Mark Wilson stands by his ‘big call’ on Kasper Schmeichel and Joe Hart at Celtic

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Kasper Schmeichel has had many great nights in his career, but not many will top what is happening at Celtic right now.

The 38-year-old joined Celtic in the summer and reunited with Brendan Rodgers – after working with him at Leicester City – following the retirement of Joe Hart.

Celtic fans would have preferred Hart to stay on because he had brought calmness and consistency with the gloves, including winning the double in his final campaign.

But the former England international brought an end to a career that saw him share the same changing room as Schmeichel when they were at Manchester City in their younger days.

It’s amazing how life turns out because now Schmeichel has replaced Hart at Parkhead, but how is he faring?

Mark Wilson sticks by ‘big call’ on Kasper Schmeichel and Joe Hart

Schmeichel has signed a new contract, so that tells you everything you need to know about how life is going in Glasgow for the shot-stopper.

From the League Cup final win at Hampden to Celtic’s progression to the knockout stages in Europe, he has experienced many highs so far.

But, at the start of the season, Wilson shared that he made the ‘big call’ that Schmeichel is an upgrade on Hart and it’s something he is going to stick by, as he told Clyde 1 Superscoreboard.

“He has been a huge player for Celtic since he came in, not just for keeping the ball out of the net, but I think the style that they play has been slightly tweaked because of how good he is with the ball at his feet,” said Wilson.

“I said, earlier on in the season, it was a big call. I think he was an upgrade on Joe Hart. There was a lot of ground to cover from when I said that to now. But I stand by it.

“I think, in big European nights, it’s right, he is worth his weight in gold. You need a solid foundation if you are going to get anywhere near in Europe, you are going to need big personalities and big characters. But goalkeepers with big ability. He has it all. You saw what it meant to him. He has played at the top level. He has won things in his career. You can see how invested he is in the club already and that goes a long way in the Celtic supporters’ minds as well.”

Schmeichel’s record at Celtic this season

When the season is out, and even further down the line, you can then make a real gauge of how Kasper and Hart compare, in terms of numbers.

But, so far, on the eye, the Danish star is looking pretty good and it seems as though he has brought a higher level of quality to the table, especially with the ball at his feet.

Putting aside the Ibrox horror show and the defeat in Dortmund, those are the only two real blips of the season and everyone will be hoping that dominance continues.

Competition		Apps	Goals conceded	Clean sheets	Minutes
	Premiership	23	11	17	2.070′
	UEFA Champions League	7	10	3	630′
	League Cup	4	6	1	390′
	SFA Cup	1	1	–	90′
Total 24/25:		35	28	21	3.180′