SCALING THE IZZY HEIGHTS
Bernabei has same all-action style as Emilio, insists Wilson
LIKE many Celtic fans, Mark Wilson has spent the last few days swotting up on the credentials of Alexandro Bernabei. Based on what he’s seen and heard, he suspects Celtic might just have landed the new Emilio Izaguirre. Argentinian Bernabei is set to complete a £3.75million move from homeland club Lanús this weekend and will be charged with challenging Greg Taylor for the left-back spot in Ange Postecoglou’s team.
Wilson was on the books at Parkhead when Neil Lennon brought in Honduran Izaguirre from Motagua FC in 2010.
At first sight, he was impressed with the defender’s boundless energy and flair and, by the end of the year he stood in applause as Izaguirre swept the board at the country’s player of the year awards.
‘I remember Emilio’s first day at Lennoxtown,’ said Wilson. ‘We were all up in the gym where the windows look out over the pitch and there he was, doing sprints, box to box and round poles.
‘He looked fit but the next question was whether he was good on the ball. And he was.
‘I was with somebody on Friday night who has been watching Bernabei for a few years and we had the conversation.
‘He told me he is a full-back who will bomb on all day long. Small, loads of energy and good on the ball.
‘It sounds like he ticks every box. It’s obvious the Celtic scouting team have made the same reports and it sounds like he will fit in.
‘I’m a fan of Greg Taylor. He has done great but he is maybe a wee bit conservative in the way he plays next to what Celtic fans want from that role.
‘They have had Kieran Tierney, who set the bar so high that it is almost impossible to replace.
‘But Bernabei sounds like he could be similar to Tierney, similar to Izaguirre (below). That’s the way Celtic fans want their full-backs to play.’
At 21, Bernabei has been identified as a player with potential yet one who already fits in with the expansive game plan favoured by Postecoglou.
The Aussie coach demands that his full-backs step into midfield and prizes their attacking qualities at least as highly as their defensive proficiency.
At 5ft 7in, he is even shorter than both Taylor and Josip Juranovic but Wilson reckons height is decreasingly important in the position.
‘The game is possession based
— do you need to defend as many crosses now? Probably not.
‘I did an analysis course recently watching English Premier League games and it’s all get to the byeline and cut back.
‘I was particularly poor at defending my back post. Maybe because of my height.
‘I know for a fact it was pin-pointed — Jim McIntyre used to love when we played Dundee
United, same with Lee
McCulloch at Rangers! Kieran Tierney wasn’t great either but he was good at getting himself in the right position to give himself a chance. ‘By all accounts, Bernabei is very quick going forward and back. The modern-day game is all based on attack.
‘Calvin Ramsay has gone to Liverpool, I believe, based on his attacking powers, not the defensive side.
‘You’d imagine Celtic will line up with Bernabei on one side and Juranovic or Tony Ralston on the other. ‘Take nothing away from Taylor but I think Bernabei will add excitement on that left-hand side.’
Celtic are also understood to be in the market for a defensive midfielder. Vinicius Souza, currently on the books of Belgian side Lommel, and Vitoria Guimaraes schemer Alfa Semedo have both been monitored and Wilson endorses the manager’s thinking.
He added: ‘Celtic could do with someone to fill that role with a bit of aggression and physicality. That’s taking nothing away from Callum McGregor, who is a different type of player.
‘Reo Hatate is a big boy but he doesn’t look like a John Lundstram or a Scott Brown, someone who will mix it.
‘Bringing someone in would release McGregor further up the park.’
Mark Wilson was speaking at a Papa John’s SPFL event in Glasgow.