IS IT THE END FOR KASPER SCHMEICHEL? CELTIC FANS DIVIDED ON GOALKEEPER'S FUTURE
- BY LIAM CARRIGAN
- 3 minutes ago
- 3 min read
As someone who, I will freely admit, is “no stranger to a fish supper” I certainly feel a degree of sympathy and empathy towards Kasper Schmeichel and all the current taunts about his weight and supposed lack of fitness.
There’s no doubt that Kasper Schmeichel has struggled at times this season, but then so have the entire Celtic team. We currently trail a spirited yet ultimately mediocre Hearts side, and possibly the worst Rangers team in their 14-year history. The fact is, up to now, the opposition haven’t been great, but we’ve been worse.
It’s a frustrating time to for all of us right now. However, following a couple of high-profile errors, in Kasper Schmeichel, Celtic fans have an, easy target for their frustrations.
Why Persist with Kasper Schmeichel? Celtic Can’t Afford Any More Errors
First of all, let’s tackle the elephant in the room (pun fully intended): the question of Kasper Schmeichel’s weight and overall fitness.
I’ve had the privilege over the years of watching some truly world-class goalkeepers play at Celtic Park throughout the years when I held a season ticket before moving to Asia.
I’d say the best keeper I saw in person was Oliver Kahn of Bayern Munich and Germany. However, a very close second behind him was the late Andy Goram. Throughout his career Goram faced similar jibes about his supposed lack of fitness, poor diet and the fact he was “carrying a bit of timber” as they day.
It didn’t stop him from making some of the most incredible saves, especially against Celtic, that I have ever seen, and probably ever will see. Say what you will about some of his conduct off the park, but there’s no denying that Goram left behind a legacy as one of Scotland’s all-time great goalkeepers. And he did it despite his apparent unfitness.
Going back a bit further, Neville Southall is perhaps another example. One of the great goalkeepers of his generation, despite his size.
My point is, goalkeepers, perhaps more than anyone else in the team, can get away with being a bit on the heavy side. I mean, it’s a long-running joke amongst my high school friends that the reason I became a goalkeeper back in my school days was because I was too slow and lazy to play anywhere else!
A number of high-profile goalkeepers who actually made the grade in the professional game will tell you similar anecdotes.
Next, I’d like to pose a question to you all.
How much of Schmeichel’s recent dip in form is down to him being “past it” and much of it was down to a loss of confidence in the utter shambles of a defense that was playing in front of him?
Kasper had very little to do this past weekend, as we comfortably took care of Dundee United. However, it was a clean sheet for him, and the first one Celtic have kept since before the unfortunate Wilfried Nancy experiment began.
He did the simple things well at the weekend, and we need more of that in the days and weeks ahead.
I hope he will be similarly quiet when we play Falkirk later this week. However, I think the true test that will determine if we stick with Kasper Schmeichel for the remainder of the season will come when we face Hearts on January 25th.
He had a high-profile error against Rangers in the New Year derby. He can atone for that with a solid display against Hearts, a team who, I am sure, will give him plenty to do when we visit Tynecastle.
The current make up of the league table means that our meeting with Hearts could go a long to defining our entire season. Win, and we could soon find ourselves back at the top of the league. Lose, and Hearts would become red hot favorites for the title.
These are the stakes Celtic are playing with now. However, if there’s one thing Kasper Schmeichel has shown throughout his long and decorated career, it is the ability to step up on the big occasions, when his team need him the most.
He and indeed the entire Celtic team need to step up for every match between now and the end of the season, if we are to maintain our place atop Scottish football.
