Johnny Kenny has been in blistering form for Celtic this season. For the first time in his Celtic career, he has been able to earn regular playing time and score goals at a respectable rate. Four of his five league goals in Scotland have come from seven appearances this year. This recent form has earned him a call-up to the Ireland squad, and few would deny that he has earned his place.
It’s a remarkable turnaround for a player who looked like his big move to Parkhead came at the wrong time in his career. A loan move to Queen’s Park saw him go scoreless in 12 Championship appearances in 2022/23, which more than confirmed that perception. Now, however, after a successful spell back in his homeland with Shamrock Rovers, he is a man rejuvenated.
At the same time, Evan Ferguson – a long-time target here in Paradise – has been struggling for form on loan at West Ham and Roma. His test has arguably been significantly more daunting, but the expectation for a player who has scored 13 goals in the English top flight is much higher. The combination of these two developments raises the question: Is Kenny earning the career that his fellow Irishman had once promised?
A Striker Refreshed, Rejuvenating a Celtic Title Charge
It’s been a tumultuous season in Scotland. Hearts are the current leaders of the early table, and at one point, it looked like they could run away with it. After dropping points in a handful of games with some silly draws, however, they appear to have allowed Celtic back into the race – and perhaps even their rivals, Hibernian and a Danny Rohl-inspired Rangers.
In a season where there were no big-name arrivals for the Bhoys, a potential title charge has been largely driven by players already at the club. Kenny is just behind Benjamin Nygren in the goalscoring charts – the Swede has five goals in the league – and the man from County Sligo is a big part of why Celtic are favourites at 4/9 in the sports betting at LeoVegas.
Kenny has scored the first goal in the last two fixtures in the league, both of which were part of resounding 4-0 wins. He was clearly the winner in those games against Kilmarnock and Falkirk, but what was more telling was the gloss he added to the wins. These weren’t smash-and-grabs; they were games that were dominated from start to finish, establishing that Celtic were back to their best.
Ferguson Set Back by Injuries and Poor Form in Rome
Evan Ferguson’s current situation provides a dramatic contrast to Kenny’s. He signed for Roma in the summer, and his time in the Eternal City has been something of a mini-disaster. He has yet to score in his 10 appearances in all competitions and is now injured. He has impressed in fits and starts, but his manager, Gian Piero Gasperini, has expressed his belief that his time out of the game is taking its toll on him, according to the Irish Independent.
There has also been some uncertainty regarding his injury status. Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrímsson claimed that the Drogheda-born forward was ready to return for Roma, which was at odds with Gasperini. Ferguson would be left out of the squad entirely for a recent fixture against Udinese. This all suggests a sense of discordance in the young forward’s career.
It seems a long way away from when there were talks of the striker making a move for as much as £100 million. Celtic could never have been his destination with those figures, but it even seems a million miles from the period when he was discussed as a potentially potent option up front, before Brendan Rodgers ultimately had to settle for a struggling Kelechi Iheanacho as a free agent.
What Does Kenny’s Form Mean for Evan Ferguson?
Ultimately, Evan Ferguson remains a promising prospect. He may be experiencing a troubling few seasons, but Johnny Kenny will be well aware of those struggles and how hard work and a bit of luck can turn everything around. However, the former Sligo Rovers man’s form may mean that the rumours of the Brighton striker arriving in Glasgow won’t resurface in the coming windows.
He will still likely be Ireland’s leading player. Even when in poor club form, he has delivered the goods in Dublin time and again for his nation. However, should Kenny continue on his revitalised trajectory, he could even see his status for the Boys in Green in jeopardy, and that would be a good thing for Celtic, if not Evan Ferguson.
