, who claimed that Ntcham was in his plans. But actions will speak louder than words in that regard, and tomorrow night could be a key indicator of Lennon’s thoughts.
Celtic will ring the changes for the second-leg in Kalju (Scottish Sun). It’s a chance to give Callum McGregor a much-needed rest, and Lennon will hopefully go ahead with that idea. He hasn’t confirmed whether McGregor will miss out or not, but it’s a key chance to give the midfielder a well-earned break.
Meanwhile, Ntcham is in desperate need of games to boost his match-sharpness. Since coming back from the under-21 European Championships, the Frenchman has only featured in one cameo appearance last week in the first leg against Kalju.
A first start for Ntcham would help ease tensions
If the summer saga didn’t occur, you could bet on Ntcham starting tomorrow night. It’s a perfect opportunity to get him minutes, and with such little pressure on the game, it would help increase his fitness levels heading into the new domestic season on Saturday.
But if he’s overlooked in what will be a much-changed side in Estonia, that continues to add fuel to the fire and suggest that all remains unwell between himself and Lennon.
Lenny showed good intentions last week in bringing Ntcham on in the second half. And if he backs that up by starting him this week, it will prove that the midfielder does in fact have a future here.
After all, Lenny could easily turn to Luca Connell and give supporters another chance to see him. All the while, it would be a bit of a public blow for Ntcham to be overlooked for an 18-year-old youngster with only a handful of senior matches to his name.
There’s nothing holding Ntcham back from featuring tomorrow. He isn’t carrying a knock, as far as we’ve been made aware of. He’s there and ready to be used. Lennon will know how it looks if he doesn’t select him either.
Tomorrow’s teamsheet in Estonia will tell us a lot. Ntcham’s position in it, however, is perhaps the most intriguing of the lot.
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