A number of Celtic fans have voiced their displeasure at Neil Lennon’s indication that Marian Shved will be cut from the Hoops’ Europa League squad.
As reported by the Daily Record, the manager said that the Ukrainian winger is likely to be omitted from the Celtic squad for the knockout rounds of the tournament, with each club allowed to make three changes from their group stage squad. Lennon confirmed that January signings Patryk Klimala and Ismaila Soro will be added in place of the now-departed Scott Sinclair and Lewis Morgan, with Jeremie Frimpong also set to be called into the squad (as per Daily Record).
According to the Daily Record, the Celtic manager outlined that Shved has struggled to learn English and has not reached the standard of his team-mates in training, saying: “He’s found it difficult, he struggles with the English and in training at times he’s not at the level the rest of them are”. Only last month, Lennon gave the contradictory verdict that the 22-year-old was “training well” during their mid-season break in Dubai, adding that he could get “an opportunity to just explode onto it”, as per The Scotsman. However, the winger has played just 35 minutes for the Hoops all season and has not appeared since mid-October (as per TransferMarkt).
These Celtic fans on Twitter were not impressed with Lennon’s explanation for his planned culling of Shved from the Europa League squad:
Sounds like lies to me. Lennon making excuses
— Clinical Desmond 😎🍀 (@ClinicalDesmond) February 4, 2020
Why not play him today against rangers reserves , why not give him a bit of game time get him on the park , and why talk him up in Dubai then not put him in the bench against thistle ?
— jack gorman (@jackgorman10) February 4, 2020
I thought he was “excellent” in the training camp in Dubai?
— Scott (@SDair3) February 4, 2020
Maybe if the guy wasn’t being frozen out and at least being on the bench he’d be able to ” settle in you two faced clown . If lenny doesn’t like you , your face doesn’t fit you’ve no chance . Look at how Sinclair was treated ! To much a YES board man .
— Jinkybhoy (@Jinkybhoy1) February 4, 2020
My first thought in the way Neil answers that is he’s making it up as he goes along.
— Chris Doyle (@Doylebhoy1) February 4, 2020
But he was brilliant in Dubai and not far away from a start according to Lennon 🤷🏻♂️
— Golden Plimsoles (@goldenplimsoles) February 4, 2020
Do you think Lennon has treated Shved harshly or is the winger just not up to the task at Celtic? Join in the discussion by commenting below!
