Laszlo backs former pupil Siegrist to seize moment at Parkhead
BENJAMIN Siegrist required some tender handling from his head coach on arrival in Scotland. The man who signed him for Dundee United, Csaba Laszlo, recalls the goalkeeper’s confidence suffering from a sorry season at the bottom of the Swiss league with Vaduz.
Whether that quite justified him playing second fiddle to hapless Slovakian keeper Matej Rakovan for two-and-a-half months is debatable.
Despite the delay to establish himself as Tannadice No 1, though, the wait transpired to be worth it for United and Siegrist — albeit too late to save Laszlo’s job.
Siegrist showed that any battered belief was mended, initially in the Championship then strikingly so in the top flight for two superb campaigns.
That form earned him a free transfer switch to champions Celtic, with the remit of providing highquality cover and a challenge to Joe Hart. Siegrist has returned to a back-up role. For now. Only this time, it is perfectly understandable.
He is the Celtic new boy; Hart the cinch Premiership title-winner with a decorated Manchester City and international career behind him.
Yet everything Laszlo discovered about Siegrist during their brief spell together tells him Hart should no longer feel comfortable as Ange Postecoglou’s No 1 pick between the posts.
The former head coach of Hearts, who still lives in Edinburgh, believes the 30-year-old might need just one opportunity to supplant his new colleague.
Laszlo explained: ‘Benji knew before he went to Celtic that he may not be going straight to No 1. But if he gets the chance, I think he will keep his chance and will stay in the goal.
‘He’s a person who has learned it’s not enough just to have talent. He knows you need to have the right attitude to sometimes wait for your chance. It was the same in Switzerland and at United.
‘Every time, he’s managed to come to No 1. In this case, I don’t see any problem for him being frustrated or giving up.
‘He never will. I brought him to Scotland and followed him long before that, so I know his mentality and behaviour, his attitude to life.
‘In the beginning, also with me, he wasn’t No 1. I had Matej Rakovan. Benji made lots of pressure on him but was always best friends, a good colleague and they worked very well together.
‘It’s going to be a big challenge for Joe Hart. Benji will also be a good partner, pushing him from behind every day in training.
‘I am sure he will get the opportunity to show what he can do at Celtic and, when he gets it, he will use it to remain No1.’
Siegrist (pictured) won the Golden Glove award at the Under-17s World Cup finals in 2009 before signing for Aston Villa.
However, many loan moves down the divisions and a broken leg did little to aid his first-team aspirations during his seven years in the Midlands.
Laszlo was sure Siegrist hadn’t shed any of his talent when snapping him up from Liechtenstein-based Vaduz.
‘I talked a lot to Benji, especially in the beginning and explained to him why he wasn’t No 1,’ recalled Laszlo. ‘He is a very quiet, very organised man. A man who is very hardworking and focused when he is waiting for his chance.
‘He told me: “Don’t worry, I will do my job. I just need the chance”.
‘He was right and you don’t know sometimes how quickly that can happen.’
Siegrist’s form was worth plenty of points in each of the Premiership seasons enjoyed by United since their top-flight return.
He kept them well clear of relegation trouble under Micky Mellon then, despite the distraction of his contract running down, starred as Tam Courts’ side finished fourth.
That made him an obvious solution to Celtic’s depth of quality issues at the goalkeeping position as they shuffled Greek flop Vasilis Barkas out the back door on loan to Utrecht.
With a Champions League group stage campaign assured and three fronts to fight on in Scotland to contend with, Postecoglou now has two top-class custodians.
Laszlo noted: ‘I don’t think Benji will face a problem being at such a huge club as Celtic. This was a fantastic move for him. For his performances and his talent, he deserved to move to this next stage, to take the next step in his career.
‘I know that he is a very talented goalkeeper. He spent four seasons with Dundee United and showed he is one of the best in the country.
‘His shot-stopping and reactions are the best. He is a good athlete. I was not surprised that Celtic wanted to take him. Benji is the younger goalkeeper and, in a club like Celtic, you need two goalkeepers at the same level.
‘Especially when you are in the Champions League and you have cup and league games at home. ‘For Celtic, it could be fantastic to have two excellent goalkeepers like this. For the manager to know he’s never got a problem if a goalkeeper is injured. And for the players to know they have this talent and confidence behind them. ‘I worked with many fantastic goalkeepers as a coach, including Gabor Kiraly with the Hungarian national team.
‘Benji is also a very good one. To get to international level with Switzerland could be another target for him.’