It defies belief that some aren’t giving their all

TO BE in a dressing room with people who obviously don’t want to be there is a personal insult to those who do. No one is under any illusions about Celtic’s model. Players come in from abroad and, if they are good enough, they’ll move on. But only when it suits all parties. I played with the likes of Virgil van Dijk. There was speculation surrounding him from almost the minute he arrived but he never once downed tools. That was the case for everyone back then and that’s why Neil Lennon is clearly so frustrated at the current situation. This is a monumental season for Celtic. Why would anyone want to leave right now? You have the chance to write your name into the history books. Next summer then takes care of itself. I always felt I had a really good relationship with all the guys in our dressing room as well as the supporters. I just found that the desire to do your absolute utmost and to be better each and every day came naturally. It should always be like that. If ever there was talk about me moving from any club, I almost performed that little bit better because you want to impress so much so people feel you can go to the next level. Isn’t that just human nature? That’s why I don’t understand the mentality of anyone who’s not pulling their weight. That will be the first thing that will scare clubs off. Take it from me, Scott Brown will also be absolutely furious by the fact people aren’t pulling their weight. If Lennon was referring to fringe players, that’s no big deal. But you don’t really get upset with them. You only get annoyed when it’s people that you want there. There is probably a bit of Lennon saying to these players that they are not quite as good as they think they are. It’s a bit of a personal dig at them — hoping for a reaction. The gauntlet has been thrown on the floor. The entire support now knows that there are people in the dressing room who are actively looking to move club and are not fully applying themselves as a result. All Celtic supporters will have spent yesterday at their work wondering who the manager means and they’ll have their eyes on them all from now on, you can be sure. And for fans who are scrimping and saving to watch games on TV right now, that’s a slap in the face. It’s not just the attitude of certain players that’s concerning right now. It’s their quality. The most fundamental thing about football is you are only as good as your striker. Odsonne Edouard is a phenomenal talent but he’s only one player and Celtic are now over-reliant on him. When I was there you had a Greek international in Georgios Samaras, Gary Hooper and Anthony Stokes. This feels like slim pickings in comparison. Aside from Edouard, there’s no one in that team now who’d be guaranteed to get you double figures for the season. Celtic will be devastated that they won’t have the opportunity to play in the Champions League but you can’t afford to dwell on it. The bigger picture this season was always going to be winning the league. There’s been a growing concern for a number of years about the impact signings are making. There’s a worrying lack of competition and ambition.