Under normal circumstances, I don’t like to be critical of my fellow Celtic fans when they express an opinion about players in the team, but I feel this is a good time to knock on the head once and for all an idea which is generating a lot of discussion. A lot of people seem to be labouring under the belief that Bernardo has been signed to replace Matt O’Riley.
There are two principal reasons why this is a misguided notion.
First, they’re going to be dreadfully disappointed because Bernardo is not the same sort of player as Matt O’Riley. Paulo Bernardo does not play as far up the pitch as O’Riley. He is an entirely different type of footballer, and it’s unfair to put that expectation on him. It’s also unfair on the fans who believe it because they will not see the player they expect.
But there’s another reason why this is a bad idea, and I’d even go so far as to call it a dangerous one. It gives the board an excuse not to replace O’Riley properly. And this board does not need and does not deserve alibis, benefit of the doubt, or anything of that nature.
I know what I’m going to get from the usual suspects on this—the people who constantly post abuse on the blog and try to bait me into an argument. They’re going to say, “How do you know he’s not a replacement for Matt O’Riley?”
I know because I watch football, and I know the difference between Bernardo’s style of play and O’Riley’s. I also listen to the manager’s words, and Brendan Rodgers has been clear that he does not see Bernardo as O’Riley’s successor. How do we know this? Because he said, and he has said repeatedly, that if O’Riley leaves, he will have to replace him.
Ergo, his replacement cannot yet be at Celtic Park.
Brendan Rodgers knows more about football than I ever will. He has forgotten more about football than most armchair experts will ever learn.
He knows exactly what type of player he requires. The people who have pushed this Bernardo line have done is give the board an excuse to do nothing. And as long as this line is being pushed, they will continue to have an excuse to do nothing.
It’s more than just that Brendan doesn’t see Bernardo as replacing O’Riley.
He’s made it clear that he wants two midfielders once O’Riley goes. He too sees Bernardo as a squad player—a good squad player, a cut above some of the rubbish we’ve had in the squad over the years—but a squad player nonetheless.
Paulo Bernardo will either be a good signing for Celtic, or he won’t be. We’ve certainly paid a lot of money for him, so expectations are high. But let’s have the right expectations. Let’s have realistic expectations. Let’s not expect him to come in and score and assist every other week as Matt O’Riley has done almost from the minute he signed.
There are players out there who fit that bill, and we very much—and very badly—need to bring one of them in because, as has been pointed out several times on this blog and by others, we have lost Jota. We have lost Abada. Now O’Riley is going as well.
Between those three guys, they scored and created an awful lot of the goals that propelled us to the last three titles. Without them, we’re going to have to find players who can step up and do that job. And as good as Bernardo is, and as good as he might prove to be, these are not proven skills that he possesses. Expecting him to develop those skills overnight—which he would have to do—is both unfair on him and on the manager. It also lets this board off the hook.
And it goes without saying—or it should—that I am absolutely through with letting them off the hook. If they want trust from the fans, they’re going to have to earn it. If they want respect from the fans, they’re going to have to work a hell of a lot harder and do a hell of a lot more to get it. This is the most important week some of them have ever had at the club.
Paolo Bernardo does not deserve to carry the weight of this window on his shoulders.
My concern is that if Bernardo starts today and plays well, maybe even scores, then the board will also believe he’s an able O’Riley replacement!!
If the numbers touted by our awful media are correct, we’ve paid less for Berndardo than we did for Nawrocki and possibly a bit more than we did for Lagerbielke. are two reasons why it’s one of our better recent transactions.
However, Bernardo can not be seen as a replacement for MOR as he hasn’t done anything to suggest that he can be. Brendan might have seen something in training but, if that was the case, why is Matt always first choice amd why haven’t we seen anything from Bernardo to suggest that he could even lace the big man’s boots?
I know we struck gold with Matt, and I do realise all players have a price at our club. The big guy has been nothing but an exceptional professional for us, and he leaves with my gratitude and best wishes, for sure. But the Celtic board are taking a huge risk if they think Brendan can be fobbed off by replacing him with Bernardo.
