Celtic loanee questions the quality of Scottish football

It’s always good to be able to back Celtic players when they speak up, when they are out on loan. On this occasion it’s not the clearest point being made.

Players tend to be out on loan either a) as a way to develop their raw skills through game time which is hard to get at Celtic.  Or b) they’ve not hit the mark at the club and it’s a loan to keep them playing while looking for an exit route.

Jack Hendry is very much option b) above. He had plenty of chances and didn’t impress or reach the expected standard at Celtic. He’s now out on loan at Oostende in Belgium and made a great start with a late goal to secure a win for them on his debut.

Well done Jack, but go steady and don’t get above yourself there. It’s hardly the time nor is it appropriate to start slinging insults at Scottish football.

The Daily Record though report on his suggestions that the Belgian League where he is now playing operate at a higher standard than the Scottish league because there are several bigger clubs there. Jack added his comments there recently:

"“I think the Belgian League is a higher level than in Scotland.“Here in Belgium, you have several strong clubs like Club Brugge, Standard Liege, Genk and Anderlecht.“But in Scotland, we have only Celtic and Rangers, with a few good teams underneath them.”"

There is a slight point to be made there but Jack is perhaps a bit disrespectful of several SPFL sides. Aberdeen and Hibs come immediately to mind, there are others of course. And he really doesn’t address about where the standard of football question leaves him individually.

Hendry made an early name and looked like a potential prospect at what he might now term as a smaller club. But he showed that when it came to the larger Celtic step up, he just couldn’t make it. So his now rather confusing point is, I think, that he has now moved to a club he feels play at a standard which is better and higher than the one he has left. That’ll make it tough for both himself and fellow loanee to the Belgian league, Marian Shved.

Well, good luck with getting in to that team on a regular basis Jack, it might be a tough ask over time. If that does work out and you can hold down a place and get your early from back, then everyone will be happy. But please avoid thinking you too are above it all, that way won’t work out well.