Celtic’s interest in Benjamin Tahirovic resurfaced this week so we decided to ask Danish football expert Toke Theilade for some information on the Brondby midfielder, and his response was revealing.
There was praise for the midfielder’s ability, criticism of his performances, and a warning that Celtic would be taking a gamble on potential rather than recent production.
Theilade admitted he was “surprised” when he saw Celtic linked with the midfielder.
It is a far more nuanced assessment than simply labelling Tahirovic a success or a failure. If Celtic are serious about bringing the Bosnian international to Glasgow, they may be backing the player they believe he can become rather than the one Brøndby supporters have seen over the last 18 months.
🔥 Celtic want Bosnia’s World Cup midfielder Benjamin Tahirovic.
Thoughts on this one Celtic fans? 👇
Tahirovic arrived at Brondby carrying huge expectations
Theilade, who is editor-in-chief of Brondby IF football site Vilfort Park, gave us the lowdown on Tahirovic, and it seems that Celtic are looking at a real livewire of a player.
Tahirovic’s pedigree is not in question. Before moving to Brøndby, he had already played for both Roma and Ajax and earned senior international recognition with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
That reputation was reflected in the expectations surrounding his arrival in Denmark and the assessment is fascinating because it neither fully endorses nor dismisses the player.
“Tahirovic came 18 months ago, and there were big expectations for him. Obviously, his CV is impressive with matches for both Roma and Ajax plus the national team.
He was intended to be a key player and was one of our most expensive signings ever.”
Those comments underline why Celtic’s reported interest is not entirely surprising. Clubs do not lose interest in talented players overnight, particularly those who have already performed at a high level elsewhere.
The Brondby system change that worked against Tahirovic
According to Theilade, the circumstances at Brøndby shifted shortly after Tahirovic arrived.
A tactical change left him competing for fewer midfield places and he never truly recovered his standing within the squad.
“Unfortunately for him, the system was changed soon after he arrived, and Brøndby went from playing with three CMs to just two and he became the odd man out.
When the head coach was fired in the fall, not much changed for him. He was still rarely chosen to start and mostly had shorter cameos from the bench.”
That context matters. It does not excuse every disappointing performance, but it does help explain why a player who arrived with significant expectations struggled to establish himself.
Tahirovic’s qualities Celtic could be looking at
While Theilade is critical of aspects of Tahirovic’s game, he is equally clear that the midfielder possesses attributes that remain attractive.
“You can clearly see that he is a fine player. His technique is at a high level, and his passing is good as well (although he often picks the safer choices). He is physically strong and his positioning is good defensively.”
The Danish journalist also believes there is a specific role that gets the best out of the player.
“I think he is at his best when he plays in a deep-lying role as a number six. He isn’t fast enough to play as a number eight and he also lacks creativity for this role. But as a number six on a team with three CMs that is in possession a lot, he can do well. He won’t give the ball away, and he can cover defensively.”
That description inevitably raises questions about how Celtic views this position. Celtic dominate possession in most domestic matches and regularly ask their deepest midfielder to protect the defence while recycling the ball efficiently.
On paper at least, that sounds far closer to Tahirovic’s strengths than the role he found himself playing at Brøndby.
Theilade’s biggest concern should give Celtic pause for thought
Despite identifying qualities that could suit Celtic, Theilade remains unconvinced that Tahirovic has done enough to justify the expectations that followed him to Denmark.
“Still though, for a player with his price and CV I had expected more. He was unlucky with the system change, but he has also failed to leave his mark when he was given the chance. He rarely makes a big difference and he is often a bit invisible.”
His criticism becomes even more pointed when discussing the midfielder’s use of the ball.
“You shouldn’t expect a lot from his passing. He plays it a bit too safe to be considered a playmaker. Too many of his passes are sideways and you’d often wish that he attempted to break the lines either with his passing or dribbling a bit more frequently. Especially since he shows in moments that he is capable of doing this.”
For a Celtic side that often faces deep defensive blocks, that observation is arguably the most important part of the entire assessment.
A warning and a challenge if Celtic complete the move
Theilade admits he was surprised to see Celtic linked with the midfielder and believes any move would represent a significant step up.
“I was surprised when I saw the Celtic link to be honest. I do think he has an unutilised potential, but Celtic is a step up compared to Brøndby, where he failed. Brøndby will be the third club in just three years to dump him if he leaves.
I think he needs a place where he can get a lot of playing time from a coach that really trusts him.”
He also revealed that Tahirovic experienced disciplinary issues during his time in Denmark.
“He had some disciplinary problems at Brøndby too. He was suspended for a while by Steve Cooper for not meeting his standards. He did fight his way back and got playing time towards the end of the season, which deserves praise.”
That final point perhaps sums up Tahirovic best. There is obvious talent there. There are also legitimate concerns.
If Celtic do push ahead with a deal, they will not be signing the finished article. Celtic’s scouts clearly see something in Tahirovic. The question raised by Theilade’s assessment is whether they are seeing the player he is today, or the player he still has the potential to become.
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