One of the things that made last night great was a handful of individual performances that stood out, particularly in the first half.
The midfield was absolutely phenomenal. They dominated against a world-class side playing at home, and you wouldn’t have known it by the way we closed them down, harried them, and harassed them at every turn. Basically, we made their worst nightmares come true.
I thought the front players were excellent too, particularly Maeda, who pressed constantly and never stopped running. He got his reward in the second half when he nicked in front of the German defender, squared the ball to Kuhn, and watched as Nicolas clipped it into the net.
Kasper Schmeichel had an outstanding game. Carter-Vickers and Trusty were awesome. But the performance that stood out for me—because I was watching it closely—was that of Jeffrey Schlupp.
He looked every inch a Premier League player. He was outstanding. He impressed everyone. The online comments all said the same thing—that he had a great night, that he showed every bit of his experience and quality—and I wholeheartedly agreed.
Schlupp is here on a very short-term deal until the end of the season. His contract at Crystal Palace expires then too, meaning we’re seeing a guy in the final six months of his deal spending that time at our club.
I’ve no idea what his future plans are or what options he’ll have, but I do know this: if we’re looking for a backup to Kieran Tierney, if we need someone who can step into this team and play regularly, this guy has to be a candidate.
Some will say it’s too early to be talking like this. I don’t think so. We all know he has experience—bags of it. What we didn’t know until last night was whether he still had the quality to play at the highest level. And we got a very, very clear answer to that. So the idea that we’d pass up the chance to keep him at Parkhead next season seems foolish. It’s a no-brainer.
I do want a long-term solution to this problem—it’s long overdue. But there’s a reason players like this are still competing in top-flight leagues into their 30s. They are super fit, super strong. And although Schlupp is 32, he didn’t look like a player nearing the end of his career. He didn’t look at Celtic as some kind of end-of-the-road destination.
He oozed professionalism. He was powerful and dominant. And if he could do that against a top-class side, he’s more than capable of being Tierney’s backup next season. He’d be a huge upgrade on Taylor based on what we saw last night.
He’s available for free, and if his wage demands are reasonable, there’s no reason we shouldn’t be looking at him. If we’re going for the gold again next year and trying to get into the Champions League groups and beyond, a player like him would be invaluable. It depends on what he wants to do and where he sees himself next season.
He may see this as one last chance to earn a big move elsewhere. There might be clubs willing to offer him more money than Celtic can. But at the end of his career, he’ll look back at certain clubs and moments, and surely there’s an allure to going out on a high as a winner, playing in elite competitions.
One of the things we talked about on the podcast on Sunday—and a subject I return to often—is how you can never have too much experience in a squad.
Players who have been there, seen it, and done it aren’t just massive influences in the dressing room. They set an example for younger players who haven’t yet experienced the sharp end of the game. But more importantly, they bring real quality onto the pitch. Schlupp has spent years honing his talent, playing against top-class opponents week in, week out. You saw the benefits of that last night.
And if he believes he’s got miles left in the tank—if he still has the hunger and desire, which he certainly looked like he did last night—then I suspect he’d look favourably on the right offer from us.
A one-year contract with a one-year extension option, if both parties agree, would give him security for at least the next season, maybe two, and a chance to win things. Sure, he might spend a lot of time on the bench.
But this is a team that rotates its players, and Tierney will need careful management. Whoever his backup is will get plenty of game time.
The whole point of building a strong squad is when you’re rotating to take off quality and bring quality on. And if you’ve got a guy like Schlupp ready to come off the bench, you’re not losing anything.
There’s nothing about this that doesn’t make sense. As long as he and his agent are reasonable with their demands, we’d be mad not to be thinking about this very, very seriously.
We should be tapping he and his agent on the shoulder at the earliest opportunity, and saying, “Hey, Schluppy … hang on.”
Photo by F. Noever/FC Bayern via Getty Images
Our latest podcast episode is up. We called it Just Another Saturday.
Agreed, get him signed up as soon as possible, a left back who is not vertically challenged and who can actually defend, it’s a no brainer.
Definitely worth keeping. He never looked fazed at any point and as you say, can see the professionalism there. Looks like a great bit of buisness. We can all take our pick and ah can see why ye’ve singled Schloop out. Tho my motm, definitely still goes tae Ally Johnston. An absolute rock throughout. All deserve huge credit tho.
Said similar to a mate in work this morning. The man would be perfect fit for rotation with Tierney keep both fit and buy us time to solve the problem once and for all.
What an impressive performance from Schlupp last night. The amount of times he put in a clean challenge against Olise was incredible. I’m just wondering if things might have been different if he had played in the first leg. I must say that Taylor has been consistently good for Celtic but I would say Schlupp appears a level up.
