Kelechi Iheanacho has shown flashes of quality during his time at Celtic, but injuries have been a problem and his recent admission to Martin O’Neill has left the Hoops boss concerned.
Iheanacho came off the bench to score the winner against Dundee, and seems to be back in contention following various issues that have left him on the sideline.
The Nigerian is in contention to start against St Mirren and while O’Neill is a huge fan of his passion and support for his teammates, one of his recent comments hasn’t filled the 74-year-old with confidence.
Who are you backing?
Kelechi Iheanacho has told Martin O’Neill he is in the ‘peak of his career’
Now 29, Iheanacho knows that he is heading into the latter stages of his playing career, and is fighting for his future at Celtic as one of the players out of contract this summer.
He has only four goals from 16 appearances in all competitions but, ahead of this weekend’s game, told O’Neill that he is in the peak of his career, which the Hoops manager admitted was a cause for concern.
Speaking at his press conference, the 74-year-old said: “You saw him last Sunday. He was up kicking every ball, desperate to get on. When he did he made an impact, which is great.
“He is fired up. I said to him, at 29 he should be at the peak of his career. He tells me he is at the peak of his career, which is a bit of a concern for me…
“But he should be. He’s got a lot of natural ability. You can see it in training, he’s terrific, you can see why he’s been a player at a club like Manchester City.”
Kelechi Iheanacho is not the long-term answer to Celtic’s striker issue
There is nothing against Iheanacho here, but he is not the man Celtic should be pinning their hopes on long-term.
His fitness, or lack of, has already proved that he is not cut out to last 90 minutes, never mind lead the line for a full season.
You have been given £10m to sign one player for Celtic in the summer transfer window…
Which player are you spending that money on?
After the published accounts proved that Celtic are in a healthier financial position than some Premier League clubs, there will be money to spend. The club should be using that to find someone better and more consistent to take that role on.
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