‘Awful’ – Club legend wasn’t impressed with Celtic veteran vs Bodo/Glimt

Celtic crashed out of European competition for the season, against Norwegian champions, Bodo/Glimt. Losing 3-1 at Parkhead in the first leg, the Hoops were once again outplayed in the second, this time in Norway, as they suffered a 2-0 loss on Thursday to end the tie with a 5-1 loss on aggregate. Both matches did not go as they would have expected with the counterattacks from the opposition raising questions about Ange Postecoglou’s side defensively.

In the 2-0 loss away in Norway, veteran midfielder Nir Bitton failed to impress, as Celtic could not take control of the middle of the park.

Former Celtic goalkeeper and one-club man, Pat Bonner, was critical of Bitton’s performance on the night and believes that the midfielder needs to concentrate on his game.

The former Irish international did not mince his words when talking about Bitton. As reported by BBC, he said on BBC Sportsound:

"“That pass was absolutely awful from Nir Bitton, he has had one of those nights. He needs to really concentrate on his game to show that the manager what he has to offer in future.”"

Does Bitton have a future at Celtic?

Bitton has lifted a number of trophies during his time at Celtic, since joining in the summer of 2013, even though he has not always been a regular part of the first-team picture.

While Bonner’s criticism might be just based on his performance on the night, it does feel like the midfielder has more to offer. Bitton is a player who goes through spells. One month he may be impressing in every match, the next month he’ll be on the bench.

Still, the Israeli international is a great option to have for Celtic with the flexibility to drop into the backline if the situation calls for it.

Some have suggested that Bitton’s time at Celtic could be up next summer with his current deal running out in the summer of 2023, but it is hard to see that happen.

The signings of Reo Hatate and Matt O’Riley won’t really affect his place in the team. Ismaila Soro and James McCarthy’s Celtic futures are much less certain than that of Bitton.