Brendan’s blindspot when it comes to Celtic defender Maik Nawrocki

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The Celtic Star

·15 de mayo de 2025

Brendan’s blindspot when it comes to Celtic defender Maik Nawrocki

Maik Nawrocki proving himself yet again when given the chance. He more than deserves a regular start and a real chance at Celtic…

14th May 2025; Pittodrie Scottish Premiership Aberdeen versus Celtic; Maik Nawrocki of Celtic and Pape Habib Gueye of Aberdeen challenge for the ball. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Maik Nawrocki was handed a rare start at Pittodrie last night and as always he showed he is without doubt a competent and capable player, which makes it all the more bemusing that he regularly fails to make the starting XI or the squad all together.

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Maik scored Celtic’s first goal at Pittodrie with a fine header

Maik scored the first goal at Pittodrie with a fine header, indeed it was his first ever goal for the club on a night he was a rock in the centre of our defence. It was also a goal from a corner taking us into real hen’s teeth territory for Celtic.

Every single game he’s started for the club he’s looked decent and a player of huge potential. He more than showed that after he was handed a rare start in the Glasgow derby in March and despite being on the end of a defeat, the Pole was our most competent defender despite it being his first taste of first team football in many months.

But yet again he was cast aside, making the Celtic supporters all think the same thing, and that would be that it’s a mystery as to why he isn’t handed an extended run in the side.

Balance overlooked to start two left-sided centre-halves when CCV is out

Some say it’s because Brendan prefers a left footer for balance in the centre of defence, but that’s just nonsense as Maik is a player comfortable with the ball on either foot. He in my opinion should be given more chance to fully prove himself, he deserves nothing less.

Celtic has two left-sided central defenders in Liam Scales and Austin Trusty. On the right hand side of our central defence Cameron Carter-Vickers, when he’s it plays. When he’s not Brendan has moved Trusty to the right to play alongside Scales.

Celtic v Hearts, Scottish Premiership 29/03/2025. Maik Nawrocki of Celtic during the match at Celtic Park, on 29 March 2025. Photo Malcolm Mackenzie PSI

Surely the right sided Nawrocki has done more than enough?

Surely the right sided Maik Nawrocki has done more than enough to establish himself as the CCV back-up at the very least.

Still Brendan is paid the big bucks to make these calls and like every football manager, he stands and falls by the decisions taken and the outcome of those decisions. Brendan doesn’t get much wrong but nobody is perfect and his treatment of Maik Nawrocki the past season sort of proves that point.

Just an Ordinary Bhoy

Here’s our video of the post match celebrations at Pittodrie last night…

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