Neil Lennon and Shunsuke Nakamura sharing a moment at Celtic Park says more about the current Celtic side than it first appears.
The footage of Lennon and Nakamura reunited at Celtic Park reminds fans of what Martin O’Neill’s team is really missing right now.
Part of Celtic’s golden era, the two former teammates meet again and exchange a warm greeting in familiar surroundings.
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It is not staged or overplayed. It is natural, and that is exactly why it stands out.
Both Celtic men were central figures in a side that dominated domestically and faced up to some of Europe’s elite teams. It also highlights what this Hoops team are missing, and it becomes impossible to ignore once you look beyond the moment itself.
Celtic reunion underlines the absence of a true midfield enforcer
Lennon’s presence immediately brings one thing into focus. Celtic had a midfielder who controlled games through aggression and tough tackling.
He set the tone without needing the ball in advanced areas. His role was about structure and ensuring others could play.
That type of midfield enforcer is not clearly visible in O’Neill’s side and, in truth, it has been lacking since the days of Scott Brown prowling the middle of the pitch for Celtic.
The reunion clip reinforces how natural Lennon’s authority was. It was part of the team’s foundation rather than an added feature.
While Callum McGregor is a fine leader and captain, he is simply not the tough-tackling enforcer Lennon was during his time under O’Neill in the early 2000s.
Celtic still lack Nakamura’s creativity and set-piece quality
Nakamura represents the other side of that balance. He brought creativity that directly influenced games.
His ability on the ball was matched by his delivery from set pieces. That gave Celtic a consistent attacking threat even in tight matches.
Who can forget Nakamura’s wonder-goal for Celtic against Man United in the Champions League or his title-winning free-kick at Rugby Park against Kilmarnock back in the day?
That level of creative output is not easily replaced. It requires both technical quality and consistency.
The current side does not have a player who combines those traits in the same way. Moments of quality exist, but not with the same reliability.
Seeing Nakamura back at Celtic Park highlights that difference clearly. His role in that team was specific and decisive.
The reunion is brief, but it draws attention to what made that midfield work. Lennon provided the control, Nakamura provided the creativity.
That balance is what defined that Celtic side. It is also what the current team still lacks and it has been crystal clear this season.
This is not about nostalgia. It is about recognising two roles that were filled at a high level and have not been replicated since.
The footage simply brings that into focus. It shows exactly why that era still stands apart.
Celtic continue to compete and win, but moments like this highlight where the team could still improve, especially in a season where scoring goals and keeping clean sheets has become a huge problem for O’Neill.
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