As Celtic’s competitive season goes on hold for over a month, there’s a chance for some of the players who have gone to the wire for Ange Postecoglou’s side so far this season to have a well-deserved break before their Scottish Premiership campaign resumes around the time of the World Cup final in mid-December.
This, in turn, allows for some fringe stars to be handed a chance to impress in Celtic’s first team squad, further opportunities beckoning in the absence of the four players heading to Qatar for the international showpiece.
Here’s three players who could use the Sydney Super Cup to stake a claim for a regular first-team place in Celtic’s side after the break:
Bosun Lawal
Although his fellow Celtic B star Rocco Vata could also have made this list, there is less of an obvious hole in the squad that would lead to opportunities for the apparently sought-after Republican of Ireland attacker, so Bosun Lawal opens the list.
With Carl Starfelt still working his way up to full fitness after his injury nightmare, Moritz Jenz limping off in yesterday’s 2-1 win over Ross County, and Cameron Carter-Vickers departing to represent the USA in Qatar, the door is open for Lawal to show what he’s made of, having also made a few appearances in pre-season.
Moreover, with some alleged interest in Stephen Welsh from January, it wouldn’t be too far out of question that the Scotland youth star looks for a move for more regular first-team football in the next couple of windows, leaving a spot in the first-team squad for another centre half, which could be up for grabs for Lawal if he impresses.
Oliver Abildgaard
It’s fair to say that more was expected of Oliver Abildgaard when the one-cap Denmark midfielder completed a late loan move from Rubin Kazan in the summer transfer window.
The Dane followed Sead Haksabanovic, who made the same move in the same window and who, of course, has since established himself as a new favourite for the Paradise faithful, but Abildgaard has played very little football in Glasgow, having only made nine appearances off the bench so far.
With Callum McGregor unlikely to feature in the two games in Australia as he continues his recovery, and Matt O’Riley due a rest after deputising for the captain consistently since his injury against RB Leipzig in October, Abildgaard’s chance in the 6 position, and indeed the starting eleven, could be on the horizon.
Yosuke Ideguchi
Almost a full year after he arrived from Gamba Osaka, it’s still yet to happen for Yosuke Ideguchi at Celtic who is yet to settle after a fairly nomadic career so far.
The root cause has, of course, been two significant injuries, one sustained in January against Alloa in the Scottish Cup, and another in training at the start of this season. His obvious place in the squad is Aaron Mooy’s replacement whilst the Aussie joins the Socceroos for the World Cup.
Though it seems an uphill task for Ideguchi to find regular football at Celtic, there are more absurd comeback stories in this Celtic squad alone – Anthony Ralston immediately springs to mind. If the former Japan international can offer a solid showing in Australia, don’t yet rule him out of the first-team picture.
In other news: Matt O’Riley’s comments demonstrate Celtic’s elite mentality under Postecoglou
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