---
title: "Celtic: These fans unimpressed with Jozo Simunovic’s performance against Kilmarnock"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/celtic-these-fans-unimpressed-with-jozo-simunovics-performance-against-kilmarnock/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Liam Togher"
section: "SPFL News"
published: "2020-01-23T13:40:07Z"
modified: "2020-01-23T13:40:07Z"
---

# Celtic: These fans unimpressed with Jozo Simunovic’s performance against Kilmarnock

**Celtic defender Jozo Simunovic made his [first league appearance of the season](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jozo-simunovic/leistungsdaten/spieler/131327) on Wednesday night after a lengthy injury absence but his performance drew criticism from some Hoops fans on Twitter.**

The 25-year-old centre-back was one of [three players brought into the team](https://www.skysports.com/football/kilmarnock-vs-celtic/411348) by Neil Lennon for the trip to Kilmarnock as he made his [first start for the club in five months](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/jozo-simunovic/leistungsdaten/spieler/131327) since suffering a knee injury early in the season which required a surgical clean-out (as per [The Telegraph](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/09/27/celtic-suffer-injury-setback-jozo-simunovic-four-months/)).

However, some Celtic supporters felt that he was [culpable for the passage of play](https://twitter.com/chibchenko/status/1220090536100495361) which led to [Nicke Kabamba netting for the home side in the 66th minute](https://www.skysports.com/football/kilmarnock-vs-celtic/411348) to make the score 1-2 and cut the Hoops’ advantage, with Amy Canavan of [Read Celtic](https://readceltic.com/2020/01/22/celtic-player-ratings-kilmarnock-a-3/) decrying “woeful” defending from the visitors in that incident.

She wrote that Simunovic was “[caught out a few times](https://readceltic.com/2020/01/22/celtic-player-ratings-kilmarnock-a-3/)” after Eamonn Brophy came on for Kilmarnock, while Hamish Carton of [67hailhail.com](https://www.67hailhail.com/news/celtic-player-ratings-vs-kilmarnock-odsonne-edouard-leads-the-way/) gave the Croatian a five in his player ratings and said that he “wasn’t one of our best performers on the evening”.

These Celtic fans on Twitter were left feeling short-changed by the defender’s display on the [artificial surface](https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2020/0122/1110255-kilmarnock-1-3-celtic/) at Rugby Park despite him only just returning from injury. One fan compared him unfavourably to ex-Hoops defender Efe Ambrose, who endured [some rough criticism](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/opinion/sport/hotline/celtic-defender-efe-ambrose-not-8533674) during his time at the club:

https://twitter.com/MrMulcahy/status/1220090970320097280

https://twitter.com/Gavv\_67/status/1220090851545821187

https://twitter.com/mcginleybhoy/status/1220090667751354369

https://twitter.com/KC67\_\_\_/status/1220090506232901632

> Jozo is a bigger bombscare than ambrose. Change ma mind
>
> — Liam Martin (@LiamMartin91) [January 22, 2020](https://twitter.com/LiamMartin91/status/1220090642715611137?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Jozo needs to stop punting the ball out the park every 5 minutes, really doesn't do us any favours
>
> — Larssons Son (@ProjectKeekz) [January 22, 2020](https://twitter.com/ProjectKeekz/status/1220094109924450305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

https://twitter.com/SCass67/status/1220091524534370304

> Kinda wish we had to sub Jozo. Been awful.
>
> — DC (@dcolton67) [January 22, 2020](https://twitter.com/dcolton67/status/1220091430447800321?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Did Jozo just forget Kabamba was there or wit?
>
> — Georgios Stepharas (@chibchenko) [January 22, 2020](https://twitter.com/chibchenko/status/1220090536100495361?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

***Did you think Simunovic was unacceptably poor against Kilmarnock or did he perform well considering how little he has played this season? Join in the discussion by commenting below!***