WELSH THANKS LENNON FOR GIVING HIM FIRST-TEAM BREAK
Welsh thanks former boss for giving him his first-team break at Celts
AMID all the bitter criticism of how Neil Lennon managed Celtic this season, there is one man who will always feel deep gratitude for some of the decisions made.
Stephen Welsh won’t forget the faith Lennon showed in him. Granted a first-team debut against Hamilton in February of last year, the 21-year-old defender stepped up to play a part in high-profile fixtures during the current, troubled campaign.
A start against Rangers was followed by involvement against AC Milan. More recently, he was named in the line-up for five of the final six fixtures of Lennon’s tenure.
Welsh was retained by interim manager John Kennedy for Saturday’s narrow success over Aberdeen and produced a solid display alongside the excellent Kristoffer Ajer.
While keen to try and stake his claim in Celtic’s future, he also reflected with feeling on Lennon’s input prior to the 49-year-old’s resignation last Wednesday.
‘It’s all part of the learning curve for me and it’s been a difficult week for everyone at the club,’ admitted Welsh.
‘It’s never nice to see a manager leave and, personally, you feel a wee bit of responsibility for that.
‘The performances on the pitch haven’t been good enough and that is why it has happened.
‘We are moving on now with Kendo and we are trying to get results. But I will always have a lot to owe the old gaffer — he gave me my debut, my derby debut and my European debut.
‘I can’t thank him enough for that and what he did for me. As a footballer, all you want is someone to trust you and give you a chance. That’s what he did for me.’
The first match of the postLennon era won’t stick long in the memory. Celtic showed resolve to claim the win, but aspects of it only served to highlight just how sizeable the approaching summer of change might be.
Kennedy admitted that retaining Ajer, the best player on the pitch, will not be easy as he approaches the final year of his contract. Likelier still is the departure of the man who scored the solitary goal with a deflected shot, Odsonne Edouard.
Those issues will be for Lennon’s permanent replacement to address. For now, all Kennedy can do is string together positive results and lay some kind of foundation for the future.
Continuing Welsh’s development would certainly help in terms of what lies ahead. Happily, the youngster views Kennedy as a perfect mentor.
‘My first experience of working with him was when I first came to train with the first team, maybe four years ago,’ said Welsh. ‘He’s been a big help from that day and he’s a great coach.
‘I don’t remember Kendo playing for Celtic. I’m only 21 — but my dad has told me a lot about him. He said he was a top defender and would have done big things, but I know he was unfortunate with injuries.
‘He’s put all that experience into being a coach now and I think it’s worked out well for him.
‘Stephen McManus is also up with the first team and he was my reserves coach. Both of them played central defence for Celtic at a really high level so that’s great for me.
‘It’s a very familiar set-up for me and I find it easy to go and talk to them about things.’
Kennedy did not torch any of Lennon’s ideas on Saturday. Instead, the changes he made were subtle.
Patryk Klimala was introduced for just his third Premiership start of the season, but did little to dispel the impression that he is a player in the wrong place. The Pole’s assets are more suited to a counter-attacking side than one expected to dominate play. His touch, awareness and link-up play again failed to convince. A terrific low cross from Jonjoe Kenny gave him a first-half opportunity, but he couldn’t convert at the back-post. Klimala was replaced by Mohamed Elyounoussi midway through the second period as Celtic tweaked their shape. A calm presence in the technical area, Kennedy identified that something had to change as Aberdeen ramped up the aggression.
The hosts had been in charge of the first half, albeit after surviving a scare on five minutes when their weakness on set-pieces was again exposed.
Ash Taylor looped a header against the bar from a Niall
McGinn corner. When the ball was worked back to McGinn to cross again, another Taylor header was denied by Scott Bain’s fine, close-range save.
That was as close as Aberdeen came. Celtic went in front four minutes later when Ryan Christie whipped a pass into the feet of Edouard at the edge of the box. His first touch was typically sound and there was always likely to be trouble if a shot was allowed.
Fortune made sure of it. Edouard’s effort ricocheted off Tommie Hoban and left Joe Lewis completely wrong-footed.
Celtic dominated the midfield thereafter without adding another goal before the break. After the restart, a previously passive Pittodrie outfit became far more engaged.
They might have nicked an equaliser when Florian Kamberi pulled the ball back for Niall McGinn, but Scott Brown made a superbly-timed challenge. McGinn was also blocked out by Welsh, while Ajer repelled pretty much everything that came his way to ensure Aberdeen’s second 1-0 defeat this venue in 11 days.
‘To get through that period of pressure at the end without conceding was good for us,’ admitted Welsh. ‘We have been conceding goals at times in the season, so to get over that barrier is a positive mentally. It was a good win for us and I thought we were excellent in the first half.’