Don’t forget that when signed we were told that he was a utility player and could play a number of positions. I thought last night we had a real issue bringing on quality from the bench to energise the team and to maintain the standards set in the first half. Having someone like Schlupp there who can play a number of different positions and two or three others of similar quality would really help next year. Other than McCowan, who else would Rodgers have trusted to bring on from last nights bench?
Great performance from the whole team!
I think Brendan and the team were magnificent last night, magnificent one of Lenny’s favourite sayings,but I think we definitely deserved a shot at 30 mins extra time,I know some of our players were tiring but so were Bayern’s,I feel we could have nicked it but when all said and done that was a brilliant performance.I just hope we can keep this team together and maybe add a few other class players.on the downside I fear our board will sell at the first decent offer for Kuhn Maeda etc then we’ll be back to square one trying to build a decent team again but last night was a brilliant result and bravo to the manager and players.
I bet on Celtic to win last night, but it was only based on my belief that Brendan would start with Shlupp at LB and Maeda at CL. With Greg at LB you need Daizen at LW to protect him so it looked like a no-brainer to me.
The balance of the team improved immeasurably as the norm of big CL teams always targeting Celtic’s left side instantly became a thing of the past. The back four became a solid unit with defensive strength and ability equally distributed throughout the unit. Constantly covering for one weak link works okay at domestic level but detracts greatly from the unit at CL level.
The board gambled on not giving Brendan the signings he asked for last month, on the basis that this match wouldn’t be close enough to justify meeting Brendan’s wishes.
At least we can say Schlupp and Jota justified Brendan’s thought process, albeit still falling just short of his stated predictions, and you would hope and pray that the board will pay more heed to his wishes in the next window.
I think after digesting the game last night, the overriding emotion today, is one of great disappointment!
If the majority of us are being completely honest, if you’d offered us 1-1, pre match then we’d have taken it .
However, after having watched the game and how well we played and defended as a team, you can’t help but contemplate the ifs, buts and maybes!
IF we’d taken one of the early chances, MAYBE we’d be in the draw instead of Bayern, BUT we didn’t !!!
If it had went to extra time, I was reasonably confident we’d prevail. The reason I knew this was a different watch, was due to the fact I felt so relaxed.
Previously, ( Dortmund, Villa first 20 mins, PSG, Madrid etc) you were always fearing the worst.
I agree that refereeing decisions, most notably first leg, impacted this tie overall, but no excuses.
There were no real failures in our team, and for me, Johnston, CalMac, Engels and Schlupp were outstanding.
The ifs, buts and maybes remain, when you bring in the question of progression and backing for BR, under this present board.
Yes, we are a well ran club, and lots of fans like to use the business analogy.
If that’s the case, a business has many parts, and in a football club, the main part is what happens ON the field.
Regardless of the other factors that are used as a defence for this board not to spend, unless we have firstly sold key players, those “excuses” are becoming a bit tiresome.
Our manager was brought back to solidify our domestic dominance, and in his general words, “ make progress and develop European credibility again !”
He has kept his side of the bargain, despite the obstacles that are continually put his way, and the January window was a continuation of that.
Our fans, plainly and simply, want to always see our club grow, and there are no real excuses as to why that should not happen.
Keep our good players, purchase quality, and retain a rich depth to our squad for ALL competitions.
Injuries and fatigue are commonplace in long seasons, so we should ALWAYS have that strength in depth for the requisite rotation.
So, board, over to you yet again ! Back BR and build on the quality he is continually developing and improving on a daily basis ! HH
Great post Gerry, but I really think that as long as Lawwell is there we will always be a business first and a football club second. Just wait and see what happens after Brendan leaves, although I hope it is not for a long time yet.
We will again get a Yes man like before, the very reason we lost the ten instead of replacing Brendan like for like. I do hope I am wrong though.
Thanks Michael.
People might read a lot of my posts and interpret them as a constant criticism of our board for criticism sake!
It is not that at all.
I recognise the fantastic fiscal health of our club, and I applaud those in charge for the glowing figures that we read about.
However, there is no point of having seismic “business” profit, if the product on the park is not kept at the same level.
I completely understand all the factors relating to playing in the SPL, our dominance here, but the financial disparity when we move to the European stage.
Attracting quality players on lesser wages, poorer opposition, poorer league etc etc!
Also the dreadful governance we have here, which contributes in some large part to the financial disparity! ( tv deals, sponsorship etc)
Nevertheless, with the new CL format showing that it is the breath of fresh air, we have waited on for many years, and benefitting clubs like Celtic, WE HAVE to ensure we remain at the top table.
