The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Development at Dens would have paid off
In hindsight, it would probably have been better for Jack Hendry if he’d stayed with Dundee for another year before moving to Celtic. You certainly can’t blame him (or Dundee) for accepting an offer that might not have been made again. The timing was not of their choosing.
But in an ideal world he would have been loaned back to Dens and played regular first team football for a bit longer.
He’s not a kid anymore (he’s 23) but he hasn’t played anywhere near as many games as, say, someone like John Souttar.
It’s a big ask for a player of his relative inexperience – especially in a position like centre-back – to come in for high-pressure Champions League qualifiers.
When you’re playing at Celtic there is no hiding place.
I don’t know Jack but I do know that it is far too early to write him off.
He needs to be allowed to develop and these last couple of weeks will fast forward that development if he takes the lessons on board.
Brendan Rodgers probably wouldn’t have expected to call on him for the AEK Athens games – which brings me on to Dedryck Boyata.
I don’t see any possibility of him playing again for Celtic.
I saw a lot of things during my career but I can’t honestly recall a team-mate not making himself available for a crucial game when his manager is saying he is fit.
You don’t need me to spell out what the reaction would be like in the dressing room. How could he now look the other lads in the eye?
He would have been well rewarded for getting Celtic into the Champions League qualifiers but it appears he’s taken the huff when he is needed most.
That’s not something you can get past.
I’ve said before that it’s a nonsense that league winners like Celtic have to go through so many rounds when the fourth-placed side in England sails straight through to the group stage.
Failure to get there doesn’t need to be a disaster for Brendan Rodgers and I would expect him to get a couple more signings before the window shuts.
Domestically, the gap may have closed because Rangers look like they’ve improved and Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen don’t look like they’ve gone backwards.
“When you’re playing at Celtic there is no hiding place
An exciting league would be good for the game.
We also need teams to go far in Europe and I hope that happens for all our sides in the Europa League.
Promising signs for Dark Blues Dundee fans will be encouraged to see their colts team beat Hibs in the Irn-Bru Cup.
There are some promising players coming through at Dens and results like Tuesday night’s back that up.
Neil McCann has shown that he’s not afraid to give them a go in the first team and I’m sure that will continue.
There could even be a couple involved in Saturday’s Betfred Cup tie.
The Ayr game is an important one for the club. It can change the mood after a couple of league defeats. Dundee fans are desperate for a good cup run.
Everybody knows Neil is after another striker and I’m sure he’ll get one. But I’ve got a feeling that ones he already has on the books will do the business at the weekend and steer Dundee through to the last eight.