Weeks after it looked like his Celtic career was over, the message is now clear with Maik Nawrocki

Add as preferred source on Google

You have to tip your hat to, Maik Nawrocki.

It wasn’t so long ago that the summer signing’s future at Celtic was looking like it was over before it even started.

Even though Maik Nawrocki had been fit for a while after picking up an injury at the start of the season, he didn’t feature in many squads picked by Brendan Rodgers.

It saw Chris Sutton make an SAS call and question what on earth has happened to him and another recent addition, Gustaf Lagerbielke – it was Stephen Welsh who was on the bench for the win over Dundee last week.

When Cameron Carter-Vickers got injured in that game, it was Stephen Welsh who came on alongside Liam Scales, which then started the debate as to who should start against Rangers.

Could you throw in the likes of Maik Nawrocki and Gustaf Lagerbielke from the cold? Well, Brendan Rodgers decided against it and selected Liam Scales and Stephen Welsh. Not many would have predicted that at the start of the season.

But after 35 minutes, Maik Nawrocki was called into action after Stephen Welsh’s injury, which really tested the £4.3 million signing. 

Maik Nawrocki against Rangers

From the get-go, a ball was fired at him by Joe Hart. He was under the pump straightaway as Rangers tried to react to Paulo Bernardo’s opening goal.

In truth, before Maik Nawrocki came onto the pitch, there was some uncertainty in Celtic’s backline when Rangers were either pressing or playing balls over the top.

But as the game settled down, so did Celtic and Maik Nawrocki, who made some very, very crucial and vital stops.

Yes, it was his foul that led to James Tavernier’s free-kick goal, but overall, he faired very well and looked an absolute unit out on that pitch.

You have to question what on earth he has been doing in training for Rodgers to snub him so much.

Either way, he now has to start against St Mirren. It probably would have happened anyway because that’s Welsh and Carter-Vickers seemingly out of the picture for now.

But, going forward, he has to be used more because you could argue that another centre-back might have been brought into the club in January if Nawrocki and Lagerbielke continued to be snubbed.