If we do, ( by obviously winning our own league and negotiating qualifiers,) you have the luxury package to attract better players and the riches to bridge some ( small I know) of the disparity. The coaching and tactical acumen of a brilliant manager, who gets the best out of these players, bridges other parts of the disparities!!!!
Like so many, I’ve supported Celtic since I was a young lad, and certainly know our rich and varied history.
The joy of many triumphs and the hurt from many disappointments.
So there is no sense of entitlement from me, in any way, shape or form. I love our current dominance and hope that it continues ad nauseam!
Presently, we have an elite ( plenty disagree) manager, and a good squad.
He has returned to our club, put his stamp on it again, and wants to improve every season. He has kept his side of the bargain, thus far!!!
The only thing that can derail that, comes from within, and those that handle the purse strings.
We are not asking to spend stupid money or pay silly wages. Just back the manager without stripping his squad, and let us all see what can really be achieved if we dare to speculate in a proper and sensible fashion !
We have the money to do so, which will continue to accumulate, if spent wisely!
Over to you board! HH
Great performance from the team last night. I thought Yang the only player who didn’t contribute fully ( although that’s maybe as much as this lad can deliver.)
If only our maligned, and most under appreciated squad member had been fit.
James Forrest’s game management and on the ball skills would have made such a difference when Kuhn had to be replaced.
Guys, appreciate this very fine footballer while we have him and a night such as last night just shows how we’ll miss him when he eventually retires or leaves us.
Again, a huge well done to Brendan and the boys.
Schlupp was perfect in his positioning against Olise. Something Taylor was not last week. Last night’s performance by Schlupp makes you wonder if their first goal would have happened if Schlupp was on the pitch rather than Taylor. But it’s not something worse looking back on.
We made a great showing of ourselves over the 2 legs & we can be proud that we went out on our shield not with a boot up the backside like we have experienced before.
Schlupp was awesome last night. Giving olise space to make his movement and timing his tackle to perfection (mostly with his trailing leg so olise thought he had passed the challenge). Despite his experience, of the 13 seasons he’s played, he’s only passed 30 games in 4 seasons of his career so he’s definitely got plenty left in the tank. It’s a no brainer signing but unfortunately that’s where our negotiators seem to fall down with regularity. Pace, power, composure, versatility, experience. How many times has brendan said it?
HANG ON SCLHOOPY – – SCLHOOPY HANG ON !
Great song for Celtic supporters top be singing in The Real McCoy’s Bar on the way to Paradise…
Even the word HOOPY is in the lyrics !
Agree wholeheartedly – I have to admit I wasn’t immediately a convert, in his first showing he seemed a little reluctant to hold on to the ball. He’s grown into it in a very short time. Another point; he can play in a number of positions, by all accounts – what used to be called a utility player. He would be a very worthwhile 1/2 season signing.
A very good performance from Schlupp last night; he brought overall stability as noted to the back 4. It will be interesting to see what happens in the summer – by all accounts he is on £60k a week at Crystal Palace. He could probably have offers from bottom half PL teams/top half Championship offering £30-40k a week.
I can’t see us paying those wages for a backup but then you have to pay for experience. But then what does Schlupp want – take the money to play at Hull, Bristol City and Cardiff or bank more European memories?
Reports suggest the Schluup is on £60k a week. Now the board may agree to give a first choice left back like Tierney £30k a week, but what are the chances of them wanting to give a second choice left back anywhere near £20k a week?!
If we hadn’t signed Tierney we might have a chance of getting Schluup on a 50% pay cut at £30k, but I doubt he’d go below £20k, and I doubt the board will go above it.
I said a few weeks ago that the solution to having a chance of keeping some of our top players such as Maeda and Khun who will be attracting many teams wanted to acquire their quality is to raise our wage structure. It’s not rocket science.
This is true if we want to attract other quality players to the club also particularly ones that are on free transfers thus no transfer fees. Schlupp fits that category, he is exactly what we need. Don’t forget this is a guy that won the EPL at Leicester and one that doesn’t just have to be recruited as back up to KT given his flexibility and that adds a bit more height which is something we’ve lacked.
We can all talk about getting in a quality LB, striker, etc, but maybe we need to start acting like a quality club and pay out some of that bank account differently.
We’ll only get out what we put in. Good luck persuading upstairs Brendan. HH
There were a lots of negative comments on FB groups when we signed Jeff at the end of the transfer window. People were asking ‘Jeff who?” but a quick Google search reveals that he played in 350 odd EPL matches. Conclusion – the guy is a player. I am delighted to have such a good player on loan until we get a few players signed permanently to strengthen us going into next season.