On Kasper himself I’m finding it hard not to be angry – Conall McGinty

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The Celtic Star

·18 March 2026

On Kasper himself I’m finding it hard not to be angry – Conall McGinty

When I was catching up on all things Celtic this morning I was astonished to read on The Celtic Star the details of Kasper Schmeichel’s interview with CBS Sports last night regarding his injury that may lead to an early end to not only his time at Celtic, but his football career as a whole.

Kasper Schmeichel breaks his devastating injury news. Image ia CBS Sports

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Before I go on I have to say this. Kasper Schmeichel’s time at Celtic overall has been a success.

Replacing the retiring Joe Hart was never going to be an easy task for whoever was next in line but Brendan Rodgers made a shrewd decision bringing his former player Schmeichel to Celtic. We needed an experienced top level goalkeeper to come in and make the transition after Hart a smooth one. The last thing we needed was another Vasilis Barkas!

01 10 2024, UEFA Champions League, Borussia Dortmund v Celtic, Goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo Celtic PHOTO DE: Dennis Ewert/RHR

It was also a good decision to bring in young Viljami Sinisalo as backup, giving him a season at least to learn under an experienced operator like Kasper, before the Danish keeper makes way for his younger understudy when his career finally winds down.

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Nobody would have questioned Celtic utilising the option of an extra year available in his contract as we reached the latter part of last season, a campaign in which the Dane was excellent for the club. Things changed drastically for Kasper and his future at Celtic however in late March when he badly injured himself for his country on international duty.

UEFA Nations League: Portugal – Denmark Denmark’s goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel is in pain in the shoulder during the UEFA Nations League playoff match in League A between Portugal and Denmark at JosÃ Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon, Portugal on Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Photo: Bo Amstrup Ritzau Scanpix)

Since then things have went on a downward spiral, and ended last night with an interview that has left me feeling a mix of emotions towards Kasper. Firstly, it’s extremely sad that Schmeichel’s incredible career may have ended in such sad circumstances. No fairytale ending at Celtic like Joe Hart. No World Cup this summer, whether Denmark qualify or not (and as a potential opponent of Ireland’s in the final play-off round I hope not). No fond farewell.

UEFA Nations League: Portugal – Denmark. Referee Slavko Vincic looks at Denmark’s goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, who is in pain in the shoulder during the UEFA Nations League playoff match in League A at JosÃ Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon, Portugal on Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Photo: Bo Amstrup Ritzau Scanpix)

My sadness for the player in that regard however has been surpassed by my feelings of resentment that this fiasco has probably cost Celtic dearly, and at the end of the day as Celtic fans, our club always comes first.

Kasper’s injury has cost Celtic. It has been a contributing factor to lost points and lost trophies, at a time when as a club we can’t afford to lose either. Compared to last season, how many times has the finger of blame for lost goals been pointed at Kasper? Up until March last year I can hardly remember the big Dane making a mistake.

Since then it’s been a regular problem.

Kasper Schmeichel of Celtic FC during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26, Celtic FC vs SC Braga, Celtic Park, on 02/10/2025. Photo Colin Poultney PSI

It all started of course with his performance in the Scottish Cup final at the end of last season. His mistake undoubtedly cost us the trophy. As a whole we were a shadow of our normal selves that day but his error was vital in us not securing yet another Scottish Cup. Since then there have been multiple examples of us conceding goals where we felt our keeper should have done better.

Kasper Schmeichel of Celtic concedes an own goal leading to the first goal for Aberdeen during the Scottish Cup Final match between Aberdeen and Celtic at Hampden Park on May 24, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

The frustrating thing is that everyone knew there was a massive problem with his shoulder. Us as fans knew it. The opposition certainly knew it, often targeting his weak side.

The crazy thing is that the club, and all three managers who have been in charge this season, all knew it yet continued to keep the faith in him. It’s almost ridiculous it has gotten this far. In a season where every goal is important, every point is precious, every win priceless, we were going into battle with a goalkeeper clearly not up to the job. In a season that has been mostly incomprehensible, we can add this latest debacle to the list of things that have ventured beyond the ridiculousness.

Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel applauds the fans at full-time. Celtic v Hibernian, 10 May 2025 Photo Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock

On Kasper himself I’m finding it hard not to be angry.

He had a dream ending planned out in his head. He would lead Denmark to the World Cup and after that would graciously say farewell, leaving as an out and out Danish legend, up there with he likes of his father Peter. The problem is once the injury happened, Celtic were no longer his number one priority.

His priority shifted to retaining the gloves no matter what the circumstances right up until the World Cup. He knew that if he went out long term injured he would lose his spot as Celtic number one and the same would happen with Denmark. Instead of risking that he played on whilst carrying a serious injury, to the detriment of Celtic.

July 16, 2025, Faro, Portugal: Kasper Schmeichel of Celtic warms up during a Pre-Season friendly football match played between Sporting CP and Celtic FC at Estadio Algarve on July 16, 2025 in Faro, Portugal. Faro Portugal – Photo ZUMA Joaquin Corchero

Some will look at it as a tough old school mentality. Man up, take pain relief and get on with it. Fair play to him for playing through the pain barrier to help Celtic. That’s not my take on it however. He did all that for selfish reasons. He did that so he wouldn’t lose his spot with Denmark and a shot at the World Cup. If he was thinking about Celtic he would have admitted he wasn’t capable of performing anywhere near his best and let Sinisalo take the gloves.

Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel celebrates with Benjamin Nygren of Celtic at full-time. Nygren score 2 of Celtic’s 3 goals. Final score Celtic 3 Livingston 0. Celtic v Livingston, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 23 August 2025. Photo Stuart Wallace IMAGO/Shutterstock

How must Sinisalo feel?

The player he’s been looking up to blocking his path to becoming a Celtic starter all because of a dream of finishing his career at the World Cup? The honourable thing would have been to admit he wasn’t right, get his shoulder fixed and hope to return in time for the dream ending to become reality but he didn’t want to risk it.

Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 27 September 2025. Photo IMAGO Stuart Wallace IMAGO Shutterstock

The thing that has really annoyed me in his interview was when he described the injury. He said:

“I was at a specialist yesterday and basically I’m going to need two surgeries now to fix my shoulder which is a bit of a body blow. It’s a torn bicep, I’ve torn the rotator cuff, dislocated the shoulder, torn the labrum – torn everything.

“To be maybe put it into terms you’d maybe understand, it’s like an outfield player doing their ACL and their Achilles at the same time. It’s looking like 10-12 months of rehab. It’s been a strange few days.”

Kasper Schmeichel at fault for at least two of the Stuttgart goals in the the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 Knockout Play-off First Leg match between Celtic FC and VfB Stuttgart at Celtic Park on February 19, 2026. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)

Let all that sink in. He just described how awful an injury it ended up being after the Stuttgart game. He literally said himself it’s like an outfield player doing his ACL and Achilles at the same time. Then remember that after that game he played against Hibs. Yep, the full 90 minutes in a game we lost 2-1 at home. A game where his goalkeeping yet again came under scrutiny.

He should never had played in that game. He should never had been allowed to.

The Celtic medical team and the management team have to take their share of blame in this too. Could you imagine if this came out and Wilfried Nancy was still in charge. People would be going out their minds.

Kasper Schmeichel of Celtic looks dejected during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 Knockout Play-off First Leg match between Celtic FC and VfB Stuttgart at Celtic Park on February 19, 2026. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)

Honestly is there no end to the madness this season?

In a campaign where one farcical situation follows another, let’s hope this is the last one that crops its ugly head up. If we can end this nightmare with a league trophy at the end of it, this season really will go down in history as one that will never be forgotten.

Conall McGinty

Celtic in the Thirties by Matt Corr. Click on image to order