Luke McCowan is looking good, but no player at Celtic is “undroppable.”

Today, there’s a lively debate on fan forums and social media about whether Luke McCowan has become undroppable. Now, I rate Luke highly—he’s been a fantastic signing and looks set to become a key player for Celtic. He took his goal brilliantly, and he brings a drive to the midfield that reminds me a bit of Matt O’Riley. He’s got that knack for pushing forward, finding great positions, and scoring goals. It’s exactly what we want to see.

But “undroppable”? That’s a different discussion. It’s a loaded term, one that doesn’t quite fit the ethos of this current Celtic team. The real strength of this squad lies not in any single player, but in the depth and ability to rotate and keep competition alive for every position. And that competition only works if there’s always a challenge.

Aside from the captain, Callum McGregor, nobody should be considered undroppable in this Celtic side. Especially in the midfield, where we have a wealth of options. This healthy rotation is what keeps everyone sharp. Take Arne Engels, for example; he’s our record signing, yet there’s no guarantee of a start. That’s a positive thing. Paulo Bernardo, who’s thriving for the Portugal U21s and impresses every time he plays, doesn’t have a guaranteed place either. This competition within the squad drives each player to be better.

Look at the one player consistently getting game time alongside McGregor—Reo Hatate. Who would have predicted Reo would be our most steady midfielder? He’s upped his work rate to stay in the side, which has won over Brendan Rodgers, who initially wasn’t fully convinced. Remember last season? All that time he spent on the bench?

Reo’s relentless drive to improve, thanks in part to the fierce competition around him, is a testament to what a thriving squad environment can do.

The fact that nobody is guaranteed a spot means those who do play must push harder and perform consistently to retain their places. The consequences of not doing so are clear when you look at some players. Luis Palma, despite his strong training ethic, knows he’s a bit away from cracking the starting eleven. Even Kyogo knows he has to maintain his performance to keep ahead of Adam Idah in the pecking order.

The position that highlights this competition best, though, is central defence. Liam Scales has made one spot his own, not for lack of alternatives but because his form has been consistently excellent. And one of the reasons he’s been so strong is because he knows Austin Trusty, our £6 million signing, is right there, breathing down his neck.

Trusty himself is a great example; we paid a significant fee for him, yet he’s not starting—because Scales is performing better. It’s as simple as that.

Speaking of Scales, we saw an interesting move this weekend. When it came time for a defensive substitution, Rodgers took off Valle, and instead of bringing on Greg Taylor as many expected, he brought in Carter-Vickers and shifted Scales to left-back.

Many have wondered if Scales could compete as a first-choice left-back, and he certainly didn’t look out of place. It’s a role he could develop further, especially with Greg Taylor’s contract expiring at the end of the season and no new deal signed yet. Now, I hope Taylor extends his stay—I think most fans do—but if he doesn’t, we’ll need options, and with Valle only here on loan, we’ll require depth at left-back and central defence either way.

We’ve worked hard to cut out squad filler, so everyone on this team is someone who can contribute. And with the packed fixture list coming up, every squad player will be called upon to make an impact.

One of those players is Luke McCowan.

He’s already earned the right to call himself a Celtic player, and he should take pride in the start he’s made. But he’s part of a unit; he’s one player in a deep squad, and we can’t guarantee him a spot any more than we can for anyone else.