Martin O’Neill has admitted it’s “incredible” he’s yet to work with some of Celtic’s key players across both of his spells in charge this season.
The interim boss has been without Jota, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Alistair Johnston, all of whom would typically be automatic starters.
And he’s still waiting.
Jota and Carter-Vickers are now expected to return next season, with O’Neill hopeful the Portuguese winger could be ready for pre-season after a stop-start recovery.
Their comebacks will likely come under a new manager.
There is more immediate hope elsewhere, though.
Johnston is stepping up his recovery and could be available this weekend, while Callum Osmand is also edging closer to a return after his own injury issues.
Meanwhile, Arne Engels has already made his comeback, featuring at the weekend.
Reflecting on the situation, O’Neill said: “It’s been incredible. I’ve not seen Jota, Carter-Vickers, or Johnston throughout my two spells.
“These are guys who have in the past been automatic choices. It’s not to say that others haven’t done well.
“Auston Trusty and Liam Scales have been excellent in central defence, but those other three have been first-picks for other managers.” [SunSport]
To help bridge the gap, O’Neill is planning a bounce game to give returning players valuable minutes before they’re thrown back into competitive action.
With the season reaching its defining stage, Celtic are finally starting to get bodies back but they’ve had to fight most of the campaign without some of their biggest names.
It will be a boost getting the likes of AJ and Engels back into the starting XI. Osmand looked like a promising striker before his injury, hopefully he can pick up where he left off.
