Paulo Bernardo has been warned to step up for Celtic in their pre-season preparations – or risk being shown the door.
The Portuguese midfielder, who swapped agent recently, has not featured for the Hoops since March when he played a bit-part role as his side swept Motherwell aside in Scottish Premiership action.
He actually only made 20 appearances in all competitions for the club last term despite seemingly being available under both Martin O’Neill and Wilfried Nancy as well as the Northern Irishman in his second interim stint.
Bernardo, 24, was given 45 minutes from the start against Shelbourne in Cork last night to impress his manager but, like the rest of the squad he was replaced at half-time during their 1-1 draw.
Pre-season is notoriously difficult where fitness levels are concerned while the matchdays do not have much riding on them in terms of results. But performances can put players in their boss’s mind for the season ahead.
That’s why former Hibs and Livingston midfielder Marvin Bartley has warned the likes of Bernardo and teammate Michel-Ange Balikwisha – who have barely kicked a ball in recent times competitively – that they need to take their opportunity in pre-season matches to put their best foot forward.
“For those types of players it’s massively vital,” Bartley said on Clyde SSB. “From Bernardo he’s putting different pressures on himself because he wants to be a starter for Celtic Football Club.
“When he first came in, absolutely fantastic, looked like he had real promise and then he drifted away from that. How does he get himself back to that level? That’s the important thing for him from a personal point of view.
“These opportunities, as early as they have came, the manager will just be worried about people coming through injury free. You want to stick in the manager’s mind that you performed really well in that game.
“If you’re not doing that and weren’t playing at the backend of last season, sometimes not getting in the squad, you’re going to find yourself in trouble before the end of the transfer window.”
Bernardo will have to dramatically improve for Celtic this season if he wants to have a real crack at breaking into O’Neill’s starting XI more often than not.
The manager favours strong and combative players in his engine room and with Callum McGregor he already has one spot taken in the midfield.
We told you earlier this summer how Celtic want two new midfield players and that could signal the end of Bernardo’s time in Glasgow before it has really got going this year.
Reo Hatate is also a likely departure after he missed the draw against Shels through illness.
I thought the article about Bernardo may be important , until I read it was Martin Bartley , what does that idiot know how a winning SPL team works