BBC pundit Rory Loy has labeled Brendan Rodgers’ recent remarks regarding Celtic winger James Forrest as ‘strange’. In a post-match discussion, Rodgers highlighted Forrest as Celtic’s premier winger, particularly praising his abilities on the wings.
Rodgers mentioned that Forrest has struggled with not playing as much as he’d like, a point that Rory Loy found puzzling during his commentary on [BBC Sportsound]. Loy remarked, “It almost sounded like James Forrest was nearing retirement the way that interview was framed. To call him your top winger while he hasn’t seen much action over the past few years due to the game’s demands is odd.
“Especially considering that in the last three years, the decision not to play him was simply because previous managers believed they had better choices.
“Yet, his performance today was outstanding. Brilliant.
“That’s the way to secure a spot in the starting lineup. You have to take those 20 or 30 minutes you get from the bench and leave a mark.
“However, Rodgers’ evaluation of Forrest’s current situation struck me as somewhat odd, especially given that Forrest is only 32.
“In my view, he could easily handle a full 90 minutes at peak intensity.”
It’s not entirely clear why Loy finds Rodgers’ comments perplexing, as he seems to agree with the Celtic manager’s views on Forrest’s contribution to the team.
Perhaps it was the manner in which Rodgers spoke that caught Loy off guard. To many, Forrest’s entry into the game indeed ignited Celtic’s performance in the latter half.
The 32-year-old winger clearly still has much to contribute to Celtic. His performance off the bench yesterday demonstrated that Forrest can be a significant asset for Rodgers.
However, I diverge from Loy’s opinion that Forrest could sustain full intensity over a 90-minute game. If that were truly the case, it’s likely Rodgers would have utilized him more throughout the season.
