Martin O’Neill has confirmed Liam Scales’ two-match Scottish Premiership ban…
The Irishman revealed his defender would miss our opening two league fixtures after our match against Shelbourne in Ireland this Tuesday, where the Bhoys drew 1-1 with the Tolka Park outfit…
Scales was a consistent performer for the club last term and O’Neill leaned on his fellow countryman at various points across the course of his two interim spells, to help grind out those crucial results that clinched the title.
The boss made no bones about his admiration for Scales, after the club gave the left-footed centre-back a new deal until 2030 towards the end of last season.
It’s no secret that the 74-year-old views Scales as an important member of the playing squad and first team more generally, even with scepticism over his suitability for a club the size of Celtic from large parts of the fanbase. There’s no denying that in a season fraught with inconsistency across the board, the former Shamrock Rovers star was steadier than most.
However, O’Neill confirmed that Scales would be missing the first two fixtures of the new season, after picking up 12 yellow cards last year. “Liam, just everything,” he said. “I think he’s been fantastic for us, absolutely fantastic. From the minute I stepped into the football club way back, was it late October, and the second spell as well, he was terrific.
“He’s got himself suspended of course for the first two games of the season I believe, which is not great news. So I think we’ll dismiss him now… I’m joking. But he’s been brilliant for us, really, really brilliant,” O’Neill stated via Daily Record.
There’s plenty of rumours about incoming and outgoings from the club at present, with central defence thought to be an area where Martin O’Neill wants to bolster amongst a litany of others.
There are suggestions that he will be looking for more defenders too, as he may want to be flexible tactically and employ a 3-5-2 again like he did in his first spell.
Regardless of who comes in though, it appears that the manager is definitely set on Liam Scales remaining an important figure for him going forward.
Undoubtedly, if we are to compete in the UEFA Champions League though, higher calibre players must be sought to increase the level of the starting eleven. Even so, Scales could remain a stable and reliable member of the squad in this instance.
Paul Gillespie
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1 Comment
Don’t think that the petty ban placed upon Scales, will have any bearing upon our first couple of matches whatsoever imo?
If MoN is going to stay with a back 4 in place still?
Then Already got CCV and Trusty, which may well be the preferred CB partnership?
Even covered for the 3CB option with a potential Rocki or Murray, CCV and Trusty?
With Tierney also as potential cover within the 3CB option if required?
So it’s not like MoN is already short upon options, for the start of the season, in the CB positions?
Depending upon how he intends in setting up the CB positions, could well determine who he plans for an entire season in the position, especially when decent cover and competition for those starting roles will be required, especially if looking at a more rotational element within our defensive set up?
Managers don’t like to be making to many changes, within a defensive set up in general?
But with such a hectic footballing calendar in place, the rotational option potentially has to be considered more so now, along with the cover in place to cover injuries?
Other positions needs to be addressed moreso than our CB positions at present, this despite whatever intentions MoN has in mind for setting up our defensive set up imo?