Scott Bain’s signing was perhaps one of the more underwhelming moments of last January.
Despite that, however, the former Dundee man has sorted out a key long-term problem for the club. That problem being the lack of an able deputy to the number one.
Craig Gordon will remain the man between the sticks until he decides to leave for good. Brendan Rodgers won’t replace him and he’s quite right not to after the Dorus de Vries embarrassment.
And de Vries is just another in a long line of terrible Celtic back-up goalkeepers to play for the club. Perhaps terrible is the wrong word, but they certainly weren’t able.
Not since Lukasz Zaluska, and even that’s a stretch, have Celtic been able to rely on a reserve goalkeeper such as Bain. For all of his faults, he’s adept in doing the basics correctly as well as shot-stopping.
Ever since Zaluska, Celtic have had the following in as back-up goalkeepers:
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Lubos Kamenar, Viktor Noring, and Logan Bailly.
All three failed to make an sort of impression during their time at Celtic Park.
What makes Bain different
Bain is different in every sense. He’s already made a total of 11 Celtic appearances, more than all three goalkeepers above managed combined.
Zaluska left Celtic back in 2015, but never seriously impressed at Celtic Park. Instead, he was just there as someone you always hoped wouldn’t have to feature because he failed to ever look convincing.
Bain, on the other hand, just looks the real deal as a back-up goalkeeper. When Gordon is injured, the Celtic fans are relaxed about the man coming in to replace him.
It also helps that he fully understands his role at the club. He knows he’s number two, and isn’t banging the door down claiming he should be anything more. Gordon remains the number one and deservedly so given his achievements in the game and performances at Parkhead.
It’s fair to say, however, that this is an issue that’s been causing cause for concern at Parkhead for at least three years.
Bain continues to play a bit-part role whenever necessary. In truth, however, it’s a vital gap that’s finally been plugged in the Celtic machine.