Former goalkeeper and pundit Alan Rough has come to the defence of under fire Celtic stopper Vasilis Barkas.
The Greek international has not done it for the club this season and right now looks like an expensive mistake.
Speaking in Sunday’s print edition of the Daily Mail, Rough believes the circumstances going on around Barkas isn’t helping things but did make it clear if he can’t show he’s a game winning goalkeeper for Celtic, his time will be up quickly.
“The stats speak for themselves and he hasn’t won a game for Celtic, which is the biggest complaint against him right now.
“I would give him the benefit of the doubt because of the defence that he’s playing behind, though. Any goalkeeper will tell you that, if you have two big, solid guys right in front of you, it makes your life so much easier.
“But when you have a back four or a back three and it’s being chopped and changed every single week, and they aren’t playing well themselves, then it falls on to you as well.
“It’s a collective problem, not just Barkas. But unless he starts making some big saves, he’ll be banging his head off a brick wall with the support.”
Celtic have had some top goalkeepers over the last 10-15 years, but Barkas is finding it hard to live up to the standards set by his predecessors. There’s still some in the support who will staunchly tell you he’s not that bad, but if they’re being honest with themselves, he hasn’t been good enough and no first team goalkeeper on our books right now is the answer.
It’s looking more and more likely the club don’t see the issue and will not try to rectify it before the window shuts next week.
