Has Liel Abada Just Made The Case For Starting Every Week At Celtic?

As I said in my article earlier, as good as Kyogo was today – and I thought he was fantastic – I reckon that Liel Abada edged him as the best player on the park. I thought the Israeli was just brilliant, in both his work rate and his contribution.

We can all comment, but none of us has the right to second guess the boss when it comes to team selection. But it is the job of every player who isn’t playing every week to make a case for not being out of the side.

Today, Liel Abada did that.

It is tempting to suggest that he got into the side because Giakoumakis wasn’t on the bench, which saw Maeda dropping back to a place amongst the subs, but I think he was due a start and this was a good place to give him one.

He grabbed it. He did what a footballer in his position needs to do. Three goals and an assist is a mighty accomplishment, and it shows the strength of the squad as well as the strength of his character. Abada is easily good enough to play every week. That we’re even debating whether or not he should is quite incredible.

At every other club in Scotland – every one – he would be a guaranteed first pick.

I think he could walk into many teams in England’s top flight, and he’s still only 20.

But not here, not when there was already a player like Maeda in contention and not now when there’s a new signing to compete. And this is what I said some weeks ago; the presence of these players makes everyone else up their game.

Because if you don’t, in this squad, you will not play.

That’s the genius in what Ange has done, and let’s be honest, what the board has supported him in his efforts to do.

Ange has been backed, and there is no doubt about it.

It helps that his judgement, thus far, has been phenomenal and that he has barely put a foot wrong in the transfer market.

Liel Abada was his first signing proper.

At £3.5 million it was the sort of signing that made you sit up and take notice. His age was clearly no barrier to the club and the manager sanctioning a big transfer fee. He has repaid it all in spades though.

He has made his case for starting next weekend, and whilst I would not dare – and should not even try – to second guess Ange, it’s a good case, a solid case, and one that I can see the manager believing is enough to justify his place.