MARVIN COMPPER came into Celtic at a time when the Celtic defence was perceived to be at its worst.
In December – Celtic lost their first domestic game under Brendan Rodgers in spectacular fashion, losing 4-0 to Hearts at Tynecastle.
It spelled the end of Jozo Simunovic’s automatic first team privileges and paved the way for the emergence of Kristoffer Ajer but getting in a strong confident defender was still high on Celtic fans agenda.
Celtic actually weakened their defence in January when they let go of Erik Sviatchenko on-loan, with injuries and loss of form the team was crying out for a new defender and it finally came in the form of Marvin Compper.
The 32-year-old, coming from the German league looked to be the steady and experienced head that Brendan Rodgers was looking for.
However, a freak injury in training meant that the German would not be available immediately after the winter break.
Much to the fans dismay, Celtic had to plod along without their new signing.
Eventually, Marvin was fit and raring to go, the only thing was Brendan wasn’t.
It would be the 3rd of March before we got to see the defender start and this would be his only appearance of the season. A 3-0 win over Greenock Morton where Marvin got about 60 odd minutes on the field signaled he was ready to get his Celtic career properly underway.
It has not panned out like that at all. Ajer has commanded his position for the most part in the team, usurping Jozo and making Compper sit in the stands. Rodgers love of all things Boyata means the Belgian is an automatic pick when fit and available.
This leaves Compper in no-mans land.
With Boyata heading to the World Cup and Celtic’s Euro Qualifiers kicking off in mid-July- there’s no way he will be available for the first round ties and maybe not even the second.
This is where the former Leipzig man will find out his Parkhead future.
Are the early qualifiers going to be Marvin Compper’s salvation? – Brendan Rodgers will surely be prepping the player once the squad returns from their pre-season break.
If we don’t see Marvin in the early rounds and Simunovic is preferred to the German, then the writing will be very much on the wall.
The player turns 33 next week and isn’t getting any younger – you have to imagine he’ll ask to move on if he doesn’t get game time.
Get Armstrong tae fck oot the Door.