OPINION
Kris Boyd has angered Celtic supporters with his no-holds-barred criticism of their poor start to the season.
But the Kilmarnock striker and budding pundit couldn’t be more right with his claim that Olivier Ntcham is going through the motions after failing to get a move to Porto.
Goal claim the Portugese big hitters had a £13million bid rejected for the central midfielder in late August and that the player was keen to secure a late-window move to the Primeira Liga club.
Celtic put the block on that transfer, but it is no coincidence that there has subsequently been a significant downturn in the form of the Frenchman.
Speaking recently on BBC Sportsound, Boyd claimed there’s a “divide in the dressing room” at Celtic and pointed the finger at Ntcham, Dedryck Boyata and late-August departee Moussa Dembele.
“You only need to look at the Boyata scenario, you look at Moussa Dembele, at Ntcham,” Boyd said. “There was interest from Porto (in Ntcham). If a club wants to pay £14million for you, that guy’s wages will go through the roof if he goes there.
“He wants to go — and Boyata is the exact same, there’s no doubt about it. You only need to look at their performances.
“Are they really that bothered to be playing in a Celtic jersey right now? Not for me. Ntcham was excellent for the first three or four games of the season but, since the transfer window has shut and Moussa Dembele has gone, he looks a shadow of the player he was.”
Ntcham has made a big impact at Celtic since signing from Manchester City for around £4.5million last year. In 66 matches for the club, the central midfielder has scored 13 goals and supplied seven assists, forming a fine partnership with Scott Brown.
Credit to him for increasing his value by nearly £10million in a year.
Clearly, he is a key player and a valuable asset.
But Boyd is right. Ntcham is going through the motions and needs to pull his finger out.
His performances have summed up the mediocrity of Celtic over the last two months, Sunday’s demolition of St Johnstone notwithstanding.
The early-season goals have dried up for the Frenchman. He is less inspirational than he was.
That needs to change if Ntcham is to get the move he is clearly crying out for.