I expect transfer activity this week. And I expect proper money to be spent. The only thing I have ever disagreed with your incessant moaning (joke) is that you don’t know what’s going to happen. You just keep saying what’s happened is a disgrace, and it’s a well-worn story. It’s only ever going to be a disgrace if the window closes and Celtic is sitting on an unspent cash-pile. Until then, I’m just waiting expectantly.
I’m somewhat surprised that anyone would consider Bernardo a replacement for MOR, for he is just not talented enough to be that guy. He was and still will be a good squad player and if Brendan does replace Matt before the close of the transfer window, then Paulo will be a back up player one again. He is a great player to have available, but I doubt if he will ever reach the automatic first name on the teamsheet position anytime soon. However, if the board let us down and don’t replace MOR, then Paulo may well be asked to step into the breach and to up his game. We will find out soon enough.
I agree. Bernardo is here because Brendan Rodgers wants him here. He has an excellent first touch and can pick a pass. Rodgers will mould him into the role that he wants him to play. Like you say, he is not a direct replacement for O’Riley, but I have expectations that he will be an integral part of the squad. Celtic will not field the same eleven every game.
He’s nowhere near the level of Matt, or Hatate and McGregor. We know this as he was unable to get a shirt ahead of them all last season. Not as mobilez not as gifted technically and nowhere near the striking threat. We definitely need another midfielder that is going to be more of a threat going forward and link up.
We also have forgotten about that link up that O’Riley did so well with Kyogo, who is going to suffer now with his partner .pving in. We could not only lose O’Riley but a significant part of Kyogo also.
Bernardo will probably be back up to Hatate and carry out a more defensive roll in Europe.
I think Hatate will take up the MOR position today
Just in from CQN – ” Confirmed – Bernardo in for O’Reilly “.
Says it all about that eejit and his flunkeys over there.
Agree totally with the thrust of this article. I’m pretty sure we’re out there searching and making approaches on some individuals as midfield additions as there are many rumours afoot. We have Jung and apparently we’re looking at and after Engels in Germany too. Looking at and getting are two different things of course.
If the deal for Matt is concluded I’d like to thank him for his service and wish him well. Matt has been spoken of and ranked highly at Paradise but it’s not all been consistently good. He had a real barren period last Autumn early Winter and it was when Hatate and CCV returned from injury is when we kicked on. I’m no board apologist but that is a great piece of business. Financial business? Yes but business that I hope will open the purse to more signings this week. Like it or not we’re are at the behest of this board until if ever they go. The simple truth is we’re winning and winning well and fans are spending on STs and CL packages so we are handcuffed to them. But aye the jury is still out on the matter of respect and trust. This board, this week has to produce and add to that squad quality
I thought Bernardo fitted in really well today. He won’t replace the goals and assists of MOR but he kept the play flowing and I only saw one misplaced pass from him. I think one position where a player needs regular game time to blend in is midfield and he’ll benefit from that.
James, can I ask where you are seeing this suggestion that Bernardo is a replacement for Matt? I’m on quite a few other blogs and sites and haven’t seen this as a serious suggestion anywhere.
As you mentioned above, anyone with an inkling of a football brain knows these are not like for like players vastly different in the way they play the game, although there is something in Bernardos play that a lot of people haven’t noticed as so far is that he has a tendency to drive from deep in the midfield and is very good at it.
His inclusion this afternoon allowed McGregor to push further up the field resulting in another goal for him already this season and Bernardo turned out a steady and solid 7.5 performance which is excellent considering his lack of game time.
I also think when we refer to pressuring players and placing unexpected burdens on them we forget that European players tend to handle the expectations placed upon them better than our homegrown talent for some reason, and I bet if you asked Paulo about the pressure he’d welcome it!
Bernardo wasn’t signed as MOR’s replacement but he is that none the less, despite being a different type of player. He done well today especially first half. I would’ve liked him to get the 90 minutes