Jack Hendry’s career at Celtic continues to stall the longer he doesn’t secure a loan move, but it’s been proven that injuries won’t save him either.
The former Dundee stopper hasn’t made a single matchday squad this season. And that follows on from not making an appearance for Neil Lennon last season either.
Injuries to Jozo Simunovic and Nir Bitton, however, can easily open up suggestions that Hendry’s career can be saved. After all, we only have Kristoffer Ajer and Christopher Jullien as natural centre-backs, right?
Well, that part may be true. However, Lennon has proved in the past that a couple of injuries hardly opens any doors for Hendry.
When Bitton went off at Ibrox with Simunovic already injured, Lennon put Hatem Abd Elhamed to centre-back and played Moritz Bauer down the right for the final half-hour.
Sure, you can say that this had to be done because Hendry wasn’t in the squad. But Lennon is clearly comfortable with playing Elhamed in the centre if he has too many knocks. If he wasn’t, Hendry would’ve been in there just in case.
Just the fact that the manager felt Bitton’s return was necessary this summer shows the lack of faith in Hendry. He’s a midfielder after all, and he’s been shoehorned into the back-line all season so far.
Lennon has already said that Bitton is expected to return in three weeks (Daily Record). We’re nearly one week into those three already.
So let’s say Hendry gets a game, then what? He plays one or two matches and gets tossed back out the team when others are fit and ready.
Only one thing can save Jack Hendry’s career at Celtic
There’s only one way for Hendry to go and that’s out on loan. An impressive, extensive run of games elsewhere could help him get the chances he needs at Celtic.
He had been linked with a move to Portugal (TEAMtalk). However, things appear to have gone quiet on that over the last few days. If he could get a move there, however, then it should be taken.
Even last season, Lennon would look to play Mikael Lustig at centre-back over Hendry. He just wasn’t in the manager’s plans. You can put up a case for him managing a couple of games if there are knocks to the defenders. But that’s all it will be – cover. He can’t prove in one or two games that he should be in the team consistently.
Bitton will soon return to action and take his place as first reserve. A few weeks later, the same will likely happen with Jozo Simunovic. Any game-time Hendry is fortunate enough to see would only be temporary.
But if he could get out on loan and get his confidence back, who knows what it could do for him? That’s what Hendry and Celtic should have their eye on – getting his confidence back through consistent first-team exposure.
However, counting up injuries and using that to point to Hendry? It’s just not permanent enough.
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