Davie Hay has blasted Celtic right-back Jeremy Toljan after he was left out of the starting XI to face Hibernian in the Scottish Cup last Saturday.
Interim manager Neil Lennon chose to integrate Mikael Lustig back into the side, and it proved dividends after the Hoops progressed to the next round with a 2-0 win under their belts, and Hay thinks that it is not a surprise that Toljan was left out.
He says that the 24-year-old does not give anything new to the team that they do not have already, and that he does not offer very much playing at right-back while praising Lustig for how much better he looked after having a break.
“I can’t say that I was too surprised to see Mikael Lustig back in the starting XI for the win over Hibs last weekend. I just don’t think that Jeremy Toljan has offered too much in that right-back berth since coming into the club,” he said in his Evening Times column.
“And I actually think that Lustig looks better for having had a bit of a break. You have to remember that Lustig has played at the World Cup too so he has not had much of a break at all. Toljan actually reminds me a little bit of Cristian Gamboa.
“I am not sure that he really shows anything that Celtic do not have at their disposal already. It will be interesting to see just what happens going forward now.”
OPINION
Lustig has been a bit of a scapegoat for Celtic fans in recent times, and that is no surprise given that his performances were not up to scratch. This is no doubt why Toljan was signed from Borussia Dortmund in January, but by the looks of it, he has not impressed that much. After Lustig’s display last weekend, it looked like that all he needed was a break, and now he has had that, he looks a different player. This means that Hay has a valid point about Toljan not offering much to the side, because in all fairness, he does not give anything to the team that they do not have already. There is no denying the talent that he has, but what he is the point in having a player who does not offer anything? Answer – zero point. Lustig looks a brand new player, and it looks like Lennon has placed his faith in him.