Celtic’s Kasper Schmeichel Injury Latest As Denmark Boss Fires Back

Denmark manager Brian Riemer has moved to draw a line under the noise surrounding Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel’s fitness, but the situation remains muddled.

The Celtic goalkeeper went public on Friday with details of a shoulder injury, just hours after returning to training at Lennoxtown. It followed suggestions from former Celtic manager Martin O’Neill that the 39-year-old could be back in the squad for Saturday’s visit of Motherwell.

That never lined up with what Schmeichel was saying himself.

Speaking in Denmark, the keeper made it clear he is facing four to six weeks out, ruling him out of Denmark’s World Cup playoff clash with North Macedonia.

It has led to questions, particularly back home, over how the situation has been handled. Former Celtic midfielder Thomas Gravesen called out a lack of clarity, but Riemer was quick to shut that down.

He told Bold:

“Kasper is a goalkeeper who has played 120 international matches for Denmark and has been a huge part of the Danish national team’s history over a very long time.

“He is probably the one I know who has the biggest and most bleeding heart for Denmark, so it is natural to ask that question.

“But as I would do with any other player, our conversations are of course a private matter between me and them. That is also the case in this case.

“What I’m dealing with is that Kasper is injured, and everything that concerns his injury and Celtic, I’ll steer the questions that way because it’s none of our business.

“We are focusing on the players we can select and the players who will perform for us in the upcoming session.”

Riemer is keeping his distance, and you can understand why ahead of a big international tie. Still, it does little to clear up what has already been a confusing few days.

If Schmeichel has not been fully fit since Stuttgart, and injections have failed to sort the issue, the mixed messaging does not reflect well on anyone involved.

From a Celtic point of view, the picture is simpler.

Viljami Sinisalo keeps the gloves, and the run of games continues. There is already a sense that this is more than a short-term stand-in role, and that will only grow if he continues to look as assured as he has so far.