Celtic’s battle to keep all their midfielders happy

JOHN COLLINS admits Celtic are facing a battle to keep their growing battalion of non-playing midfielders happy and content.

Norwegian teenager Kristoffer Ajer became the latest addition to t he r anks on Thursday, penning a £500,000 four-year deal before returning to IK Start in his homeland until the summer.

Ronny Deila already has Scott Allan and Ryan Christie struggling to get a game ahead of Stefan Johansen, Kris Commons, Stuart Armstrong, Gary Mackay-Steven, James Forrest and Tom Rogic. And Patrick Roberts, on loan from Manchester City, has yet to make an appearance.

Assistant boss Collins confessed that the Celtic management are expecting to have restless players on their hands between now and the end of the season.

‘You can’t have too many good players,’ said Collins, ‘ but the hard part is keeping them happy

because we can’t play them all. ‘That means there’s high-tempo, quality training because everyone is desperate to get in the team or on the bench. ‘I’m sure, come the end of the season, one or two will move out and lighten the squad. ‘But, at this moment in time, it is a big squad, everyone is fighting to be in the squad and that’s a good problem to have for the manager, myself and the coaching team.’ Christie and Allan have both been taken aside for pep talks, with Collins claiming: ‘I would expect both of them to feature between now and the end of the season and that’s their challenge. ‘We talk to the players all the time. They are footballers but first and foremost they are human beings and disappointed when they are not playing. ‘You have 11 happy players, seven subs who are disappointed and others who aren’t stripped and they are really disappointed. ‘It’s the same at every club in the world and it’s hard for any player to stay positive. ‘Our job is to push the players by giving them good sessions to keep them sharp.’ Collins added: ‘Ideally you want people to develop every week and sit the test. But when you are not playing then the test is to train well. ‘Scott Allan is playing against better players in training than sometimes he faces in matches. ‘The training ground is stretching them very much. ‘It’s not a nice feeling. I had it in the final year of my contract at Fulham when I was 35. ‘It was the most frustrating period of my career and I sympathise with the guys here. ‘But they are at a big club and there is always going to be competition for places.’ Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s Premiership visit of Inverness Caley Thistle, Collins admitted the problem has been exacerbated by fewer injuries following changes to the medical staff at Celtic Park. Former first-team physiotherapist Tim Williamson has been removed from first-team duties, with Norwegian Grete Homstol taking his place. Defenders Jozo Simunovic and Saidy Janko are the only current injuries and Collins says that is evidence the changes are working. ‘Ronny wanted to bring something different to the table. So he brought in (head of performance) Bard Ove Homstol and (his wife) Grete and added to what we had. He made it bigger, it has grown, and the fruits are now there for everyone to see. ‘We had 23 first-team squad players on the training pitch today. That’s very pleasing. It’s what every club wants. ‘There is a different approach, it’s more hands-on. ‘There is lots of work on the muscles. It’s hard, painful stuff for the players every day. The medical staff are stretching them, getting deep into the tissue before and after training. ‘They all have schedules to do, before and after. It’s preventative stuff. That’s the secret. It’s about keeping them balanced and strong.’ Amid rumours that senior players have been sceptical over the changes, Collins added: ‘Every player questions change. ‘They will ask: “What’s the purpose?” But you have to go with the flow and, thankfully, the change has been better. The proof is in the pudding. ‘James Forrest hasn’t been injured for a long time, for example. ‘The last thing you want is a room full of injured players when you are paying them salaries and they are not playing. ‘The ideal scenario and dream for every club is to have fewer injuries. ‘So we try everything possible, every method, to avoid them. So far, it’s good news on that front.’