Frank McAvennie hasn’t minced his words regarding Anthony Ralston’s standing at Celtic, suggesting the defender has settled for a life on the periphery.
Talk started around Celtic’s current state, and who should stay in Glasgow beyond this season, with the likes of Viljami Sinisalo, Callum McGregor, Alistair Johnston and Cameron Carter-Vickers getting a mention.
That’s when McAvennie also put Ralston’s name on the table, but not in the way the back-up defender would have liked.
“They will keep Ralston because he has been there since he was a boy,” said McAvennie. “He isn’t going anywhere. Just as a back-up.
“I couldn’t stay as a back-up. I don’t know about you guys.”
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Does Anthony Ralston have a future at Celtic?
Frank McAvennie has questioned Ralston's role at Celtic
Frank McAvennie unsure of Anthony Ralston’s back-up role at Celtic
It is a harsh reality for a player who has come through the ranks at Celtic Park.
Ralston possesses a deep connection to his boyhood club, but he has always been a squad player, never able to cement a starting role under various managers.
His fall down the pecking order was heavily underlined before the March international break.
The fact that Martin O’Neill deployed Reo Hatate at right-back against Dundee United was an insult to the Scotland international, showing exactly where he lies in the manager’s plans.
Furthermore, Colby Donovan’s rise this season has pushed Ralston back even further.
With Ralston’s contract running out in 2027, the writing is on the wall. You would presume he is more likely to leave than sign a new deal, as McAvennie shares his honest thoughts on Celtic’s squad on Let Me Be Frank.
Simon Houston: “Out of the crop of Celtic players, who would you keep?”
McAvennie: “Sinisalo, I would keep him. Tierney because he is getting better. He is getting taken off, but when he plays every week, he’s a good player. He’s a top, top player. Carter-Vickers will stay. Johnston will stay.
“They will keep Ralston because he has been there since he was a boy. He isn’t going anywhere. Just as a back-up.
“I couldn’t stay as a back-up. I don’t know about you guys. In football, if somebody says, ‘we are going to keep you. You are third or fourth choice.’
“I would say, ‘well, I want to go and play. I want to go and play every week. Put me on loan. I want to prove I can come back and get into the team.’ But money now.”
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