As the March international break pauses what has undoubtedly been the most chaotic season on and off the field in modern Celtic history, it is time for some brutally honest player ratings.
When a club cycles through Brendan Rodgers, Wilfried Nancy, and Martin O’Neill twice in one campaign, the pitch inevitably reflects that boardroom mess.
Kieran Tierney tops 67 Hail Hail’s list with a hard-earned 8/10, and frankly, nobody deserves higher. Don’t be surprised to see a few zeroes handed out in Celtic’s season player ratings so far, because it has been abject of the highest order from most involved.
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Kasper Schmeichel: 3/10
After a genuinely strong debut campaign last season that fully justified a new contract, things have ended in a remarkably sad way for Kasper Schmeichel.
The 39-year-old simply hasn’t been good enough. His error-prone displays, worsened by stubbornly playing through injury, caused a massive stir and undoubtedly cost Celtic valuable points.
Most damning of all, this situation has likely ended Schmeichel’s career. Denied a departure on his own terms, he has been sidelined by a shoulder injury that desperately required better management.
| Statistic | Last Season | This Season |
|---|---|---|
| Games Played | 49 | 39 |
| Goals Conceded | 47 | 49 |
| Clean Sheets | 24 | 14 |
Viljami Sinisalo: 7/10
Viljami Sinisalo is probably going to become Celtic’s new number one next season, and he is certainly making a strong case.
His performances have been consistently solid. These crucial post-March international games provide the absolute perfect platform to prove he deserves it.
But so far, Celtic fans will be giving Sinisalo the thumbs up.
Colby Donovan: 6.5/10
Pushed into the limelight at the start of the season because of Alistair Johnston’s injury, Celtic’s promising academy star is consistently proving that he truly belongs in the first team.
There is a lot of promise with Colby Donovan, and Celtic fans should be excited.
Julian Araujo: 6.5/10
Signed by Nancy, Julian Araujo has easily been one of the better additions from a frankly disastrous crop of summer and January arrivals.
There is a genuine sense of energy and life to Araujo’s game whenever he plays. However, from what he has showcased so far, he still isn’t better than Johnston.
Auston Trusty: 4/10
Auston Trusty has completely failed to seize the mantle following Cameron Carter-Vickers’ injury in October.
This was his golden opportunity to step out of the shadows and become the main man at the back, but he simply hasn’t delivered on a consistent or reliable basis.
Sporadic strong performances have been heavily outweighed by erratic decision-making. Two dismissals this season – with the red card against Hearts being entirely self-inflicted – highlight a deeply frustrating lack of reliability.
| Competition | Trusty’s WhoScored rating |
| Premiership | 6.89 |
| Europa League | 7.13 |
Liam Scales: 5.5/10
Rating Liam Scales higher than Trusty will undoubtedly divide the fanbase, but the Irishman has thoroughly earned it.
Defensively, he has simply been the more robust and reliable of the two centre-halves. In fact, throughout the chaotic first half of the campaign, a very strong case could be made that Scales was genuinely Celtic’s standout performer.
Yet, mirroring Trusty’s struggles, that vital consistency vanishes the moment Carter-Vickers is removed from the equation. When asked to step out of the shadows and lead the defence, Scales has unfortunately shown he cannot carry the backline on his own.
Dane Murray: 3.5/10
After enduring a remarkably turbulent and morale-sapping start to the season, Dane Murray has finally managed to steady the ship with a much-improved run of form in recent weeks.
But it still isn’t enough, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he is moved on in the summer.
Benjamin Arthur: 6/10
Benjamin Arthur has displayed obvious promise and looks entirely at home in a Celtic jersey.
However, arriving in January meant stepping into a fractured, struggling side, denying him the stable platform required to hit top gear. It will be very interesting to see if the club opts to turn his Brentford loan into a permanent deal.
Kieran Tierney: 8/10
After understandably needing time to rebuild his fitness and rhythm following his summer return, Kieran Tierney has hit phenomenal form.
In recent months, he has been Celtic’s undisputed shining light, emphatically reminding everyone why he is the finest left-back in the country.
| Games | Goals | Assists | Clean sheets |
| 44 | 5 | 11 | 12 |
Marcelo Saracchi: 6.5/10
Initially an underrated loan addition from Boca Juniors, Marcelo Saracchi’s impact has unfortunately faded as the season progressed.
However, despite those recent injury struggles, making the Uruguayan’s move permanent would secure a highly capable backup for Tierney going forward.
Anthony Ralston: 2/10
To keep it as blunt as possible, Anthony Ralston isn’t good enough for Celtic.
It makes matters worse when O’Neill is putting Reo Hatate at right-back against Dundee United instead of bringing him on. That tells its own story.
Arne Engels: 5/10
While the burden of a club-record fee has seemingly stunted his momentum, Arne Engels always leaves you wanting slightly more.
Yet, despite not quite hitting top gear, his sheer quality still dwarfs most of this Celtic squad, proving exactly why the club were right to instantly reject Nottingham Forest’s massive January bids.
Is Arne Engels ‘hiding’ in a Celtic shirt?
Reo Hatate: 2/10
Those two Ibrox performances from Reo Hatate aren’t going to change the utter garbage he has produced all season long.
Hatate’s head is elsewhere. He will leave in the summer. He isn’t the same player anymore, and it’s a crying shame it’s going to end in this way.
How much would you sell Reo Hatate for?
