In the wake of Celtic’s dismal showings in recent weeks, Brendan Rodgers’ decision-making regarding team selections has come under scrutiny.
The recent game against Hearts added more evidence to the criticism, particularly when Alexandro Bernabei was brought on as a second-half substitute ahead of James Forrest – or at all!
Is this a signal from the Celtic boss to the club’s hierarchy? Chants of ‘sack the board’ during the Hearts defeat underscore the immense pressure they are under.
When it comes to Alexandro Bernabei, his struggles at Celtic have been notable, leading Stephen McGinn to assert that he will ‘never be good enough’, as he expressed on Go Radio.
Despite being a £4 million signing in the summer of 2022, Alexandro Bernabei started 11 matches last season and has only played 71 minutes of football this season.
Evidently, Brendan Rodgers does not have a high regard for him or his abilities as a left-back.
However, his decision to bring Bernabei onto the pitch when the team needed a goal has left Stephen McGinn perplexed, as he questions why John Kennedy and Gavin Strachan haven’t cautioned Brendan Rodgers about him.
“The team selection doesn’t make sense at the moment,” remarked McGinn. “There’s a lack of consistency. I don’t understand why individuals like John Kennedy and Gavin Strachan, who have been a part of the team for the past few years, haven’t communicated to Brendan Rodgers that Alexandro Bernabei will never be good enough.”
With the January transfer window now open, it’s expected that Bernabei will be among those seeking a new club.
It appears Celtic may be aiming to recruit another left-back to challenge Greg Taylor, but for this to occur, Bernabei needs to find a new destination.
The challenge lies in the fact that there are several players in a similar situation to Bernabei within the team. Thus, the upcoming transfer period may focus more on departures rather than arrivals.
Should Celtic fail to offload these players, which will undoubtedly be challenging mid-season, Rodgers will need to extract much more from them.
