Our View: Celtic may face difficult decision regarding Jack Hendry's future

By John Reid

February 5, 2020

The recent injury suffered by Celtic loanee Jack Hendry is desperately bad news for the player.

In only his second game for Melbourne City, he picked up a knee injury which required the centre-back to have surgery on a ligament injury, as reported by the BBC.

“On the road to recovery”

The club announced on a statement on its website that the player would be out of action until towards the end of the season and the player himself took to Instagram to post from his hospital bed after the operation to disclose that he is ‘now on the road to recovery’.

Celtic defender Jack Hendry / (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

No doubt all at Celtic will wish the player a speedy recovery, and hope that he is able to get some playing time towards the end of the season.

However, the Hoops might face a difficult decision regarding Hendry at the end of the season. Neil Lennon and the player will have to decide if to send the player out on loan again, or keep him at Celtic.

The problem that could occur is regarding Hendry’s lack of game time for Melbourne. The A-League side haven’t really had time to judge just how good a player Hendry is.

Hopefully player will return before end of season

Hopefully that will change when he returns from injury. If Hendry can make another few appearances for Melbourne City before the end of the season, that might influence their thinking about Hendry.

Being honest, Hendry doesn’t seem to have much of a future at Celtic. He only played 11 minutes of football for the Hoops in the first-half of the season.

Celtic defender Jack Hendry / (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images)

That is why the move to Australia was a good thing for the player, but unfortunately his injury has thrown a spanner in the works.

Still, perhaps Melbourne City will decide to take the player on loan again next season. That would be reassuring for Hendry, to show that the A-League side rate him despite his injury.

Should that not happen though, then Celtic and Hendry will need to work out what the next step is in the player’s career.