MAKING HIS CASE FOR THE DEFENCE
O’Connell is desperate to face Astana in new Bhoy Toure’s absence
TWO Barclays Premier League titles with Arsenal and Manchester City. Three FA Cups. An African Nations Cup winner with Ivory Coast. The curriculum vitae of Kolo Toure is formidable. How Celtic could use his experience in Astana on Wednesday.
A Twitter parody account set up in the defender’s honour describes him simply as the ‘Brick wall of Ivory Coast’. The parody Toure posts ‘selfies’ on his timeline which are nothing more than pictures of tanks. Celtic are under no illusions as to the player they are signing.
A no-nonsense, grizzled campaigner. The possible difference between a harum-scarum, fraught 90 minutes against the champions of Kazakhstan and a comfortable, composed result Brendan Rodgers can work with in the second leg in Glasgow.
Even at 35 years of age, Toure is a player to covet. In a Scottish context, he is unquestionably a name — and names are what Celtic supporters yearn most.
And yet, after the ripples created by Toure’s presence in the Parkhead stands for Saturday’s International Champions Cup draw with Leicester City, Rodgers was forced to burst the bubble.
‘I would think Wednesday would be too soon for Kolo,’ said the Celtic manager. ‘He will need to stay and work.’
All of which leaves Celtic in a familiar plight as they fly out to Astana on a wing and a prayer this afternoon.
Two key central defenders — Jozo Simunovic and Dedryck Boyata — are unfit. Erik Sviatchenko is a certain starter, but who might play beside him is the question.
Efe Ambrose — the much-maligned and derided figure — had one of his days on Saturday. A second-half substitute, he strolled through the 45 minutes like Paolo Maldini. A player with undoubted ability, he does this often. Then has a calamitous moment in the next match.
This is the reason Celtic are now willing to sell the Nigerian to the highest bidder before the end of August. They need him for now, but playing him in Astana, with £16million on the line, might be regarded as a gamble.
Rodgers offered a clue to his possible thinking in the first half against England’s champions.
Mikael Lustig has shown the ability and the versatility to play as an emergency centre-half in the past. His importance at right-back is the only reason it hasn’t happened more often.
Yet, for 45 minutes against Leicester, the Swedish international was composed, measured and read the play calmly. He showed all of the qualities Celtic will need in the first leg of an extremely difficult third qualifying round.
He wasn’t the only one, it should be said.
Wrapping Sviatchenko in cotton wool, Rodgers fielded Eoghan O’Connell against Leicester. At 20, the Irishman has entered a difficult phase. Soon enough, Celtic — and the player himself — will have to decide whether to stick or twist.
Waking on Saturday to the news of Toure’s arrival, O’Connell must have nursed a sinking feeling. A sliding realisation that his hopes of a Kieran Tierneystyle breakthrough at Celtic are receding.
Yet, by Saturday night, he was high as a kite. Basking in the glory of his first goal for the club, a stunning first-time, low curling shot from outside the area which gave Kasper Schmeichel no chance.
If timing is everything in life, O’Connell picked his moment perfectly.
‘It was actually my first goal for the first team,’ said the defender. ‘I am delighted with it. It went in off the post. It was a good finish.’
Those of us making a living in this game have grown accustomed to talking up young players in pre-season. More often than not, it’s the only chance to do so before they disappear back to the development team.
O’Connell has been around Celtic long enough to know he has to grasp any fleeting chance he gets.
Toure will get some game-time in the next ICC clash with Barcelona in Dublin on Saturday. The former Liverpool defender, a player Rodgers knows and trusts, should then feature in the second leg against Astana.
In the quest to be taken seriously, then, it’s now or never for the young Irishman. Buoyed by his goal and performance against Leicester, he feels ready for Kazakhstan if called upon.
‘I think I’m ready,’ he insisted. ‘I have been involved in the first team now for the last three-and-a-half or four seasons. I think that, if the opportunity comes on Wednesday, I will be ready to go.
‘I can only do the best I can. Every time I have played, it has only been a one-off. I am trying to change that. I am trying to get a little run in the side. Hopefully, I can take it on from here and get that run.
‘Kolo Toure is a very experienced player. He has played at the highest level for 15 years. All I can do is learn from him and, when he comes in, I will be looking to do that.
‘Obviously, it is still just early days. We are only a month in. But every time I have spoken to the manager it has been positive.
‘I will really just be looking to keep doing what I can and take it from there.’
After 70 minutes of an entertaining friendly, Riyad Mahrez was granted the courtesy of an ovation from the Celtic supporters as he left the field.
Wanted by Arsenal, it’s not too difficult to see why Arsene Wenger will be forced to pay in excess of £40million to get him.
The Algerian opened the scoring with a stunning individual goal on 47 minutes, cutting in from the right and curling an unstoppable effort beyond the outstretched hand of Craig Gordon.
Remarkably, O’Connell conjured up an equaliser to match it on 59 minutes, roaring at Stefan Johansen to let him have a shot from 20 yards.
‘I had seen their midfielders running out and I thought I could bend it around them,’ he said. ‘I just ran around the defence and bent it in. Not bad.’
After that, he had no qualms over stepping forward to slot a penalty in a shoot-out Leicester won 6-5 after Schmeichel saved the effort of James Forrest.