David Marshall touted for Celtic return after heroic Scotland exploits

By David Walton

March 23, 2021

David Marshall has been touted for a Celtic return this summer by Hoops-minded pundit Mark Wilson.

Marshall last year stated that he would “love” to come back to Parkhead. He stated that it would’ve been a “massive thing” for him to return and fight it out as the club looked for 10-in-a-row [Scottish Sun].

However, in the end, he signed a two-year contract with Derby County whilst Celtic plumped £4.5m on Vasilis Barkas [Scottish Sun].

Since then, things couldn’t have taken a more ironic turn. Marshall became the toast of Scotland by helping them bag Euro 2020 qualification. Barkas, meanwhile, has produced mistake after mistake and has even lost his place in the Celtic goal.

Wilson has today been talking up the prospect on the Celtic Huddle Podcast, as the discussion over the Scotland number one opened up again:

“A name that hasn’t went away from the summer that I think Celtic should go for again, just to get in the door as number one and it would sort out their problem – I think they should go for David Marshall.

“People will say ‘it’s a step backwards, he’s 35 or 36 years old’. But I look across the city and see Allan McGregor coming to Rangers. Was he 38 when he came? 37? I see pictures of him holding the Player of the Year for Scotland trophy.

“I know he’s still got another year to go, but surely Marsh would be up for coming back to Glasgow.”

The David Marshall to Celtic talk was never as ludicrous as it seemed

When Marshall was first linked back in August 2020, not many Celtic fans wanted him. How time can change perspectives. Now, he’s better than anything we currently have at the club.

Of course, any new manager may want his own numbers one. He may even want to take a look at Barkas again given he cost the club a lot of money from AEK Athens. But Marshall is still an option considering he only has a year remaining with Derby.

Given he’s into the final 12 months of his contract in the summer, a large fee would unlikely be demanded by the Rams. Marshall is reportedly still open to the prospect of signing for Celtic again too [The Times].

Marshall was the hero for Scotland in Belgrade / (Photo by Nikola Krstic/SNS Group via Getty Images)

But we can’t all be fooled by one penalty save from a Fulham striker in Serbia. His season has hardly been flawless. He’s conceded a total of 31 goals in 28 games for County, averaging over one goal per match. Clean sheets haven’t been frequent either with only eight to his name – less than a third [Transfermarkt].

He also hasn’t started any of Derby’s last three matches. That honour has instead gone to Dutch stopper Kelle Roos. A short-term injury for Marshall gave Roos his chance, and manager Wayne Rooney hasn’t been quick to drop him.

In any case, Marshall is clearly going to be one potential option this summer for the new manager to consider. This summer, Celtic fans like myself likely won’t be as dismissive of him.

In other news, a Celtic Director of Football candidate has ripped into an ex-Rangers chairman in a heated BBC debate.