Simon Donnelly has shared his thoughts on Celtic’s 0-0 draw with Kairat Almaty, raising concerns about the depth of the squad and the lack of players who can make a difference off the bench.
The former Celtic striker gave an honest view of what lies ahead for Brendan Rodgers’ team in the second leg.
Celtic saw most of the ball at Celtic Park but couldn’t find the quality in attack to break down a solid Kairat backline. For Donnelly, the issue is clear. The substitutes didn’t offer enough to change the game.
He feels many of the players coming on are still learning and not quite ready to make an impact in big European matches. His comments match wider concerns about how balanced the squad is going into such a key game.
He said: (Clyde 1 Superscoreboard), “I don’t think the guys that are there just now are pushing to be impact players.
“They’re coming off the bench, and some are still development players. The young lad Kenny, the striker, he’s not quite ready yet.
“I get what you’re saying about them being good enough, but we sat here before the show and I said, look, I still think Celtic can go there and win this game. However, it’s going to be bloody hard now.”
Donnelly’s comments highlight a clear problem in the squad, a lack of experienced players who can make a difference when it matters. The younger players have potential, but it might be too early to expect them to deliver at this level.
With key forwards sold and no replacements in yet, Celtic’s bench looks thin for a team trying to compete in Europe. It left Rodgers short of options when things weren’t working against Kairat.
His point about Johnny Kenny being “not quite ready” shows how tricky the situation is. It’s a big ask for players to take charge in a tie that could shape the whole season.
Donnelly still has faith in the team, but he made one thing clear. If Celtic want to go through, they’ll need more than hard work. They’ll need players who can come in and make a real impact.
