Life was going so smoothly for Celtic defender Stephen Welsh at Motherwell.
But Cameron Carter-Vickers’ long-term injury in October, added to the Celtic board’s inability to bring in a replacement via the transfer market, has meant that Welsh is back at Parkhead early from his season-long loan spell.
On Sunday, as Celtic beat Falkirk to claim another three points in the Premiership, it was Dane Murray who was selected to start alongside Liam Scales, as Martin O’Neill kept Welsh on the bench.
With the January transfer window set to slam shut on Monday evening, O’Neill shared Welsh’s true feelings amid talk of a return to Motherwell.
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Martin O’Neill on Stephen Welsh’s situation at Celtic
Speaking at his Celtic press conference, O’Neill explained that Welsh possibly returning to Motherwell will depend on whether another centre-back can come in.
O’Neill stated that Welsh ‘obviously’ wants to represent the champions of Scotland, but the situation doesn’t allow him to.
That’s because Murray, Scales and Auston Trusty are ahead of him in the Celtic pecking order, whether fans agree with that or not.
So, bearing that in mind, O’Neill stated what Welsh would prefer, as the time ticks towards the January transfer window slamming shut.
“Welshy has done very, very well at Motherwell,” said O’Neill. “In an ideal world, he would want to go back.
“Again, I don’t really want to stop him when he is on a really good run. That might depend on us getting someone else in.
“We have the three centre-backs, at this minute, and Welshy, he wants to play. Obviously, he would like to play at Celtic. If I can’t guarantee that for him, then he wants to play with Motherwell, where he has done exceptionally well.
“But if we don’t get anybody else in, then that’s the case of wanting to keep him here, and just battling for a place.”
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