Paulo Bernardo: 4/10
Paulo Bernardo has hardly played this season, and probably deserves more minutes because he is a technically strong player.
He will point towards the lack of regular minutes as to why he can’t properly perform. But Bernardo is another who will probably leave in the summer.
Callum McGregor: 6/10
It will be very interesting to see how fans view Callum McGregor’s season. No doubt he has performed much better than this.
Yes, there have been a few crucial goals, such as the winner at St Mirren and the goal against Rangers, but that control has been missing from McGregor’s game, and he will probably point towards the mess around him.
Luke McCowan: 3/10
A few good moments, such as Luke McCowan’s performance away in Stuttgart in the Europa League, but other than that, he can’t maintain a starting place, and once again, he is another who could and probably should leave in the summer.
Offer your thoughts, Celtic fans!
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain: 4.5/10
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s career at Celtic got off to a bang, with that winner against Livingston, and a strong 45 minutes during the comeback against Kilmarnock.
But other than that, it has been underwhelming from the free transfer, and Celtic should think twice about signing him permanently.
Extend Ox’s contract, or let him go?
Share your thoughts, Celtic fans…
Daizen Maeda: 2/10
In the same boat as Hatate, what a huge shame that Daizen Maeda’s Celtic career is going to end in this way.
From winning Scotland’s PFA Player of the Year last season to this current campaign. It’s like somebody has switched the lights off.
Let’s see what Maeda can manage during the final few weeks as Celtic are in a three-way fight for the Premiership title, but don’t put too much of your money on the Japan star because he has proven all season that he isn’t worth the gamble.
| Statistic | Last Season | This Season |
|---|---|---|
| Games Played | 51 | 45 |
| Goals Scored | 33 | 8 |
| Assists | 12 | 8 |
Benjamin Nygren: 7/10
The enigma that is Benjamin Nygren. Pundits like Chris Sutton have been critical of the Swedish star, whilst others think the problem isn’t the player, but what’s around him.
The fact is that Nygren doesn’t control matches. It’s not his game. Nor is he somebody who is going to have 80 touches per game.
He is an efficient player who makes intelligent runs into the box and has great composure in his game. Make those around Nygren better, and his goals will shine even brighter.
| Games | Goals |
| 49 | 19 |
Sebastian Tounekti: 5/10
There is a player in there. Sebastian Tounekti needs to take it to the next level. Perhaps that will come next season with more stability.
But hopefully, Celtic fans will be patient with the summer signing because he is better than the majority of what has been signed this season, even though that doesn’t say much.
Michel-Ange Balikwisha: 0/10
Made his debut in one of the worst Glasgow derby games of all time. Celtic paid £5 million for Michel-Ange Balikwisha, and you wonder how they will get it back.
There is just nothing there, and it’s become so bad that he is no longer making the matchday squad.
Michel-Ange Balikwisha: flop or unfairly treated?
James Forrest: 4/10
At the age of 34, you can’t expect much from James Forrest. Perhaps he should have played more, given the troubles out wide.
But Celtic’s most decorated player of all time is another who could move on in the summer.
Kelechi Iheanacho: 2/10
Another player who epitomises the problems at Celtic. A free transfer, whom Celtic should never have turned to, Kelechi Iheanacho is still finding his fitness in March. That in itself is a disgrace.
No sympathy from my part. If you can’t be fit for Celtic, then the quality doesn’t matter, and his lack of fitness is hurting the champions right now.
Hyunjun Yang: 7/10
While this high rating might surprise some, Hyunjun Yang has thoroughly earned the praise.
Once entirely written off and seemingly destined for a summer exit, his fortunes were miraculously transformed under Nancy.
Yang has since cemented himself as a vital starter on the right, relentlessly working to pull Celtic out of their current slump, unlike others.
| Statistic | Last Season | This Season |
|---|---|---|
| Games Played | 34 | 38 |
| Goals Scored | 6 | 8 |
| Assists | 6 | 1 |
Johnny Kenny: 4/10
Johnny Kenny simply couldn’t cement a starting role, even when Celtic were practically begging for a goalscorer after Adam Idah’s summer exit.
Aside from a standout goal against Rangers, his impact was far too fleeting. Loaning him out in January was absolutely the right decision, and a permanent departure this coming summer feels inevitable.
Tomas Cvancara: 4/10
A solid debut against Hearts and a heroic winning penalty against Rangers aside, Tomas Cvancara has struggled to genuinely excite the Celtic support.
Yes, the Borussia Monchengladbach loanee is a noticeable upgrade on the rest of the January recruits, but his quiet performances in open play suggest a permanent summer deal should be firmly off the table.
And then the rest…
It comes as no surprise that both Shin Yamada and Joel Mvuka have earned a brutal 0/10.
Loaned-out Yamada has already been exiled to Germany’s second tier, and while Mvuka remains at the club, his inability to make a matchday squad is a glaring red flag.
Celtic should be incredibly thankful that a failed medical prevented a permanent transfer, dodging what would have been an absolute Balikwisha repeat.
Other than that, Callum Osmand deserves his flowers, and he is an exciting player to watch out for next season when he gets over this long-term hamstring injury.
Alistair Johnston: N/A, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey: N/A, Shin Yamada: 0/10, Cameron Carter-Vickers: 6/10, Joel Mvuka: 0/10, Junior Adamu: 1/10, Callum Osmand: 7.5/10, Adam Idah: 4/10
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