Celtic winger Marian Shved has received yet another blow after being left out of the Ukraine squad for next month’s qualifiers against Portugal and Lithuania.
The 22-year-old, who is rated highly by manager Andriy Shevchenko, was sent home early from the last Ukraine meeting due to an ankle injury. That problem is understood to be healed but Shved has now been overlooked for his country – for whom he has a single cap.
The former Karpaty Lviv man has made just one competitive start under Neil Lennon, and he marked it with a goal in the 2-0 away win over Nomme Kalju.
Big things were expected of Shved from that moment onwards but it’s been a frustrating couple of months.
Ukraine blow could be a blessing in disguise for Shved
Unlike the situation with fellow winger Scott Sinclair, the Celtic support are well aware of what the problem is with Shved. That’s because Lennon came out and told fans in mid August.
“He just needs to up his tempo and his work,” the Northern Irishman explained. (Football Scotland)
“It’s still, again, an adaptation period for him. He’s 21, in a new country and doesn’t speak great English.
“So, we know we’ve got a good player on our hands and we’ll see more of him as the season progresses.”
But even the most ardent fans of the winger may be getting a little bit twitchy. Celtic are blessed in many positions right now but right-wing isn’t one. Yes, James Forrest is a stand-out pretty much every week, but beyond that there’s little else to whet the appetite.
That’s why Shved is missing a great opportunity at present. This week’s Betfred Cup clash against Partick Thistle would have been an ideal opportunity for the Celtic Park faithful to see him in action. As it is, it looks like the winger won’t be involved in that one.
Perhaps his national team snub may be looked at as a blessing in disguise further down the line. He can now focus on getting himself fit and ready to challenge for a place at club level. He can train harder while the rest of the players are away – and try to forge himself a career in Glasgow.
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