When Jonjoe Kenny came back from Schalke 04, he’d hoped for a chance with Everton; it never came, and barely any time later he found himself at a Celtic in utter crisis.
Jeremie Frimpong, one of the few shining lights for the Hoops last season, had just left. Celtic had to endure the PR nightmare of the Dubai debacle, were well behind in the league, had several Covid-19 cases and thousands of restless supporters demanding better.
Kenny, then, was essentially parachuted into a nightmare situation. And it wasn’t one that yielded particularly useful performances. Like many in last year’s Celtic team, he often looked confused about his responsibilities, and seemed uncomfortable on the ball.
It wasn’t ideal. Especially given his excellent turn in the Bundesliga. But in an interview with Transfermarkt, Kenny opened up on his time with Celtic. Despite the chaos at Parkhead, he didn’t criticise the club whatsoever. But there was one experience he really wanted, that became a “difficult” experience instead.
Speaking to Transfermarkt, the former Celtic loanee said: “[Not playing at Everton] was really the toughest moment of my career so far. I left Schalke on a high and felt ready to play for Everton.
“But unfortunately it didn’t turn out that way and it wasn’t easy for me to deal with. I went to Celtic, another club with a great history, success and an absolute winner mentality. The old firm [sic] derbies were difficult because they took place without fans. But this experience was also good for my development, I think.”
Performances of former Celtic loanee Jonjoe Kenny were a symptom of a larger problem
It’s easy to lay into Jonjoe Kenny and his time at Celtic. Primarily because he wasn’t very good.
But there was little about last season that was. Imagine coming into Celtic in January 2021. The smell of burning from everyone running around with their hair on fire. Prime Maldini could’ve been transported to Celtic’s defence last season and struggled.
It’s good to hear Kenny praise the club, because honestly, he can’t have seen much of the good about Celtic that he’d heard all about before. The autobiographies in years to come from members of last year’s squad are going to be utterly fascinating, in a macabre sort of way.
Honestly, Kenny always came across as a nice lad. If he can use some of the experience of last season to become a more well-rounded player, then power to him.
In another season, he could well have been the right player at the right time. Unfortunately, he just never looked like he was told what to do, and his passing, tackling and overall play suffered. If he turns things around at Everton under Rafa Benitez, then it’ll be testament to his character.
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