Aberdeen vs Celtic – a fixture that would normally have had us salivating in anticipation at this time of the season.
Indeed, in any other year this would be an absolutely mammoth clash. You likely would be watching with a friend or potentially at another family member’s house. Perhaps you even would’ve been one of the ones taking the trip up to the Granite City to watch it live.
Yep, when this fixture comes around – especially in late April – it usually means something big is on the cards. Two years ago for example it was the venue at which we won eight-in-a-row under Neil Lennon. That was a particularly memorable occasion.
However, tonight we find ourselves not even sure of when the kick-off time actually is. Is it 8pm? One of those weird early 6pm or 6:30 ones? Nah it’s 7:45pm for anyone who haven’t really bothered to check it out just yet.
For many, it’s as meaningless a fixture as a so-called “competitive” one could be. We’re out of absilutely everything and are set to suffer a trophyless campaign for the first time since 2009/10. Fans only seem to care about who the new manager will be and when the rebuild will kick in.
But don’t expect that to be the same way many of the players see this one tonight.
Aberdeen vs Celtic is absolutely colossal for a host of players
There are players tonight who Celtic fans are entitled to let out a groan when they hear their name. The likes of Odsonne Edouard, Kris Ajer, and Ryan Christie aren’t exactly fan-favourites at the minute. Much of that comes down to their decreasing performances the closer they’ve gotten to the summer. With all three entering the final years of their contracts, they look certain to depart.
But there are others. There are your Leigh Griffiths’. Your Greg Taylor’s. Your Ismaila Soro’s and your Stephen Welsh’s. Not to mention talents such as Albian Ajeti and even youngsters such as Dane Murray, Adam Montgomery, and Owen Moffat.
For different reasons, tonight remains huge. For the likes of Griff and Taylor, it’s a chance to show the current interim boss and ultimately the new manager that they’re worth sticking by. A chance for them to make themselves undroppable for the final few fixtures of the season. An opportunity to shine and make an impression on the fans in a boost to show they’re worth keeping.
Sure, for the likes of Edouard and Ajer, their careers will go in an upward trajectory if they left Celtic. For the likes of Griffiths, Taylor, and Ajeti, that isn’t the case. Now is the perfect chance for them to remind fans and management what they can do. Especially with a demand for some new heroes to step into the fore. Soro steps into that bracket too as a player who will be itching to show he can take over from Scott Brown.
You then have youngsters like Welsh who will be looking to bag a clean sheet and get himself back on track. A player who will have eyes on keeping his first-team spot next season. The only way he does that is by continuing to impress and keeping his stock high. Keeping out the likes of Florian Kamberi and Fraser Hornby would help him do just that.
Then there are the potential opportunities that could await the Lennoxtown youngsters who have been training with the first-team. For those players, any minute at Pittodrie would be colossal for them.
Tonight is a big game for so many at the club, even if all tangible rewards are now gone. Hopefully, we see that in the performance tonight.
In other news, we discuss what John Kennedy’s future should hold after his Celtic interim spell.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
