GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - FEBRUARY 15: Celtic's Jeffrey Schlupp (L) and Reo Hatate during a William Hill Premiership match between Celtic and Dundee United at Celtic Park, on February 15, 2025, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Foy/SNS Group via Getty Images)
One of my biggest pet peeves over the last couple of years has been our failure to solve the left-back problem in any meaningful way.
All of us have seen it as a “weak link” in the squad.
We’ve gone through the motions on this one, and that’s a fair way to put it. We haven’t really taken the issue seriously. If we had, we wouldn’t have been content to leave Greg Taylor in the role for as long as we did.
That’s not to say I have anything against Greg Taylor.
As I’ve said many times, he’s been a fine ambassador for Celtic and a solid footballer for this club. For what he cost, Taylor has delivered ten times over. He’s been a great signing and one of the linchpins of our success in recent years. He deserves all the credit that will come his way when he leaves, and he’ll go with the thanks of the whole support. We’ll all wish him well in his future endeavours, wherever he ends up.
But football is harsh, ruthless, and brutal.
The idea that we couldn’t do better than Greg Taylor all these years simply doesn’t hold up. Everyone knows that’s not true. The fact that he kept his place for so long is the ultimate example of this club settling for something rather than striving to be the best it can be. I understand that successive managers have had different priorities, and left-back wasn’t always at the top of their list.
But it’s been left far too long without a proper fix.
This summer, we know that Kieran Tierney will be coming home to sign a new deal, giving us what should be the best years of his career. If Kieran is fit, there’s no better player we could get. The concern is over his fitness, not over his quality. He is still as good a footballer as we’ve produced in eons. I’m looking forward to seeing if he’s fit and how he slots into Brendan Rodgers’ plans.
But we also know that Kieran needs a reliable backup—someone who understands that he won’t be playing every week if Tierney is fit and in the team. That’s why I don’t think it’s a contradiction to everything I’ve said before about thinking more than just one move ahead of us to say that Jeffrey Schlupp should be the guy we bring in.
He’s not a long-term solution; he’s a temporary fix. But he’s a temporary fix of such quality that it seems like a no-brainer.
One of the issues at our club in recent years is that we’ve fetishised the signing of young players and keeping the average age down. It’s all about signing players young enough to generate a resale fee. In doing so, we’ve missed out on experienced players who could have come in and given us an extra jolt.
Signing someone like Schlupp would be an indication that we’ve broken out of that narrow way of thinking.
Besides, what does 32 really mean in the modern game?
Players at the highest level are playing well into their mid-30s now. Advances in training, personal fitness, and nutrition have extended careers beyond what would have been considered their limits 15 years ago.
I’m not saying Schlupp should get a five-year deal, but a one- or two-year contract doesn’t hurt anyone. It would give us a very fine, very experienced player—someone who can cover multiple positions and provide that extra bit of security we need. Because the key thing here is quality. You don’t just bring in some up-and-coming kid on loan and make him the backup. That’s what we did last summer, and it wasn’t a solution to the problem.
But if you can bring in a guy of the right calibre, with experience and proven quality, and have him for the next two years, that’s the problem solved. That’s your backup right there. It’s as good a backup as you’re going to get and a far better option than an inexperienced youngster who won’t get enough game time to develop if Tierney stays fit.
Let’s face it, the big guy has been excellent—not just against SPFL-level teams. His performance in Munich was exceptional. He was one of the best players in our side, coping admirably against top-class players in an elite-level team. I think that was the moment even some of his doubters in our support nodded and said, “Yeah, he’ll do.”
And he’ll do for a bit longer. It’s crucial that Celtic makes him an offer and does everything possible to get the deal over the line. He might have other options, obviously, but we’ll always be attractive to players if we put the right package together. This one comes with plenty of European football as well.
It should be a no-brainer for all parties involved.
Photo by Craig Foy/SNS Group via Getty Images
Hang on Schluppy – Hang on !
Hahahahaha. I’d rather read your comments all day long, rather than, as you put it the Scummys of the scummy scotish media.
By the way I am also Irish and proud. My two oldest brothers were born in Dublin, I was Born in Belfast (father was from Cork, mother from Belfast)
Cheers Loginagain !
Aye been in Dublin, not made Cork yet but got the Gaelic top !
But spent many happy days in Belfast (North) where we stayed, drank a bit in The City and The West, but kept well clear of The East for obvious reasons !!!
Stay Well as can be Buddy !
It’s likely that Beaton will be appointed ref in the next Glasgow derby. That could be the chance to sing “Shlupp downed the old John-B!” I’ll get my coat now!
I hope by the start of next season that we’re talking in terms of the squad and not of the team. Schlupp, like Daizen, is an example of exactly what we need. We should be referring to him not as a backup for KT but rather as a player that can play in multiple positions and start or aid squad rotation by adding strength. This should be our aim. I’d like to think we’ll move to a position whereby Central Defenders can play LB or and RB too or shift to a back.
Players that can play flexibly is a magnificent tool to have in a squad except for Kasper of course. Schlupp adds much required strength and height also. Get the deal done
Edit – CDs that can shift to a back 3
He might get EPL offers but we should definitely try to get him. I don’t see his age as an issue and would be happy to offer up to 3 years, wages might be an issue but at least make him a good offer. Palace fans used to sing:
Rhythm is a dancer
Jeff Schlupp is the answer
You can play him anywhere
Forward or defender
On the left or centre
Scoring goals from everywhere
Taylor could give Celtic some cover as a left sided midfielder.
I only think of him as weak defending, he has an incredible work rate and never stops, midfield could be an option with the possibility of Hatate moving on in the summer.
So is Taylor of more benefit to Celtic in a slightly modified role.