“You can’t be at Celtic and play in second gear,” John Hartson

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The Celtic Star

·4 de abril de 2026

“You can’t be at Celtic and play in second gear,” John Hartson

John Hartson has hit out at the current Celtic squad accusing many of them of playing in second gear in a season where standards have clearly slipped at the current Scottish Champions…

John Hartson, at the Celtic Star Books launch at the Kerrydale Suite at Celtic Park for Matt Corr’s Majic, Stan and the King of Japan in October 2023. Photo AJ (The Celtic Star)

Speaking on Frank McAvennie’s Let Me be Frank podcast the former Celtic striker, who scored 109 goals in 201 games for the club, hit out at the current group of players while singling out one player as the possible solution as Celtic heads towards the final handful of games in what has been a turbulent season.

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“I would be playing James Forrest. I know he’s 57 years of age. I would play him,” Hartson said, obviously joking about the Celtic veteran’s age.

“He’s the only one, for me, who is direct and looks to take players on. Tounekti does it on the other side. Tounekti has shown signs that he can produce things,” Hartson added.

“But like I said. You have to do it, week in and week out, especially with the resurgence of Hearts. It’s a difficult place to go, at the best of times. It can be hostile there. Derek McInnes is doing a great job.

“I thought Hearts would fall away. Halfway through the season, I thought Celtic would do what they normally do. They would come on strong. Momentum, and everything else.

“But you can’t be willy nilly. You can’t just turn it on when you want to turn it on. Larsson did it week in, week out. Year in and year out, and so did all the other players.

“We lost the odd game. Of course, we lost the odd game. Good teams lose football matches. It happens. But you can’t be at Celtic and play in second gear. You have to be at it every single week. The man who is in charge now, Martin O’Neill, made sure that was the case. You have to play every single week.

“I just look at the players, and they just trudge off, and they have been beat up. They don’t compete. They pull out of headers. Pull out of tackles. That’s not Celtic players you have seen in the past,” Big Bad John said.

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