Kyogo Misses Out, As The Celtic Boss Shows His Steely Focus.

The news that everyone will be talking about – but which nobody will care about for long – is that Kyogo isn’t risked.

He doesn’t even make the bench.

Our manager is a smart and practical man. If he thinks three months is too long for a player to be out and simply come in and play one game then that’s a sign that he has his head screwed on and isn’t taking chances.

You have to admire that kind of focus.

He must have been tempted, very tempted, to put the player on the bench at the very least.

But he has resisted that, believing the player not to be ready. He has gone against the perceived wisdom. It is brave. It is, in its own way, one hell of an expression of confidence in the rest of the squad.

And why not?

We got to the point where we’re rolling into Ibrox with a three point lead largely without the brilliance of Mr Kyogo Furuhashi.

Would we have been happier to see him on the bench today? Of course we would, but the man at the helm doesn’t think he’s ready and I can fully understand why he’s not willing to take the risk.

He probably feels that he’s risked Kyogo enough in this campaign, and he only has to look across the city to see what happens when unfit players are put into the team every week.

Ange knows this is going to come down to more than just one game. We have two massive games against this lot still to come this season … and the Japanese Bhoy will be ready for them.

He’s gone with Maeda on the left. That’s the area where you might have disputed him, except that the player has been superb there. He’s gone with Jota on the right. He’s gone with a fit Rogic instead of O’Riley.

But the bench has firepower and talent on it that we can turn to if the need arises.

Abada is there along with the Dane. Turnbull is back as well.

This is a good Celtic team. This is a strong Celtic team.

As none of us expected Kyogo to start, and as none of us would have swapped out Giakoumakis for him even if he was ready to go, it’s close to the starting eleven a lot of people expected.

I have no fears about their ability to win this one today.

Enjoy it folks.